This was the first week of school but I still managed to squeeze in 22 km of running. Homework takes precedence over exercise obviously so chances are that I will not be running a lot this fall. My legs are feeling a lot better/stronger now than in the past month so that is a big plus. I ran 10 km today in the rain and to my surprise I ran the distance 10 minutes faster than usual. All of the walking I get from when I go to school and back and when I walk from class to class up and down stairs really helps my muscles recover in between runs. I think my legs are ready for some hill training next week. I’ve scouted just the perfect hill too. I can hardly wait!
The temperature has dropped considerably during the past couple of weeks so right now it is just perfect for running. But it has also become more humid so I have to be careful not to catch a cold. I’m not sure what I should do once the temperature drops below freezing though. As I see it, I have 3 options:
1. Continue running outdoors during the winter.
2. Get a gym membership.
3. Invest in my own thread mill or exercise bike.
Running outdoors has the benefit that it would help build my stamina and general toughness. (I really want to try running in deep snow. Like Rocky in Rocky 4. It can’t be anything but great.) On the other hand, running in sub zero temperatures and on slippery roads could be dangerous and that is a big risk to take when I have important deadlines to keep.
Going to a gym to work out seemed like a good idea at first. Not only could I get on a thread mill, but there would also be other exercise equipment there that I could try. Spinning/Cycling for instance seems like a good alternative/compliment to running. But upon consideration I figure the 2 km walk/bus-ride to the gym and back could become a big de-motivator, especially with the tight schedule I have for the fall semester. I’m also not very comfortable exercising with a lot of other people. The roads on my way there would obviously be just as slippery as for option 1. It’s also a bit on the expensive side – especially since I’m not sure how often I will have a chance to exercise this fall considering the massive amounts of homework I’m expecting.
The third option, to buy my own exercise equipment, seems to solve the problems of going to the gym at the expense of versatility. The problem, obviously, is the huge initial investment.