Prioritizing Safety and Health on the Run This Month

In this post, NYRR Coach Gordon Bakoulis offers advice on staying healthy and putting your safety first, now and all winter long.

I love running in November. Here in the northeast, it’s generally chilly-but-not-freezing, with stretches of dry, calm days interspersed with a few drippy ones as hurricane season plays out. Fall racing season is in the rearview mirror, which gives us the freedom to enjoy easy, relaxed runs without the preoccupation of an upcoming Big Event.

Here are six simple ways to keep your focus on health and safety, now and through the winter.

Focus on Health

Do something good for yourself every day. This time of year, I often extend my relaxed attitude toward running to other aspects of my life like diet, sleep, and screen time. This is fine up to a point—after all, what’s Thanksgiving without an extra slice of pie?—but healthy habits do more than set us up for PRs; they help us feel and perform our best, 24/7. I try to commit to one simple, achievable wellness practice every day—it might be eating a fruit or vegetable at every meal and snack, foam rolling, or turning off screens by 9:00 p.m.

Strengthen up! With your running mileage down, November is a great time to focus on strengthening your muscles. Pressed for time? Do just a few simple body-weight exercises such as situps, pushups, lunges, and squats for a few moments when you can fit them in, as long as you’re in a safe exercise environment. A little strength work goes a long way toward protecting you from injury.

Keep an exercise log. Continue logging your runs in Strava or another app, and make a note of strength and other cross-training sessions too. You’re an athlete, even when you’re not training for a virtual marathon! Recording your efforts reminds you of that and can keep you motivated.

Focus on Safety

Light up. If you run before sunrise or after sunset, wear bright or reflective clothing or strap on a headlamp or shoe lights—any gear that can help you see and be seen. Stick to sidewalks or run facing traffic, as far to the side of the road as possible.

Watch the weather. As the thermometer dips below freezing, be aware of the possibility of ice and plan accordingly. I avoid running outside on icy days—I’ll climb the stairs in my apartment building instead. On clear days, the cold shouldn’t force you indoors—layer up, cover your hands and head, and run into the wind heading out to give yourself a tailwind coming back.

Stay connected. Keep friends aware of your running habits through social media or texting, so someone will notice if you fail to return from a run. Staying connected to our running network also helps maintain healthy, positive relationships and can be motivating—through November and in the winter months ahead.