Each brand offers something a little different: try Balega for an ultra-plush sock, Feetures for targeted arch compression, Injinji for enhanced blister protection (in the form of a toe sock!), and Swiftwick for all-over compression and moisture wicking.

Recently in the store, there have been many questions regarding socks. These questions have consisted of “What is the point of special socks?” “What makes a sock so special?” “How will this benefit my athletics?” etc. These are all great questions to ask, and I have enjoyed these conversations over the last few weeks. If you are similarly curious, I encourage you to come in to discuss and try on the different types of socks.

Running socks or specialized socks are not just to be made as a sale item. There are many great benefits of wearing specialized socks. Each sock is made for a purpose and with a different goal to achieve. You can buy a normal cotton sock, which is still great for a variety of purposes, but lacks a lot of the benefits that more specialized socks contain. Cotton retains moisture which can cause significant discomfort when used in the context of activity. Cotton socks are also usually made on the thicker side and tend to feel a little heavy (and smelly!) by the end of the day. The difference between cotton socks and specialty socks is that many specialty socks consist of different material blends that are moisture-wicking, and include targeted firm compression towards the arch of the foot, a more shaped fit; some socks even have special blister protection. While we are on our feet all day working, running, grocery shopping — or whatever it may be that we do consistently — having a good-fitting sock really makes a difference in how much fatigue you may have in your feet.

It may sound or seem crazy that a sock can have so many benefits, but it is all true. Just like finding a good-fitting shoe, it can make a huge difference in your walking and the health of your joints. Socks are important just like our shoes! When you add the two together it makes a great recipe for success in getting through a long day on your feet better.

Some of the benefits of wearing a specialty sock include:

• Specialized Firm Compression

• Reduces Level of Fatigue

• Reduces Inflammation

• Provides extra cushion

• Adds more arch support

• Blister/Friction protection

• Moisture-wicking technology (preventing smell) and blisters

With the benefits of the socks, when it comes down to athletic performance, standing for twelve-hour shifts, or just running errands around town. A sock can help give you the extra step you need, in preventing fatigue and adding more support.

At Terra, we sell many different brands of socks including Feetures, Swiftwick, Balega, and Injini. Each of these brands has many different styles to choose from and different feelings on foot. Whether you are looking for firm arch compression, something more snug, or a moisture-wicking sock for a long run, a specialty sock may be a beneficial option!

The temps are dropping, but that doesn't mean your activity has to slack off or head indoors. If you ask me, the greatest thing about Tennessee winters is it's often still sunny, even when the air temps drop below freezing. If you want to keep up with cold weather running, here are some tips to prepare.

1. When headed out for a cold weather run, dress like you would if you weren't running and it was 20 degrees warmer. For example, if it's 30 degrees F outside but you are headed out for a run, ask yourself what you'd wear on a normal day if it were 50 degrees F outside. You'd dress in pants and a light jacket, with some layers you could unload once warmed up. Don't overdo it just because 30 seems so cold! You're going to warm your body up as soon as you start moving.

2. Layers! On top, dress in lots of layers. Make sure your base layer is always moisture-wicking, never cotton. Dress in a short-sleeve base layer, a long-sleeve over top, and a jacket that you can easily unzip or take off when your body warms up. My favorite winter running jacket is the Brooks Canopy Jacket. There are buttons along the zipper so you can keep the jacket closed but still release heat through your chest. It is also packable into a bag sewn into the jacket. 

3. When in doubt, overdress to get yourself out the door. You can always shed layers as you run, but if you're having trouble convincing yourself to get out the door, just throw on another layer (jacket, hoodie, whatever!) to get going. Once you get outside, you'll feel more like continuing. You can always take off a layer, ditch the gloves, and keep it moving!

4. Change your mindset. In just a few short months, it will be back to sweltering heat! We'll be talking about avoiding running in the heat of the day and working hard to keep our electrolytes up because we're sweating so much. Enjoy the brisk weather while you can! The winter is where fast, fit, consistent summer runners are made, so don't skip out on these cool runs if you can!

We all know the clichés around the New Year and resolutions; “Everyone has great intentions but give it a few weeks and the follow-through fails.”

And while that may be true for some, the truth is, the start of the New Year is a great time to implement some new and improved habits that stick! Don’t let some people’s cynicism keep you from starting on the road of healthy changes or new challenges.

To help you get started, check out the following tips:

Start simple

A lot of the reason resolutions fail is that people try to change their entire life in a week! Change takes time, especially when it comes to our ingrained habits. Instead focus on keeping your goals a simple as possible. Then add in more goals and habits as you master each new challenge. For example, if your goal is to eat healthier, identify some simple changes you can make to get the ball rolling in the right direction. Instead of jumping in on the newest fad diet and completely altering your life all at once (something that has a high likelihood of failure… and will probably make you miserable), you could start by ensuring you always include a vegetable or fruit with every meal. Or maybe choosing to eat off the smaller sized plates in your dishware set to help regulate portion sizes. Once you’ve mastered that, you can add in something new like cutting down on sodas or desserts, etc. You can do this with almost any goal, not just health and wellness goals. A huge plus side of this approach is that it helps you change your internal narrative naturally over time, something else that is vitally important to creating habits that stick (but we will get to that in a minute).

Make it easy to do the right thing

Our brains are wired to look for the paths of least resistance. While in some situations this can be helpful (creating efficient workflows, etc.) this tendency is often the death-knell to our good intentions. We make up silly excuses and get tripped up by the smallest of obstacles. If you are like me, something as ridiculous as having to walk into the other room can keep me from completing a task, let alone the effort it takes for something like getting ready for and going to the gym. This is why it is very helpful to look for ways to make it easy to do the right thing. Sure, ideally overtime we build up our tolerance for discomfort but especially in the early stages of creating habits, don’t make things harder for yourself. Maybe you have heard of the people who sleep in their workout clothes so that they can roll right out of bed and get to it? This is an excellent example of removing obstacles — however small and seemingly inconsequential! — so that the path toward your goals is that much easier to execute. If you have never tried this strategy before you might be surprised how effective it is! Other examples, can be getting some basic home workout equipment so that you don’t have to get in the car and drive to the gym for your workout (this is another reason why running is such a popular form of exercise! Just lace up and run right out your front door)! Other wellness examples could be stocking your shelves with healthy snacks instead of junk food, doing some basic meal prepping so that nutritious food is more accessible throughout the week, or even parking your car farther away in the parking lot so that you are getting more steps in.

Be aware of your internal narrative

This is something that many people neglect to address when they jump into their resolutions. They see themselves as an unhealthy person (maybe they even bragged to others about how little they cared, that they don’t eat vegetables, etc.) so things that are associated with healthy living feel not only foreign but inauthentic to them. Maybe they try something for a few weeks but internally they feel like a fraud and they subconsciously expect themselves to fail. This is not only a recipe for defeat, it is a cycle that builds on itself. A fresh failure will reinforce that old narrative that they have identified with and will make a new attempt in the future even more difficult. Instead, practice some self-reflection and take stock of your internal narrative. What do you tell yourself about yourself? What kind of person do you see yourself as? What about that person do you like? What about that person are you hoping to grow, even change? What do you say about yourself out loud? If you always say (internally or externally), “I’m not a runner.” Or, “Running always hurts my knees so I don’t do it.” Or, “I hate vegetables,” or “I don’t read,” or “Everyone always leaves me,” you have just made some pretty strong declarations about yourself that will do nothing other than cut you off from growing in the future. Remember that you get to decide who you will be! Old experiences, habits, and narratives — either put on you by yourself or by others — don’t need to define you in the future.

Get some accountability

Perhaps this the most difficult of all the advice offered here. Getting other people involved immediately raises the stakes on any of our goals; this is the point of accountability! When we involve others in our goals and resolutions, we are forced to define our goals and commit to something; our lack of follow-through can no longer masquerade as indecision. There are many options for accountability: friends, co-workers, significant others, spouses, coaches, personal trainers, run-groups, online support groups, apps — there are lots of options! Some options provide passive accountability, like a running group or a workout class — you know that people will wonder where you are if you don’t show up and that can make all the difference in making sure you go; other options provide more direct accountability, like a friend, life-coach, or personal trainer — they will follow up with you directly on how your goals are going, and may even provide instruction. Just make sure if you are asking a friend, co-worker, family member, etc., that they are truly okay with providing accountability for you. Also be sure to define your goal clearly and request what your hopes would be for their role in that (“would you mind asking me at the end of the week if I did x, y, z,” etc.) and check back in on how things are going down the line.

While it may be true that a lot of people’s resolutions fail after a few weeks, it is also true that this time of year can be an incredibly helpful catalyst to change. Everyone has the ability to move forward into being more of the person that they hope to be and with a bit of strategy, honesty, self-reflection, and help from others, these changes and habits will only come easier and easier!

Originally posted December 15, 2022

Cookies. Cake. Chocolate. Egg nog. Pie. More cookies… It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

While it may be the most wonderful time of the year, for most people it is also one of the hardest times of the year to stick to a healthy routine.

To help keep this season wonderful for you and your fitness, check out the following tips:

Enjoy yourself! (with moderation)

Let’s be honest. We runners often take ourselves too seriously. We’re the kind of people who get up at 5 am to run in the dark. The kind of people who think that it’s normal to want to run over 26 miles as fast as we can so that we can run another 26 miles as fast as we can around a whole bunch of other people running 26 miles as fast they can (in an unfamiliar city). We are what some might call… “intense.” While this intensity and focus is usually a wonderful thing it can, at times, keep us from being present with the joys of life around us. We can get so focused on getting that work out in that we miss watching the annual Christmas movie with the family. We can become so concerned with “eating healthy” that we pass on grandma’s famous pie and the cookies that the kids decorated (no one said you had to eat the whole pie or all of the cookies)! While we don’t need to become gluttons and couch potatoes over the holidays, remember that the point of being healthy is to enjoy life more not less.

Say “No” to A Cycle of Guilt

So you’re making the effort to enjoy yourself over the holidays? You skipped your workout to go see Christmas lights with the family, you ate (many!) cookies at the Cookie Run, and you even had a glass of (223 calories per cup!) egg nog! … and you feel awful about all of it. In fact, you feel so bad that you say, “At this point, who cares,” pour an even bigger glass of egg nog and sit on the couch watching the original Santa Clause movie imagining the whole time that you already look like the overweight version of Tim Allen. This, my friends, is unhealthy behavior (and not because you are drinking an extra glass of egg nog). Guilt is a destructive motivator. Guilt shouldn’t fuel your workouts. Guilt shouldn’t keep you on a healthy diet. Eventually, guilt will wreak havoc on your mental health and happiness and can even become a serious physical issue especially when it is focused around health and fitness (I know, I know, this was supposed to be a lighthearted blog but it is important to acknowledge these things). Instead of guilt, allow yourself to be human. Allow yourself to have off days, as well as bad days. Remember that there is always tomorrow, next week or next month to get back on course. When you de-catastrophize things, you break that guilt cycle that so often pushes us even farther into unhealthy habits and attitudes. So if you did pour yourself that extra glass of eggnog, enjoy it! You’ll get back to your regular routine soon.

Make exercise a family affair

Maybe you don’t have time to go on your regular runs throughout the holiday season. The kids are off from school or you’re traveling home to see family? Even though that treasured run may be the “you time” you’re craving, you can still get some exercise in by involving family and friends. All you have to do is find an activity with a little more… activity. Ask everyone to go on a walk after dinner! Play Dance Dance Revolution (do people still play that?) with your kids! Go on a bundled-up bike ride! Play Twister with the family! Go on a hike! There are lots of things you can do to add a bit of movement into your day that still add quality time with the crew. Sure, it’s not your run, but it’s still exercise with the bonus of also being quality time with those you love.

Think Big Picture

Because the holidays are rife with interruptions to our treasured routines it can become really easy to hyper-focus on things that are outside of our control. Travel can make getting a workout in nearly impossible which can lead to serious frustration or impossible standards. But thankfully health is more than our specific workouts or specific weeks or months of our lives. If your flight got delayed and you’re going to miss your run, go for a walk around the airport to get more steps in. Focus more on being active than that specific activity. Yes, Christmas dinner isn’t the healthiest meal you’ll ever eat, but you can make sure that there are fresh vegetables like a high-quality salad included so that you and your family are still getting important vitamins and minerals. Are you tired from all of the holiday prep? Lucky for you sleep and rest are vital parts of health! Take a nap, go to bed early, or sleep in (if you can… sorry parents of small children). Health is for the long haul and thinking about it in broader terms will help you maintain an appropriate mindset and empower you to make healthier decisions in the midst of what can be chaos.

Dealing with an injury as an athlete is incredibly tough, especially on a joint you walk on and use every day. If you’ve ever had a foot injury, I’m sure you’ve had to wear a boot, ankle brace, compression socks, or all the above. Well, today I am writing this to let you know that it does get better. It may be hard to see while walking through the injury in the present moment. However, injuries do not define our recreational abilities or show us how weak we are, but sometimes injuries can help us see a broader perspective, redefine our passion for sport, and show us just how strong we are.

From personal experience, I know how it feels to feel “stuck” as an athlete. You see your friends sprinting or having the best time, while you’re sitting in your living room completing another set of Physical Therapy exercises for the day. Wondering if you will ever get back to what you love.

Then you may notice as you get back to your sport, that your foot has changed a little bit, and the shoes that were once working for you just do not accomplish the original comfort you had, and you may ask “What do I do now? How embarrassing is it to say my feet have changed?” Well, I will tell you that our feet changing is not an embarrassing situation, but it is a normal process.

Sometimes an injury will tell us what we best need, you may need a shoe with extra support, or you may need something with a more balanced cushion to get through the recovery process. That is ok! You do not need to apologize for how different it may be for you; at Terra we are here for you and are not judging you based on how your feet have changed. Our feet changing especially with injury might be confusing to us, but the good news is that each shoe is made differently and while you are experiencing all the things recovery brings about; finding a shoe to guide you through that process can be beneficial.

If the thought of shoe shopping stresses you out through this process I will share with you that from experience, I have had multiple foot injuries over the last three years, and shoe shopping would always result in tears with hours and hours into the shopping journey. It was overwhelming, I felt like no one understood, and supportive shoes were just a whole brave new category to fall into, adding to all the injuries, and emotions that come with recovering. With the most recent experience being seen in the picture above with my feet changing sizes again for the 3rd time. Just know that you are not alone! Injuries are hard, our feet changing with or without injury is also hard, however having the right tools to navigate through this change does help.

There are a ton of options for shoes and different directions to navigate through. I know that once you’ve gotten used to your original comfortable shoe, it is hard to branch out. Sometimes switching up our shoes for recovery is beneficial to build up different muscles in our feet and help rest those affected joints a bit better, with less pressure going straight to the injured area, and more time to heal.

From one recovering athlete to another, I want to encourage you, that you are not crazy for noticing a change. Sometimes our injuries tell us we need something different and that is ok! Recovery is a hard rollercoaster with plenty of emotions. Especially when the holidays approach and you’re surrounded by your fellow athletes, but the injuries you are facing today are not forever, you will be a stronger athlete with so much more life to live! You are doing great, keep taking on each day as it comes, and we are here for you to help you find a shoe for the season you are in!

Although running seems natural and like something you shouldn't have to think too hard about doing, having an efficient running form can make a big difference. Whether you want to run longer or harder, being sure to not waste energy on movement unrelated to forward progress will increase efficiency and help you improve, even incrementally. 

The first step to improving running form is to simply be aware of your current form. It's much easier to have good form when you are just starting a run, but the more fatigued your body gets, the harder it will be to maintain proper form and the more inefficient you can become. Before trying to change any part of your form, go for a run and simply notice where your body moves naturally. Then, choose one aspect at a time to focus on per run. According to the New Balance Good Form Running curriculum, here are four key points to work on to improve efficiency:

#1: Posture: Keep your shoulders above your hips and hips above your ankles. Relax your shoulders and bend your arms at about 90 degrees. Use small arm swings and be sure not to cross the midplane of your body with your hands.

#2: Midfoot: Try to strike with your midfoot, halfway between your arch and toes. Strike under your body, avoiding reaching too far out with your foot. Try to strike lightly, avoiding pounding.

#3: Cadence: A target cadence is about 180 beats per minute. Download a metronome app on your phone and run to the beat to stay on a certain cadance. In order to hit a higher cadence, you'll have to take shorter, quicker steps. If 180 feels too quick at first, try to increase your current cadance by 5-10 beats per minute. You can also download cadence playlists to run along to.

#4 Lean: Lean from your ankles, not your waist. Keep your body aligned (see Posture), but keep a slight lean from your ankles to encourage a forward motion.

When considering your running form, don't worry about trying to improve all of these aspects at one time. When I do running form clinics with high school and middle school teams, I tell them that trying to worry about too many of these aspects of form at the same time is like trying to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time; it seems simple but gets confusing! As you simply notice what you are already doing and focus on one thing at a time, your form will improve with each run.

Have you ever been to a race, gym training session, or athletic event and noticed people rolling on the ground on a foam cylinder and could not help but think what are they doing?! Well, you are not crazy for thinking this way! What they are rolling on is called a foam roller; Foam rollers are a cylinder wrapped with a textured firm foam. There are many kinds of foam rollers, however; their benefits can add significance to athletic performance and recovery.

The benefits of a foam roller consist of but are not limited to:

1. Mobility Recovery

2. Injury Prevention

3. Improved Technique

(Disclaimer: this blog post is NOT medical advice or a must-have guide. If you are experiencing pain or injury, please consult with your healthcare providers before trying)

Even though foam rollers do not look aesthetically pleasing, they do indeed have good benefits. The practice of foam rolling was designed as a self-myofascial release, meaning the fascia around your muscles that is tight, worn out, and overused can gain some relief and possibly some restoration in mobility. The practice of foam rolling is not a very time-consuming practice, because you do want your muscles to rest after a long run or gym training session. Instead, foam rolling can take place in as little as five minutes and as long as ten minutes. Now foam rolling does not target bones meaning when researching and thinking about adding this practice into your regimen try to avoid bones or large joints. Instead, the main muscle groups many runners try to roll out are the Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Calves, and Glutes. These are some of the main muscle groups that are activated when running but also need extra attention when focusing on recovery. Now that we have covered the main introduction of a foam roller, let us talk about time!

You do not need to focus 10 minutes on each muscle group, however; just to begin you can try to roll out each muscle group for 30-60 seconds then move on, totaling in just a few minutes and this part of the recovery regimen can be complete. Also, the quote “slow and steady wins the race” comes into play with the practice of foam rolling. You want to make sure you use a gentle and slow approach to foam rolling, your muscles are already tired, and you do not need to overwork them while trying to recover as well!

Now you may be wondering “Which Foam Roller should I choose?” Just like we tell you in-store about

shoes “it depends on you,” this can be applied to choosing a foam roller as well. If you are just starting out then a basic firm foam roller may be a good option, however, the more you do and the more you run this can change. Each roller is made differently, some rollers emphasize deep tissue work, while others emphasize muscle activation. We offer many different types of rollers at Terra Running that you can come by and try out in-store.

At the end of the day as scary or weird as a foam roller may look, this may be a practice to research and add into either a pre-run/workout or post-run/workout regimen. Trying new recovery practices is hard, but beneficial to living a healthy athletic life!

Over the past few years, running for me has been full of many ups and downs. When I initially started to get into it, I was overweight and viewed running as a way to get into better shape. Running for me became all about split time and calories burned, and I never paid attention to whether I enjoyed what I was doing. It took me a long time to realize this and when I finally did, it completely changed my outlook on what running meant for me. There are so many reasons why someone should try running, but it is important to choose the right ones. Running is a great activity, but it can quickly become an unhealthy obsession that is more destructive than it is good. For me, it was when I started to forget about the metrics that I found myself starting to love running for the sake of it. It took a long time to get to this point, but running has become one of my favorite things to do and is something that I love to share with other people. I would highly encourage everyone to forget about what the numbers on their watch or phone say and go running for the fun of it. You might find yourself loving it more than ever before.

For more on this topic check out the Terra Girls Podcast Episode: The Shadow Side of Running Tech

We already know most adults don't get enough sleep. Add running into the mix, and your body will remind you often that you need even more sleep than normal! Our society often views sleep as a luxury, not a necessity. To get the most out of your training and let your body recover, at least 8 hours of sleep a night is a necessity.

If you know me, you know I am a pro at sleeping. I can generally fall asleep easily and can take a nap most days if time allows. For most adults, Sleep is the easiest part of your day to cut out. Whether it's busy nights or early mornings, many adults can justify getting less sleep in the name of productivity.

When you add running into your weekly routine, know that your body is working extra hard for you and requires more rest. Take these pro runners and their sleep habits as an example to follow: Both Deena Kastor and Shalane Flanagan log as much as 10 hours of sleep a night when training. While training to break 2 hours in the marathon, Eliud Kipchoge slept 8 hours each night, and also took a 2-hour nap during the day.

Here are some tips to be sure you're getting enough sleep each night:

1. Set a bedtime alarm just like you would in the morning. No matter what you're in the middle of, try to respect your bedtime as much as you hold fast to your morning alarm. 

2. Avoid screen time before bed. We all know that screen time makes falling asleep harder. If you need to, set another alarm 30 minutes to an hour before bed, and be sure to avoid screens for that last bit of your evening. Instead, read a book, play a game, and start to relax.

3. Sleep more on the weekends or find bits of time to nap. Use weekends as a time to catch up on sleep. Additionally, if you have as little as a 20-minute window, a power nap can do wonders for your rest!

4. Increase sleep slowly. If you can go to bed 20 minutes earlier, that's a win! Don't get bogged down in needing to add hours and hours more sleep right away. Changing your lifestyle is hard and enjoy the little wins with more rest where you can find it in your day.

https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/news/a28299379/kipchoge-sleeps-for-this-many-hours-every-day/

https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a20851850/how-to-get-better-sleep-as-a-runner/

Since 2021, I have been dabbling in the sport of triathlon. I have been a runner since I was in high school and have completed over 40 half marathons and 5 marathons, but I found myself getting tired of running. After years in the sport, it's easy to get into the habit of comparing time and fitness levels to yourself from fitter or faster phases of life. I liked the idea of trying new sports and being active without running the same routes over and over again.

I had a road bike from a decade ago. I pumped up the tires, dusted off my helmet and took it on the roads of south Bradley County. I was hooked! Anyone who has gotten into cycling knows there are endless accessories and gadgets to make the sport more interesting and fun. I enjoyed trying new cycling shorts, figuring out which of my sunglasses I preferred riding in, and getting my clip pedals and shoes out of the closet. Cycling is more time consuming than running and requires a little more planning. I usually drive to a location along the route of rural roads I like to ride and have to bring all my bike bottles, nutrition, helmet, bike pump, etc. I do like that it doesn't pound your legs quite like running does. It is also easier to do in the heat of the summer because the speed provides some cooling winds.

Like cycling, I had experience swimming but hadn't been in a pool to swim laps in years. I joined the Y and started swimming as much as I felt like I could. At the beginning, I didnt have a great sense of how hard I was working so I would find myself stopping after a few lengths to "catch my breath." When I realized I was just getting used to breathing in a rhythm, I was able to push past the few lengths and swim for longer and longer without stopping. The YMCA indoor pool is a great local resource for anyone looking to get into swimming. You can lap swim at most times of day. If you want to try open water swimming, check out Parksville Beach or the day use area at the Chickamauga Dam in Chattanooga. Always swim with a buddy and use a booey strapped to your waist so boaters can see you. Getting over my fear of "things" touching me while open water swimming has been one of the most fun parts about discovering triathlon. I love being outside in the summer, so open water swimming has been a really fun new hobby of mine.

I have done the Waterfront Triathlon in Chattanooga three times. There are two distances in that race: an Olympic (1.5k swim, 40k bike, 6mi run) and a Sprint (400m swim, 20k bike, 5k run). This is a great beginner-friendly local race that I would highly recommend. After feeling confident after my first Olympic distance triathlon at the Chattanooga Waterfront Tri, I signed up for Ironman 70.3 in August, GA in 2021. I really pushed myself to bike and run more than I ever had in training. It was a big challenge and I really enjoyed the accomplishment! I am going back to do it again next month, September 2023.

As much as I have loved trying new sports and challenging myself in new ways, I have missed the grind of running more miles each week. I have had to cut back on my running miles to keep my legs fresh enough to cycle three times a week for triathlon training. After this half Ironman in September, I am looking forward to getting back to my first love: running. 

Whether you live here or are simply visiting, Cleveland, Tennessee is a treat for runners of all ability levels! From our town’s tried and true Greenway system, to our beautiful donwtown, to the spoil of gorgeous trails and greenway systems within a 30 minute drive, there are ample options for whatever kind of running experience you are looking to have. The following list is simply to help get you started — there are many more trails that could be added to this list! If you have any questions, feel free to stop by Terra Running Company in downtown Cleveland and our friendly staff will be happy to help.

Have a favorite path or trail that didn’t make our list? Let us know in the comments below!

Cleveland/Bradley County Greenway — arguably the best place to run in Cleveland is “the Greenway.” With over 5 miles of unbroken, lighted path along Mouse Creek, the Greenway runs through the heart of Cleveland and through Greenway and Tinsely Parks. Great for out and back runs both long and short, the Greenway has bathrooms and water fountains at various points along the way. For more information and directions to parking and access points, check out their website at http://www.cbcgreenway.com.

Tinsley Park — Tinsley Park is a great access point to the Greenway with bathrooms, water fountains, and the option to head north toward Mohawk Drive, south toward Greenway Park, or east to the Casteel Connector which goes under Keith Street and meets up with Ocoee Street which has a sidewalk until 25th Street. The complex also has dog parks, baseball fields, a swimming pool, pickle ball and tennis courts, etc.

The Lee University Forum at dawn

Greenway Park — Another excellent access point to the Greenway for which it is named, Greenway Park has more bathrooms and water fountains, and is located across from Cleveland High School. Ample parking is available.

Cleveland’s Historic Downtown — Stop by Terra Running Company located at 90 N. Ocoee Street to grab some nutrition before running around downtown and taking in all of the beautiful old brick buildings. Head south down Church Street and run around the Old Woolen Mill, cross back over Inman Street (wait for the stoplight!) and run by the newly renovated Sanda Mill Lofts, come back up First Street and pass First Street Square, and head down into Cleveland’s Historic Neighborhood. Wander down Harle Avenue, pass bustling Deer Park (which has more bathrooms and water), jaunt down Centenary Avenue and take in all of the beautiful homes, before ending your run back at Terra/Cleveland Coffee & Market for some water and a coffee. Not feeling coffee? Meet up with some friends at Mash & Hops or The Press for a post run pint.

Lee University Campus — Running on Lee’s beautiful campus pairs perfectly with a run around Cleveland’s Historic Downtown as they are the same area. Run the length of Parker Street/Paul Conn Parkway to take in most of campus. Run the 1/4 loop around Schimmels Park at the north end of campus before heading back south. Runners can access the Forum loop (the loop of sidewalk in front of Lee’s biggest clocktower) easily from Church Street or climb up the stairs next to the Nursing Building off of Paul Conn Parkway. The Forum loop is a great place to practice speed work or run/walk intervals.

Schimmels Park — Located on the north end of Lee University’s campus, Schimmels Park is a part of the Cleveland/Bradley County Greenway System. Though the park is small with approx. a 1/4 mile of sidewalk, it is serene with large trees, and Mouse Creek running through it. Parking is available though bathrooms are not. Runner’s can access a Greenway extension from Schimmels Park by crossing the crosswalk at 20th Street. The extension will take them on the backside of the Lee University Track (which sadly, is not open to the public) and then under 25th Street. Those wanting a longer run can loop up onto the sidewalk along 25th Street either east or west and head into some more neighborhoods where hills can be found.

Enterprise South Nature Park

Fletcher Park — a beautiful 70 acre park with a 1.5 mile path, Fletcher Park is a great option for those who want the serenity of nature but still want to stick to pavement instead of trails. It is worth noting that the path does get muddy at points so runners will still want to use caution! Restrooms and parking are available.

Johnston Woods — Located a 10 minute drive south of Cleveland off of Highway 11, Johnston Woods is a favorite for those who want to get in a trail run in (or mountain bike ride or hike) but don’t have time to head out to the mountains. A beautiful property owned by Broad Street United Methodist, the church has generously made their trails available to the public. There is also a retreat center and a forest school that operates on the property. Runners can choose the “White Loop” which is approximately 1 mile or the “Blue Loop” which is a little under 3 miles. For a longer run, add both together. There is a porta-potty off of the parking lot but no facilities otherwise. The park closes at dusk.

Enterprise South Nature Park — Located off of Interstate 75 at exit 9 Enterprise Nature Park is a beautiful Hamilton county park built on the grounds of an old dynamite factory (yes, you read that correctly). Stop into the vistors center on your way in for bathrooms and water and read up on the history of the park and the large bunkers that you will see throughout the property. Free park maps are also available to help you navigate which paths you would like to explore, though maps are also posted at various trailheads throughout the park; a number for a park ranger will also be posted. Runners can choose to run on a variety of well-maintained trails or explore the one-way road that goes around the park. This is a busy park so be prepared to share the scenery with bikers, walkers and wildlife.

Southern Adventist White Oak Mt. Trails — Located at the back of Southern Adventist University’s campus in Collegedale, an approximately 30 minute drive from Cleveland, runners will find a beautiful and extensive trail system maintained by the university but open to the public. The trails are well marked and have posted maps throughout, though they are extensive and directionally challenged runners should make sure they are heading down the trail that they intend. Parking (and overflow parking) is available at the trailhead as well as a bathroom and water fountain. Besides runners, these trails are heavily utilized by mountain bikers and hikers.

Tennessee Riverwalk — The Tennessee Riverpark or “Riverwalk” as it is more commonly referred to, is a gorgeous 16.1 mile path along the Tennessee River in beautiful Chattanooga, Tennessee. At it’s northern most point — about a 35 minute drive from Cleveland — the Riverwalk starts at the Chickamauga Dam off of highway 153 and continues south straight into the heart of the city and beyond, ending (or starting) at the Wheland Foundry Station near the base of Lookout Mountain. There are ample access points along the path with parking, bathrooms and water available. The Riverwalk is a favorite of all Chattanoogans so be ready to share the path and the various parks along the way with families, bikers, tourists, fishermen, boaters, and other runners. You won’t be disappointed by a run of any distance on the Riverwalk.

Runner on the Clemmer Trail in the Cherokee National Forest

South Chickamauga Creek Greenway — Connecting directly to the Riverwalk and heading east for 12 miles ending (or starting) at the Camp Jordan sporting complex in East Ridge, Tennessee, the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway is a beautiful path that runs along South Chickamauga Creek. Made up of primarily paved path and wooden boardwalk, this greenway combines natural beauty and functionality as many even use it to commute to work or school — over 30,000 people live within a 10 minute walk of the this greenway system. With a variety of access points that span a variety of Chattanooga neighborhoods and suburbs, this trail is worth a long run.

Clemmer Trail (Cherokee National Forest) — The Clemmer Trail in Cherokee National Forest is a short but beautiful 30 minute drive east of Cleveland. Located at the base of Chilhowee Mountain, there is a small gravel parking lot for runners, bikers and hikers. A trail map is posted but bathrooms and water are not available. Starting at the base of the mountain and heading straight up, this run is not for the faint of heart but if perfect for those who want to get some elevation training. Once at the top of the mountain runners can take a quick hike down to see beautiful Benton Falls or continue to run the variety of trails at the top of the mountain before descending. The trail system on Chilhowee is extensive and perfect for those who are wanting a longer trail running experience. There is also a day use area and campground at the Benton Falls trailhead which has bathrooms (alterantively, runners can drive up to the day use area and start their trail run there for an experience with less elevation gain). Be aware that this is a run in a National Forest where wildlife is abundant. Runners should take precautions in case of an encounter with a bear or poisonous snake (Copperheads or Timber Rattlesnakes) among other things.

Eureka Trail — Heading out of Cleveland in the opposite direction of Chattanooga, the Eureka Trail is located approximately 30 minutes north in Athens, Tennessee. This quiet, flat trail is 4.3 miles of hardpacked gravel that winds through beautiful hardwood forest. The trail is used by runners, hikers, bikers and horseback riders. Following an old rail line that connected Athens and Englewood, Tennessee, the path is named after Eureka Cotton Mill that once operated near the Englewood trailhead. This trail is the site of East Coast Adventures Gone Loco Ultramarathon.

Key takeaways:

• Shoe size has nothing to do with clothing size (though even clothing sizing is arbitrary!), it is a neutral indicator that can even vary by brand and model. Don’t let it bother you in the slightest if you need a larger size (or a smaller size!) than what you thought.

• The human foot changing over time is a completely normal part of development, adaptation and age. Don’t worry if things have shifted from when you were 18 years old!

• Many people just never realized what a properly sized shoe should feel like in the first place. Though it might not feel normal to you at first, don’t confuse familiarity with comfort.

• If you are experiencing pain in your feet or just haven’t had your foot measured in a while, come by and have your size double checked.

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Here at Terra Running Company we love fitting our customers for shoes! When you walk in our doors you will be greeted and told to let us know if you would like us to “fit you up.” This means that we will measure your feet, analyze your gait and foot fall, as well as interview you on any aches, pains, or problems you are trying to address with a new pair of shoes. This is a completely free and just part of our legendary customer service!

And while most customers find the information we provide from the shoe fitting process incredibly helpful, there is one aspect of it that many people struggle to accept…

… their real shoe size.

Think about it. Most people land on their shoe size by high school and, barring some life events where it is well known that feet size may change (post-pregnancy, dramatic weight gain/loss, etc.), it never occurs to most of us that it is important to periodically reexamine shoe size. Most people have absolutely no idea that feet can lengthen out over time as muscles and ligaments, strengthen, weaken and stretch. Add to this that we are in the age of online shopping where purchases are made not based on comfort but on clicks, and you end up with millions of people use to the feeling of ill-fitting shoes. This is especially harmful for those who are older and have been cramming their feet into “their normal shoe size” for 30, 40, 50+ years, not ever realizing that they are wearing a shoe that is dramatically too small. Overtime, this leads to a whole host of problems that require medical attention to address.

Knowing this you would think that most people would be ecstatic to finally put their feet into a pair of shoes that gives their toes the appropriate space, hits in the arch correctly, and doesn’t constrict blood flow or pinch nerves… right?

Wrong.

For a lot of people their is an angst around shoe size in the same way that many feel angst around clothing size. Yes, diet culture has effected even the way we view our shoes! As a shoe fitter, it can feel like the elephant in the room to inform someone of their shoe size because so many will not want to accept that, though they “have always been a size 8,” they really should be in a size 9.5. Though it is not even remotely the same thing, for many this feels like learning that, though they thought their clothing size was a small, it really should be a large. For others, there is simply the stubborn feeling that there is no way that they have been wrong about their shoe size and, for others, it is simply difficult to get used to the feeling of a properly fitting shoe after years of wearing a tight, ill-fitting shoe.

What are some signs that you may be in the wrong size:

• You have neuropathy in your feet. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and make no claim to be! I can only speak from my own experience fitting many people for shoes over the years, and I can tell you that almost every, single, person that I have fit up who has told me that they have neuropathy has been — not just in the wrong shoe size — but in the dramatically wrong shoe size.

• You think you need a wide width. While it is true that many people do need wide width shoes, we also see a lot of people who think they need wide width shoes but are simply in too small of a size in the first place.

• Your feet (or foot) gets tingly at the end of the day or on a run or walk. This is a classic sign that you may be in the wrong size! Feet swell with activity as well as throughout the day. Though a shoe may “fit” when you first put it on, if you are in the wrong size, things will only get worse as the day, or the run, goes on.

• Your toes hit the end of your shoe. Your toes should not be crammed up to the end of your shoe! There should be about a centimeter plus of distance between the end of your toes and the end of the shoe.

• You have very large or very small feet. It can be difficult to find the right size shoe in stock for feet that are very large or very small and, for many people, they will just settle for what they find on the shelf. People with rarer sizes, are often in the wrong size simply out of necessity. (Let us special order a shoe in the right size for you!)

• Your feet just hurt at the end of the day. This could be caused by a lot of reasons but being in the wrong size could also be the culprit.

Not sure if you are in the right size? Come by and see us! We would love to measure your feet and hear what is going on.

One of my least favorite things is when I go for a run and it feels like it takes forever just to finish. I always start my runs so motivated and then by the end I am dreading every step, just counting down the tenths of each mile until I’ve hit my mileage for the day. So if you ever find yourself struggling with the same “I can’t wait until this is over” feeling, I’ve written some of my favorite things to do on runs to help them fly by, no matter how long they may be.

Of course my absolute favorite thing to do on runs is talk to friends. I have found that If I catch myself deep in a conversation about something that sparks my interest, I completely lose track of how far I’ve gone - in the best way possible.

Another thing my friends/teammates and I like to do is play a game where one person starts a sentence with a few words and each person has to add a few words to the sentence until we’ve told a whole story. If you’re not much of a story-teller on runs, we also like to ask each other questions that everyone has to answer. Some of my favorites are “What is your favorite place you’ve ever traveled to?” and “What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done?”. These inevitably spark fun and crazy conversations.

If you don’t have a group of people to run with, no worries! I have found plenty of things to keep my mind busy when running alone. Listening to music is always a great go-to, but another thing that keeps my mind distracted is podcasts. There are so many amazing running podcasts out there (The Running For Real podcast, Run to the Top, Ten Junk Miles, Terra Running’s own Terra Girls Podcast, and MANY more) but one of my favorite podcasts is actually Crime Junkie!

Some other things you can do to help your run fly by are visit new neighborhoods or tails, set aside something after the run that you can look forward to, and don’t look at your watch! I have found this to be one of my biggest problems on those long days. I fall into the trap of checking my watch a few times each mile which makes things drag on forever. But when I only look at my watch when I hit each mile, it helps tremendously.

My last two suggestions are to try to stop as few times as possible and break the run up into smaller chunks. I have had long runs where I stop 5+ times just because I am tired, crossing a street, using the restroom, or some other reason I justified in my mind to stop for a break. But I’ve always regretted stopping so many times because first, what you get out of a run just isn’t the same when you stop numerous times, and second, it adds SO much time onto a run! As tempting as it may be to stop, the fewer times you do so, the faster you finish! I have also found it helpful to break the run up into smaller chunks; four 15 minute sections seems much less intimidating than a 60 minute run. Find out what works best for you to keep your mind happy on those long days and you’ll enjoy running more every day!

So your church / school / nonprofit / community organization wants to put on a fundraiser 5k? Where do you start? How do you know if it will make money?

In addition to our retail store, Terra Running Company is in the race timing and event management business. We love how it gives runners and walkers quality events to train for and helps drive traffic to our website and retail store. We put on the Cleveland Half Marathon & 5k, the Thanksgiving Day 5k, the Summer SIzzler Race series, and the First Street Beer Mile each year. In addition, we are hired by 20+ local organizations to help time and manage their races. 

From permits to t-shirt, insurance to timing, we have done it all! Races are a great way to spread the word about your organization, bring the community together, and celebrate health and fitness. But where do you start?

First, check the race calendar for the local area before choosing a date. 20 years ago, the 65 Roses 5k was the only local road race in the area and drew runners from all over the southeast. Today, there is a 5k every weekend on the Cleveland Greenway to the Chattanooga Riverwalk and every community in between! Be sure to avoid the weekend of large races in the area that will compete for participants, like the Chattanooga Marathon, 65 Roses 5k, the Cleveland Half Marathon & 5k, and other large scale, established events.

Once you've chosen a date, you need a road closure permit or a pavilion rental depending on the location. Most often, this also required proof of event insurance. Before publishing the date, be sure to have the permits and insurance in hand. 

After the date, location, and insurance are secured, you can start to market the event. Choose a name, giveaway, and something that will make your event unique. Runners and walkers have lots of events to choose from these days; what about your event will make them choose you? Have all these details ironed out before opening registration or advertising the race. You want to be prepared to answer participant questions.

The success or failure of a fundraiser depends most on the integration of sponsors into your event. Participants generally pay for their own race experience, between the cost of shirts, food, race timing, event insurance, and permits. To make an event a successful fundraiser, don't overlook the importance of sponsors. Sponsors can be given perks for their involvement, like a chance to set up at the finish line area, free entries for their employees to the race, or naming rights for the event. Think beyond just giving them a logo on a t-shirt. 

If you're interested in learning more about putting on a race, reach out to Terra Running Company. We have years of successful race timing and management experience and would love to help you put on a successful fundraising race.

Image courtesy of Olivia McLain

Sometimes it’s our worst races that make us the best runners. 

Every runner wants to finish each race with the rush of running a new PB (personal best). If you are a runner, it is really one of the best feelings you can have! But most times, that’s just not realistic, and that’s okay. Even as a collegiate runner who trains every day just to go out and race, I only PR (personal record) a few times a year (running 15 or more races a year). In fact, I haven’t beat my best 5K time in 2 years and I’ve run the 5K probably 10+ times since then. The good news is that if you're not PRing every time you go out and race, you know there is room for improvement.

One thing I’ve realized is that racing and hitting a new PR is amazing, but it’s not the only thing to run for. Every day that you go out to run is a gift and shouldn’t be taken for granted. As my college days of running become fewer and fewer, I have been trying to appreciate every day I run, whether it’s a normal Monday run or a big race where I ended up way off of my goal. Each day you run has something valuable for you to take away. And each time you don’t hit that PR, it makes it even more sweet for the time to come when you do.

If you’ve been stuck running the same race times for months or even years, try implementing something new into your training plan. If you’re doing base mileage as the bulk of your training, try adding in a speed workout once a week. 400m repeats at race pace or even mile repeats at tempo pace are both great workouts to implement. You can even create a workout with a mix of distances in it, the goal is just to do a few miles of work and to get your heart rate up almost to where it would be on race day. If doing a workout seems like a lot to handle, start small! It’s beneficial for any runner to add 100m strides to the end of a normal run 2+ times a week. This helps with turnover, or getting your legs used to running fast, especially after getting a little tired from a run.

On the other hand, if you are constantly feeling tired, take a day off running and swap it with a bike ride for about the same amount of time that you would be running. Make sure to get your heart rate up to around the level it would be if you were running (normally at least 120-130). Listening to your body and taking time to rest when needed is essential in the recovery process of training and getting closer to that PR.

Everyone knows that sleep is important but most of us still struggle to get enough quality sleep each night. This lack of sleep not only effects our moods and our energy levels, it also effects our immune systems, memory, decision making, and recovery time (among many other things). This makes sleep even more important for those who are actively training for races or working on specific fitness goals. Since our bodies rely on getting quality sleep to repair and rebuild what has been worked and strained during the day, athletes need this time to heal and build their bodies even more than a non-active person. And while sleep will always be a challenge for some depending on life circumstance and stage of life (I’m looking at you, new parents) a lot of us would simply rather stay up late binge watching the newest Netflix show instead of creating healthy habits around our sleep. This is what experts call poor ”sleep hygiene.”

IMPROVING SLEEP HYGIENE

To quickly improve sleep hygiene, try setting a routine bedtime and a routine wake time regardless of what day of the week it is. This allows your body can create a natural circadian rhythm and better regulate its own melatonin production. Experts also say that It is a good idea to be off of screens for at least 30 minutes before you attempt to sleep due to the blue light that is emitted from our screens which disrupts the production of melatonin. You can also install a blue light dimmer on your phone or computer like F.Lux to cut down on the blue light you are exposed to. As for melatonin, beware of relying on supplements. While taking a melatonin supplement sounds like an easy fix for our bad habits, new research has shown that many melatonin products have significantly higher amounts (up to 500% more) of melatonin in them than their labels claim and that the effects of these elevated levels could be dangerous. Melatonin is even a regulated substance in other countries like the United Kingdom and New Zealand where it is available only as a prescription. Instead, try a magnesium supplement like the effervescent tablets in Nuun’s “Rest” line. Magnesium has a calming, anti-stress, anti-anxiety effect without messing around with hormones. A calming cup of chamomile tea has also been shown to be effective at promoting sleep.

Beyond helping regulate your circadian rhythm, try to make your sleep environment as conducive as possible to rest. Ensure your room is as dark as possible with black out shades, and cut down on distracting noise throughout the night by using a fan or noise machine. It is also important to maintain a proper temperature in your room — if things are too hot or to cold you will toss and turn. While everyone is different, aim for around 65 degrees for the most restful sleep. Lastly, do your best to make sure that your room is tidy. Messy spaces have been show to elicit a subconscious (if not conscious) stress response and your body will pick up on this even as you try and sleep.

WEARABLES AND SLEEP TRACKING

When worn overnight, devices like Garmin wearables will track your heart rate, heart rate variability, breathing, blood oxygen, stress levels, as well as sleep, sleep stages and restless periods throughout the night (note that while almost all Garmins have some form of sleep tracking, not all of them have every premium feature). This can be very helpful in identifying things that may be effecting your sleep, for instance noting how eating close to bed time affects your sleep, if those black out shades helped you sleep deeper, etc. Garmin will also adjust its recommended training based on how well you slept the night before and give updates on your recovery status. Even if you don’t have a Garmin, there are plenty of apps and built in systems in our smart phones to help us sleep better. The iPhone has a sleep schedule feature which will alert you when you need to start getting ready to go to bed based on the time you set it to. The iPhone can also automatically enable a sleep “do not disturb” function so that you are not bothered with pesky notifications, texts and calls you don’t want to see.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

While everyone is different, no matter who you are, getting quality sleep is essential to your health. Work on improving your sleep even if it is just changing up one thing for the better. Be observant to your own patterns. Are you significantly affected by light? Try black out shades. Do you drink or eat a lot in the evening and find you aren’t sleeping soundly? Consuming alcohol or eating too close to your bed time can disrupt sleep (it is a myth that alcohol will help you sleep sounder). Are you constantly tossing and turning at night? Is your room too hot or too cold? Do you need a better pillow or mattress? As you start to pay attention to your sleep quality you will also notice how much more energized you feel after getting a proper night’s rest!

Originally published as System vs. Goals in Jan of 2022

It’s the new year and everyone knows that you are supposed to have resolutions… but how long do most people make it with their shiny new goals? Research says anywhere from just 14 to a little over 30 days. Taking a cue from their 800 million users’ data, Strava — the social network for athletes — has even dubbed the second Friday in January as “Quitter’s Day.” So how do you get past “Quitter’s Day” with your still new resolutions intact?

FOCUS ON SYSTEMS, NOT GOALS

New York Times best seller, James Clear, writes about the difference in his book Atomic Habits.

“…goals are good for planning your progress and systems are good for actually making progress.” A goal is what you hope to accomplish but a system is your plan for actually accomplishing it. While this might seem like semantics, the difference is actually quite profound. If a goal is the destination, the system is the list of directions for getting there.

THOSE WHO WIN AND THOSE WHO LOSE HAVE THE SAME GOAL

Clear points out, goals are not what differentiate winners and losers. Olympians competing in an event all have the same goal of winning the gold medal but only one person actually accomplishes that goal. The goal is not what sets them apart, the training is. The same is true when it comes to our New Year’s resolutions. We all want to succeed in keeping our resolution but most people do not. This is why simply creating a goal is not enough to ensure success. We have to focus on the systems that we are employing to guide us to our goal.

FOCUS ON THE JOURNEY, NOT THE DESTINATION

When employed incorrectly, goals can actually become counterproductive and lead us to take short cuts and develop unhealthy yo-yo patterns. Take the example of losing weight. We want to shed 10 pounds so we go on a month long diet that is completely unsustainable in the long term. We reach our goal but then return to eating the same way that we did before and gain it all back. Instead of focusing on changing our actual lifestyle —eating smaller portions of our favorite foods, adding more fruits and vegetables into our diet and incorporating regular exercise — we focused on the destination at the expense of the journey, the goal at the expense of the system. This leaves us in a worst state than before: discouraged, frustrated and right back to where we started. If we had focused on our system of accomplishing our goal we would have found ourselves with real and sustainable life change.

SYSTEMS LEAD TO GREATER SATISFACTION

In his book, How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, author Scott Adams writes, "Goal-oriented people exist in a state of continuous pre success failure at best, and permanent failure at worst if things never work out. Systems people succeed every time they apply their systems, in the sense that they did what they intended to do. The goals people are fighting the feeling of discouragement at each turn. The systems people are feeling good every time they apply their system." While goals are not bad, when not paired with systems, they can keep us from feeling the immediate gratification that comes from accomplishing what we set our mind to in the present. When we only focus on goals they can make us so future oriented that we fail to focus on the present in a meaningful way. Systems can help us break out of this cycle by forcing us to evaluate what it actually takes in the present to accomplish what we hope to see in the future.

TO SUM IT UP…

Goals are not bad, in fact they are very useful for setting our trajectory and being purposeful about the direction that we are headed, but too often we focus on our goals at the expense of our systems. To quote a familiar cliche, “a goal without a plan (system!) is just a wish.” So this year, focus on building your systems for accomplishing your goals and cruise past “Quitter’s Day” with ease!

Cookies. Cake. Chocolate. Egg nog. Pie. More cookies… It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

While it may be the most wonderful time of the year, for most people it is also one of the hardest times of the year to stick to a healthy routine.

To help keep this season wonderful for you and your fitness, check out the following tips:

Enjoy yourself! (with moderation)

Let’s be honest. We runners often take ourselves too seriously. We’re the kind of people who get up at 5 am to run in the dark. The kind of people who think that it’s normal to want to run over 26 miles as fast as we can so that we can run another 26 miles as fast as we can around a whole bunch of other people running 26 miles as fast they can (in an unfamiliar city). We are what some might call… “intense.” While this intensity and focus is usually a wonderful thing it can, at times, keep us from being present with the joys of life around us. We can get so focused on getting that work out in that we miss watching the annual Christmas movie with the family. We can become so concerned with “eating healthy” that we pass on grandma’s famous pie and the cookies that the kids decorated (no one said you had to eat the whole pie or all of the cookies)! While we don’t need to become gluttons and couch potatoes over the holidays, remember that the point of being healthy is to enjoy life more not less.

Say “No” to A Cycle of Guilt

So you’re making the effort to enjoy yourself over the holidays? You skipped your workout to go see Christmas lights with the family, you ate (many!) cookies at the Cookie Run, and you even had a glass of (223 calories per cup!) egg nog! … and you feel awful about all of it. In fact, you feel so bad that you say, “At this point, who cares,” pour an even bigger glass of egg nog and sit on the couch watching the original Santa Clause movie imagining the whole time that you already look like the overweight version of Tim Allen. This, my friends, is unhealthy behavior (and not because you are drinking an extra glass of egg nog). Guilt is a destructive motivator. Guilt shouldn’t fuel your workouts. Guilt shouldn’t keep you on a healthy diet. Eventually, guilt will wreak havoc on your mental health and happiness and can even become a serious physical issue especially when it is focused around health and fitness (I know, I know, this was supposed to be a lighthearted blog but it is important to acknowledge these things). Instead of guilt, allow yourself to be human. Allow yourself to have off days, as well as bad days. Remember that there is always tomorrow, next week or next month to get back on course. When you de-catastrophize things, you break that guilt cycle that so often pushes us even farther into unhealthy habits and attitudes. So if you did pour yourself that extra glass of eggnog, enjoy it! You’ll get back to your regular routine soon.

Make exercise a family affair

Maybe you don’t have time to go on your regular runs throughout the holiday season. The kids are off from school or you’re traveling home to see family? Even though that treasured run may be the “you time” you’re craving, you can still get some exercise in by involving family and friends. All you have to do is find an activity with a little more… activity. Ask everyone to go on a walk after dinner! Play Dance Dance Revolution (do people still play that?) with your kids! Go on a bundled-up bike ride! Play Twister with the family! Go on a hike! There are lots of things you can do to add a bit of movement into your day that still add quality time with the crew. Sure, it’s not your run, but it’s still exercise with the bonus of also being quality time with those you love.

Think Big Picture

Because the holidays are rife with interruptions to our treasured routines it can become really easy to hyper-focus on things that are outside of our control. Travel can make getting a workout in nearly impossible which can lead to serious frustration or impossible standards. But thankfully health is more than our specific workouts or specific weeks or months of our lives. If your flight got delayed and you’re going to miss your run, go for a walk around the airport to get more steps in. Focus more on being active than that specific activity. Yes, Christmas dinner isn’t the healthiest meal you’ll ever eat, but you can make sure that there are fresh vegetables like a high-quality salad included so that you and your family are still getting important vitamins and minerals. Are you tired from all of the holiday prep? Lucky for you sleep and rest are vital parts of health! Take a nap, go to bed early, or sleep in (if you can… sorry parents of small children). Health is for the long haul and thinking about it in broader terms will help you maintain an appropriate mindset and empower you to make healthier decisions in the midst of what can be chaos.

Do you run outside? If so, why? If not, why not?

Tiff: “I absolutely run outside! To me, the joy of running is getting to be active and explore outside whether on the road or on the trail. I will run inside if I have to but it is only as a last resort.”

Brittany: “Yes almost exclusively. It's my chance to be outside and enjoy the fresh air. I only run on the treadmill if the weather is really bad.”

Olivia: “Yes, I run outside every day unless it is storming or freezing cold. I love to run outside because it gets me in the fresh air, helps me explore new areas of town, and typically runs seem to go by faster when I am distracted by nature!”

Do you take any precautions when running outside?

Tiff: “Yes, in the sense that I always have my phone with me, I run safe routes, and I don’t usually run alone when it is dark out; if it is dark outside I run in the middle of very populated, well lit areas like Lee’s campus and make sure that someone always knows where I am. This is a different aspect of safety, but I also note the weather to watch for storms and make sure that I am wearing bright, reflective gear if needed.”

Brittany: “I run during daylight hours and on routes I am familiar with.”

Olivia: “I almost always make an effort to run in groups or at least with one other person. If I can't run with someone else, I will have a friend or sibling bike with me. If neither of those options are available, I will carry my phone and mace while I run and tell someone at home where I am going and about how long I will be gone.”

Do you ever run outside alone? Do you take different precautions when running outside alone?

Tiff: “Running is usually my ‘me-time’ so the ability to go and be off by myself is one of the things that I appreciate about it the most. That being said, I do make sure that I am not running in the dark, in the middle of nowhere by myself, that I have my phone with me, and that I am in generally safe and familiar areas. Especially when I am alone, I make sure to be very aware of my surroundings and to listen to my gut. If somewhere or someone strikes me as off I don’t hesitate to listen to that feeling to remove myself from that situation either by calling someone or leaving immediately.”

Brittany: “I run almost exclusively outside alone. I really enjoy the alone time and getting to go at my own pace.”

Olivia: “Yes, I will occasionally run alone. When I do, the first thing I do is make sure to have my phone and mace. I am always checking my surroundings to ensure I am safe as I run. This could include keeping check of the cars that go by but also the people I see.”

Have you ever felt unsafe when running outside? What did you do?

Tiff: “I can’t remember a time I ever felt truly unsafe when running outside in daylight; I have plenty of memories of jerks cat calling from their cars but nothing that left me feeling like I was in real danger. I do, however, have memories of feeling unsafe when it was dark out or dusk. I avoid running by myself at those times but occasionally I miscalculate and find myself running in the dark. When this happens I usually call someone to pick me up or to let them know where I am. I will also get on the phone (or even to fake being on the phone) if I feel like there are some sketchy people about. That being said, I always act and speak very confidently.”

Brittany: “Yes I have felt wary when passing by certain people. I wouldn't say I was felt unsafe, but I was definitely aware and conscious of my surroundings when passing them. When that happens, I look the person right in the eye. I don't shy away or avert my gaze; I feel safer and more empowered when I know that they know I saw them. I also tend to stand up taller and run a bit faster.”

Olivia: “Yes, there have been times I feel unsafe running outside. If I notice someone following me or I am passing by someone that appears unsafe to me, I will immediately look around to see where I could go (a house, public area, etc.) to be around other people.”

What would you say to someone who doesn’t feel safe when running outside?

Tiff: “I would say that fear doesn’t magically equal safety so you shouldn’t rely on it to tell you what you can and can’t do. There are things that you can do to help keep yourself safe, just like you would take precautions for anything else you do in life. That being said, if you don’t actually want to run outside, you certainly don’t need to!”

Brittany: “Generally our area is very safe for running outside. Lee University campus has Campus Security on patrol at all times and the Greenway is patrolled as well. I would encourage you to take any steps you need to feel safe (carry mace, share your location with a friend, run with a friend) but don't let the fear of what *could* happen outweigh the benefits of alone time, getting stronger in the fresh air. Many people use the Greenway and sidewalks as a means to commute in Cleveland because they connect the entire town. Just because someone doesn't look like you or look like they're exercising doesn't mean they intend to harm. That being said, just be alert and know that you are capable and entitled to enjoy the outdoors.”

Olivia: “My first suggestion would be to find a group of people to run with each time you go out for a run. I think the benefits of getting outside each day are irreplaceable! If this is not something you can manage, go to a public park that you feel comfortable at and where there are plenty of other people around. And if neither of these options feel safe or is attainable, running on the treadmill is always a great alternative!”

Any general tips for staying safe when running as a woman?

Tiff: “Beyond just being smart about time of day and place, act strong and confident when around others and don’t be afraid to send aggressive glares to sketchy people. Act strong, in control, and self-possessed. Listen to your gut if something feels off and don’t hesitate to call someone (even the police if needed) to pick you up or let them know where you are and what is happening if needed.”

Brittany: “My main safety tool is my confidence. I look any passerby right in the face and let them know I see them. Besides that, I have run with mace. We carry mace that has a special strap for running so it's easy to carry and quick to dispense if needed. Additionally, run on routes you are familiar with. This gives a sense of belonging to the area and you get to know what's normal and what's not.”

Olivia: “Be aware of your surroundings. I have found that over my years of running (most times in a group of girls, sometimes alone) I have become extremely vigilant of what's going on around me while I run, which has not only helped me feel safer but also avoided potential problems.”

In your opinion, what are some of the best places to run in the area?

Tiff: “In the daylight I love running on the Greenway and downtown in the neighborhoods. For local trails I like Johnston Woods, Enterprise Nature Park and White Oak Mountain at Southern Adventist University. I know that running on the Greenway can get a bad rap but I find that it is heavily populated and patrolled well by the police. If it is dusk or dark I will run the well lit and central parts of Lee University’s campus.”

Brittany: “I always start my runs from Terra Running in downtown Cleveland. I really enjoy running through the Historic District neighborhood. The houses are beautiful and there are almost always people out in their yards, walking the roads, or in Deer Park. I also really enjoy running the Greenway. I have done all of my long training runs on the Greenway in the daylight.”

Olivia: “Neighborhoods that are familiar and you feel safe running through! Running through neighborhoods is great because there are normally people out and about and the roads are less busy. Also, looking at houses is always fun for me as a runner! I would also suggest running in parks where there are people around.”

Any final thoughts?

Tiff: “Don’t let the headlines steal your joy from you. For me, running is a joy. Always be smart and vigilant in all areas of your life — including running — but don’t get pulled down into the fear spiral. And don’t forget to talk to trusted friends and family about any anxiety or fear you are feeling, regarding running or anything else.”

Brittany: “If you are looking for a group of people to run with, come to Terra on Monday evenings at 5:30 and/or 6pm (check our social media and website for updated times — we sometimes change it with the time change) for the “Terra Trot;” you might even find friends to run with at other times during the week.”

Olivia: “Don't give up something you love because of fear. Do all that you can to make yourself safe when you go out for a run, and from there just enjoy the gift of running!”

Summer seems like the time to shed layers. East TN humidity will swiftly turn your cotton t-shirt into a wet rag and your shoes into puddles, and any piece of clothing can feel like a greenhouse for your skin. Ditching the layers also prepares you for any sprinklers, pools, or creeks that happen to be along your route: dip and dash, no problem.

But if you pay a little attention to summertime seasonal workers—lawn care, especially—you’ll notice a few things: sun hats, long sleeves, sunglasses, pants, even neck gaiters. In high school, my teammates and I would wear as as little as possible: split shorts for the guys, sports bras and shorts for the girls. I would gawk at the workers out mowing and trimming, assuming they only layered up for protection from grass clippings and stray rocks.

It wasn’t until I started my college summer gig, working for my city’s Parks & Recreation maintenance crew, that I quickly learned the appeal of coverage.

A lightweight, light colored, sweat wicking long sleeve tee will keep you just as cool as a short sleeve tee. Even dark colored shirts will absorb and disperse heat, and they can offer greater SPF protection.

A brimmed cap, sunglasses, and a lightweight gaiter can keep the most sensitive skin on your body shaded. Soak the gaiter in ice water and toss a couple ice cubes in your hat before setting out to give your body more time to adjust to the heat. 

Covering isn’t necessarily a replacement for other protective methods. If you opt for lathering up, look for sport specific sunblocks. They’ll handle sweat better, and often come without some of the extra gunk in regular sunblocks. Best of all, opt for running at times when the sun’s strength is lowest—early morning and late evening. If you have to run midday, look for shaded paths. Summer is a great time to hit the trails, where you’ll stay much cooler. Combine sunblock, shade, and the right gear, and there’s no need for hot and humid weather to keep you from summer miles.