So it's October - my favourite time of year! Although I'm more partial to hot humid weather, I love the crispness of fall, cool breezes, trees rustling and of course LEAF CRUNCHING!
I'm pretty sure my body is fighting something because my internal temperature has been pretty messed up lately. I'm finding it rather enjoyable to sit outside on deck/balcony in the evenings which is pretty ridiculous for me, so to compensate I've been bundling up with blankets and slippers. It's the greatest thing next to running through the leaves.
We spend so much of our days indoors that it's depressing. The lecture theater in our school has absolutely no windows so we've spent most of our CCNM days in a room that reminds me of a very cold dungeon.
It's important to take advantage of the outdoors as much as possible. I know for my own sanity, I need to escape the "little boxes full of ticky tacky" and enjoy nature while there's still no snow on the ground and the overnight temperatures haven't hit freezing yet.
There's something so magical about the fall. This is why I drive 40 minutes to do my run. I've also been running a trail near my house (which requires no driving at all), but it's paved which makes me a little sad. When I'm running a dirt or grassy trail my whole body gets so bubbly! Every time my foot hits the ground it's like it's kissing the earth. My legs bounce like they're on clouds - such a different experience from running on a paved trail. Yes, my feet have more grip - but where's the fun in that? I want to jump over rocks and tree roots; I want to run through a blanket of yellow, orange and brown leaves. There's something so refreshing about leaving the city and enveloping yourself in nature.
As a bonus, I also encourage dewy grass walking. Yes okay, you could call it a "hippy" thing, but I love it. Just walk through dewy grass in your bare feet. It's liberating and grounding at the same time.
My point today is that our warm weather is limited. Soon the winter will be upon us which means freezing rain, snow storms, and WIND CHILL! Get out while you still can and enjoy the outdoors. Maybe it'll even keep the winter blues at bay just a little bit longer. And don't forget your vitamin D. So many of us are deficient here in North America, so as the days get shorter it's always a good idea to maintain your D levels with 1000IU per day.
So go get your daily dose of fresh air! Get outside! I know many of you might be gym rats, but try a workout outside: whether it's walking, cycling, running, kettle-bells, yoga, or just your dewy grass walking, get out there and breathe in some of nature's oxygen! And don't forget your leaf crunching! I love the sound and the feeling of a good crunchy leaf - just make sure to watch out for snails!
