Make the Most of Indoor Training

As winter really picks up steam, and snow covers many parts of the country, it’s indoor training time for a lot of our 3-Dayers. After a few of you reached out on social media, asking for tips and inspiration to keep up with your training, even in colder temperatures. We are here to deliver! If you’re having trouble keeping up with your training goals indoors, we have some simple tricks to keep you on target.

Stay Motivated

We’ve talked to our coaches about their New Year’s Resolutions, but what are yours? We all know goal setting is important to organize your scheduled and keep up with your training plan, but they can also help you stay motivated! Give yourself weekly and monthly training goals, and pre-determine a reward for yourself. If you need a little spa time, book a massage when you hit your goal of miles for the week. If you love shopping, buy yourself something nice when you get to the gym! Whatever it is, do something nice for yourself to help you stay motivated.

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Find What Gets You Going

Do you need to create a pump-up playlist? Let your favorite tunes motivate you. Do you like to get engrossed in a good story? Download a podcast. Have a TV show you want to binge watch? Bring your tablet or iPad to the gym and watch on the treadmill. Need a little time with your friends? Schedule a group work out with all your favorite people. Find what gets you moving and grooving, and use that to motivate your work outs.

Divide and Conquer

Tackle your mileage goal for the day in a few spurts. It will make the steps go quicker and let you conquer the other parts of your day with ease. Plus, if you’re walking long distances on a treadmill, it can get monotonous! So, instead of trying to walk 15 miles in a row, break it up throughout the day. Do an early morning gym visit and walk half of your goal, then head to the gym after work. You’ll get the same number of steps, but in a more manageable fashion.

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Spice It Up

We love our training walks, and getting to spend time with all of you as a 3-Day family. However, if the weather isn’t warm enough in your hometown, you might not be able to swing a long walk outside. How about walking laps around the local mall instead? Or, mix it up and get your cardio some other way! From spin class to group cardio and barre work outs, there are plenty of ways to get your heart pumping inside this season.

How do you get your steps in during the winter? What’s your favorite indoor work out? Tell us in the comments! It might just inspire your fellow walkers…

Tuesday Training Tip: How to Get Back on Track

Welcome back everyone! We hope you all had a wonderful long weekend full of just as much relaxation as it was full of fun training walks in the sun.

However, if you took some time off from training this weekend, and are looking to get back on track, we have you covered! It’s important to take time off, especially if you’re on vacation, to give your body a break. However, with our first 3-Day of 2017 just over 60 days away, lots of walkers are kicking their training into high gear. Here are some ways to make it a little easier to hit the trail this week!

Write it down

Keeping a journal, making your work out part of your daily to do list, or using fitness apps all help you stay accountable with your workout schedule. You can also add weekly or monthly goals to your day planner or online calendar for extra incentives. Making training a part of the things you have to do will help keep you from canceling that day’s walk, and you’ll get an extra feeling of accomplishment when you cross it off your list.

Do it first

Working out in the morning can be tough thanks to that pesky snooze button on your alarm. However, knocking out your fitness routine in the AM will give you more free time after work, and again, make it less likely that you get busy and have to reschedule. It also gives you an extra boost of energy to start your day with a bit of an adrenaline rush! Then you’ll be all the readier to take on the day.

Make it social

We talk about besties, teams and support groups a lot on the 3-Day, and there’s a good reason for that! Every activity is better with someone at your side, so grab a pal for your work out this week. Try a new class together, go for a walk and catch up, or just keep each other accountable with check-ins throughout the week. If you can find a friend, family member or colleague you like training with, it will make it a welcome activity in your day!

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Reward yourself

Everyone loves presents! So, plan to give yourself some! Set goals for how often you want to train in a certain week or month, or give yourself a “miles walked” goal, too. Once you hit your goal, treat yourself to something special. Pick up a ticket to your favorite concert for the summer, give yourself a spa day, or load up on fun 3-Day merch to rock on the event.

Get jamming

Sometimes you need something extra to put that needed pep in your step, especially on a morning walk,. Create a morning or walking playlist, or follow the 3-Day on Spotify, to streamline the tunes you need to get your day going just right!

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Bring a pet pal

Aside from your besties, another friend that can help keep you moving is your furry pet pals! Take your pooch, or even your cat, on the trail with you. You’ll have an energetic partner who is more than happy to be spending time with you! For safety reasons, we can’t allow pets on official 3-Day training walks, but if you’re out on your own personal training walk, your dog could be a welcome companion.

REMINDER: The health, safety and training information contained in this blog post, or otherwise provided to you in connection with your participation in the 3-Day, is not intended to replace or be construed as medical advice and any such information is not a substitute for seeking medical advice or treatment from your medical provider. Before starting any exercise, program or following any recommendations, advice or other instructions regarding training for the 3-Day or any athletic event, you should first consult a physician and have a physical examination.

Staying on Track During Vacation

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Long holiday weekends are coming up, and summer vacation time is almost upon us! That means lots of 3-Dayers will be taking trips with family and friends in the next few months. With our first 3-Day less than 16 weeks away, though, you may want to keep up with your training no matter where you are. A week or more off from your training plan could make those 60 miles even tougher, and if you have been training with a group, you will want to stay on their schedule, too. We want to make your 3-Day journey enjoyable and pain-free! With that in mind, we have tips for making the most of your vacation and your 3-Day training, all at once!

Pick your location wisely

This doesn’t mean you have to limit your vacation destinations tothe mountains or trails, although those do sound fun! There are also lots of great active cities that pride themselves on being hubs for metro-biking, have lots of fun walking trails and sites within city limits, or are the home of iconic parks with plenty of outdoor spaces.

If you do choose a city-spot, try to pick a hotel near a trail, park, or one with a great gym so it’s easy to get your steps in. Or, plan part of your vacation around a wellness retreat. From yoga to hiking and beyond, there are plenty of hotels and destinations that cater to creating an active vacation.

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Set reasonable goals

To set yourself up for success, you need to be realistic in your planning. Look at your itinerary for the vacation, and plan your training accordingly. For example, if you have an early call time for a walking tour of the city, use that as your daily walk instead of struggling to get up even earlier than you must. On the flip side, if there’s an activity or outing planned that you’re not crazy about, don’t feel bad taking some time for yourself to go on a bike ride and get your blood pumping.

Above all, don’t plan on training more than you do normally at home. Vacations should always be relaxing and rejuvenating!

Make it an early morning

The early morning is a wonderful time to take a walk and explore your chosen destination. If you’re traveling in a group, it gives you some time just to yourself and (literally) will help start your day off on the right foot. You might also discover a local hidden gem to take your travel-mates to later!

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Get everyone involved

Another way to make sure you stick to your goals is to get your traveling buddies on the training game with you! Plan to walk to dinner or one of the local tourist attractions instead of cabbing, or get them pumped to hit the trail with you to see the sights. Get everyone on the same page with the same daily step goal. The more people you have around you to get stepping with, and the more people you have to hold you accountable, the more fun the work out will be!

It’s all about the destination

They say that it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey, but we must disagree! To keep yourself motivated, set destinations or goals for each one of your work outs. For example, if you wear a fitness tracker, give yourself a goal number of steps to take each day, so you will know to squeeze in a work out before dinner if you’re not close to your goal. Or set a physical destination for your outdoor walk, bike or hike. Pick a landmark, a coffee shop you had wanted to try, or even an arbitrary end point, and don’t stop until you get there!

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Give yourself a break

Leave a few work-out free days throughout your vacation, especially if it’s a longer one. You don’t want to burn out or begin to resent your training time. Stay on track for your goals without going overboard, and you will return from your trip ready to hit the trail with renewed energy and drive.

How do you train or stay motivated while on vacation? Tell us in the comments!