Hi Friends! Happy Thursday!  Today I’m super pumped to introduce to you Susie of Suzlyfe, a blogger I’ve had a bit of a girl crush on lately!  I fell in love with Susie’s blog right before my first half marathon, when I asked for advice she sent me a link to this post, which I read maybe a thousand times.  I swear her personality on the blog draws you in and makes you never want to leave.  Since I was spending so much time on her site I figure I would ask her to come share some some tips with you guys! This girl definitely knows what she is talking about, she has completed at least 5 marathons and overcome amazing odds to do so.  Take it away Susie!

Good morning! My name is Susie, and I am the force behind Suzlyfe, a blog dedicated to educating, inspiring, and connecting its readers so that we can all live beyond expectations. I am a RRCA Certified Running Coach and NASM Certified Personal Trainer, so Kelli asked me to come and offer some running and fitness tips to you!

Hit the Defroster and Head Outside

We are out of the depths of winter, make sure you transition into spring training smartly and effectively!

March can be a bit of a mixed bag weather-wise, but with Daylight Savings Time mid month and the beginning of signs of spring, we are going to want to spend more and more time outside. But just because you have been logging miles on the ‘mill all winter doesn’t mean that you necessarily can immediately do the same outside. In fact, many people get hurt during this time–don’t be one of them!

Set yourself up for a great season–who doesn’t love the oncoming signs of spring, the start of race season, and the sniffling of pollen-ravaged faces and eyes? Well, let’s not just start the season well, let’s have a great season from start to finish. Here are my top tips for a great transition from winter to spring fitness and running.

Go Frolic! Winter to Spring Transition Tips

1) Leaving the treadmill behind, intelligently. Regardless of what we would like to believe, running outdoors is very different from treadmill running.

• You know those annoying little injuries known as shin splints? Building up outdoor mileage too quickly is one of the number one reasons! Prevent shin splints by carefully building up your mileage outside. Start with 4 milers, at most, and add on like you would with your overall mileage or long run mileage in marathon training.
• Make sure that you do your activations from the runner warm up before your treadmill runs! That will make sure that you don’t overwork your hamstrings on the treadmill and then your glutes outside. 
• Don’t worry about the pace. Hills, conditions, and the change in the way you actually move inside versus outside–oh, and don’t forget allergies!–may slow you down. Don’t worry, you will be able to pick it back up as you slowly increase your mileage!

2) Clothes. Layers. Layers. Layers. You need an insulating base layer topped perhaps by a wind layer and a vest for core warmth. Things really heating up? Invest in a pair of running arm warmers (I have ones from Brooks) or be awesome like me from the Chicago Marathon, buy a pair of cheap knee-high socks from Target (extra points if they are the Narwhal ones #getlikeme) and cut off the toes! I also love this Pearl Izumi running shrug. I wore it for the Twin Cities Marathon and loved it!

3) Don’t fall off your strength training just because you can go outside and frolic. Make a point to strength train at least twice a week. Your sessions don’t have to be EPIC, but they are necessary! I build in bodyweight circuits to my clients’ plans, often on active rest days. And yes, yoga is great, but it doesn’t count as outright strength training. In this case: strength training = resistance training, and incorporating weights into your program is not only excellent for your running performance but also a huge contributor to bone health and tendon health.

4) Be safe our there! Yes, it will be getting lighter, earlier, and more people will be out, but that still doesn’t mean that they will be paying attention. You are more likely to encounter cyclists as well as recreational exercisers during this time, so pay attention! Also, remember to hydrate and wear sunblock. If you are training for a race, longer runs and earlier sunrises put you at risk for greater sun exposure and higher temps.

5) Start to guard against allergies. Tissues, eyewear, and allergy medicine like Claritin or Flonase would be a good idea once the trees start blooming. And take a shower as soon as you get back to get the pollen out of your hair and off your body. You might even want to rinse off your clothes!

[Tweet “It’s time to hit the defroster and head outside, tips from guest blogger @Suzlyfe to take your #workout outdoors! #runchat #fitfluential”]

I love running in the spring–getting outside after a long (or hey, easy!) winter? There is nothing better. Feel free to contact me (see below) if you want to talk training, healthy living, or just a bit of nonsense!

Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest : @Suzlyfe
Instagram: @the_suzlyfe
Email: Suzlyfe (gmail) or CoachSuzTraining (gmail) for training inquiries.

Today, I am linking up my guest post with the Running Coaches’ Corner Link up that I co-host with Rachel, Debbie, and Lora! Come check out other great articles!

Tell me a story about your most favorite outdoor activity or least favorite outdoor activity! Most favorite = Paul almost dying while proposing to me on a hike and least favorite was camping at the Grand Canyon, it was a trip that I chaperoned for the Boys and Girls club, no one told me I wouldn’t be able to shower for a week!