It’s Fit Five Friday!

WELOME to Fit Five Friday with with your amazing hosts – me, Darlene -My First 5K and More, Michele – Running With Attitude, and Jenn – Runs with Pugs !

This week we are talking about Five tips for Outdoor Fitness in the Summer – for many of us summer is THE most perfect time of the year (give me autumn with cooler temps, but summer is runner up) but it of course brings different challenges for our outdoor activities.

I believe you’ll find yourself nodding throughout but perhaps these tips of mine will also remind you or help you out this summer with running, walking or hiking.

Start Early!

If you live in a climate where it’s hot during the summer, do yourself a favor and start early! Even here in the Netherlands (where it’s raining, what feels like, all the time) we have some hot summer weeks and it’s just not motivating at all to get out during the day with all the mugginess going on. Getting up early is not everyone’s jam, but it sure beats suffering in the heat.

Don’t forget the sunscreen

Honestly we should all be applying suscreen 365 days a year but I know realistically 8it doesn’t always happen. But for sure in the sun and heat you need it. Yes, even on those early morning adventures.

Dress for Success

Remember that even if it’s less hot in the early morning or late evening, you WILL warm up. One thing we don’t want is to overheat. And if it’s raining you probably want to make sure you have a very light rain jacket rather than one you might wear in the spring or fall.

Adjust Where Needed

Couldn’t get out early to beat the heat? It’s ok to adjust your workouts. In fact *gasp* it’s even ok to skip a hard run if it’s just too hot/muggy/rainy/ stormy. You can also adjust to the evening or just go for a walk instead of a run to still have some time on your feet.

Having fun should be the goal

Even if we are training for an important race, having fun should still be the goal. Don’t force yourself into something that you may have to recover from later (like heat stroke). I would even go so far as to say that anyone reading this blog is not an elite athlete, and we are allowed to take a break where needed. If you are not having fun or finding some joy out of your outdoor activities, it’s time to re-assess.

What would be your number one tip for outdoor fitness this summer?

Here are the guidelines:

• Your link should center around some kind of fitness (exercise, wellness, mental health, nutrition… the possibilities are endless!)
• Please link back to your hosts! It’s the right thing to do! 
• Share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!
• Feel free to share about Fit Five Friday on your social media! Tag #FitFiveFriday to get the word out!