Does Cooler Weather Signal Hibernation?

I absolutely love Fall. I love the cooler weather, the leaves changing colors, pumpkins and all things pumpkin - pumpkin pie, pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin pie (oops, said that already..well I really love it). Anyways I look forward to Fall every year. The weather is starting to get cooler and I am really in the Fall spirit. So all good right? Wrong. For me, Fall is all things cozy - comfort food, hoodies, etc. And since I am only on Week 4 of the Paleo Challenge and training for a half marathon, I can't afford to get cozy just yet. I need to focus.

It's 4pm today and I have made every single excuse on why I couldn't work out. I didn't go to CrossFit this morning because Little Beast didn't sleep much last night and they were doing wall balls. Did I stalk the WOD and avoid it? Hell yea. But the truth is that wall balls leave me sore for DAYS...and I can't afford to miss my long run this weekend or have any knee pain because the half marathon is in 1 month! It's exactly 1 month from today!

As I sit here, unshowered (gross maybe but that's the only way I could make sure I would get a run in today), I'm wondering does cooler weather mentally signal hibernation? Do we just have a natural tendency to hibernate when it's chilly out? As natural as the urge is, I sure as hell fought it last winter. The coldest day I ran was 13 degrees. I only ran a mile but it made running in 30 degree weather a whole lot easier. Last year hibernation didn't get to me much but I also wasn't doing as much as I am this year.

8 miles later. What can I say? I felt so disgusting unshowered that I just had to get my run in. I feel so much better now. And no, not because I'm clean (I have yet to shower) but because I ran my farthest yet! 8 miles! Woohoo! It was tough but I told myself I could do it and I did it. I stopped twice, one to take a Gu packet - first time having one of those and boy are they nasty. But they certainly work! At 5 miles, I told myself I could stop at 6. at 6, I said 7 and at 7, I said I'm going to finish this.

I refused to give up and I didn't. I'm proud I met my goal for today. 

Regarding that whole cooler weather hibernation theory, well, I can't say yet because it certainly wasn't cool when I went for my run. Whether it is or it isn't, I really think it's up to you to decide if you want to spend the winter indoors under a blanket of if you want to put cold weather gear on and get out there to do something fun! You obviously know my thoughts on it. That's why we have Under Armour base layers. :)

Here's to Fall, pumpkin pie, cool weather runs, and hoodies! Have a great weekend guys!