What's not to love about running in the fall? Cool temps. Warm sunshine on your face. Crisp air. Falling leaves. The smell of campfires in the air. When it come to running I'll have to admit up front that I find something sentimental and maybe a little romantic about every season of the year. A unique quality that causes me to sit and reminisce about a run from years ago that I have a special connection to. When I think about running in the winter, I think about listening to Christmas music as I run through the snow, looking at houses decorated in lights for the holidays. In that moment, at that time of year, those runs are perfect. When I think about running in the spring, I think about Wisconsin finally beginning to thaw after a long winter and wearing less layers! I think about having to be careful on the sidewalks, as the warmth of the day has melted the snow and ice, only to refreeze again as the sun goes down. I think about the building excitement that summer and warmer days are right around the corner. As the days heat up, I think about running at night in the heat and humidity and walking down my street dripping with sweat. There was a time in my younger days when I didn't really care much for those nights when it was still 80 degrees at 9:00 at night and the humidity was through the roof. But as I've gotten older, those runs bring a smile to my face simply because my body and muscles gets lubed and greased up so early that I feel like I'm 25 again and can run forever. It's an exciting feeling.
But if I had to pick a season of the year that is my favorite for running, it would have to be the fall. I love trail running, and I try to do it as much as I can throughout the year, but I'm especially drawn to it in the fall. The crunch of the leaves under my feet, the smell of campfires in the distance and of course the beautiful colors...I think it's hard not to get sentimental about that picture. Just like running in the winter listening to Christmas music, in those moments trail running in the fall, the runs are perfect.
In the past few years my family has adopted a fall tradition of going for a walk after dinner to look at the Halloween decorations in our neighborhood. It has become my job, as a runner, to scout the neighborhood for the best decorations. To find the next "dynamite" house. We bring our dog with us, bundle up and listen to Halloween music as we roam the neighborhood. For my wife and I, and the kids as well, it's just pure joy. And it's all about spending time together. I love this tradition so much, that now when I think about running in the fall, when I think about the leaves falling, when I think about the cool nights, I think about these family adventures. In those moments, walking through the neighborhood with my family, time stands still and life is perfect.
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