09 Sep 7 Activities to Keep You Moving This Fall
Autumn is upon us! The temperature is falling and the days are getting shorter. Take advantage of the nice mild weather before the winter cold comes knocking. Incorporating mindful outdoor activities can be a great addition to your exercise routine.
Here are 7 activities
to keep you moving this fall
Try out Trail Running
Running the same old routes is made a little prettier by the changing of the leaves. But nothing compared to a run on a trail through the woods during autumn. The leaves make a soft barrier on the ground and a satisfying crunch under your feet with every step. Canopies of yellow, orange, and red make every step a little bit more exciting. The sounds and smells of autumn can bring your run to a new level of satisfaction and the natural terrain can make your run a more challenging and varied journey.
Trail running has significantly less impact than running on asphalt or concrete. Natural surfaces like grass, dirt, and gravel give your bones and joints more of a break than running on harder surfaces. While natural terrain is great for strength and agility, you’ll need to pay close attention to where you’re running! Certain trails can have more uneven ground, random tree roots, and a fair share of divots in the ground.
Go Hiking
If running isn’t your thing, natural trails are still a treasure trove of joy in the autumn months. The beautiful scenery and the canopy of colorful leaves make autumn the best season to hike. The chillier temperatures also help to reduce the risk of picking up creepy-crawlies like ticks.
You can suit up with a backpack of supplies like water and healthy snacks and set out on day hikes, or even hike to campsites and make the trip a multi-day experience. You have to take care to pack warm for those cold autumn nights and evenings and make sure you’ve got plenty of supplies. A night under the stars in the clean autumn air can make for great stargazing.
Break out the bike and go Cycling
It can be too cold for outdoor swimming and when cold weather exacerbates joint pain, it can make high impact exercises like running too painful to enjoy.
Bicycling is a low impact option to take advantage of the cool weather and scenery without putting undue stress on your body. Make sure to outfit your bike with appropriate reflectors or lights, and to wear reflective clothing as the shorter days and scenic routes might have you out past sunset.
Enjoy Rock Climbing
Early fall is a good time to squeeze in some late adventures and exploration. Rock climbing is a great exercise for upper and lower body strength, as well as core strength, making it a full-body workout every time. The cooler temperatures can help you go farther and higher in your journey, but make sure you’re still staying hydrated.
Go Apple Picking
Picking apples from a tree may not sound like an exercise, but you might just find your arms filled with large bags of apples once you’re done!
On occasion, you may use a step ladder to reach the best apples at the top of the tree which incorporates more movement during this activity. Not only do you enjoy a fun day walking around the orchard in search of the perfect apple, but you also get to keep the main ingredient for a variety of fall favorite recipes like apple pie, apple crisps, apple cobbler, or apple cider!
Find a new Fishing spot
Fishing isn’t always considered an exercise but it is a great way to get outside and enjoy the fresh autumn air. If you want a bigger impact on your fishing trip, consider walking or hiking to a new fishing spot.
This combines the value of a hike with the relaxation of fishing for a truly satisfying day trip. Make it an outing and invite friends for a full trip of hiking, fishing, and camping to get the most bang for your buck out of the activity.
Join a “Fun-Run”
We’re nearing the holiday seasons which can be filled with a variety of 5Ks, mini-marathons, and full marathons. While the spring and summer offer their own events, these themed runs are some of the most fun opportunities during the holiday season. Halloween costumes, wacky outfits, and all sorts of fun activities belong to the autumn season of running events and it’s a great way to motivate yourself to run farther or faster.
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This post was originally published on Nov. 17, 2017. It was most recently updated and republished on September 9, 2020.
