Risa Johnson

Continuing to train for my first half-marathon in October will be no easy feat with school starting.

This summer I ran a 5,000 and a 10,000-meter race and went to the gym after work four to five days a week. I lost 10 pounds and gained speed and endurance every week.

So I got to thinking: how the heck am I going to keep working out this much once school starts?

I started jotting down some tips to keep myself on track with my training, and I hope this list will help others who want to keep their summer bods for fall too!

Step one: Find motivators

We are so incredibly lucky to have the WREC, and for most of us it’s just a short bike ride or walk away. The WREC has air conditioning, a big pool to cool off, and lots of great classes like spin, abs and yoga.

It’s also a great way to get some socializing into your day. You can knock out two birds with one stone.

Text friends you haven’t seen since you’ve come back to Chico. Think of friends who work out frequently and ask if they want to meet up for a spin class or a run at Bidwell Park.

My newest little motivator loves to play and run around outside. My dog Griffen gives me a reason to get outside, because he needs exercise too.

This past week I’ve taken my dog swimming in the creek at Bidwell Park and on a three-mile run. He loved it, and it’s good for my health too.

Step two: Write it into your schedule

Work, study, socialize, sleep. There already are not enough hours in the day to do it all. Planning ahead and fitting exercise into your schedule will make it easier to hit the gym or go outside and be active.

With classes at all times of the day this semester, I know I’ll need to work in an hour or two of exercising time into my schedule daily.

Step three: Have a goal

Your goal doesn’t need to be completing a marathon. It might be doing a certain number of reps or swimming 500 yards without taking a break. It should be something that will feel rewarding once you obtain it.

Step four: Keep healthy foods around

With a hectic schedule, it’s easy fall into the clichéd college student diet of pizza or ramen noodles for dinner.

But in a town like Chico, there are many ways to avoid packing on the preservatives.

We lucky Chicoans have the Thursday night and Saturday

morning market in downtown. It’s the absolute best place to stock up your fruits and veggies.

Step five: Reward yourself

Sometimes I need more than a runner’s high to keep myself excited about working out.

I don’t think there are many better feelings in the world than getting a new pair of running shoes, which you conveniently need about every 300 miles. If it’s not time yet, you can always get something smaller, like a new pair of socks so comfy you’ll never want to take them off. I recommend Balega Hidden Comfort, which you can get at Feet Fleet Sports downtown.

The reporter can be reached at [email protected]