Fall is the best time of year to run?...

Some say the Fall is the best time of year to run, and I in fact have noticed some changes in my running since the leaves started changing colour.

First, the temperatures seem to be pretty steady when I run.

I've also noticed that I can maintain a steady pace - no matter what day it is, if I run for 20 minutes, I almost always cover the same distance.

Finally, and maybe it's just me, but it almost feels like the footing has even softened up a bit - there doesn't seem to be the usual stress on my legs that comes from pounding the asphalt.

Oh, did I mention, that I have been completing most of my runs on my treadmill?

Those who say the Fall is the best time of year to run can't be morning runners. With late sunrises, the weekday morning jaunt is no longer an option and outdoor running is limited to Sunday mornings.

I prefer the spring - while the temps may be frigid, the ability to see where you're going is a nice luxury.

Where the streets have no name...

During a recent trip to Nova Scotia, I found myself running a couple of mornings in places I had never been before. As I ran along in sleepy towns, not knowing the street names, I soon realized that a great motivator for me is finding out what's around the corner.

As one wrong turn after another led to a dead end requiring a route "recalibration", the seconds kept ticking on my watch. Before too long, I had completed the required schedule for the day and I can remember thinking that the "out of town" experience was much more pleasant than the same old routes I had waddled down over the past several months.

I can confirm, that where running is concerned, variety is indeed the spice of life, and the anticipation of where my next Sunday run may take me has me looking forward to the future.

Stick with what works...

It seems every month, there's at least one new and improved training program to read about in running magazines and journals. For those just starting out, deciding on a training plan can be a workout in itself.

Here's a bit of advice - pick a program, try it, and if it works for you, stick with it; most importantly, though, from that day forward, assume every new article you read or advice you hear from fellow runners is wrong and will never work for you. Ignore me and you'll spend more time fiddling and fussing and less time training.

And don't forget if you want to run longer, you have to run longer.