Fall Back.. Or Just Move More | The Outdoor Edit Newsletter
THE OUTDOOR EDIT
Move. Enjoy. Adventure.
“If you don’t love what you’re doing every day, you can’t be the best version of yourself.” —Sara Hendershot, Olympic Rower
Hello and welcome to The Outdoor Edit Newsletter!
When I started blogging 15 years ago, it was bad poetry. Then, it was veganism and punk rock. Then it was race reports. And after a lot of years and a lot of iterations, it finally became TheOutdoorEdit.com, a place where, yes, the punk rock and race reports sneak in, but it's more about the general idea of living a healthy, happy, active outdoors-heavy lifestyle... with a little bit of punk rock edge. So, welcome!
I started writing about endurance sports 10 years ago, and a few years ago, I subtly started shifting towards covering women's-specific issues (hence my book, "Saddle, Sore: Ride Comfortable, Ride Happy" and the talks I give at shops). My husband and I host plenty of clinics for female cyclists of all levels, and I love any chance I get to talk to active women of any ability, age and background. I wasn't an athletic kid AT ALL, so it's fun for me to try to urge younger girls onto bikes and watch them grow, and ditto people well into middle age. I've moved from being just a writer to podcasting, but I also started getting certified in fields I'm passionate about, like nutrition and coaching for cycling. The adventure continues—and yoga is next on the list.
I'm a huge fan of challenging one's self. Whether it's something like a 30-day challenge (more on that in a sec) or just taking on a new project at work or a small side hustle at home, or getting out for a weekend camping trip without a phone, I love it. (Of course, I also love taking time to recharge and reset, because fatigue is a REAL THING.)
Anyway, whether you're hoping to get motivated to read more in our bookclub, run more with some of my advice on that, or just get pumped to get outside (and maybe look more stylish while doing it), I'm glad you're here.
The fall can be a tough time for that: days are shorter, New Year's Resolutions are only a couple months away, so might as well wait for that to start making changes, the holidays are overwhelming... Personally, I think this is the best time to start making goals and resolutions, and getting a jump on everyone else! It's not the sexy time to do it, so you won't be dealing with other people's expectations and their goals, you have the space to ask for help with yours. The treadmills aren't all full at the gym yet, nor are personal trainer's schedules. It's prime goal-setting time, so don't let grim weather stand in your way. Throw on that raincoat and headlamp and get outside and start your adventure right now.
...Well, read the rest of this newsletter first. But then, get to adventuring. And email me with what you're up to, any questions or topics you want to see/hear discussed on TheOutdoorEdit.com or on the podcast that I cohost, The Consummate Athlete.
XO,
Molly
Join the Athletic Bookworms and pick up our latest read, Mindful Running!
(You can also check out author Mackenzie Havey on the most recent Consummate Athlete Podcast episode for a sneak preview and some great running tips.)
I just finished doing 30 straight days of yoga—in addition to the 15 minutes that I do every damn morning (and have for almost 3 years!). And I admit, it was a major challenge when things got busy. But it was 110 percent worth it, because I learned a ton. While I'm not going to run an online challenge, per se, I would love to invite you guys to challenge yourselves to add some yoga to each day—and let me know how it goes, how you feel, or what road blocks you run into.
If you're up for it, I have a few tips:
Keep It Short to Start
I had grand plans of hour-long classes each day, but that wasn't realistic. I did a few long sessions, but mostly, I focused on 30 minutes and actually took the time to enjoy that 30 minutes rather than stressing about cramming an hour in.
Find the Right App
There are TONS of great options out there for yoga videos and classes. I decided to use YogaGlo, and the app has been amazing. It's not cheap ($19/month) but they have a free trial and I suggest taking advantage of it. There are over 4,000 classes on there, they're all really good quality, and bonus, you can sort by all types of things, from length to style, and even search for things like 'travel' or 'PMS.'
When You Don't Want To... You Need To
The day you want to skip your class is likely the day that you'll benefit the most. Just trust me on this one. Even if you have to google / search on YogaGlo for 'easy restorative class' and spend most of the 20 minutes in child's pose, you'll feel better and clearer. It's always worth taking the time, even if you have just 5 minutes to do a few stretches without a video.
Don't Quit If You Miss a Day
The biggest mistake people make with challenges is throwing in the towel after skipping a single class. Don't fall into that trap. Just get back to it tomorrow.