Taking summer into fall

“Can you believe summer is almost over?” I’ve heard this sentence a dozen+ times in the past week. It IS hard to believe that summer is winding down, but I’m never too sad to see summer go since fall is the.best.season.ever. I will miss some of my favorite summer activities, like playing in the ocean and outdoor concerts (not that I’ve been to any this year – gah!)! As summer winds down, I’m going to try to fit in as many activities as I can and keep the momentum into early fall (before the winter blues hit me!), even with a calendar that is quickly filling up with work and personal commitments.

I was recently invited to partner with Target® C9 to share ways I plan to enjoy the rest of summer and early fall while staying active, and since I was planning to make a fall bucket list anyway, this made me put pen to paper (errrr words to wordpress) earlier so I can actually make them happen! It’s easy to get busy with things we have to do, including workouts, that we forget to schedule things that we want to do. While I truly love working out, especially running, it can sometimes turn into a chore if I take the fun out of it. One way to keep it fun is by switching up my route, running with friends, trying a new training program, or buying new running clothes (I’m still working at replacing them more frequently!)

Besides running, I want to be more intentional about scheduling other outdoor activities that are fun, relaxing and help me take advantage of this great time of year, especially with good friends and family. So, here’s what I’m hoping to do over the next few months!

My End of Summer/Early Fall Activity Bucket List

• Go for a hike. I’m thinking maybe a repeat of Linville Falls when my parents come to visit and perhaps a new hike too! (Oh hey, I just realized I was wearing the Target® C9 I blogged about last month when I last went to Linville Falls! :))

• Visit Grandfather Mountain. I’ve never been! I think this is another good activity for when my parents visit!
• Take (another) outdoor yoga class. (WS locals–Paz Studios is doing a yoga class on top of the Nissen Building on 9/10!)

• Take more and longer early morning and evening walks with Maizey. (It’s one of my five simple mood boosters!)
• Walk to work! John lives in downtown so if I park at his place or stay with him, I can walk to work. I’ve done it a few times and I LOVE IT. I love the cool morning air, the quiet streets, the fresh air to start my day, and, of course, the fact that Camino Bakery is on the way. 😀 I’ve always wanted to live in a walkable city and this helps scratch that itch a bit.
• Keep running, increasing my mileage. The cooler temperatures will definitely help with this effort! Well, hopefully cooler temps soon – we’re still in the 90s!
• Run with a buddy a few times a month. I run with John a good bit, but I’ve also made a few other running friends lately that I want to run with more often. It’s such a good way to develop friendships and get to know people!
• Volunteer at a race. I feel like I’m too often a “taker” from the running community and don’t give back enough. I want to volunteer at a few races so I can help others enjoy their fall running season. I hope to volunteer at the Salem Lake 30K (I’m still too nervous to run it again! ha!) and hope to find another that works with my schedule.

What ways do you stay active with friends and/or family in the early fall?

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Target® C9 through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Target® C9, all opinions are my own.