It is officially summer time. School is out, graduated seniors are preparing for the next phase in their life and cross country teams are gearing up for the fall season. Undoubtedly this includes lots of tedious miles on the roads and trails across Utah. Serious athletes might even be skipping outings with friends to log those miles they hope pay dividends for them come the fall season. The monotony of such a regimen can make summer training seem dull and repetitive. This does not have to be the case. There are some fun things that can be done to spice it up.
This is the second installment in a series inspired by a shirt I saw in high school that read “Fall Reveals the Secrets of How Summer was Spent.” It is very possible to make your fall better by training while having fun during the summer months.
Fun Activity #1: Hiking
Utah is known for their hiking trails and scenic get aways, but one does not have to go to Moab or Zion’s to see some pretty country and get some exercise. Many hikes are relatively close to urban centers like Salt Lake and Provo.
Mount Timpanogos, the summit is second to only to the top of Mt Nebo in terms of elevation in Utah county. It is a beautiful hike, though as always be careful and take proper precautions that should always be taken when hiking in the mountains. Mount Timpanogos is easily accessible from I-15. Take exit 272 and drive east along 800 North in Orem to the junction with highway 189/Provo Canyon road. Go East on 189 for 7 miles to the Sundance Ski resort turnoff and turn left on highway 92 for 6 miles. After the ski and recreation areas there will be a fee booth and parking lot to the left. From the parking lot it is easy to access the most popular trail, the Aspen Grove trail that heads on up the mountain
White Pine Lake at Little Cottonwood Canyon, this hike is a favorite among many Utah native. At the hikes end is a beautiful mountain lake with a view that will make just about anyone thankful they live along the Wasatch front. From I-15 in Sandy, Utah take exit 298 and head east on Highway 20/9000 South for 6.9 miles at which point Highway 209 joins Highway 210 (Little Cottonwood Canyon Road) at a Y-Junction. All mileage in this canyon is measured from this Y-Junction. The White Pine Trailhead is located 5.5 miles up Little Cottonwood Canyon from the Y-Junction. The Trailhead is signed with paved parking and information kiosk.
Fun Activity #2: Ultimate Frisbee
This game is used at running camps all over the country to help camper get a little but more exercise without noticing it. Rules are readily available online; playing it is a fun way to get friends together and to get some exercise/speed work. When played right it can be downright exhausting from running back and forth. While it will not replace a fartlek run, it may be an enjoyable summer alternative.
Fun Activity #3: Biking
Living in Utah there are lots of mountain bike trails hidden in the mountains (often times good hiking trails can double as good mountain biking trails too). Getting on a bicycle can be a welcome break in the routine from running. At first to some this might seem as dull as going out for a run, but it doesn’t have to be that way. One can bike for fun or as a means for transportation. Next time instead of taking a car to ride over to your friend’s house or work try bicycling.
While nothing truly replaces going out there and running miles, even doing these small things to help stay active or supplement the set training runs will help prevent injuries come the fall season.