During the colder months, people often have no other choice but to take their running indoors. They set up a treadmill in their garage or go to the gym to complete their workouts in a relatively comfortable environment. Once the weather breaks, however, most are eager to return to their normal routines and favorite routes.

Here are some of the benefits of running:-

1. Specific Training

Treadmills are highly useful tools that have their place in the training cycle. However, running on a smooth moving belt is vastly different from running outside. Treadmills are more forgiving on the joints as they have shock absorbing mechanisms. The body doesn’t get enough stimuli to adapt to stress which may lead to poor marathon performance, especially during the latter half. If you plan to race on the road, then train on the road to develop specific adaptations. If you plan to race on the trails, then train on the trails of similar terrain and elevation.

2. Changing Scenery

Looking at a blank wall for hours is hardly inspiring yet this is exactly what indoor running entails. In contrast, the outdoors offers changing scenery at every turn. There is a whole world to explore on foot from the local neighborhood to some scenic mountain trails. Discover new routes during your usual morning runs. Join other groups to see where they like to head out to. Running is a nice way to become more familiar with a new state or country during travels.

3. Greater Motivation

Study after study has shown that running outdoors is more enjoyable than indoors. Those who go outside have a greater motivation to go back out there on their next scheduled run compared to those who are working out at the gym. Highly motivated individuals tend to exhibit good consistency with exercise. This leads to significant improvements over time in terms of fitness and weight loss.

4. Better Mental Health

Physical activities like sports and exercise are proven to have several positive effects on mental health. These include a boost in confidence, a greater sense of well-being, a lower risk of depression, better anger management, and decreased tension. Research has confirmed that these positive effects are magnified when a person does these activities outdoors.

5. Thrill of Competition

Joining races gives people an outlet for their competitive drive. We all have this in different degrees. Some like to have friendly competition with their peers for fun. They make bets over all sorts of silly stuff to motivate each other to finish. Others are more serious about competing for podium positions with the top athletes to push themselves to another level. Most are competing with themselves, racing to get a new Personal Record for the distance and a sense of accomplishment.

If you are looking for a good event to race in, then consider the New Jersey State Triathlon. The New Jersey Tri is one of the best triathlons in the country with a stunning course, competitive field, friendly atmosphere, and tons of freebies.