Change It Up for the New Year

It's a new year(ish), so why not try mixing up your training a little bit? It's nice to start training for spring races feeling refreshed (and not like you've been training for 12 months already), so here's some tips from Runner's World:

• If you've been putting in a lot of miles, try cutting back for a few weeks and substitute cross training. Not only might this help take care of some nagging "injuries", but it will help strengthen muscles which running neglects.
• If you've been training hard for shorter races at the track, try substituting a fartlek or tempo run for an interval workout. Not only will this give your hamstrings a break, but it will also help increase your lactate threshold.
• If you've been chasing time goals, sign up for a "fun" race. Alternatively (because even if I tell myself I'm just racing for fun, I can never not try), volunteer to lead a pace group or run with a friend.

And, because some of us just can't take it easy for the amount of time that they're suggesting (nearly a month?!), maybe try it for a week or two and mix in some harder, cross training efforts.