Running and the Seasons

Just Another Runner’s Perspective March 2025 Written By Gale Fischer

Running and the Seasons

"Every season has its own beauty, and every run is a chance to appreciate it. Embrace the change, embrace the challenge, embrace the run." 

3/10/2025: A jolt of happiness shot through me as I walked out the door and into the parking lot. The sun hung high in the sky, and temperatures in the mid-sixties provided a beginning-of-the-week gift for all of West Michigan. There couldn’t have been a better scenario to energize my emotions at the end of a workday on a Monday afternoon. I hadn’t been outside since eight AM when the mercury was thirty degrees cooler. What I like best about late winter and early spring are the days that begin with a bright sunrise and temperatures starting in the mid-thirties, climbing to the sixties and seventies throughout the afternoon. Even though I was aware of the weather forecast for the day, I was still pleasantly surprised when I walked outside for the first time since beginning the workday.

As a runner, I have always felt a special connection with my sport when experiencing it in the heart of the spring thaw. Spring in Michigan is a bountiful time of year to run, but ultimately, being able to run in each of the four seasons is a blessing. Mother Nature offers a variety of sensory input, including vibrant colors showing us new life in the spring, days featuring abundant hours of sunshine that come with summer, the nip in the air associated with fall, and the beauty of a fresh, white blanket of snow covering the earth’s surface during the winter months. 

For me, this year’s transition from winter to spring has not been the same as in years past. I was fortunate enough to enjoy the first few weeks of winter while running through the holidays this past December, but injury forced an early, extended intermission to my new running year as the calendar turned to 2025. I navigated the New Year, replacing my running hobby with a swimming routine. The initial realization of an extended running break was a tough pill to swallow, but soon I settled in. I had been able to run while enjoying the elements of early winter through December, and now I would avoid the not-so-pleasant frigid weeks of the season as I moved my workout regime inside. I still would rather be running but rationalized that if there were days to skip as a runner, it would be the ones in January and February with single-digit temperatures, bitter windchils, and surfaces covered with ice and snow. 

There were days when my heart still longed to run, but I managed to get through the bump in the road with swimming, helping to soften the blow of not running. Reality set in, however, as I drove to the gym on this second Monday in March to start my pool workout. I gazed at the sunshine glaring on the horizon to the west with my car window rolled down. I desperately wished I could run instead. I had weathered the storm these last few months, but now with signs of spring in the air, I missed running more than ever. 

A daily run is a blessing wherever it occurs. An appreciation can occur in our sport with the same route every day in a location with a consistent year-round daily climate. Sometimes, an hour out on the sidewalks through the hustle and bustle, meandering through the landscape of a big city can satisfy a runner’s hunger.  Long stretches of running along a lonely country road can also dish out a daily fix. Cicling a quarter-mile oval track for a speed session might seem mundane, but the sensory harmony between the mind, the soul, and the body still exists. A wooded trail, a hilly neighborhood, and a paved bike trail along a winding river all have the potential to soothe the runner’s soul. Running variety can also occur with solo running, group running, night running, and morning running. A treadmill, although not ideal, can also feed the running addiction. It doesn’t matter if one’s running routine is dictated by variety or if it looks the same every day; the benefits of running are there for the taking for all who partake. 

 The beauty and variety of the four seasons is one of many things that Mother Nature provides for runners.  She also shows us her creativity with differing breathtaking landforms spread out throughout the planet. The senses can be aroused in all regions of the world with mountain ranges, deserts, and rain forests offering elegance. One does not necessarily need to go much farther than their backyard to enjoy breathtaking scenery. Our home state is a destination for many, offering majestic sunsets on Lake Michigan and the allure of the jagged shore of Pictured Rocks. Running is always a great way to experience different landforms. As stunning as these geographic works of art are, the four seasons associated with the Midwest are perhaps Mother Nature’s greatest masterpieces.

Taking extended time off from my sport is always an unwanted option. It is sometimes easy to take the ability to run for granted. At the end of the day, any run is better than no run at all, whatever the elements of the run are. As much as I appreciate each and every mile, I feel extra blessed to enjoy running in the four seasons of the Midwest.  The dog days of summer and the frigid ice and snow of winter may become unpleasant with time, but the shift to a new season always seems to soothe the soul. Anytime away from running is difficult, and missing it during the transition from one season to the next adds an extra layer of frustration.

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.