Interval Newsletter

Fall/Winter Apparel + The Value of Coaching

Susan Lieto

30 Sep 2025 — 3 min read

This year I am really welcoming the cooler temps, crisp fall air, and changing leaves - unusual for me as a self-declared Summer person. The one thing I do not look forward to is running and riding in tights. I do not like pants. So I’m constantly trying to find something acceptable to add to my fall-winter workout wardrobe. So far I found some great suggestions for women’s running tights along with comprehensive reviews of winter running gear - from tights, to headwear and headlamps for the darker days - from iRunFar and Runner’s World.

In today’s world of unlimited access to information it’s easy to master whatever skill we want, to optimize health and performance, be our best selves… right? Well actually, as discussed in this Nexus Health & Performance post, there is a bigger problem we all face: The “knowledge-action gap,” which the author describes as “the gulf between what someone knows they should do (or even what they want to do) and their actual behaviors.” We have all the information we need, we just can’t execute. That’s where a coach may come in handy for athletes, or business professionals looking to perform in the workplace. Accountability, ability to plan, discipline, confidence - these are obstacles we all face when trying to tackle any personal goal.

A pretty clear example of this “action gap” (maybe a personal one) is that darn part of training we know we should do… strength work. While we don’t want strength training to take the place of, or get in the way of, our running and cycling, there are plenty of reasons to incorporate consistent practice into your training, particularly for aging athletes.

5 Common Errors Triathletes Make in Strength Training
Strength Training Made Simple for Runners-Live

Feeling a little down if race season is over? Wondering what to train for or why to get out there at all? In a Trail Sister’s post, Multisport athlete, Jennifer Strong McConachie, wants to convince you to try an “Adventure Run” which can mean anything “as simple as running your usual course backward” to planning a personal scavenger hunt. I’d suggest that you could of course plan something bigger one weekend, maybe getting (bribing) a friend or family to “crew” you, but as Jennifer points out, “a personal Adventure Run creates a relationship with your environment” and any small deviation from the norm is a great way to remind us of why we run in the first place!