For months, people have been locked inside, scared of venturing outside in the frigid cold to exercise. With spring right around the corner, athletes have been itching to get outside. For an entire season, they have been locked inside running on treadmills, lifting weights, braving the outdoors, or not doing anything at all.

In states such as Massachusetts, exercising outside in the winter is nearly impossible. The many feet of snow combined with the freezing air and dangerously low temperatures keep many people exercising indoors. For those who are committed to living a healthy lifestyle, they find themselves getting their dose of exercise in the gym. With the Boston Marathon right around the corner, participants have to ensure they are training properly. This may be hard for some runners as winter is a season that many find themselves staying home, gaining weight and dreading a run.

It is essential for the health of many that they stay on a regular exercise schedule. This is easy for some gym-lovers, but for those who exercise to stay healthy instead of for the fun of it, it is difficult to stay motivated. In the spring and summer it is easy to stay on a schedule and get out the door to go exercise because it is more appealing than inside a gym. One trick many have found to stay motivated to exercise is to set deadlines. Signing up for the Boston Marathon could be considered a deadline. If you commit to something that requires being in shape, staying motivated to reach this goal will become easier. All throughout the winter months, whenever you dread exercising, envision the success you will feel after you were able to run something as significant as a marathon.

Nashoba teacher, Mr. Kendall, is due to run another marathon this spring. The benefits of exercising outdoors outweighs those of exercising indoors. These benefits are some of the myriad of reasons people find themselves getting much less exercise in the winter. The drag of having to pay for a gym membership and having to pay for the gas to get to the gym makes people think it is not worth it. People also dread running outside in the frigid cold even more than they despise going to the gym.

He describes his motivation to stay active and train during the winter months saying, “It’s one of those things that if you don’t do it, you’re going to pay for it later. Sometimes, it’s a matter of yourself saying ‘I don’t feel like running today it’s raining or it’s snowing and it’s 10 degrees out’… The first thing is to say, ‘I’m going to get out of bed, I’m going to put my running clothes on, and I’m going to go out the door and then I’m actually going to start moving.’ It’s like taking one small chunk at a time.”

Nashoba student, Hanna Drugge describes her trips to the gym stating, “Going to the gym helps me relieve stress from school and help me focus more. Also, I like staying in shape for summer.”Some people have other tactics they like to use. Buying new gear helps people get out of their house and active. If you buy a nice, new pair of sneakers or new workout clothes during the winter, your motivation will be higher. The thought of going to get exercise may be more appealing because you can sport all of your new clothing. Of course, if you get to the  point where the motivation to get out of your house isn’t strong enough, an easy fix may be buying gym equipment for your house.”

A helpful tip for many is using technology. In this generation, technology has reached unimaginable limitations. A smart phone can do almost anything. There are many apps designed for fitness lovers and people who want to work out often. These apps will put  you on a schedule and tell you what you need to do to get to your goal.

Of course, one of the most successful ways to ensure you stay active is to join a group. The support and motivation of others in the group will make you want to get out and exercise. This way, you will have a commitment to be at a certain place and show up to work. There are many workout groups that you can join, or even sports teams. This is an easy way to stay active while having fun at the same time.

Getting through the winter months can be a drag, but it is important to stay active. Finding motivation is a key when exercising in the winter. Motivation can be found in many ways, but it is important to ensure you stay active during the cold winter. They will send you reminders and notifications when it is time to do another workout. Making up a schedule from scratch is a burden for many, but now technology can do it for us. According to Jennifer Cohen, a writer for CNN.com, the top 5 fitness apps include: Hot5, GymPact, Weight Watchers Mobile, RunKeeper, and Zombies, Run!2(CNN.com).

So get out during the winter months; stay in shape.

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