Run with the Sun: Solstice Running Plan

Jump Start Your Day with Sunrise Opportunity to Progress
*(year round)

This article explains my first generation of the concept of Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization that I actually started 25 years ago this year. It was out of a need to cycle through my running and not be red-lining high miles month after month. Downshifting the focus of higher miles of running after a tough Summer running season was the answer in the Fall/Winter that gave me time to focus on strength, power, speed, and agility again. This model of training was born and I have not looked back since - other than maintain the system of Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization and making small changes to enhance it to what it is now:

This is my First Generation of the Concept

I hit the Winter of 1999, pretty broken with stress fractures, tendonitis, and eventually ankle surgery. I went back to my roots and just lifted and any cardio was on a bike or elliptical for nearly 4 months. Then as I started to feel better and heel, the Spring presented a golden opportunity to inaugurate a new outdoor running routines. I called it my Solstice Running Plan with the goal of progressing during the Spring/Summer as the sun came up each day. 

Morning Routines Have Always Been My Answer to Training (even in high school).

Did you know that you are 65% more likely to complete a workout if you tackle it in the morning? Shifting workouts to dawn allows you to dodge the inevitable disruptions of evening life—extended meetings, family obligations—and instead, start your day with a morning fitness regimen. Introducing the Solstice Exercise Plan: a comprehensive guide geared to all fitness levels, promising a progressive improvement in your stamina and strength as the days lengthen.

Imagine waking before dawn three to four times a week. It's quiet, the air is crisp, and you embark on your warm-up and run during Nautical Twilight. This 20-30 minute window, with just enough light despite the sun not fully being up, is the perfect time for a peaceful, distraction-free run. The key is setting a consistent finish time that complements your daily schedule, allowing you to adhere to work or school commitments seamlessly.

For instance, if you like to lift, do calisthenics, or you need to be commuting to work at 6:45 am, consider starting your run when the sun comes up. In the Winter, this time is late and will limit the time to run to 10-15 minutes perhaps. However, as the seasons move along, Spring brings earlier sunrises and therefore a logical progression of adding in running. The Summer, offers a peak to this running time as the days are longest these months. Then the Fall and Winter start and the running time regresses back to shorter time to train. This ebb and flow of training time is a good way to progress and regress and avoid typical overuse injuries. 

Establish a Routine: - Gradually transition into your morning schedule. Initially, prioritize waking up early and completing a brief walk. Consistency is crucial; as your body adapts, incorporate a mix of walking and running.

Sample Workout Chart:

The workout chart for the Solstice Running Plan we began on March 20 includes a progression that peaks at the Summer Solstice. Beyond week 12, the plan reverses, maintaining your fitness levels as days shorten. You can continue this type of progression/regression throughout Fall/Winter so take a break from running and do more nonimpact cardio and lifting to change it up and focus on strength and recuperation from higher miles of running. 

*Once you reach week 12, you repeat in reverse order until you end where you started off. 

As summer progresses, the mornings get even brighter, making early workouts more accessible. Though life’s demands can pose scheduling challenges, the flexibility of dawn workouts is a boon. Incorporate diversity into your runs—mix in sprints, intervals, and leg exercises to avoid monotony and continuously challenge your body.

When the days begin to shorten again in late summer, adjust your fitness strategies. Shift your focus to indoor activities like weightlifting and swimming to maintain your momentum without sacrificing progress. Explore our guide on Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization for ideas on continuing your fitness evolution.

Post-Winter Solstice (Dec 20), each day gifts us with an extra 1-2 minutes of daylight, culminating in the longest day of the year on June 20-21, known as the Summer Solstice. The Solstice Exercise Plan builds up each week until this peak, encouraging you to push your boundaries with a significant event like a triathlon or half marathon. 

After reaching the Summer Solstice, the plan will start to reverse. As daylight begins to wane, the regimen adapts, gradually decreasing workout durations until we circle back to the shorter winter days in December.

While early morning workouts can be challenging due to work, school, or family demands, the plan is flexible. You can easily integrate into the schedule during mid-summer when daylight starts as early as 5:00 AM. To maximize recovery and performance, commit to going to bed earlier, ensuring you get a full night's sleep.

Breaking Monotony: Variety in your workouts is crucial. Dedicate one weekly session to a longer distance run, while incorporating sprints, intervals, and leg PT into your other running days. This approach not only improves your fitness but also keeps you engaged and motivated. Explore additional workout ideas in the StewSmithFitness.com Article archive for inspiration.

As the 24-week cycle concludes and days grow shorter, it's time to shift gears. Consider integrating more weight lifting and swimming into your regimen to alleviate the physical impact of months of running.

For more detailed plans and to continue your fitness journey, visit StewSmithFitness.com and discover the next evolution of the Solstice Running Plan with Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization. 

Embrace Morning Workouts: Tackling your exercise routine before the sun rises significantly increases your chances of sticking with it, as mornings are generally less likely to be interrupted by daily commitments.

Adapt to Changing Seasons: As the days shorten after the Summer Solstice, modify your routine by incorporating more strength training and swimming to maintain fitness without overloading your body. 

Head over to StewSmithFitness.com now and learn more about the seasonal progressions in all the elements of fitness: strength, power, speed, agility, endurance (run, ruck, swim), muscle stamina, flexibility, mobility, grip and pool skills. 

Here is the way I arrange my workouts throughout the year.

STFP Fall Transition
STFP Winter Lift Cycle
STFP Spring Cals & Cardio / Strength
STFP Summer Peak Endurance / Muscle Stamina

Spring - Calisthenics and cardio workouts. Run / Swim Progression.  But there is a mix of weighted regressions, and progression of calisthenics and running.  As the days of the year get longer, so do the workout times and running / calisthenics volume. (Element focus: Hypertrophy, muscle stamina - strength mix, aerobic / anaerobic endurance - fast timed run / swim / ruck pace) 

Summer - Calisthenics and cardio workouts (advanced). Run max / PT Peak, Swim progression. But with supplemental lifts for people who need some strength focus more than a high mileage focus (runners, triathletes, other endurance athletes). (Element focus: endurance (run, swim, other), muscle stamina (high reps) of calisthenics and some load bearing events. 

Fall - Calisthenics and running volume start to decrease. Non-impact cardio workouts start to replace some of the running (bike, swim, row) However, rucking and swim with fins progressive throughout the Fall and Winter to maintain cardio conditioning especially for people who need to lose weight and not focus so much on strength training (powerlifters, football players, strength athletes)
(Element focus: Hypertrophy, muscle stamina - strength mix, aerobic / anaerobic endurance - fast timed run / swim / ruck pace) 

Winter – We still warm-up with calisthenics, but this cycle is heavy weights, weight vest calisthenics, more non-impact cardio workouts. Some rucking / More Swim with fins peak.  Most people put on 10-15 lbs in this cycle (of muscle and gains in strength) but maintain about a 8-10 miles per week of faster paced running. (Element focus:  Hypertrophy, strength/power, speed / agility)

These programs walk you through these four seasons with 12 weeks of each season in two programs. 

Latest Versions with Block Periodization Model

What is the Difference?

These Seasonal Tactical Fitness BLOCK Periodization programs will walk you through 4 x 4 weeks cycles with 16 weeks of each season in two programs. (32 total weeks)

If you want help, that’s what I do…. Check out these resources that have helped spec ops candidates succeed where others have failed for the last 20+ years!

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Where to Find More Information About Optimal Performance Training Programs

When you start training again, consider the seasonal tactical fitness model.  I call it A WAY to train and obviously not the only way to train. But it offers the opportunity to never neglect your weaknesses, helps with flexibility and mobility, but will also put you at a level of physical abilities where you are happy with your overall ability to do just about anything. We have a system where the seasons dictate our training. When it is nicer outside, we tend to run and do more calisthenics. When it is colder and not so nice, we lift more, run less, and still maintain our outdoor activities with shorter runs and rucks. Check it out: Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization System.  

The Specific Military / Special Ops Physical Fitness Workouts 

Navy SEAL Workout Phase 1
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 2 - 3
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 4  Grinder PT
Navy SWCC Workout

Army / Air Force Advanced Fitness / Special Ops 

Army PFT Workout (Prep For Rucking, OPAT, ACFT)
Army Special Forces / Ranger Workout
Army Air Assault School Workout
Army Airborne Workout
Air Force Special Warfare IFT / OFT / Selection Prep

    

Advanced Running Program - Special Ops Supplement Plan
USMC RECON / MarSOC Workout
USMC OCS / TBS Workout
USMC IST and PFT

    

The Combat Conditioning Workout
Air Force PJ / CCT Workout  Battlefield Airman Prep Course
The UBRR Upper Body Round Robin Workout / Spec Ops version

  

The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer / Navy SAR Workout
The Service Academy Workout (West Point, Navy, Air Force Academy)
The Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp Boot Camp Workout

   -

The Law Enforcement Physical Fitness Workouts

The FBI Academy Workout  |   FBI Workout Vol 2  
The DEA Workout
The FLETC Workout - Ace the PEB
The PFT Bible: Pushups, Sit-ups, 1.5 Mile Run
The Fire Fighter Workout - Ace the CPAT

     

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The dashboard below has the links to all the information, archives, videos, and links to workouts, podcasts, live Q and A lessons. 

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