'I tried the viral Winter Arc challenge — two months on, here's why I'm a fan'
Let's face it; cold, dark mornings and evenings don't exactly make for the most inspiring running conditions. Even if you're lucky enough to own a treadmill, hibernating under the covers watching re-runs of your favourite box set can seem like a more tempting option. Enter then, TikTok's viral 'Winter Arc' trend, which encourages participants to eschew the downtime, using the last three months of the year to get a head start on January by developing healthy habits and working on resolutions.
As a fitness editor and 12 time marathoner, I'm usually highly skeptical of wellness trends, preferring to opt for the 'consistency is key' mentality 365 days of the year. But after running the Berlin Marathon at the end of September, I was keen to avoid falling into an off-season slump, with no real racing goals to keep me motivated until the New Year. Not to mention, the Winter Arc challenge isn't about punishing yourself with a strict, prescriptive diet or an intense training regime (I took a full week off running following the marathon because my body needed it); it's about locking in healthy habits that benefit you mentally and physically.
After following the challenge for two months, I can honestly say I'm feeling the fittest and strongest I've been all year. Here's everything you need to know about the viral trend, including where it originated, potential risks and my personal experience.
What is a Winter Arc?
Winter Arc has been kicking around the fitness space for a while, but it's blown up in popularity on TikTok this autumn because Carly Berges, a 27-year-old self-development influencer from Miami, posted a video about starting the endeavour and improving herself by the new year.
It's now been watched more than four million times and seen a surge in Google Search, while on TikTok #winterarc is fifth on the US trending chart, and has more than 250,000 videos under the hashtag.
The idea of the Winter Arc is that during the period between October and January, many people may experience a change in their mindset and wellbeing. From October 1, you have three months or 90 days until the end of the year to focus on building healthy habits and other personal development goals.
Winter Arc seems to have originated in gym culture as the time when — as Carly puts it — 'you use the winter months to bulk up and grow' because 'it's colder', so presumably you can spend more time inside in the gym.
However, the term 'arc' can also refer to a character's transformation within a narrative. Carly believes that the term has resonated with her Gen-Z audience because it describes their own change and development in the 'movie of your life'.
Winter Arc rules
Unlike a lot of fitness trends, there are no hard and fast rules with the Winter Arc — one of the reasons I was drawn to it in the first place. Generally, Winter Arc involves setting personal-betterment targets around working out, eating well and improving your mind and relationships.
Some examples might include:
Waking up earlier
Running or strength training X times a week
Eating a more balanced diet or fuelling your runs better
Daily journalling
Reading a chapter of a book each day
Getting eight hours sleep every night
Post-run stretching or yoga
Getting outside once a day
Are there any risks with the Winter Arc trend?
As with any fitness trend, it's important not to get too tied up in strict routines when it comes to the Winter Arc. Lillie Bleasdale, founder and head coach of women’s online running coaching collective PASSA, says that she’s all for preparing ourselves for the New Year, but it’s key to remember what your body has already endured this year when jumping onto fitness challenges.
‘If you’ve already had a big year of training and smashed your goals, then these months are a great opportunity to take some well-earned rest and recovery to help prepare the body for big things coming next year,’ she says. ‘By jumping on the bandwagon of a strict routine for the last few months of the year, you risk tiring yourself out in advance of new year rather than feeling refreshed and ready.’
She adds that our goals should always be realistic in order to make them achievable; managing a strict fitness regime over the festive period could lead to setting yourself up to feel like you're failing and missing out on the enjoyment the holiday season brings.
‘This can, in turn, reduce our enthusiasm for picking things up come the New Year, having the reverse effect that the Winter Arc challenge has been designed for,’ she adds.
Not to mention, our bodies are also naturally more tired in the winter months due to the darkness suppressing our circadian rhythms (the body’s natural sleep/wake cycle), says Bleasdale.
‘Plus, as runners our bodies are colder and if not warmed up properly, more susceptible to injury. Therefore, unless we can stay on top of all the other good things we need to be doing — strength training, stretching, getting enough sleep and fuelling and hydrating well — then it’s not the time to be playing with big mileage increases or PB pushes.
‘However, winter does provide a great opportunity for you to focus on your consistency of training, and nail a good and manageable routine that can then be harnessed come the New Year and spring race season. So, if this is the goal for your Winter Arc, then crack on!’
'I tried the Winter Arc challenge — two months on, here are my thoughts'
I started the Winter Arc challenge at the beginning of October, having just run a PB at the Berlin Marathon. This was also following a big year in terms of racing, with my first ultramarathon and two additional marathons under my belt. While you might well think, 'Come on woman, you don't need to take on another challenge — give yourself a break!' like many runners, I struggle to motivate myself without a race in the diary and didn't want to fall into unhealthy habits with no set goals. So, rather than jump into another high-intensity training block, I decided to take on the Winter Arc challenge, with my 'Arc' focusing on recovery and mindful movement — a 'well-earned rest', as Bleasdale puts it, with a side order of motivation.
Since the challenge can be whatever you make it, I decided to write a handful of simple goals in the notes app of my phone:
30-minutes of mindful movement every day (this could be a gentle walk, a run or a strength training session)
Protein with every meal
Reading a chapter of a book before bed
Playing a team sport
Two weeks into the challenge and I was surprised by how well my body was recovering from Berlin. While my legs definitely weren't back to full working order, the nutrient dense food and quality sleep I was getting meant I felt energised, while not being too prescriptive over how long and far I had to run allowed me to get back to enjoying the sport.
Starting a team sport was something I'd been dragging my feet with for ages, often using the time restraints of marathon training as an excuse. Committing to it as part of my Winter Arc was the shove I needed and I finally joined a women's five-a-side team at the end of October. Since then, it's become one of the highlights of my week, providing a welcome change from the solitude of running.
I'm now almost two months into the challenge and can honestly say I feel the strongest I've been this whole year. Focusing on daily movement and slowly building my mileage back up (I'm currently at around 50-55k per week) has given my body the time it needed to recover and I'm finding I'm able to hold faster paces for longer again. I'm even exploring options of 5k/10k races before the year is out, and starting to plot my race plans for 2025 — something I didn't even want to think about at the start of the challenge.
If you want to commit to self-improvement in a deliberate and considered way, I'd highly recommend giving the Winter Arc challenge a go (you've still got a month left). It's a fun way to avoid slipping into unhealthy habits during an often busy and stressful time of year, without having to be overly restrictive either. Roll on January...
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