Fall definitely is a transitional season. We've gone from sunny warmth to gray chill in a matter of days. The leaves that I spent an hour clearing from my front deck are back even deeper overnight. And with the time change, long evenings of after-work runs are a thing of the past.

Fall also is a transitional time for runners left to deal with the dwindling warmth and daylight alone. The few events scheduled from now until March will be sparsely attended, weather-dependent affairs.

Instead of lamenting the end of prime running season, runners can use this time to rest and recover. Fall is a season of recovery, a chance to review the past and to look forward to better running.

If you've raced all summer, you're probably ready for some less intense exercise, both mentally and physically. The rule of thumb is one day of recovery for each mile of racing.

It's obvious that if you've run a fall half or full marathon, you need at least a few weeks of downtime to heal and replenish used fuel stores. But racing shorter races week in and week out also takes a toll.

I recommend taking at least a week off from running at the end of racing season. If those subtler aches and pains haven't disappeared by then, take more time off.

However, I don't recommend spending your rest time lying on the couch with a tub of ice cream. Active rest includes walking or cross training.

Go for a hike, visit a health and fitness club or dust off that aerobics DVD. Since you're not packing on the miles, you may even have enough energy to take your spouse dancing.

Relax your mind as well as your body. Trying to balance your running life with your real life is sometimes more stressful than you realize.

For these few transition weeks, you don't have to feel guilty about skipping a workout or arriving late for dinner because you stopped on the way home from work to run in the park.

After a week without it, you'll begin to crave the company of your old friend — running. But don't jump in where you left off. Ease back into it.

There's no need to rush back to heavy mileage or intensity. For the next few weeks, stay unfocused while you run. Stop and smell the roses (or the pumpkins). And leave your watch at home.

During this downtime, you're under no pressure to complete a long run or huff through an interval session, so enjoy it. Run until you're done but not overly tired. Learn to listen to your body, not your heart monitor. Satisfy your soul, not your running log or training schedule.

Use this transition period to choose new running or fitness goals. Remember, you'll achieve cardiovascular fitness with 30 minutes of running at least three times per week — anything else is a bonus. But with all of the great events coming up in the spring, you'll probably want to run more.

After these few weeks of down time, gradually introduce running to your daily schedule. Begin to increase your weekly long run by no more than 10 percent. Lengthen your daily runs and add additional days based on this guideline as well.

You've still got a lot of running in your future beyond the fall transition from the runner you were to the runner you will become.

Upcoming events

Saturday, 8 a.m.: Up-N-Running Group Run, Valencia. Ed's got the coffee on. 724-898-2525 or www.runpa.com

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Fight for Life 5K Run-Walk, Apollo. 724-568-2517 or dzukas@cancer.org

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Hofacre 5K Run-Walk, Moon Township. 412-397-3426 or clarkj@rmu.edu

Saturday, 10:15 a.m.: Turkeyfoot Trail 5K, Cleveland. 216-752-5151

Nov. 19, 6:45 p.m.: Run the Lights, Hartwood Acres. Fun run through Festival of Lights. Strollers welcome, but no dogs or bicycles. runthelights@verizon.net

Nov. 22, 9:30 a.m.: Youngstown Road Runners Club Scholarship 5K, Canfield, Ohio. 330-965-2695

Nov. 22: Pigskin Classic 5K, Cleveland. 216-625-9933

Nov. 23, 9 a.m.: Cleveland Classic Half Marathon, Cleveland. 440-243-0445

Nov. 27, 8:15 a.m.: Downtown YMCA Turkey Trot, Pittsburgh. 412-227-5300 or kberger@ymcapgh.org

Nov. 27, 9 a.m.: Gobbler's Gallop, Ellwood City. Choice of 10K at 9 a.m. or 5K at 10 a.m. Also 5K noncompetitive walk anytime. 724-758-6227

Nov. 27, 9:30 a.m.: Gobble Wobble, Hermitage. gobblewobble@yahoo.com

Nov. 27, 9:30 p.m.: Latrobe Turkey Trot 5K, Latrobe. 724-537-4331 or jeannelpremsn.com

Nov. 28, 9 a.m.: SWIF Turkey Trot 5-Mile, North Park. Starts at boathouse. 724-444-3400

Dec. 7, 9 a.m.: Trot for Tots 5K, Oakdale. A 10K event starts at 9:40. New location; soup, bagels and hot chocolate. Please bring a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. 412-490-0881 or www.eliterunners.com

Race results

Monster Stomp 5K, Oct. 18: Jim Pitts, 1st Overall M, 18:48; Mitch Radella, 2nd Overall M, 19:09; Lizzie Manickas, 1st Overall W, 21:59; Cindy Grimm, 3rd Overall W, 22:20; Curt Grimm, 1st 55-59 M, 20:54; John Antinossi, 1st 60-64 M, 23:07; Cindy Suber, 1st 45-49 W, 26:23; Carol Garbett, 1st 50-54 W, 26:46; Garrett McCullough, 3rd 20-24 M, 31:04; Christina McCullough, 2nd 20-24 W, 31:56; Ada Rumberg, 3rd 55-59 W, 36:33; Donald Cescon, 3rd 70 and over M, 36:36; Ashley McCullough, 1st 16-19 W, 42:05David Suber, 23:39; Julie Codispot, 28:33; Jeff McCullough, 31:56; Alicia Lane, 32:40; Buddy Turner, 32:43; Vickie Stewart-Turner, 36:34; Cindy Magdinec, 44:37; Robyn Stewart-Turner, 44:39; Connie Hofer, 47:35; Casey Magdinec, 50:33; Denise Brain, 58:34

NK 10K, Oct. 25: Rich Makin, 1st Overall M, 37:24; Kevin Dawdell, 2nd Overall M, 40:15; Darrell Deltore, 3rd Overall M, 40:16; Jodi Crytzer, 1st Overall W, 1:02:13; Peggy Thomas, 2nd Overall W, 1:06:45; Jennifer Blatstein, 3rd Overall W, 1:12:17; Richard Bogaty, 1st 50-59 M, 40:21; Don Marto, 1st 60 and over M, 42:24; Joshua Lowe, 1st 20-29 M, 42:27; Charles Ellis, 2nd 50-59 M, 46:12; Keith Blayden, 1st 40-49 M, 47:52; Jeremy Cameron, 2nd 20-29 M, 47:55; Ronald Klosinski, 2nd 60 and over M, 55:06; Jeff Jacob, 3rd 50-59 M, 1:12:17; Tanya Seybert, 1st 30-39 W, 1:12:18

Harvest Moon 10-Mile, Oct. 25: Doug Basinski, 1st Overall M, 1:03:27; Julie Downs, 1st Overall W, 1:14:00; Matt Schmidt, 1st 20-29 M, 1:10:52; Mitch Radella, 1st 40-44 M, 1:14:07; Mary Morgan, 1:33:13; Aaron Stanley, 1:34:12

Harvest Moon 5K, Oct. 25: Will Aldridge, 1st Overall M, 18:50; Megan Zitner, 1st Overall W, 21:57; Bob Miller, 1st 40-44 M, 23:14; Elizabeth Lamping, 3rd 20-29 W, 27:15; Neil Gregorio, 31:25Send comments and suggestions to: 435 Cherry Valley Road, Saxonburg, Pa. 16056. Phone: 724-352-4395. E-mail: bigp16@connecttime.netPat Neubert is the running columnist for the Butler Eagle.