Running Cold: Week of 12/15

I decided we were due for a new week's thread!

Got in my 9 miles in the ice yesterday. The first 2 miles were against a bitter wind on my way out on the trail. The next 2 much better coming back on the trail -- and I had finally begun to warm up by then. Dropped the doggy off at home (she's too lame if I taker her longer)... then did another 5 miles on mostly the road.

Miles 2 to 8 felt good. The last one was cold and hard! My legs were tired and numb, but I did it!

I have to say -- the trail was much safer than the roads -- large patches of ice and hard snow to twist ankles on! I'd rather dodge the downed tree branches here and there! But this run felt better than the 8 I did last week, so that is quite promising!

Anyone else braving the cold to get in a run?
Just a doggy stroll for me today -- it's a rest day!
J

Good for you Jes!! :D Sounds like a good run overall. I bet the ice made everything sparkly and beautiful.

It's currently -13 here with a wind chill advisory of -30ish. Don't think I'll be venturing out. If my warm tech gear wasn't still drying from being washed earlier today I might have considered just trying to do a mile for insanities sake.

Now I'm trying hard to talk myself into running on the dreadmill, but it isn't the least bit appealing at this point.

I'm considering switching my run days to Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Not sure about that yet.

I'll be lazy for a few more hours and then decide. :D

I've been so fiercely lethargic...I may shoot for a 3 mile walk/jog after work...we'll see...

Winter is my favorite time for running. Of course it's not as cold as Urlea's home, but cold-er nonetheless, which I love. I think it was about 25F on this evening's run...PERFECT. The trails are covered with snow now...bliss. http://smileys.on-my-web.com/reposit...hearts-031.gif

My mileage is way down but I'm hoping to get back into the groove...got out of it a little due to some hip and back crankiness, but running actually makes it all feel better, so I have a lot of incentive to keep at it.

Can't cycle to work right now so I think I will run to work, probably on Wednesday. However the sidewalks are really icy. Might get some yaktraks.

Otherwise I'll go on the treadmill with my MP3 player. Somehow the prospect of listening to music as I run (something I never do on the road or trail) makes the treadmill appealing. Weird.

We've had a massive wind chill for the last few days, gusts up to 35+mph with temperatures around 0-10 degrees. I will pass. :)

Tomorrow the wind is supposed to die down, though temps will still be 0-10. I'm hoping to venture out for a dog jog in the morning before work, but we'll see. I'll probably go to the gym after work if the dog jog doesn't work out - either hop on the treadmill or a bike (or both - do my 30 minutes of running then another 30 on the bike).

I did do 90 or so minutes on the elliptical at the gym yesterday - wanted something different. It actually made my hip/glutes feel better to get them stretched and active.

I really feel like I need acupuncture - I have that feeling that one side of me is "heavy". I finally figured out where my acupuncturist went, maybe I'll hook back up with her. Not really interested in spinning the wheel of acupuncturists ;)

Hello!

I ran a long 20 on trails again on Sunday. No snow here in atlanta, but it was chilly on Sunday! My legs were tired, but less tired than the two 20 mile jaunts before this one! One more 20 miler, then I begin to taper (well, the next week is 16...not much of a taper at first!) for the marathon!

I went to see my sports massage therapist for this first time in 7 weeks, and my muscles screamed the whole way through it. Seriously, it was not a pleasant experience. Today, is a whole different story. I do feel like I have new legs, even if I had to go through some pain to get them :eek:

So this is my last big building week. I have 6 tonight! Happy running!

Decided to try the tues-thurs-saturday routine for the next few weeks & see how I like it.

Great 5miler today in -5 degrees & 14mph winds. Couldn't feel either. I'm sure the five layers on top,two layers on the bottom & gloves under mittens account for a lot of that.

I've concluded that you can run in almost anything given the right technical gear. Oh & the powder skirt on snowboarding jackets works great at keeping the cold air from hitting your stomach. Also, the ipod doesn't freeze when you put it in your sports bra.

Found a cell phone in a drift along the path. Brought it home, thawed it out and got it back to it's rightful owner.

Kacie- Again jealous of your 20miler. It felt like trail running today with hopping over and through all the snow drifts, but not quite. When is this race you are tapering for? :)

Nice save with the cell phone!

I am doing the Disney Marathon January 11th....last big week of running :-)

The trail running is great, and I certainly would not trade it for snow..... I am from Georgia :rolleyes:

Ok--going to do 6 miles right now!

Well, while the rest of you are freezing your tuches off, I'm doing my best to adapt to stifling humidity. :o At the same time I'm trying to re-constitute my training, which got pretty disrupted over the summer and fall.

Today was what passed for my "long run," a whopping 4.6 miles :rolleyes: soaking in sweat and remembering that I really cannot breathe in this humidity, and that it's no coincidence that two of the three times in my life I've experienced "runner's high" it's been in California, above the fog line.

Careful of frostbite, you all - it's no fun!

Well, after several weeks of very little running, I did a good steady 3-mile run/walk on Sunday. Out of nowhere, I had some seizures at the end of October and have been diagnosed with epilepsy. Long story short, I've had lots of tests done and have been on seizure-control meds for a month now. For the first week of meds, the whole world spun all over the place whenever I moved my head, but I've gotten used to them. I get really tired off and on, but exercise makes me feel a lot better - I'm so glad for that!

Now looking FORWARD - I've been reading about an epileptic who competes in IM's, an epileptic who continues to run 30 miles per week, and lots of other encouraging stories. Plus my doctor has said I can do pretty much whatever I'm comfortable doing (with some reasonable precautions --) except 1. No driving for 6 months (that one bites!) and 2. Recommend no baths, just showers, unless there is someone in the house close by who can hear me should I have a seizure and slip under water.

I've done a few 2-mile run/walks since then - to adjust and learn how this disease and med is going to affect me. I've discovered how nice it can be to just run laps around the park in the grass - much easier on the joints! And the run on Sunday was actually a .75 mile warm-up walk and .75 mi. cool-down (in the bitter, windy cold) to and from the gym with the 3-miler on the treadmill. I hadn't tried walking to the gym before. I don't know why - the walk to and from was really good for a warm-up and cool-down.

Feels kind of like I'm starting all over again.-- I can't tell you all how helpful it is to read your posts about just keeping at it. It could be easy to forget how much fun the running was and how good it felt to finish a long run. This forum has been a good source of support through some of my biggest training milestones, and it's good to read now, too. Keep up the great running, everyone!

Deb

Wow Deborajen! you have had a plate full lately. And WOW on the positive attitude - definately "can do" not "can't do" :)

And all of you who run miles and miles and miles WOW to you too!

Urlea you are a much stronger (or crazier :rolleyes: person than I. It warmed up to -8 F today but I didn't even consider going outside.

I did go to the Y and complete my 3 slow miler on the track then did some leg weights - Uff da, as they say up here in NoDak country, my legs are tired (I swam a mile this morning - I still think I am in my 20's :D

This weekend the running club is having their annual 5k get together . Everyone who wants to run can and they have someone run w/ us slowpokes.

I wonder when and if I will ever call myself a runner and not a runner wannabe :rolleyes:

Glad to see you ladies are still getting out there.

Living in different parts of the country/globe definitely leads to quite the variety of conditions. Kudos to all of you braving the elements, whatever they may be! :D


Oak- Humidity can be brutal. I logged about six runs when I was in Tallahassee in September and it really got to me. I'm sure it's something you can acclimate to just like we in the North can to the cold, but you have my sympathies.

Deb- I appreciate your passion. You will be back to those long runs in no time. Sorry to hear of the seizures. That sounds scary.

& Eclectic I fall under class B. Just Crazier. I can admit that.

As my hubby peered over my shoulder to see what I was reading he commented "if that woman can swim a mile this morning, she can do the 1/2". I'd have to agree with that.

You are a runner. The question has been posed on TE before. And you definitely fit the qualifications. So none of this "runner wannabe" nonsense.

Keep at it!

WOW all.
OAK: I'd rather be out in -25 f than in humidity! I don't know how anyone even moves in that kind of weather. Just walking to my car makes me too tired there.

URLEA: OM gosh... you ARE a crazy woman! But you are right -- the right gear can make up for a lot. When I lived on the East side of our state, the weather was much colder than here. I remember running and my eyelashes would be frozen, and snot frozen on my nose (tmi... sorry). But it still felt great. I really miss running on the back roads there in the fresh snow. Nothing like that here usually. Good on ya!

DEB: I can only imagine what it feels like to be on those meds... I dispense them to pets and see the changes they go through and the stories the owners tell about how it changes them. I'm amazed you are out and running -- very good for you!!!!! Be careful, take it slow and see how it all feels. I'm so impressed. That certainly is "can do"....;) Hang in there.

ECLECTIC: You are a runner! You are a swimmer... what else?! :D

Got out and did 4.25 miles today -- some intervals of "tempo" running. Tried to do multiple 4 minute intervals, with 2 minutes in between, but couldn't keep the pace up that long. Ended up dividing many of them into two 2-minutes, with 30 sec in between... oh well, whatever I did it was a good workout for me! 6 on the table tomorrow. Hopefully we'll have fresh powder by morning!

It was somewhere between 2 and 5 degrees this morning but there wasn't any serious wind, so I took the dog out for a quick few miles. I generally have good cold tolerance, but it was a "keep moving" kind of morning (I think my doggie agreed!).

My only real failure was on my feet. My toes took a lot longer than my fingers to warm up, which isn't a good thing - need more exposure protection on those feetsies. After a couple of minutes, everything was fine, but I stayed close to home in general in case fingers, toes, or ears were giving me the "enough" sign. If I had to go out for longer, I'd put on another layer everywhere.

I can't say the cold is keeping me in. We are having a "warm blast" even for Florida. Since my 1/2 marathon in Novemeber and now all the holiday stuff, I have been way off my TP. But I DID go home after work and go a 4 miler last night. I was so tired from work, but I decided I MUST do a run. It felt pretty good. I am doing "no gadget" runs. No watch, no Garmin. Just trying to get back into the groove. I have signed up for a 5K this Saturday, but my TP states 6 miles, so looks like I'll be tacking some mileage on. But hey, at am back at running!

Urlea - Thank your husband for me for his act of confidence that I can do a half :D

One thing I have learned though is running muscles aren't cycling muscles aren't swimming muscles :(

I had been running and walking pretty regularily before I started swimming again, I thought "piece of cake" :rolleyes: NOT :eek:

But that is why I LOVE Triathlons - ALL parts of our body get to suffer equally :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eclectic

But that is why I LOVE Triathlons - ALL parts of our body get to suffer equally :D

---

That is the truth :D

Good Morning!

In case you were curious what hat-head looks like after enduring several layers of coverage in sub-zero tempuratures at 5a.m. for five miles...this is for you.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/n...ND/Hathead.jpg

Yes, I'm going to go through conditioner like crazy. Or break a comb trying to get thru it.


Did the "group" run this morning at DB. Another strong run. Found out I'm taking a slightly different route then the rest of the 5miler group does, but since I'm not able to keep up with them it doesn't matter anyway. So technically it's 5.15 miles I'm covering.

My arm was a bit sore this morning from being tensed up when I had my back tattoo retouched yesterday, but thankfully that didn't effect the run. However, I must hold myself differently when running in the winter and it's making my hip flexors (sp?) tense up periodically. Suggestions on stretches I could do?

Anybody else care to share their post-run crazy hair? :D

Have a good day & happy running!

Urlea - Great Picture and that is you AFTER a 5+, cold, outdoor, morning run - impressive :D

I don't get hat hair :rolleyes: too warm inside to wear a hat.

Maybe I will have someone take one on Sat. I just talked to a former student home for Christmas, her mom is part of the running club and her grandmother runs (and we did our first tri together) Her G'ma will be there so I said I would show - NOW I am committed :eek:

running 5 miles outside in waaaaay subzero temps sheesh :rolleyes: You rock girl!

BTW - do you have natural curly hair? My hair is pretty curly and after being enlightened last march by other curly girls, I have only used shampoo 4 times (each time when getting it cut) My hair is way more manageable now and doesn't tangle like it used to. Yes, I do wash it regularily but now just use conditioner, my hair stays cleaner longer and is no longer dry and I can grow it longer and it doesn't break.

Snow run today :D

For all you snow running types, what shoes do you wear? I wore a trail running hiking hybrid today and they aren't all that comfy. They DO repel water and slush, which is good, but I'd hate to do distance in them. I don't care if my normal run shoes get wet/dirty but my feet would get freezing cold if I ran in them. That and I wanted something kind of grippy because there is a lot of ice under the snow.

Snow running was fun but BOY it was hard. It was a lot more work than just running.

I keep my hat hair to myself :o It's usually a sweaty unkempt mess.

Eclectic, I have curly hair. I know the theories (no-poo and using conditioner instead) but I just can't bring myself to do it.

Oh also for the snow types, what about your eyes? The snow is blowing hard and I found it kept getting in my eyes and it hurt.

Other than that, it's fun! I hope DH gets home from work today today...it's very nasty out.

Eclectic- if you layer right you'll be just fine running this weekend. Watch out for the weather though, it's saying snow for most of the area and I think that includes you.

If it helps any, I was more chilled going from one errand to another in jeans and my winter jacket then I was out running this morning.

As to the curly hair, I've got totally straight strands of hair coupled with frizzy curly.Most of the time it ends up being straight, but after sweating and wearing a hat those curly frizzes go wild. Usually a good conditioning shampoo tames things down.

Teigyr- w00t! for playing in the snow. I agree it is a lot more work running in the snow then just plain running, but think of how light & effortless it will feel come spring. :)

Fortunately my feet getting cold or wet haven't been an issue. Which still surprises me. I'm wearing my Mizunos paired with Teko wool socks. They are the best thing ever.

I am with you on the eyes though. Between the wind and snow it gets a little tricky. I notice my eyes water when it's cold like this and after about three miles the eye lashes start to cake up with ice. When I looked around at the other people post-race this morning they all had the same issue. Other than ski goggles I'm not sure how to avoid it. *shrug*

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by teigyr

Snow run today :D

For all you snow running types, what shoes do you wear?

---

My grippiest shoes, but the key is wool socks. My feet get wet but they don't get cold. I also wear shorty gaiters if I'm running when it's snowing or right after it snows to keep the snow out of my shoes. I personally don't like the Gore Tex shoes; my feet get way too hot in them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by teigyr

Snow running was fun but BOY it was hard. It was a lot more work than just running.

---

Yep. I like that it makes me go slower! :p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by teigyr

Oh also for the snow types, what about your eyes? The snow is blowing hard and I found it kept getting in my eyes and it hurt.

---

Get thee sunglasses with interchangeable lenses. I wear yellow or clear (clear if it's dark, along with my headlamp).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by teigyr

Other than that, it's fun!

---

:D :D :D

I did probably about 5.5 in fresh snow and watched a gorgeous sunset while running. :)

I agree with Yellow about the wool socks being key! They do help keep your feet from getting cold even if they get wet (coming from the person who has been known to step in the stream or a deep puddle while trail running...). As far as shoes, it depends on what regular shoes you wear but since I wear Brooks Adrenaline, I picked up a pair of the Adrenaline ASR which is supposed to be for trail/all season running. Feels a lot like the road shoe but has a more water-resistant upper (you'll still get wet feet if you dunk them, but not as bad as with the mesh uppers) and more traction. I got them for trail running but I think I will wear them for a lot of my winter road running too, especially in snow. BTW, I got a great deal on them from Sierra Trading Post, so check there if you're interested. As far as traction, I also just picked up some Stabilicers Sport. Might be testing them out later today on a snow run with some ice underneath, we'll see how it goes.

I never thought I'd be posting here, but when I went to the gym today, every single elliptical was taken, I think because people were trying to get their workout in, before the snow. So, I got on the treadmill, which I normally wouldn't, because, heck, I can walk or hike outside. But, I started doing a hill interval walk and then I spontaneously broke into a run (of course, I just happened to push the speed up) mostly because the guy next to me was running and I felt a little competitive. I ended up doing 30 minutes total, with 4 2-3 minute running intervals at 11-10.5 minute miles.
With all of the health issues I've been having, I shouldn't have, but I actually feel better now. Just don't tell my husband...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Crankin

I never thought I'd be posting here, but when I went to the gym today, every single elliptical was taken, I think because people were trying to get their workout in, before the snow. So, I got on the treadmill, which I normally wouldn't, because, heck, I can walk or hike outside. But, I started doing a hill interval walk and then I spontaneously broke into a run (of course, I just happened to push the speed up) mostly because the guy next to me was running and I felt a little competitive. I ended up doing 30 minutes total, with 4 2-3 minute running intervals at 11-10.5 minute miles.
With all of the health issues I've been having, I shouldn't have, but I actually feel better now. Just don't tell my husband...

---

Don't worry...we won't spill the beans :).

Quote:

---

I did probably about 5.5 in fresh snow and watched a gorgeous sunset while running.

---

That sounds awesome. Used to do those all the time in Pullman when I lived there. I love that feeling!

I'm heading out today... the sun is shining on our 15 ", but last night I noticed that someone ran something through the trail that left a path. Se we are going! Can't wait.

Here is what I ran in .... it was actually quite dry. I little slick, but only one set of tracks before me! Did the four mile trip, and it was slow going, but a lot of fun. The dog had a blast! My knees will be angry later, but it was worth it! I really should get some snow shoes if this is going to keep up... or cross country skis. :p

Jess, great pics!

I'll second that! Thanks for sharing the pics Jess. Love how the trees frame the bottom shot. It's beautiful! :D

Makes me wish I had a dog and a path like that!

I'm curious about running in snowshoes. Not sure it would work for me because even without I scuff up my shoes from hitting them together.

Crankin- Your "secret" is safe with me. It's tough having a competitive nature sometimes, isn't it?

It doesn't take long to learn to keep your feet apart on snow shoes. I find it pretty easy to run in them, although I usually am walking. I do like to run down the hills on a trail with them, because you feel so safe on them.

Beautiful pictures Jes! We are just having our first storm today.

Did 6.1 km last Saturday at 4:49 pace (where did that come from? :) )

My training this month calls for a "Tabata" workout once a week. It's short, sweet and hurts like He**! Warm up for 15 minutes, put the teadmill at 10% grade, 7.5mph. Then it's 20 secs on, 10 secs off. 8x - then a cool down..by the 7th or 8th one, I'm hanging on for dear life!!!!

Hello all and welcome over Crankin' - I never thought I would be on this thread either and your secret is safe here :)

I did my 4 miler (on an indoor track - I am not brave like all of you - until tomorrow that is :D

the 4 miler went better than anticipated - I was still slow but the time went faster and I didn't hurt as much.

I wasn't going to swim this morning but then decided to as I thought it would help w/ recovery.
It was great because our coach had us doing a fairly low intensity IM workout. It rotated and stretched every part of the body, my legs thank me for it. (even doing the butterfly helped :eek:

Way back in the day when I was in HS and swimming all the time I found if I was stiff and tired from anything and still HAD to swim I always felt better after - Hey 35 years later it is still true!

Thanks for the outdoor tips - I have wool socks, and good leggings, windpants, t-necks etc thanks to x-country skiing. Even if it is snowing and cold I am going to go for it (w/ some sanity of course - hopefully there will be bale out points) I will try to remember my camera and take some pics (we will see how the hair is after :D

Forgot to add - Great pics Jes AND what a beautiful place to run

Well, I did run in the snow this evening and test out the Stabilicers. They are helpful but if there are a few inches of snow on top of ice, you still slide. As for today's run in general, it wasn't so great. Yesterday when I went out, I started having some pain in the inside back part of my left knee--not really bad pain, but uncomfortable enough that I decided to cut the run short. I then poked around my hamstrings etc. looking for trigger points and found a spot that needed some work so rolled a rubber ball under it while sitting on a chair, and have done this a few times since finding the spot. So today I went out to run, and after a little bit the same pain started again; I kept going and it sort of moved to the center back of the knee and toward the end started radiating to the lateral side (close to the IT band area, and this is the same leg where I just had that problem but just had my follow-up with the PT on Monday and she said it looked good and was loosened up nicely). UGH. Not sure if it's all from that trigger point (do they ever get worse before getting better when you start working on them?) or if there's something else going on. All I know is I remember having some twinges in that posterior part of the knee when the whole IT band issue started and don't want to go down THAT road again. Anyone else ever had similar issues? My next run probably won't be until Monday so that will give me a couple more days to work out the kinks and hopefully not have an issue.

No hat hair pics this time :( I woke up, read the thermometer: 20 below F, went online: 40 below windchill ( it is now 45 below windchill) and said to myself " NOPE I am NOT that stupid and i have nothing to prove, I want to live to run another day"

so after freezing my hind end off helping a GF jump her car I went to the Y and ran. I decided to try out one of the new dreadmills they have. It wasn't too bad. The TV is right on it so I could pick my own station and the sound was good, there was a built in fan that blew on my face but wasn't annoying - took me awhile to figure out that was where the air was coming from :rolleyes:

I did 4 miles on it then went on the track to finish out the last mile. Not too good an idea. It was tricky to transition and took me about .25 mile to adjust (dizzy)

But I did get a whole 5 miles done w/o stopping except for about a 45 sec transition from treadmill to track at mile 4.

WOW even if I was still slow - at the beginning of Sept I couldn't do 2 miles w/o walking part of it. :D

I am a slacker...haven't been running because I skied Friday and Saturday (yesterday) and plan to go today! :D:D:D:D Tele at the resort on Friday, touring for turns (that didn't materialize) yesterday, and probably skate skiing today.

And I have a friend whose name is SadieKate that will be in town this week, so I suspect we'll be skiing and I won't be running. Oh well...maybe I'll get back into running more in March. :p

I realized a couple of days ago that I have 4 months until my next big event... and I really needed to get a training plan in place. My April event is a bike ride, but in May I have a tough Olympic distance tri planned, so I need to keep running.

So my training plan for running is a minimum of ten miles per week and treadmill miles count. :D

My training weeks start on Sunday. It's raining and 47 degrees here and I did 4.4 miles. I haven't run that far since the end of Aug. So I was pleased. It wasn't particularly fast, but I got out. :p

Veronica

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by yellow

I am a slacker...haven't been running because I skied Friday and Saturday (yesterday) and plan to go today! :D:D:D:D Tele at the resort on Friday, touring for turns (that didn't materialize) yesterday, and probably skate skiing today.

And I have a friend whose name is SadieKate that will be in town this week, so I suspect we'll be skiing and I won't be running. Oh well...maybe I'll get back into running more in March. :p

---

OK rub it in Yellow :D We have to drive a minimum of 8 hours to find a good mountain ski slope.
Telemarking ( I assume that is what you are talking about ) is TOUGH - you go girl! What is touring for turns? AND skate skiing? you are versitle :)

Good job Veronica on getting back out and Gittin 'er done!

I did spin class today then just ran a mile on the track as a little brick

But that put running mileage for this week at 13! for me that is a :eek:
then if I add in the 4 swimming miles and 34 cycling trainer miles that is a double :eek: :eek:
I guess I am making progress. :p