Winter Glow - Runs between Jan. 15th and 21st

[Grog]

Had a beautiful short run this morning with a few friends, so called "at the pace of the slowest runner." We had sort of a windstorm yesterday but this morning the wind had died down, the temperature had dropped to a crisp 0C and the skies were really beautiful at 7:30 a.m. when we headed out. On the way back a few minutes later the mountain tops were glowing with a pink coat of snow. How beautiful!

[Kimmyt]

Sounds beautiful Grog (I wish we had views like that, the closest I get is seeing the pink sky over the tops of buildings as I walk into my cubicle at work)!

6 miles this morning, and man was it tough. I over-layered a bit. I will probably be in the market for a good mid-weight softshell for winter running, right now my Gamma SV is too heavy for temps hovering around freezing. Recommendations appreciated. We were supposed to do hills but after one loop of the hilly neighborhood, most of us begged off (REALLY tough swim class last night had my legs feeling like lead), so we finished the 6 miles in a semi-flat neighborhood.

It was a tough run, and with the cold and my sore muscles I was feeling it in places I never had before. But I slogged through. The rest of the week I'm laying low, one short run on Thursday and then a big ugly trail race on Sunday. Will post trip report, here's to hoping for no broken bones!

K.

[Grog]

I over-layered a bit. I will probably be in the market for a good mid-weight softshell for winter running, right now my Gamma SV is too heavy for temps hovering around freezing. Recommendations appreciated.

This morning it was 0 Celcius when we started and I was a bit overdressed, knowing I wouldn't be running very hard and also taking walking breaks. I had a very light polyester short sleeves t-shirt , one pretty light-weight long sleeves wool shirt, and just a windbreaker that's featherlight on top. Plus a wool beanie hat and gloves. I find that if I wear the beanie I don't need to wear as much clothing on the rest of my body.

On a "normal" run I probably would have gone without the windbreaker, unless it was windy, in which case I would have worn just my windbreaker vest with a mesh back.

Glad you were out there!

[HillSlugger]

2.8 miles this morning in the pre-dawn darkness. I've been obsessing over my speed, or lack thereof, but I've now decided to concentrate on getting my distance up to 5k and then let the speed improve later.

[emily_in_nc]

3.5 miles on the treadmill today with some excellent music on the MP3 player. Probably the best I've physically felt on a run ever -- just started running last year, and not regularly enough. I look forward to running outside when it's a bit warmer (I'm a cold-weather wimp).

Emily

[Wahine]

4.5 miles for me at the track with a client. My legs are very tired from a harder run on sunday and two tough swimming days in a row. Wow. Tired. Bed.

[froglegs]

4 miles tonight. 1/2 marathon this weekend!!! I guess I'm ready, I've done a couple 10 mile runs and some 7s and 8s. I know I'll be able to finish the run, but beyond that I have no idea how I will do!!

[OakLeaf]

The regular aerobics instructor came down with food poisoning so I taught yesterday morning. But I only get half of a workout teaching the older crowd, and I didn't run Monday, so with my 5K coming up next week I felt like I needed to get out for a short one. 3.18 miles, nice and easy except for a rather stiff wind to give me a bit of a challenge on the out-route and a boost on the way back

[Jolt]

3.5 miles on the treadmill today with some excellent music on the MP3 player. Probably the best I've physically felt on a run ever -- just started running last year, and not regularly enough. I look forward to running outside when it's a bit warmer (I'm a cold-weather wimp).

Emily

30 minutes around the neighborhood this morning; it was a bit of an obstacle course with the patches of ice and uncleared snow! Temps probably in the mid-20's (Fahrenheit, obviously) with some wind. I've found that I actually seem to run best when it's cold like that, as long as I dress appropriately (wind pants, long-sleeved zip-neck tee, fleece vest, fleece mittens and headband or lightweight beanie). Try it, you might like it . It sounds unappealing but once you get out there and get going you'll be nice and warm.

[Kimmyt]

The hardest thing about winter running is figuring out layers. Because, I've found when I'm layered right, when I'm not running I'm fairly cold. Not freezing, but uncomfortably cold. Once I start running though, I'm fine. So if I'm comfy to start with, I'm way over-layered.

Getting myself to accept this when it's pitch black out and 20F, though... is another story. I end up over-layered much of the time simply because I can't for the life of me make myself suffer that early in the morning! I'm weak-willed I guess.

And here's something for any other newish runners out there. I figured out why everyone talks about the 10% rule. They're right. I decided it would be ok to increase my mileage from 10-12/week to.. oh, 24 last week. I don't know why I thought it was a good idea. It seemed ok at the time. Now my inner hip is nagging me and I had to ice it last night after climbing. My left shin is aching and I've got a race on Sunday. I feel like I'm falling apart.

And the sad thing is, i did it to myself. Here's to hoping if I rest it the rest of the week that the aches and pains will subside in time for the race!

K.

[Jolt]

The hardest thing about winter running is figuring out layers. Because, I've found when I'm layered right, when I'm not running I'm fairly cold. Not freezing, but uncomfortably cold. Once I start running though, I'm fine. So if I'm comfy to start with, I'm way over-layered.

Getting myself to accept this when it's pitch black out and 20F, though... is another story. I end up over-layered much of the time simply because I can't for the life of me make myself suffer that early in the morning! I'm weak-willed I guess.

That's actually a really good rule--if you're comfortable when you walk out the door, you will soon be WAY too hot! Even if you're chilly to start with, you might still have to do some adjusting once you get warmed up. With the layering system I mentioned in my previous post, I often still end up unzipping the vest about halfway and unzipping the tee a little as well before too long. Once I do that it's about right.

You're right about the tendency to over-layer to avoid being cold at the beginning! I tend to do that not so much with general clothing as with the gloves--those fleece mittens I wore today are really a bit much and my hands end up sweating some. However, I hate wearing just the thin knit gloves for a cold run like today--I do NOT enjoy having numb fingers for the first half of the run, so I wear the hot mittens instead!

[Grog]

Promise to myself (and to you guys):

I will go out for a run in the late afternoon, in hopes that the skies will clear a little by then.

Not a long one. Just a "I did it" run.

[roadie gal]

Damn, damn, damn!

I got on the treadmill to do 2 miles and flared up my PF. I could only go 1.5. Now I'm stretching it against the computer table and I've just taken some Motrin.

Damn!!

[tattiefritter]

And here's something for any other newish runners out there. I figured out why everyone talks about the 10% rule. They're right. I decided it would be ok to increase my mileage from 10-12/week to.. oh, 24 last week. I don't know why I thought it was a good idea. It seemed ok at the time. Now my inner hip is nagging me and I had to ice it last night after climbing. My left shin is aching and I've got a race on Sunday. I feel like I'm falling apart.

And the sad thing is, i did it to myself. Here's to hoping if I rest it the rest of the week that the aches and pains will subside in time for the race!

K.

You're not alone, I've done that kind of thing too (going from 3 mile runs to 8 mile runs in three weeks, going from flat tarmac running to offroad running with 1500ft of climbing and descending in it), I think we all to an extent have to overdo it first and hurt ourselves before getting sensible! Definitely rest for the rest of the week you can't do much to increase you fitness now anyway.

I've re-scheduled in my "easy week" again, I did start to make real progress when I had 3 higher mileage weeks followed by one much lower mileage (about half) week though I would do some of the runs faster, don't know why I stopped doing it last year though its hard to make yourself back off sometimes. My "easy week" is scheduled for next week but I don't feel I need it as my bike mileage has been lower than I expected due to all this bliddy wind and rain!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm still going to do the shorter runs, just up the intensity.


6 miles on Monday with a 2.5 mile section of fartleks - not in the rain. I'm out with the club tonight and it has actually stopped raining though it is forecast for heavy rain again tomorrow when I'm off, typical.

[teigyr]

2.5 miles yesterday, 6 miles today! My longest in the past couple of months has been 5 miles. I'm getting there

Froglegs, good luck on your half marathon. I can't wait to read about it.