Running to keep from freezing! 12/7-12/13

[skhill]

This morning it was 16 F (windchill of 7) and I way overdressed for the conditions. After just a mile, I was sweltering, except for my numb fingers and toes... Just 3 miles, but it was good to get moving again...

Thank God, the weekend and start of next week are supposed to be warmer here. Into the 50's on Monday, hooray!

[dinabean]

KAtluvr, I did a spittake at the screen when I read your posts, because both were exactly what I was thinking!

We are going to NY for Christmas, though, and I am nervous about attempting to run outside up there...

Great job, Urlea!

[Karma007]

Urlea, that is amazing! I'm a total sissy and applaud myself for walking the dog in the morning. No way I would run in that kind of cold. 3.85 miles on the treadmill, bonus points for boredom. One more run at this distance, then it will be time to 'kick it up a notch' (I was watching Emeril....). Have a great day!

[zoom-zoom]

I haven't been able to run for a few days, since DS had snow days the last 2. Today he was back in school and I wanted to get in 4-5, but it was in the teens with 2ºF windchill and my asthmatic lungs weren't having it. So I did 3.3 and called it a day. I did use the last couple of days to put some miles on my bike on the trainer, so it wasn't a complete loss.

[Bike Chick]

You ladies are amazing! I'm woosing out at 28 degrees and going to the gym for a swim. You are truly inspiring though. Next time I think how cold it is here, I'll think of frosty eyelashes and -30 windchill. I tip my hat to you, Urlea. What dedication!

[indigoiis]

Ran 3.26 today in the Brooks. Legs felt sluggish. Tomorrow I'll do my long run in the VFFs as it is supposed to be 30+ degrees.

20 df today... Was warm in leggs stockings (my tights are in the wash) under yoga pants, a wicking t with a long sleeved wicking on top, my PI whisper jacket on top. Wore fleece gloves but they came off at mile 1. Head had a wicking balacava, alpaca hat, and a buff around the neck to pull up if I needed to cover the nose. All of that was fine and maybe a little too warm. Cotton socks on top of the tights worked fine.

[limewave]

Ran 4.5 miles in a blizzard earlier this week. 30-40 mph wind gusts, 12 degrees, lots of snow.

So, I have a little secret to staying warm: I strategically place Grabbers Toe warmers in my sports bra. Works like a charm.

5 miles scheduled for tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be nice and mild.
It's my first week of training for a 25k in May.

[Jolt]

I haven't run at all in the past week! I've been hiking and swimming quite a bit instead. Yesterday was a 7.2 mile hike over Mt. Wachusett and back, in the snow. Maybe I'll have a run to post today or tomorrow...

[indigoiis]

I haven't run at all in the past week! I've been hiking and swimming quite a bit instead. Yesterday was a 7.2 mile hike over Mt. Wachusett and back, in the snow. Maybe I'll have a run to post today or tomorrow...

I envy you that hike! Sounds like fun!

I ran 6.25 this morning in my VFFs. I took a pair of old tube socks and cut the toes off, and that kept the tops of my feet and ankles nice and warm. The VFFs were fine - I really like them better than the running shoes. What a conundrum, because I am slower in them. I ran 11 mm, but then part of that was trail (about 2 miles.) I picked up a pretty black lab at the house at the top of the trail and despite my yelling at her to go home, decided to run the next 3 miles with me. Then she turned around and went home. All in all a great run despite a little knee pain in the right knee - I get that worse with shoes - I still think it's a form issue.

30df: Wore capris gym style pants, sports bra with long sleeved shirt and t-shirt over that, PI jacket (too much) and balacava with buff around the neck (came off at mile 2) and polar fleece gloves (also came off at mile 2.) Wore a fuel belt with two half filled bottles.

[Urlea]

Just let me say that each of us vary on our idea of what "too cold to run" is. It's not so much a matter of being hard core as it is being acclimated or familiar with how low the lows can get and getting out there anyway. If 60 or 30F is cold to you and you got out there & ran, Kudos! Winter doesn't mean we have to be gerbils, be brave.

Went out for a 12miler yesterday. The 6f above zero was an improvement from my Wed. run.

My running buddy texted me on Friday to tell to say that she is getting comfortable with the 7:54-8:15min/mi range. Ugh! I'm a competitive person, so while I'm happy she is able to go that fast, I would like to go just as fast. But I can't, at least not anything over a 5k or 10k and when you're training for a 100miler in 2010 even shorter runs at paces like that will make you cry.

So during the long run, I found myself glancing down at the Garmin a lot to see my pace and getting discouraged. I need it to track the distance, but I think for a while I may need to change the screen modes so that I cannot see my pace during the run.

Sooner or later it will be cold enough that the ipod wont function over 3miles, the screen on my Garmin will get frozen & I will be back to enjoying more Zen running. As for now, I'm in that strange adjustment period where I have to be reminded to run because I love to run. Not to beat anyone to the finish line, not to run further than so & so, just to run for the sake of running.

All said and done, the 12miler was good. Some runner's high sections where I really enjoyed it & other sections (into the wind) where I was supremely thankful that I had packed a balaclava to go under my hat/face warmer & extra mittens in my jacket pockets.

In other news I am awaiting the arrival of a hydration pack to wear under my jacket so that I can hydrate during long winter runs. HEED in handbottles doesn't freeze until about 10miles into a run, but I have longer runs in the future & that just isn't going to work long term. That & I need to get used to wearing a pack, I would like to have free hands during the ultras next year if at all possible. Anywho's I will let you know what I think once I've tried it!


Jones: Celebrating your first long run with you!!! All of those bench marks are such a boost. There is something really amazing about setting out for a run knowing that you will run further than you ever had before & even if you get too hot or the run starts to suck you will have conquered the run. Keep it up!