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

[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!