Sunday, January 10, 2010

You Know You're Running In Really Cold Weather When...

  • You wonder if you're going to be warm enough in two moisture-wicking shirts, a fleece vest, fleece jacket, running hat, gloves, insulated tights and warm-up pants on top.
  • Less than half an hour into your long run, despite being fully charged, your iPod says "I don't want to run in this weather-okay?"
  • You're bummed about this because you were listening to the new Phedippidations where that crazy Steve Runner guy was swimming in Boston Harbor on New Year's Day. Now THAT is nuts. Running when it's subfreezing, on the other hand, is perfectly normal.
  • Your Garmin is very slow to update your pace, the display looks faded, and at more than one point during the run indicates that you are a running at a 10:99/minute pace. You think you must be crazy the first time you see this. It happens again and you realize that you did not just hallucinate this.
  • You hear layers of thin ice sloshing around in your insulated hand-held water bottle.
  • Passing that 60-something old-school runner lady who likes to run early on Saturdays, you say hello and think "man, her hat, jacket and face are COVERED in icicles!"
  • The drivers who normally pay you no mind as they drive past on the road next to your regular running trail are turning and giving you double-takes.
  • Upon returning to your vehicle to swap out water bottles, you look at your reflection and think "man, my hat, jacket and face are COVERED in icicles!" and understand why the drivers are giving you the Stone Phillips eyebrow.
  • Your energy gel in no way resembles a gooey, smooth substance, and you must bang the packet against a rock to soften its contents.
  • Double chocolate coffee......caramel delight coffee.......vanilla nut coffee........swiss chocolate almond coffee.....straight up hot black coffee........er-whoops. Lost a mile there lost in my brain, dreaming about steaming hot caffeinated beverages.
  • You can't see...the no-fog sunglasses are fogging up.
  • OUCH. Just slid on the ice that couldn't be seen through the fogged up glasses.
  • You realize that you only THOUGHT you hated that treeless section of trail that was always so miserably hot in the summer. You soak up the sun's warmth-just a few degrees below freezing on this side of the trail-and realize that this is THE most awesome part of the trail after all.
  • You have the best final mile of a run in a long time, realizing that you didn't die or freeze to death after all.
  • You get home, get in a hot shower, and decide to go back to graduate school just to write a master's thesis proving that indoor plumbing is the greatest modern innovation ever. You commence research with twenty good, steamy minutes.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger-and often isn't as miserable as you thought it was going to be once you take the plunge and get out there! At least....that's the lie I'm telling myself until April rolls around.

14 comments:

Cam @ArcadiaTrails said...

i enjoy all your posts, but this is my favorite one ever! i've been wimping out this last week due to record cold weather here, but this makes me think i should get my butt out there, no matter what, starting tomorrow.

TiredMamaRunning said...

Thanks! FWIW, I've heard from ALL long-time southerners that it's weather people have not seen in a generation, and most of them who run just don't have the clothes/gear for it because it simply isn't necessary 99.9% of the time. That said, I think it's worth slapping on whatever layers you've got available. Your senses are heightened and it feels great to be alive after one of those runs!

Jenny said...

i'm one of those southern runners...and i've been wondering how y'all yanks run in weather like this every year! ;-)

i've been layering as i can, but geez! i'm ready for it to get back into the 30's and 40's again...

Christina said...

Boy, am I happy to live in Phoenix. Its too cold in the rest of the world.

I read the article about the word verification. Very interesting. I suppose since there is a purpose then its not so bad. It did sound like the 2 word ones server a purpose where the 1 word doesn't.

Lacy said...

I'm sure our "cold" temps are different. But I can relate! I totally have my "snow beard" some mornings when I return, it's so embarrassing. I also have spent 10 miles flexing my hands just to make sure they don't get frost bite. Oh it hurts so good though when it's all over!
I woke today and it was 20 degrees at 4 AM!!! HEATWAVE!!!

Girl In Motion said...

LOL! You got it bad, girl, icicles? Oy. So glad to see that you had a pain-free run today (and having started at such a crap hour, too). Bring on the speed!!

Being Robinson said...

hey thanks for coming by my blog. and okay, you win the cold run award, i was sort of being a baby about my cold windy run yesterday, but now i feel like a total wimp. oh and i sure did reward myself with hot starbux after, really it's the only motivation i needed, perfect excuse!

Mel -Tall Mom on the Run said...

HEHEHE!! Love it. I am sure I will NEVER experience this kind of cold you speak of. WA for all the rain I will take it over freezing temps..

Thanks for your comment...Does your son hum the Star Wars Theme song and walk around wearing black gloves pretending to be Darth Vader? LOL!!

Tricia said...

Brrrrr...

Anonymous said...

Crazy woman! That's why I wait until 10:30 and double digits to head out myself. With the warm Colorado sun, I only need half the layers I'd need if I ran before sunrise.

Elizabeth said...

Wow- great blog! All of this is so true. Where would we be without a hot shower or bath after a long run???? Congrats on hanging in there.

L.A. Runner said...

I'm shivering right now, and it's not even below freezing. I'm a huge baby when it comes to cold weather. Thanks for this post. It was cute!

Anonymous said...

What a great post! I found your blog through Rebecca's. Such a funny, and alarmingly true, list though!! Haha.
I think that you also know it's cold when you end up being colder at the end than you ever were during the beginning and throughout the run...also when you can't get into your apartment building because you can't move your hands....and then you can't get into your apartment because you can't get get your key into the lock...trouble ;)

Sarah Bowen Shea said...

Love this post--I'm chuckling as I read it, remembering my (insane) days as a newbie runner in upstate NY as an eager-beaver freshman in college.