Cold weather running

I ventured out this morning for 16 miles in 7 degree temps. Wind chill was -2 and it actually did not feel that bad. I was originally going to join some hearty souls at 7am to run the summer BT50K course. I would turn back at Columbia road since I am no where near ready for 50k. Instead, I chose to stay at home and run loops in the park near our house.

The snow was perfect, the trail was frozen nicely, and the sun was actually shining a bit! A near perfect run.

My clothing choice was perfect with layers being the key. I started with a short-sleeved shirt covered by a long-sleeved shirt. Shorts and windpants for the legs, and my Gore-Tex shell for the top layer. I wore my fleece headband and my balaclava to cover my face. Besides the advantage of covering my face, the balaclava will moisten the air a bit before it enters my lungs, helping to reduce that dry-raspy feeling from cold air. I alternated between my heavy fleece gloves and my regular cold-weather gloves.

I carried my waist pack with water today and I worried about the bottles freezing. I covered them with my jacket, thinking that my body heat would be enough to keep them from freezing and it worked! However, I cannot say the same about my GU... It was frozen pretty solid at the end of my run.

One of the fun things about cold-weather running is how the frost will form on your clothes as you run! I know, I have a strange idea of fun... Anyways, I had pushed up the sleeves on my jacket and I had frost forming on my long sleeved shirt, gloves, and my balaclava.

I was feeling pretty good for the first 13 miles, which is about right where my training is now. The last 3 miles were harder, but that is what training is intended to do: Push your body just past the comfort zone, recover, repeat. Before long, your comfort zone is increased making today's long run, tomorrow's water stop!

Tomorrow will be a short 6 mile recovery run. Burning River is coming up fast...