Suddenly it's freezing and at 4:00 AM it's really really freezing. I anticipated those conditions last night and selected the following for this morning's run:
- Wool running socks
- Compression sleeves (ankle to knee)
- Light weight compression shorts
- Mid-weight compression pants
- Long sleeve running shirt
- Short sleeve running shirt
- Winter weight half zip
- Heavy polypropylene running hat
- Running mittens
It may seem like overkill but when I switched on the local news they were reporting temperatures in the low 20's, not counting wind chill. I briefly considered the treadmill but decided that I'd rather have a freezing run than a tedious workout. I set out at an easier pace than yesterday but my many layers allowed me to warm up relatively quickly. Like yesterday, I was pleased with my form and mechanics and I increased my pace as I moved through the run. Between a slower start and a faster finish I averaged 9:16. Much better than the 9:30-9:45 malaise I'd been experiencing over the last few weeks, but after yesterday's 8:44 run I suffered for the difference. I'm still happy with the way I ran and my recent 10K's have convinced me that I can run at slower paces on training runs and still perform well on race day. I have no races on the calendar for the remainder of the year so, for now, I'm going to focus on running for fun, regardless of performance..
Thursday, December 9, 2010
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You are amazing, and I love "23 degrees in the shade." Nice to have a little funny with my first cup of coffee. Lately I have become a spinning addict, so that's pretty much the thermal opposite. I get more sweaty doing that than any run I ever went on--wow! But, I seldom ran in a small, dark room with 8 other people. Very impressed--go, man, go! =)
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'll do anything to avoid running indoors. If I'm facing weather in the teens or 20's it's a matter of dressing for temperature while understanding that your body increasingly generates heat as it goes.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I would do well with high intensity spin classes in the heat though. I think I'd rather be too cold than too hot.