Thursday, April 24, 2008

Running In The Cold

It's true. People do it. I thought they did cross training in the gym in temps below 72 degrees, but I am W-R-O-N-G. I've seen pictures of my fellow runners in snow. I've heard them talking about the obvious perils of running on ice. I've heard their cries of joy as the spring approaches, but I must say....I was comparing it all to Florida winters. Which are too cold for me to run in. So I thought I understood. But I did not.

I made a comment on how yesterday's run had me coughing like I did the ONE time I did run in the cold. This was because I have some funky upper respiratory thing going on, not from the weather. In fact, I'm sick today and realize I had no business running 6 miles yesterday. I can't even get a good deep breath right now, but I'm still glad I did run.

During the cold days, I run after 1-2pm. It's usually about 68 or so. If it's colder guess what. I don't run outside. I go to the gym. Where it's W-A-R-M. Here in Florida we have a different problem. Summer. It can be 102 degrees by midday, so we have to get up really early to beat the sun. Or go to the gym. Otherwise we get something called "heat stroke". It'll be all about hydration real soon Baby. Which causes another problem. I can't stand running with a bottle in my hand. If I plant some bottles along the way, they'll be boiling by the time I'd get to them! So I am in panic mode, knowing full well my summer breeze (cool song BTW) will be over soon. About the time my northerner friends are coming out in full force, I will be miserably pedalling on the stationary, rowing on the rower or being bored to tears on the elliptical. Actually, I do enjoy the rower. I put the fan right on me and the sound of the water in the wheel helps me pretend I'm on the Charles in Boston. Which is something I never ever would have thought of doing when I lived there. Oh...did I mention that? I'm from the Boston area. I moved to Florida almost 5 years ago...heehee! So I do know real cold. That is why I do not live there anymore. Snowsuits, shovels, boots, hats, mittens, snotty noses....NO THANKS! Been there, done that and you can believe I complained from September to June. Yes I did.

My husband used to ask me to sit out on the deck with him after dinner in the cold seasons. I'd say no. He'd tell me to get a BLANKET and enjoy the cool night air. It's a miracle we're still married. He loves to snow ski, snow mobile, camp, all that weird stuff people do outside in the cold. I don't like that. Maybe that's why my entire family fell on the floor laughing when I said I wanted to run a marathon. Hmmmm...mebbee! But I showed them, didn't I? Ran my 1st marathon 4.5 months into training. Thanks to my friend/coach/science teacher, Jim. I told him I wanted to run a marathon, he said ok, here's what ya gotta do. I did it and I finished the race. Not even last, imagine! Now I want to do Boston. Not all of Boston, just run the marathon (ha) kinda perverted joke, teehee...

So, until they make a snorkelly snowsuit I can wear and still run comfortably in, I will leave the fridgid weather to you crazy northerners. I like my chest DEfrosted, thank ya verra much. I like to feel the wind in my hair, not the icicles breaking off my hair clear down to the root. If I'm gonna slip while running, let it be on a banana peel I can SEE and quite possibly (but probably NOT) avoid and not on black ice. If I need to do a hurdle, let it be over a crock and NOT a snowbank.

Here's to you all up there, may the spring be in your step and in the air, may the flowers lean toward you as you run by, may you enjoy the perfect running weather headed your way soon. While I'm back in the gym....sniff, sniff.....

4 comments:

Arcane said...

hey don't knock it till you tried it. :) I love running in the cool weather. There's a certain temperature where it's just cool enough to keep the running body from sweating too much and it feels like you can go on forever. Great thing about (true) winter running is that once all the layers start coming off in the spring, you automatically get faster. Feels great.

Sherry said...

Feel free to blow all residual North Port area "coolness" down to Punta Gorda! LOL! I need all that I can get.

You mentioned our lovely (and disgustingly hot) summers. Last summer I remember seeing 'someone' out running around our development at 11PM! That is probably going to be me. For some reason I can't seem to do the early AM thing (still too humid). Right now I'm getting my best runs in at 7PM (less humidity thanks to the daytime burnoff), but I think running in July will require an entirely different approach.

Marcy said...

LOL, yeah I'll totally sitck with the Northerner winters. Would not want to deal with those scorching hot Florida summers ;-)

Nitmos said...

Crap, I'm totally trying to forget about cold weather now that we UP NORTH are entering the warm season and here you go reminding me. I'm just happy to be able to run in shorts again. Feel so much faster that way.