Brrr!

So it's official. Its not only getting dark out really early, but it's getting cold! And by cold, I mean my ass goes numb when I run, brrrrr cold.

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This past Saturday I was optimistic about a nice 6m run and I had a sidekick to run it with me (the same fool who has taken my LMR by New Year's challenge). With the temp hovering around 39 and windy, I geared up in my tights, long sleeves, headband and gloves and was ready for it. Til I went outside. I think my running buddy had the same thought. But we decided to keep moving hoping that after we had a mile or so under our belts we would warm up and it would become much easier. And so we ran.

What neither of us accounted for was the additional aches and pains that come with cold weather running. Everything's a little stiffer, the joints a little achy-er, breathing a little harder. Having had a few more months of running under my belt, my body was feeling a little more resilient than other's. It was one of those slow and steady days. Around mile 2 or so I noticed that I was starting to drop my running buddy, which was not the plan. I slowed down to see how things were going and if everything was ok. Apparently it was not as my companion was having some vicious knee pain (sally!) and was just feeling off. I decided to finish off the first leg of a 5 1/2m run and pick them up on the way back (I'm proud to say that my lil runnin' buddy pushed through the half way point of 5m).

On the way home, however, there was much walking to be done as my partner in crime was in pain (sally!). We alternated jogging and walking on the way home and tried to stay moving. Everyone has off days. We all feel like soem days we just can run another step or have the desire to do so. So I give props for pushing through....sort of.

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My second adventure in cold weather running was last night. Last night was COLDER than Saturday with the temp dipping down to 30 by the time I headed out. This night would call for my thermal tights.

I get all bundled up and head out. The first few breaths and steps felt a little like getting sucker punched, but I knew that if I kept moving after a mile or so I would start to hit my stride and I'd be ok, and so I did.

What I quickly discovered is that my wonderful fleecy thermal tights had apparently lost their drawstring waist cord, and I spent a good portion of my ride heaving up my pants like some sort of plumber (well I had enough upper body layers on to keep my plumbers crack safely tucked away, but it was there in spirit). Talk about drooooopy drawers!

Anywho. I was chuggin along my run actually feeling pretty darn good. It was suppose to be my easy run of the week, only 4'ish miles, slowish pace, but I was feeling strong and just kept moving. At my turn around point I debated going farther, but decided to head back but keep up my pace. I've found running in my cold weather gear to be very calming as I can't really see my watch, or at least it takes a lot of effort to see it, and therefore I tend not to. But at the half way point I took a peek. And what to my surprise did I find but that I had been keeping a PR pace on the first half of my run. I was stoked and still feeling great so I decided to see how close to that pace I could keep.

Truth be told my over all pace was just off of my last PR, but not by much. AND my last PR pace was done on my 5k route, and this run was 1.1m longer, so technically.....I kicked that run's boot-ay!

Tonight's suppose to be another fartlek night, but seeing the sleety snow outside makes me second guess my desire to sprint on slippery pavement.....we'll see. That and I'm jonesin' to hit the mall (ick, I know) to start scoping out a birthday ensemble for my upcoming birthday bash. I think I can justify an extra rest day this week after last night's run and in preparation of my 2 longer runs this week.....we'll see.