It was cold in Ohio today. I mean, cold. Like 33 degrees with a moderate breeze, no sun. I’ve lived in colder places, but I never bothered running outside in this kind of weather.
Recalling the HTFU mantra, I woke up this morning and decided I wasn’t going to run my 8-miler on the treadmill. Went to a running store, bought a nice warm pair of tights, and hit the trails at one of the local metroparks.
It was glorious!
The fresh air, the scenery, the smell of decaying florae, the quiet solitude of an empty footpath along a slow-moving creek. I was so, so happy to be out in the nature and not droning away in the gym. And I had the entire park to myself… almost.
Under a bridge spanning a particularly pretty (although at this frigid time of year, very stark) section of the creek, I rounded a bend to see two women uneasily reclined on some rocks nekkid as the day they were born with their feet in the icy water and two what-appeared-to-be professional photographers clicking away. And I thought I was HingTFU.
So if anybody needs a little motivation to get out and run when the weather turns unfavorable, remember: A) you’ll warm up after about ten minutes, B) you might be pleasantly surprised by the scenery!
P.S. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know… pics, or it didn’t happen. Well, I didn’t have my cell phone on me so you’ll just have to take my word for it.
It was around 2:00pm on the Indian Ridge Trail at the Batelle-Darby Creek Metropark southwest of Columbus, if anybody happened to be there and can corroborate.
“two women uneasily reclined on some rocks nekkid as the day they were born with their feet in the icy water and two what-appeared-to-be professional photographers clicking away.”
Wow, why can’t I see such sights when out running??? BTW, 33F is NOT cold
Nothing better than a long run during light snowfall, no iPod. Something about the muted light and the sound of the snow falling that is positively spiritual. I even have a favorite route for these conditions - it runs along a salt marsh and wildlife preserve.
Of course, if I knew of a route that had nekkid chicks on it, I’d probably take that one instead.
Glad you got out and had a good run.
But 33F is not cold :), particularly if the wind is less than 15mph
This weekend the temp warmed up to 25F and the sun came out briefly, warming the dirt road I run on just enough to make the frozen mud slimy. I’d rather it stayed a little colder!
To me, any opportunity to run outdoors is more enjoyable than a treadmill.
I love runs like that. I live next to a small state park that has miles of trails. After a day or two of foot traffic they become nice and packed and it makes a great run to go through the snow in the winter.
The only thing that keeps me indoors or on treadmills is high wind and when the roads turn to ice/slush.
I love a good run in the winter. Except for the cold hand Reynaud’s thing it beats a treadmill anyday. Unfortunately, I have never come across naked chicks sunbathing during winter runs, or summer runs either :(. My wife would rethink the wisdom of triathlon if that happened.
I rounded a bend to see two women uneasily reclined on some rocks nekkid as the day they were born with their feet in the icy water and two what-appeared-to-be professional photographers clicking away. And I thought I was HingTFU.
I run outside year around. The only thing that will put me on a tread mill is a heavy down pour or icy roads.
With winter running getting started is the hard part. Once you’ve laced up your shoes and got 1 mile under your belt the cold is not a factor at all. Winter cycling on the other hand can really suck…very difficult to keep the extremities warm.
It was cold in Ohio today. I mean, cold. Like 33 degrees
As other’s have said, I hate to break it to you, but 33F is not that cold.
I have run in all weather and I must say that some of those long winter runs that I have gone on have been the most enjoyable and satisfying of my life. There is nothing better than -5C, sunny, light winds and a bit of light snow under-foot.
Nude women on the run - well, that’s a pleasant and unusual bonus.
My work schedule puts me on the roads at an obnoxious hour in the morning…and a few weeks ago I forgot to change my alarm clock (I was out of town when we turned the clocks back) and I woke up unknowingly at 2:30…got dressed…and then looked at a clock that happened to be correct.
Regardless…I ran at 2:30 and it was the best run I’ve had in a long time.
Nature was at it’s best - I came across 4 deer scampering throughout civilization and seemingly not bothered that they were among humans snug in their homes.
It’s these things you don’t normally see (e.g. naked women) that get you out of bed and on the road in the morning.
Naked women are more interesting than deer, though.
The colder it gets the better it is. There are very few people out and those are look at you like you are crazy. I really like the crazy looks from people who are standing outside smoking. And we’re the crazy ones!
i see lots of people who honestly think that it makes them “tougher” to run in 30-degree temps with shorts - why is that? There is a reason why people “warm up” prior to exercise, so that your muscles and JOINTS are properly lubed up & heated up to handle the exertion and forces of impact. Ever wonder why pro cyclists wear knee warmers or use embrocation when its below 60 degrees? And their knees dont take nearly the beating that running gives. Or when an NBA player puts ice on his knees on the bench, he is officially done for the game. His coaches and trainers wont let him back on the floor once he starts icing because they know it would spell doom for his knees. The knees just arent supposed to be cold when you are exercising.
You may look tough when running in shorts in cold weather but you’re opening yourself up to injury and you are probably significantly decreasing the amount of lifetime miles that you’re going to get out of your knees.
I agree. I LOVE winter running, 33F isn’t cold at all. I love running in a light snowfall… it’s just glorious. I have the opposite hand situation, they get so hot and sweaty during a winter run I may end up bare-handed even if it’s in the teens.
i see lots of people who honestly think that it makes them “tougher” to run in 30-degree temps with shorts - why is that? There is a reason why people “warm up” prior to exercise, so that your muscles and JOINTS are properly lubed up & heated up to handle the exertion and forces of impact. Ever wonder why pro cyclists wear knee warmers or use embrocation when its below 60 degrees? And their knees dont take nearly the beating that running gives. Or when an NBA player puts ice on his knees on the bench, he is officially done for the game. His coaches and trainers wont let him back on the floor once he starts icing because they know it would spell doom for his knees. The knees just arent supposed to be cold when you are exercising.
You may look tough when running in shorts in cold weather but you’re opening yourself up to injury and you are probably significantly decreasing the amount of lifetime miles that you’re going to get out of your knees.
Personally I’ve never met or heard anyone claim that cold weather running makes them “tougher”. They just do it. Drop in at the next local “CHILLY 5K”, every one of the top runners will be in shorts…Including the Masters. I’ve been running since Jr. High school in shorts in 30 deg weather. I’m 43 and I have never had knee problems. Why do cyclist wear knee warmers…I don’t see them so much in 60 deg weather but in colder i do. There is a HUGE wind chill factor. Wind chill is exponential so a little change in wind velocity makes a bigger change in the temp the skin feels…or gives how fast it gives up heat.
Warming up…Is more of a factor of preparing the body for the stresses your going to put on it than it is about actual body temperature. Trust me…the 30 deg weather is not reaching the important working mechanism internals of my knees.
If the Basketball Player is icing his knee it is to reduce inflamation. It’s the damamge from inflamation keeping him off the floor. Not an ice pack.
If you see me in 30 deg weather running in shorts…which is exactlly what you’d see…trust me…I’m not doing it cause I think it makes me look tough…I’m doing it for comfort. If I was wearing running tights or pants…I’d be stripping out of them at the 3 mile mark.
