Cold run

Running in the cold is so hard (well, to me). You have to dodge the ice and snow, you get road salt all over your nice sneakers, and when it is wet and slushy you get that weird grey messy goop on the back of your pants, and your throat? Well my throat, I guess I can’t speak for everyone, feels like I am inhaling frozen razor blades, and then I spend the rest of the day coughing like a chain smoker.


So, what is my other option? Running on my treadmill...that huge expensive machine that I swore I would use every day, but in actuality I barely use it once a week.

“Well.....I will put a TV in front of the treadmill, then I will use it more”

Um, no...didn’t work.

At least it makes a nice clothes hanger.

I hate the winter. Being stuck inside sends me into a deep depression. I can’t wait for the summer, with all its fun activities, and tanned skin, and bathing...suits...um, oh yah....I dislike that part of summer.

Right, bathing suits, the reason I am getting up early to go for this run. Brrrr it looks so chilli out. Let’s see:

Warm pants, moisture wicking tank, socks, & bra, lip balm, moisturiser with sun screen. Check.

Extra grippy sneakers to reduce ass over kettle slips and spills. Check.

Polarized form fitting sunglass that cost too much but will enable me to see hidden slippy patches so I cannot slip and bruise my tailbone causing me to use an invalid ring when I want to park my keister. Check.

Super fun blue ‘buff’ that I can use to warm my neck, cover my ears, use as a hat, and when I get skinny I can use it as a tank top like the skinny girls on Survivor. Check.

Long sleeve luon cool temp running sweater with armpit vents and built in ‘mittens’ to cover my fingers (this also cost too much, but I need to look cool). Check.

Running route with the least amount of uphill jaunts mapped out in my head. Check.

I take a once over view of my outside running outfit....at least I look like I know what I am doing.

People will see me and think “wow, she must do this all the time, what determination she must have to run in this cold weather, how inspiring!”

Ready, here I go, to run in the cold....I am scared.

This isn’t soo bad, yes my throat hurts from the cold air, yes I am overly cautious of all the ice and snow, but it is very refreshing, and after a few minutes I am no longer cold, just panting and sweaty and tired. I want to take a break and walk, but I can’t as there are some people outside up ahead so I have to keep running until I pass them and I am out of sight, as I need them to think I am an awesome professional runner.

The closer I get to them I see that they are matching jacket wearing runners as well, crazy people!

As soon as I pass them, they start running....right behind me, great, now I can’t stop.

My innards are burning, and the twins are still following me. I cross the road to start running back this way I can lose the people behind me and take a little break.

Sigh, except there is another runner running towards me now, and...what...one behind him. Why are so many people out running in this blistering weather?

OK, I have passed them; I take a break and speed walk home for some hot tea and some massive stretching.

How rewarding! My first cold weather run (that didn’t end after 5 minutes with me chickening out and going home to my warm predictable treadmill). Now I know I can do it!

It is actually not SOOOO bad, I will do it again....later.