How to Not Freeze to Death- Training in Winter

For my readers who, like me, hail from somewhere that often looks like this in the middle of the winter,

with unpredictable winter temperatures, you are probably aware that winter running is reasonably unpleasant, since you have to deal with:

1. Breathing cold air
2. Cold and tight muscles
3. Risk of frostbite
4. Icy roads/ sidewalks
5. Getting wet from snow
6. Shorter days, and early nights.
7. Treadmills and indoor tracks are a bore.
8. JUST BEING FREEZING COLD AND MISERABLE!

All of these factors can lead to slower times, and altogether less pleasant runs.  In many cases, unless I'm feeling extra motivated, this leads my winter mileage to suffer.  I end up inside watching Netflix, instead of braving the slushy mess or icy tundra outside.

But, if we all stayed indoors all day long, every time the temperature dropped below freezing, then we'd miss the beauties of winter, and every spring, we'd have to crawl out of our caves and start our training from stage 0, letting our training bases crash and burn year after year, and leaving us lightyears behind our warm-climated counterparts.

And this is why they invented man's best friend: underarmour.

So invest in:
1. A warm hat
2. Underarmour base layers: I have literally been using the same long-sleeved underarmour turtleneck and pants since I started running five years ago, and it's still going strong.  I throw it on under a moisture-wicking t-shirt and some shorts, and top it off with a fleece if it's cold enough to warrant the extra layer.
3.  GLOVES- Gloves are your best friend.  I am partial to the Spyder Women's Sweater Glove, which I use for everything from walking to class to nordic skiing to running.
4.  An extra layer or two can't hurt, whether it's sweat pants, a fleece, or a windbreaker.  You can always shed it midway through your run, and it's better to have too much than too little.

Pretty simple, right?  If you're a native to this climate, you should already have the bulk of that.  If it's the middle of a blizzard, you also may want a neck warmer, but in general, you'll be too hot with one of those.

Be smart.  Know your body.  If you're too cold, cut your run short, and head to the treadmill or the indoor track (also a viable option if it's dark outside).  If your feet get wet from the snow, you might get blisters or frostbite, so beware of that.  And remember, your times will probably be slower in the dead of winter.  The cold air makes it harder to breathe.  You have to watch your step because of the ice.  And your muscles will be cold and tight because of the low temperatures.  But, don't despair.  Spring will be here before you know it.  And when it comes, you will appreciate the opportunity to run a hundred times more.  Meanwhile, layer up and get outside.  It's time to run!

In the Long Run- The Road to 26.2

Life without running would be like life without food... And vice versa.

I am a runner.  A cyclist.  A marathoner.  An athlete.  A college student.  Lover of food...  And frequent visitor of Netflix...  And when my friends ask, after discussing how my weekend involved 100 mile bike rides and 15 mile runs, if endurance athletes aren't a little masochistic, I don't disagree.

But, only an athlete can understand that there is a point where being sore is good.  When you walk inside after a long run, dripping sweat, snag a popsicle from the freezer and put your feet up feeling accomplished, and like you will literally never walk again, it's the best feeling... And the next day you're compelled to do it again.

Millions of people- from high school cross country runners to Olympic athletes to working types who jog before work each day- know both the joys of running and the struggles that come with it.

Three months ago, I ran my first marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon, in Washington D.C.  I like to say that it was the best three hours, thirty one minutes and forty nine seconds of my life.  That's partly because it felt like a much more successful day than blowing through a book for my history class or doing a few loads of laundry.  But, at the same time, it's because of all the people along the way who made the journey so great, as well as every challenge that made me stronger along the way.

From the Marines who cheered me on, saying, "Keep it up, Semper Fi!" to my fellow runners who befriended me and gave me tips that would help me survive the day and from the moment when my neon pink shoes first found their way across the start line to the stitches at mile 4, the friendships formed at miles 6, 10 and 21, the gatorade splashed in my eye at mile 9, the energy gels and sports beans that fueled me forward, to the tears in my eyes, just minutes before I crossed the finish line as a Boston qualifier 3:31:49 after my journey began, I never once regretted the decision I had made to sign up for an endeavor so grueling that I basically entered zombie mode for a week afterwards.

Lots of people tell me that they would never run a marathon.  And to be completely honest, as I prepare my race calendar for next year, and think about the next one, I am scared too.  I'm not completely prepared to enter back into 30 mile weeks, early runs, risks of injuries, bad weather, etcetera... A lot can go wrong in twenty six point two miles.

But, the thing is, I have never doubted that it is worth running another one.  It is my nature to aim high, fight hard, finish no matter what happens, and when it's all over, go back to the beginning and start again.  I hope you will join me in my journey to another 26.2, wipe away the slate of excuses, and learn to love a sport that I used to call "cross training".