Training Tuesday: An ODE To Winter Running

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An Ode To Winter Running

Dear Winter Running,

In honor of the First Day of Spring tomorrow, I thought it would be good to give you a nice final farewell before you’re gone for another 9 months.

It’s been super fun to watch the snow fall on the ground. In the beginning, the snow was beautiful. It looked like furry white clouds forming around me. So light and easy to blow off of the roads.

As you progressed, you started to get real cold. Winter Running began to get real challenging. Some days I felt like I was a burglar with the amount of clothes I had to pile on just to survive for an hour outside.

It was not so fun to have my water bottles or gels freeze on me. The amount of time it took me to layer-up was also not very enjoyable. I also really disliked wearing cleats on almost every.single.run. While they gave my feet a bit of extra weight (thanks for the additional cross-training!) and prevented me from slipping on any surfaces, they also were one extra thing I had to put on.

When you snowed so hard that I had to wear sunglasses to protect my eyes from snow build-up was also less than enjoyable. Good thing I at least had something acting like a windshield to my poor, poor face.

Don’t let that smile fool you folks. Conditions this winter were pretty miserable.

You really tested me. You tried to make me sleep in with your very short days, but I was resilient. I had goals to capture and I wasn’t going to let something silly like “winter” get in my way. You pushed on for far far too long, but now it’s Spring and I want to see some GRASS and FLOWERS and be able to RUN OUTSIDE in the LIGHT at 5AM.

So, goodbye to you and your endless amounts of snow (something like 100”+ and still going). You’re free to move on any day now.

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What would you say to Winter Running if you had the chance?

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday! Wow I REALLY needed this weekend and last weeks training of recovery was amazing. At first, it was a bit odd to NOT be running all the miles, but come Saturday- I couldn’t have been more thankful for it. Let’s flashback to Friday afternoon where after having a completely crazy week at work, it felt so amazing to be able to get a nice 30 minute swim in (even though I also really wanted to get some strength in, but the universe was telling me not to since I brought two pairs of right-footed sneakers with me?!?!? - in my defense they are literally the same color/style Brooks Ghosts, but wow I had never done THAT before!)  

First day of my February vegan diet before I re-introduce food groups went well! Had this for dinner and so far, I’ve only craved a meatball sub once!  

Also had a Pinterest -fail Saturday morning trying out a Banana Oatmeal Vegan pancake recipe. Ha they were a complete blob.  

My planned 5-7 miles easy Saturday got switched with my Sunday easy 8 mile run because it was 32* outside and just SO BEAUTIFUL! I didn’t want to stop running, but good thing I have some self-control ; )  

Sunday was ALOT of meal-prepping for the week ahead (I think it’s the name-of-the-game when it comes to this months diet)  

Also had a way better attempt at a different recipe of Vegan pancakes (they even had Chia seeds in them!)  

Easy 7 miles in the crazy 20mph winds (but it was almost 40* out?!?) . Anytime I wanted to cop-out when the wind got really strong-> I reminded myself of all those brave soles who finished Boston last year.  

Then Stella and I went out for a little snowshoe later on before watching the pats at the super bowl!  

Don’t worry- Brady rested up the whole day for the game.  

Alex’s two friends from High School (who love back in Maine) are visiting this week, so I was mainly solo this weekend and will be this week as they head off for a few days to ski at Park City!  

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How was your weekend?!? 

Favorite Pinterest recipe you’ve found?! 

Any Super Bowl fans out there ? I just love how amazing the commercials are every year.  

Feature Friday: An Ode To Running In The Cold

Happy Friday! Finally. This week has definitely dragged on and I’m ready for the weekend! We may try to go skiing at Winter Park tomorrow (I’ve never been there!), but still waiting to see how Alex’s back is feeling (it’s been bothering him since last weekend, nothing too serious but obviously still painful). I have some easy miles on the schedule this weekend, but otherwise nothing too crazy to do! Maybe also making some chex mix because I’ve been craving it! I’m hiking up the ski mountain this morning to get in some awesome cross training and fun (more-so on the ski down the mountain! ; ) ….). I also stayed up super late last night to finish my library book (I had 80 pages left and can’t renew it again at the library)- totally worth it because it finally started to get REALLY good.

Flashback to yesterday mornings’ very early strength & 7 mile run on the treadmill. I used to go to the gym EVERY morning Mon-Friday for so many years and then switched up my schedule since the MS Run The US relay last Spring. It was a really nice change, but I also really missed waking up early and seeing my “gym people”! Anyone else feel this way or just me?

Since it has been SO cold here (3* yesterday morning at 8am?!?), I thought I’d give you a nice little breakdown of how running in the cold feels for me. I’d love to know your thoughts on winter running in the comments below too!

Pre-Run: Time to brace yourself for the cold. Break out all those layers. Pop in some hand and foot warmers. Fill those water bottles up with hot water so they are less-likely to freeze. Go pee before adding on all those layers because there’s no way you’re going to peel them off until after you’re done. You’re on lockdown at this point. There’s no turning back- time to head out into the cold.

Early Miles: Yeah, this isn’t so bad. So glad I added on that fourth down layer. I feel pretty great. I can’t believe I thought this run would suck. *slips on hidden black ice* Ok, don’t get ahead of yourself. Careful, carefullll…. Maybe I should slow my pace down a bit, how fast am I going anyways (looks at watch in utter-debelief. Wow, I thought I was going really fast, but actually I don’t remember ever going this slow)?!?

Later Miles: Wow I am seriously SWEATING! Whose idea was it to wear all these layers anyways?!? I’m so glad that this run has taken twice as long as I was anticipating because otherwise my lashes wouldn’t be frozen and I would still be able to feel my fingers and toes. Are my legs still even moving? Am I ever going to reach home?!?

Post- run: I’m hot, but I’m cold. I can’t wait to officially burn my skin off in a steaming hot shower. Also where is the hot cocoa?! *looks outside* wow it really is coming down out there! Who in their right mind would ever brave those elements?!? Oh right, me!

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Do you ever stay up way too late to read a good book?

Thoughts on winter running?

Going to the gym- love it, hate it, or tolerate it?

Three things you’re doing this weekend? —-> definitely skiing somewhere, baking something, consuming ample amount of hot cocoa, and making homemade pizza tonight!