On New Year’s Eve, in the afternoon, I finally mustered up the courage to don my fancy-schmancy winter running gear and attempt to run in the snow. Not a moment too late, as it was the day I needed to start in order to be on schedule for my 18-week training program for the marathon on May 4th. I had used my lack of funds for proper winter running clothing as an excuse not to run outside for the past two months, but I had received the outfit I needed as a Christmas gift, and there was now no excuse. I had to venture out in the wintry weather to run a fairly easy distance, three miles.
I put on my running tights, which clung to my less-than-perfect butt in an unflattering manner. I put on a snug-fitting synthetic fabric top (no cotton; cotton absorbs sweat and would make me so cold I might as well run naked) and layered a windbreaker over that. The rest was simple: socks, shoes, gloves. If I had a hat I probably would have put that on, too, but seeing as the temperature was barely freezing and I was only going three miles I decided to risk it. Putting my keys in my pocket, I headed out the door to my beloved lakeshore path.
The path that greeted me was very different than the path I remembered. The last time I had run there was probably late October or early November. At that time, the air was crisp but not cold; the green grass and the gold leaves contrasted beautifully against the clear-blue sky. Today, the ground was white and the sky was grey, with snow and fog reducing visabilities. Gone were the spandex-clad cyclists on fancy road bikes, the families strolling leisurely with baby carriages and dogs, the rollerbladers. It was just me, a few other joggers (all of whom were at least smart enough to wear hats), and the lone commuter on his mountain bike. Gone, too, were the boats in Belmont Harbor; only broken sheets of ice were to be found. I felt like I had entered a different world.
There’s not much I have to say about the run. Other than the snow stinging my eyes, it actually went quite well. It took a great deal of willpower not to start out at full training pace, seeing as I wanted to get warm as soon as possible. I do think I need to buy a hat as soon as I can; I have this full-head ski mask thing that resembles a burka but I don’t think I need that unless it’s really cold. It is a bit more difficult to breathe in the colder air, although I didn’t really notice until I stopped and spontaneously started coughing. I’m hoping this winter training won’t be as bad as I had feared.
1 Comment
January 2, 2008 at 9:49 pm
[...] About Training Day 1: My first experience running in snow [...]