A Couple Cold Runs
I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas holiday. On Tuesday I began working off the holiday calories with a 16K/10M run on the flat trails around my town. It was a fresh 2C/36F with cool breeze that kept me moving. I averaged around 5:31/K (8:52/M), which is a fair tempo for me for this time of year.
Yesterday (Thursday) I went for a long run on my hilly trail around the neighboring town of Weingarten. It was 0C/32F with a bone chilling wind as I stepped out of my car at the trailhead at high noon (okay 12:45). My goal was 30K/18.5M, or around 3 hours 15 minutes. I set out over my normal loop, first a kilometer warmup on semi-flat trail, then an 8 minute climb up the mountain. This was followed by a 30-35 run over rolling hills, then a downhill and another climb up the mountain. I felt adventurous, so tried a new trail, which brought me down the mountain again and up for a third major climb. I tried to circle back to my car on my normal route, but the trail was closed due to a logging crew working in this section. I found another way around and completed my first loop, which took about 1 hour 40 minutes.
At the beginning of my second round my legs were already feeling really cold and getting stiff, it made me wonder if I have rheumatism or something…in any case I kept moving. As I looped back around I was getting colder by the minute so decided that a 3 hour run is enough and took a shortcut back to the car. As soon as I stopped to stretch I started shivering, so knew I had made the right decision. After stretching a bit, I through on an old winter jacket I had brought along and fired up the car and drove the 12K/7.5M home. I estimate I ran about 28K/17.5M in 3:01:00, an average pace of about 6:28/K (10:24/M) - a little slow, but I’m a wimp in the winter.
When I got home I hurried out of my sweat-soaked clothes, took a hot shower and sat down to a hot meal. This morning I am a little stiff, but feeling fine otherwise. Tomorrow I am meeting a couple friends for a 10K race in Forchheim, the town where I work. I’m not looking for any speed records, I just want one last fun run to close the year out right.
I wish everyone a safe and festive New Year, don’t drink & drive, and be sure to remember those around you who may not have enough to eat and drink!
Comments
Nice work on the long run. I hate getting the shivers..but there's nothing like that hot shower afterwards!
Have fun on the last run of the year....and have a Happy and Healthy New Year!!
Posted by: Lora | December 29, 2006 1:02 PM
Only a runner would think of one last race to finish the year out right! Have fun and stay safe yourself.
Posted by: backofpack | December 29, 2006 2:25 PM
Wishing you a safe and happy new year. Good luck with that cold weather. Have a fun race.
Posted by: Juls | December 29, 2006 5:52 PM
I hate cold, and even more when people say - oh, you're Russian, you should like it. Why??
Have a happy New year, go ahead, finish this one up and gear up for a next season!
Posted by: olga | December 29, 2006 6:43 PM
I have aches and pains too that I warm up out of, and I'm only 29! It does seem to be worse in winter. I kind of like it when it's chilly but nothing below mid-40s!
Posted by: Rachel | December 30, 2006 1:57 AM
A hot shower after a run in the cold is the best feeling in the world, isn't it?
Posted by: Thomas | December 30, 2006 7:18 PM