Coming in Hot

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Marie

When you’re running in a blizzard, it helps to listen to reggae — seriously, it’s all about attitude people. I may have looked like this:

…but in my head it was cool water, warm sand, hot sun…

I wasn’t going to run today, but I started feeling guilty because I got home from work and still had daylight to kill. So I got dressed and went for a little 5 miler in my ‘hood.

My entire attitude about running in cold weather has changed. I used to look at a blizzard as the perfect excuse to stay inside and be lazy; today I was gazing outside at those big fluffy white flakes coming down and I just wanted to be out there!

Sure, I regretted it as soon as I got about two miles in and turned a corner into a wall o’ wind. But that happy little fantasy moment was nice while it lasted.

I think this is the coldest weather I’ve ever gone running in. We did the Eagle Creek trails a couple of times in single digits, but the forest helps block most of the wind. I had icicles on my eyelashes and my thighs were pink — that can’t be good. I don’t think my running pants are rated for zero. (By the way, I think it’s kinda funny when the temperature is zero; there is, essentially, no temperature.)

Got home and made some sludge — kiwi, banana, blueberries and Very Green veg powder from TJs (which is probably what made it that disgusting poo-brown color). It was not the best smoothie I’ve ever made. I think the VG kind of ruined it. I wanted to just use kiwi and strawberries but the strawberries are in the fridge at my office. Meh…

About to go soak in a hot, hot tub — later!

(Blog Title: Peter Tosh, Coming in Hot)

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  • http://fitseek.wordpress.com Shane

    Oh man! Now I feel really guilty skipping my run. Way to get out there in the crud! I’m totally with you on loathing the gym…

  • http://cheaperthantherapy.wordpress.com/ Marie

    eh, don’t feel bad. I skipped my run on Sunday…It’s a shame the weather was so bad because I felt awesome — plenty of energy, wasn’t hurting anywhere. The blizzard just screwed me. ;-)

  • http://secondcityrandomness.wordpress.com Amy

    Reggae, huh? That would set an interesting pace for me… lol. Good job for hitting the road in the blizzard- you are apparently a superstar! Yea! :)

    • http://cheaperthantherapy.wordpress.com/ Marie

      “SUPERSTAR!” *strikes Mary Katherine Gallagher pose*

  • http://angryrunner.wordpress.com angryrunner

    Nice. Especially to get it over with, right?

    I find whenever I use multiple citrusy things in the a smoothie that it just gets…a bit too acidic.

  • http://theultimatefitchallenge.wordpress.com David Dierking

    I ended up outside in the snow as well but for snowblowing not for running. I don’t think I had icicles on me but it felt like it could have been close.

    • http://cheaperthantherapy.wordpress.com/ Marie

      You must have gotten a great arm/back workout! I saw a lot of people shoveling/snowblowing when I was running — they all gave me weird looks. ;-)

  • http://www.notsuperhuman.com Tracey @ I’m Not Superhuman

    I give you major credit for running in the snow. Now way I’m heading out in this! But now I feel a little guilty. Maybe I’ll do some exercises around the house and feel better about my laziness. :)

    • http://cheaperthantherapy.wordpress.com/ Marie

      That sounds like the perfect workout for tonight — rolling around on the floor, doing a couple of pushups and voila, workout done!

  • http://myverbalvomit.wordpress.com Kelly

    Haha that’s what I looked like this morning shoveling! No running though. I should have thought of listening to reggae maybe I would have felt warmer

    • http://cheaperthantherapy.wordpress.com/ Marie

      hey, shoveling is a workout in itself! you deserve a glass of wine!

  • http://territerri.wordpress.com/ territerri

    I love running in the cold, but we get SO much ice here. Last year I had my husband insert these short little screws into the bottom of my shoes and they helped. (Might have been better off just buying some Yak Trax.) But we had such a long stretch of time where the ice was so bad, that I finally gave up and joined the gym this year. And surprisingly, I don’t mind the treadmill.

    • http://cheaperthantherapy.wordpress.com/ Marie

      I love how passionate some treadmill vs. non-treadmill people are about the debate. it’s like the catholics vs. the protestants. I just tend get bored on the treadmill – at my gym there’s no sound and I get dizzy trying to read the closed captioning (plus I am clumsy) or there’s just nothing good on. But it’s definitely a great training tool that can save you from catching a cold and/or killing yourself out there on the ice. I worked on my form for several months on the treadmill — I am pidgeon-toed and have awful form so it helped me concentrate on my stride without worrying about what’s up ahead of me while I was staring at my feet!

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