Cold Weather Running

Perfect Running Weather

Call me crazy, but when I see a forecast like the one above, what I think is "yipee, awesome running ahead".

Living in Los Angeles the last four years has been tough on my running... because it's always hot! I know, I know, I'm a big whiner for living in one of the sunniest, least humid places in the country. Really, though, my body seriously dislikes running in hot weather; and hot for me is anything over 70 deg.

Having grown up in WI, gone to school in NY and lived several years in MA, I am well used to the running in the cold. No matter how cold it is, you can always put on enough clothes so that you'll be toasty warm while running. There's something so wonderful about running through snow-covered scenery, feeling great and breathing cold air. I've done long runs in zero degree weather (not counting wind chill). Heck, I did a marathon in MA, in February, where it was 15 deg at the start (shout out to Hyannis Marathon!).

Due to a family wedding, and desire to get some help with the little miss baby, I'm visiting my folks in WI for three weeks. Last week (my first week here) yielded some wonderful, snow-filled runs. As evidence of my body's preference for cold weather, all the runs hovered at around a 9 min/mile pace - great improvement on my easy pace as of late. I even extended several of them a mile or more because I was enjoying myself so much I didn't want to go inside. Things are looking good for this week and next also.

In honor of cold weather running, The Boring Runner is hosting a Freeze Your Thorns Off virtual 5k on Jan 8th. Whether or not you'll have cold weather to do it in (I'll be back in CA by then) participate in the spirit of all that is great with winter running =)