My first full week of running for the NPM!

On the 8th of Monday I decided to start some cold weather running in Northern, Ohio. Knowing full well that it is usually colder about one hour before daybreak I opted for the early 5:30 am run. Windchill at 20 and temps near 25. Winds were sustained around 5 to 8 miles an hour. I started the run with shorts and a thin dri-fit long sleeve. One mile into the 6 mile run I tossed the shirt and finised the remainder in shorts, gloves and my trail pegasus. The fun thing was that I actually broke a sweat. I remember watching a masters runner in Mississippi do some long runs in the two weeks of winter that Mississippi has. He would start of with barely a stitch on. Gloves,shorts and shoes. He always stated that when their is not wind...you can run in anything. I found out this past Monday that he was dead on. I was so comfortable while humming along in the lower twenties.

Tuesday was more of the same...but the winds had picked up significantly. I opted for a later in the night run of 8 miles. Out and back near Antrim Park. I enjoyed the fading sunlight during my first few miles. At mile three with temps in the low 30's and the windchill dropping I ditched my hat and shirt. The few others I saw on the trail stared at me with puzzlement and I think a bit of awe. The broken clouds offered a spattering of rain and mist along the run. At mile 4 I turned back toward home and realized my false sense of warmth while running with the wind. My skin shuddered and I felt my lips purse as I strained to maintain the tempo run pace that I had establish on the trip out. The thought of my shirt and hat nearly a mile away. But I found that as I picked them up I had gained a comfort level with the cold chill of nightfall. The rain and cold air had caused puddles of slush to form on most of the path. I splashed through several of them just to feel the cold water on my feet. I felt as though I was running and icing my legs at the same time. The last three miles floated along at just under 6 minute pace. My chilled gatorade seemed warm as I gulped down the 32oz bottle that had sat inside the safety of my jeep. Tomorrow will be a windchill test on the bike. Early morning temps are expected to be in the teens again and with a bike speed of 20 miles an hour it should be close to sub zero. A thin jacket and knee warmer would hopefully suffice.