November 14, 2014 by Darlene

Friday Five: Cold Weather Running Tips

Every Friday, three DC area bloggers Mary at Mar On the Run, Cynthia at You Signed Up For What?! and Courtney from Eat Pray Run, DC to host the Friday Five linkup. Anyone can join with their own Friday Five post (yes, it must be a Friday Five!!) They encourage you to visit other blogs on the linkup, comment, share and engage!

This week, the theme is Cold Weather Running Tips.

It’s starting to get cold. (In fact, there was a dusting of snow on the ground when I got up today.) I know it’s going to get worse. So there are decisions to be made:

that’s a fake smile. I hate cold weather!

1. Run in the morning. It is may be colder in the morning but it is lighter outside. I try to drag myself out of bed and run in my neighborhood before I go to work. You will definitely wake up when there’s a chill in the air.

there are lights in the park this time of year

2. If you run in the evening, run where there is light. That being said, it is warmer after work but it is already dark when I leave. So I always run where there are lights. That’s means that my neighborhood, the bike trails and the rail trail are OUT 😦 I don’t have a head lamp and even if I did, I prefer to run where there are street lights. So I choose to run near work or in the town where I live when I run after work.

iPad & water are my 2 necessities on the mill.

3. When conditions are bad, use the treadmill. When it is raining, snowing or too icy, I run on the treadmill (even though I hate it.) I use the one at work or at my “free” gym.

4. Invest in winter running clothes.

Layers are important – coolmax breathable shirt, fleece vest, windbreaker (I try to wear light, bright colors in the evening)
Tights (I usually wear a skirt or shorts over them – I am self-conscious about my thighs & I feel warmer)
Gloves (I wear cheap light ones until it gets very cold, then I wear thermal ones.)
Smartwool socks
Hat or headband

HMRRC 7K

HMRRC 15K - January

You don’t have to spend a lot of money. I buy most of mine at Target.

5. Wear YakTrax if there is snow on the ground. You won’t slip or slide.

they really work on the snow.

No matter what the weather, you still have to go out there and RUN!

Happy Running! Any other tips for running in the colder weather?

November 4, 2014 by Darlene

Tuesdays on the Run: Cold Weather Running

Erika @ MCM Mama Runs hosts Tuesdays on the Run with April @ Run the great wide somewhere and Patty @ My no-guilt life!

This week’s topic is: Cold Weather Running

I must say that I HATE the cold. I much prefer running in the heat but living in the Northeast, the cold arrives too soon and lasts too long.

I think that about sums things up.

Layers keep you warm but remember not to dress too warmly. If it is 20 degrees, dress for 40. The bottom layer should be breathable. You will sweat no matter how cold it is. My middle layer is usually a fleece vest and for the outside layer, I wear a windbreaker.

HMRRC 7K

I always wear tights with a skirt over them.

Wear wool socks, gloves and a hat. My head, hands and feet are what gets cold first.

HMRRC 15K

The infographic below is very helpful:

or use this tool that will suggest what to wear, based on the info you input – http://www.runnersworld.com/what-to-wear

If you run when it is dark, wear light colors, carry a flashlight or wear a head lamp or run where there are lights.

Running on Nisky Bike Trail

If it is snowing, wear Yak Trax, go slower and watch for icy patches.

I usually care what I wear in the warmer months. But in the winter, not so much. I try not to spend much money on winter running clothes. I wear race shirts and windbreakers. I buy dollar store gloves and buy my tights and skirts in Walmart and Target.

The important things is to just get out and RUN!

Remember:

beasts

Happy Running! Do you like running during the cold weather months?

March 13, 2014 by Darlene

Another Snowstorm and Another Race

Enough Already.

It is March!!

Work is slow since the professors and students where I work are on break.

So Tuesday, a co-worker and I walked outside in the morning for 1 mile.

1 mi 3-10-14

Then I took an unplanned lunchtime run OUTDOORS.

It was 54 degrees!! How could I not?

So I sneaked out to run 4 miles in the sunshine.

sunny so I could see my shadow

where I work – love that blue sky

It was so nice out that I also didn’t mind the wind and all the puddles.

Yesterday and today were predicted to either snow or rain or both.

And that’s what we got plus WIND!!

Yesterday my co-worker and I walked a mile in the morning and another mile in the afternoon but this time inside (laps around the first floor – BORING!)

And yes, I match my running shoes to my clothes (These are my old ones.)

Yesterday I also used the treadmill during work for a lackluster 3 mile run.

looking out at the courtyard during my am indoor walk today

The same is planned for today. (Maybe I can squeeze out 4.) UGH!!

Tomorrow is a REST day!

Hopefully, the snow will melt or the roads will be cleared for Saturday!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

This is a very popular race and it sold out in 48 hours. I ran this race 3 years, really liked it so I signed up again.

Then I remembered that I was training for a half marathon and I should be running 12 miles not a 4 mile race.

Oh well. I do love racing and maybe it will put some spring back in my step.

This course is actually my 4 mile PR (38:02). But that was back in 2011 when I was running faster.

My goal for this race to first, NOT TO GET HURT and second, finish at 39:59 or faster.

remember him? we met in Florida.

Since I have been running at a snail’s pace lately and focusing on distance, this finish time probably won’t happen. But it will be fun trying (unless the predicted RAIN comes 😦 )

Happy Running! Has spring arrived yet where you live? Any races St Patty’s Day races planned?

March 7, 2014 by Darlene

I am SICK of this cold weather…

Literally and figuratively…

Feb 1 race

Mar 1 race

Which one was more enjoyable?

I was accepting of the cold. I was running in it. If it weren’t windy and icy, I was doing okay.

See: smiling

Then I went to Florida. I got spoiled for a short time.

Now I am dreading putting on the extra layers.

Plus I came down with a COLD!! Do you know how hard it is to run when you are sneezing and wiping a runny nose??

I didn’t run on Monday because I was tired and I had run 4 days in a row. I didn’t run Tuesday cuz I was playing tennis and then Wednesday, the dreaded cold arrived.

I felt like bailing but instead I googled “running with a cold” and this is what I found out:

Follow the general rule of thumb that if all your symptoms are above your neck (sniffles, sore throat, minor cough) you’re okay to exercise. “Exercise neither helps nor hurts the symptoms of a moderate cold,” says Nieman. “Don’t do anything too severe, and it should be okay.” But know your limits. Over-exertion can make symptoms last longer, he warns.

So I cut my run from 5 miles to 3 miles. And I didn’t feel any worse.

Hopefully, my cold will go away by the weekend when we turn our clocks ahead.

Maybe the weather will warm up sooooon!!!

Happy Running! Are you as sick of winter as I am?

February 21, 2014 by Darlene

Foto Friday

lots of icicles

clock in my town – and it’s the same time as it is now!!

snow and a little blue sky

just trying to remember the feeling…

or so they say???

I have lost my running mojo this week…Snow..slush..sleet..rain…oh no.

I haven’t run in 2 days….

Tomorrow is another day!

Happy Running! What do you have planned for the weekend?

February 18, 2014 by Darlene

Day Off and Icicles

PresidentsDay-w

It was President’s Day yesterday.

Normally I would be so excited for the long weekend but due to the snow, I already had 3 1/2 days off.

I play tennis on Monday nights and I ran an awful 10 miles the day before.

So this was a REST day! No Running!

I did some errands and then was glued to the TV to watch the Olympics free skate program for Ice Dancing….Loved it and especially the outcome.

Gold for the US!!

Then I read for awhile but the sun was shining….

So forget about the rest day. I wanted to go for a run…short a slow, short one.

I don’t really enjoy running in my neighborhood because of the traffic so I drove into town.

I parked at Stewarts (near the rail trail) and ran on the back roads. I used to run here all the time before I discovered the bike paths. It is pretty flat and hardly any traffic.

The roads were fairly dry. The sun was out. It was very cold but less windy than on Sunday.

There are sidewalks but they were not clear. So I ran in the road. Hardly any cars went by.

What really fascinated my was the icicles hanging from all the houses.

This kept me entertained. It seemed that some were very very long….

Then I went to the main road and noticed this clock. It is on the shirts for own town races but I never really noticed it before.

turkey trot logo (with that clock)

new half marathon logo (with the clock)

Too much traffic on the main road so I returned to my car on the back roads. I ended up with 3 miles for the run! (And yes, my legs were tired playing tennis…glad it was doubles.)

Today it is snowing so I am glad I got out there to enjoy the sunshine.

Happy Running! How’s your winter running been?

February 15, 2014 by Darlene

A Snowy Valentine’s Day

1939776_10152607411314428_1975068685_n

I sent this to my running buddy, John Anthony.

We’ve had another snowstorm…this time a BIG one.

Thursday my work closed at 1:30. I had planned to run on the treadmill after work so this foiled my plan.

this is my driveway

Then yesterday, we were closed again. I don’t own a treadmill or belong to a gym. What’s a runner to do??

I tried to keep busy and not think about it.

I did some laundry. I started packing for my Feb 26 trip to Florida. (Optimistically I packed shorts & a bathing suit.)

Then I went online. Both Bruce Springsteen and Jimmy Buffet concert tix went on sale yesterday. I love The Boss but Jimmy Buffet just reminds me of summer so I waited online for an hour and I GOT TICKETS!!!

I went on at 10am (when they opened for sale) and still only got open air seats (and they weren’t cheap!!)

Happy Valentine’s Day to me and my hubby (who really loves Jimmy Buffet.)

Then I read on FB that my hardcore blogger buddy AJH was going out to run in the snowstorm.

I waited a bit until it looked like the wind has calmed down and out I went.

It was tough going in my neighborhood…slushy slushy. My feet got very wet immediately and then numb from the cold.

Out on the main road, it was clearer but the wind picked up. So much so that it was hard to move forward. I kept turning around and changing my route.

The running was interesting. Trying not to get sprayed with salt as cars flew by and not get run over by big snow plows (when the road was narrow.)

The sun did come out and it warmed up. I realized that I am not a fan of ice and slush. Maybe I should have ran the day before during the snowstorm.

Anyway, it was a…

Glad I got some miles done so I could enjoy the rest of my day off… reading..knitting…Olympics on TV.

Happy Running! Did you get snow yesterday? Did you run?

February 14, 2014 by Darlene

February Fitness Survey

I saw this over on Zaneta’s blog (Runner’s Luck) and thought it would be fun… since I’m tired of talking about the weather (Yes, we are having ANOTHER snowstorm!!).

1. Do you have a Fitness board on Pinterest? Share it.

I have a RUNNING Pinterest board with pins on it but I’m not good about keeping it up-to-date.

http://www.pinterest.com/dsc59/running/

2. What is your go to place for fitness questions? (friend, blog, website)

I usually asking questions on my blog AND also the Sweat Pink, Philly Love and Strong Running Mamas Communities on Facebook!

3. What do you do to workout when the weather outside is too cold, snowy or icy?

The cold doesn’t bother me anymore. I just dress appropriately and go out and run. If it is snowy, I’ll wear my YakTrax. But if it is icy that’s when I stay inside and use the treadmill at work.

4. Latest song(s) added to your playlist?

Best Day of My Life by American Authors

Timber by Pitbull

5. Share a link to your favorite healthy recipe.

Not exactly healthy but it has butternut squash in it and it tastes great. Click here for the recipe or

6. What’s your favorite fitness app?

I have downloaded a lot of fitness apps but lately I have been using Nike Plus for my runs. It’s not as accurate as my Garmin but it’s just an alternative to FitSnap for sharing pics on Fb and Instagram.