My First Real Winter Run

“Once burned, twice shy.”

I think about that old saying while I stand just inside my closed front door. No, it’s not on fire. I’m about to go for a 12 mile run – in 24 degree weather.

I’ve run when it’s 24 degrees before. Hell, I’ve run when it’s been 14 degrees and ice crystals formed in my water bottle. But I haven’t run in sub-freezing temperatures since I had pneumonia a few weeks ago.

By sheer coincidence, a few weeks before I got sick I had made up a new rule that I wasn’t doing any outdoor runs in weather colder than 20 degrees. I did it a lot last year and was completely miserable. I do really want to push myself this year, but let’s face it; I’m not going to win any of my races, so why in the world am I bothering to freeze my ass off? But then we’ve had this incredibly mild winter (which in my opinion, every Northeasterner deserved after last year’s Arctic-like temperatures), so I only checked the temperature before each run to know if I needed to wear a jacket or if I was fine in just a tech T.

Then I got sick and couldn’t run for about 2 weeks. And when I came back, so did winter. And now I mean Winter: bone chilling temperatures and winds so strong that small dogs get nervous going outside. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been avoiding running in the cold. I’ve used the “dreadmill” at the gym more times that I ever thought I would, and I’ve switched my schedule around so that I miraculously run on the random 40+ degree days.

Last week I decided I really needed to test myself. NY Road Runners had a 10K scheduled, and I decided to sign up. I figured I’d get in one of the 9 races I need to qualify for the marathon next year and I’d test my lungs in the cold at the same time. I even asked my running buddy Karen to do the race with me because I knew I wouldn’t chicken out if Karen was going to be there with me. Karen agreed, we signed up and went to the race – and it ended up being about 50 degrees and sunny that day. We ended up having a fabulous run with great conversation and a fun morning, but it was definitely not a test of my lung capacity in cold weather.

So, yesterday I found myself on the edge of the outside world in 24 degree weather. My first thought was to turn around, unpeel my 1000 layers of clothes I had on and make another cup of fresh hot coffee. But then I remembered the half marathon I have next week. I’m ready mileage wise. I can bang out 13.1 miles no problem. I just don’t know what the weather will be (it’s predicted to be about 36 and raining, so I’ve been in very pleasant denial about that), and I’m not yet sure that I can run if it’s super cold. So, I take my last warm deep breath and step outside.

The cold hits me immediately, because it has been delivered to me by a wind blowing at about Mach 3. I want to turn around and go back inside, but I know I can’t. I’m “Fit Girl”, the woman who faces her fears and steps out of her comfort zone. I have also suddenly realized that my comfort zones are set to about 75 degrees and sunny.

I take a deep breath and set off on my run. It is FREEZING. The winter is blowing directly in my face, making my eyeballs hurt. I have hand warmers inside my mittens, but I think it’s too cold for them to work properly. I’m having a bit of a hard time breathing, but it’s not impossible so I keep going.

After a mile or so I warm up, and by about 3 miles I’m stripping off my mittens. I have to admit that by mile 3.5 I’m putting my mittens back on, though; it’s too cold to keep them off for the entire run. I just tell myself to run faster and get it over with.

When I get to mile 6 and my turn around spot, I usually stop to eat my gel and drink some water, and maybe even stretch for a bit. Today though I know I need to keep moving, so I take my gel and water “to go”. I feel like I sprint the last 6 miles home.

I walk into the house and am thrilled. I did it. I ran in freezing weather and my lungs didn’t explode. Later when I figure out my pace, I have to laugh. I ended up running about 2 minutes PER MILE slower than normal. Hah, I guess I was enjoying the great outdoors.

I plan on doing 7 or 8 half marathons in 2012. The first one is next Saturday. Depending on Mother Nature’s mood, it could be 60 degrees or 16. But that’s OK; I know I can do it.