I am the Michelin Man

Yesterday I went out to run and seriously underestimated the effect of the cold weather.  I wore my usual long pants and long sleeve shirt.  And it was not enough!  Wrigley and I gave up on the running after only a few minutes, did a quick stroll around the block and headed back inside where the hot coffee was waiting.  (I know, if we had kept running we would have warmed up quickly, but it was so cold, I just wanted to cry.)  This morning. I did a much better job at preparing…..which translates to layer upon layer upon layer.  After four layers of tops, three layers of bottoms, nice socks, gloves and a toboggan I was ready to brave the elements.  My friend said I probably looked like the Michelin Man

And we did much better.  After about 3/4 of a mile I was ready to lose the gloves, and before we were finished, the toboggan had to go too.  I felt much better about things.

 I read up on some tips about running in the cold, and I thought I’d share a few……most are common sense, but in this supposed to be warm climate, I usually don’t think of them.

• layers – a wicking layer close to the skin, a windbreaking layer farthest out and, if needed a warm insulating layer in between is best
• keep your head covered – most body heat is lost out the top of your body, so keeping a hat on keeps that heat in longer, and if it covers the ears…even better
• make sure you stay hydrated – it might seem like drinking water is the last thing you want to do, but it is very important to keep from getting dehydrated
• mittens are better than gloves  – let your fingers share the warmth with each other
• it will hopefully never get this cold in Wilmington, but if you are in a colder climate, make sure you are close to warm shelter at all times during your run; a long 10 mile run away from civilization might sound nice, but could be very dangerous

With that last one in mind, never ever leave on a run without some form of identification.  A Road ID or just a dog tag with identifying and contact information on it can be a lifesaver.

Here is my schedule for the week, as the marathon in March is fast approching.

Monday – 4 miles

Tuesday – rest

Wednesday – 4 miles

Thursday – crosstrain ~ 30 min (might pull out the bike)

Friday – 4 miles

Saturday – crosstrain ~ 30 min

Sunday – 6 miles