Day 329, 36 To Go

November 25, 2013

As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to say what I am thankful for.  First, I am thankful that I only have to work 4 days this week instead of 5.  A 20% reduction in my workweek is something to be extremely thankful for.  If I had enough PTO left, I would have taken Friday off and had a 4 day weekend and I could have celebrated a 40% decrease in my soul crushing work week.  Alas, that is not possible since I used almost all my time off to go to Brazil this year.  I know, you feel so sorry for me, but if you go back and read about my trip, you will feel sorry for me a little bit!

I'll talk about other thing I am thankful for this week too.  What about you?  What are you thankful for?  Leave a comment and spread the word!

One thing I am not that thankful for is the colder weather.  Sure, it is easier to run in cool weather, but cool is different than cold.  It will probably get down into the upper 40's this week at night.  This is because of the Nor'easter that is going to hit the Northeast this week.  It will be a hell of a lot colder for those of you up there, and I do feel very sorry for you.  If you are the type of person who likes this cold weather, I don't understand how.  I really don't.  I can understand you not liking the intense heat of a Florida summer, but to enjoy 20 degrees, windy, wet, snowy weather...I will never get it.

I have taken to wearing my arm warmers on my runs.  It sounds like a silly thing, but just wearing the arm warmers makes it significantly warmer.  If you don't believe me, the next time you are out for a hot run, douse your forearms in cold water, and watch how much cooler you get.  The opposite works too.  If it is cold out and you keep your forearms warm, you can warm up your entire body.

So, the arm warmers are becoming a permanent fixture in my running gear.  I am sure that soon I will need the long pants and long sleeve shirts too. While I don't mind it that much, I am not thrilled by it.  I would prefer low 70s or upper 60s for running most of the time, at least during the day.  During the evening, 60 can feel pretty chilly.

If you live in a colder climate, invest in some Under Armor, gloves and warm socks for your runs.  You will not regret it!

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.36 miles

Pace: 8:56/m

Max Pace: 7:58/m

Calories: 345

Avg HR: 130

Max HR: 140

In cooler weather, it is even more important to make sure you are loose before you start running.  I realize this but sometimes, when it is cold and I go outside to run, I am too cold to warm up, so I just start running!  I should try warming up inside next time.  That is an idea...

Run for Life!!