Day 317, 48 To Go

November 13, 2013

Hump day is upon us which means we are past the halfway mark until the weekend.  It is also the day after the first snow of the year in the Northeast.  I'm sure all of you up there are very excited...or at least your kids are.  I don't think there was enough snow to cause any cancellations, but I remember, as a child, there was always hope!

Do you remember - those of you who grew up where there are actual seasons - the excitement of that first snow?  It meant that not only did you have a chance of getting out of school, it meant getting all dressed up in obnoxiously puffy winter jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, multiple layers of shirts and pants and boots.  All of this was mean to keep you warm and dry.  It never worked...at least the dry part.  Within 15 minutes, you were sweating and shedding clothes.  Making snow forts and having snowball fights and unfortunately, shoveling the walk, made you super hot.  Before long, you have your hat and jacket off and the only thing that made you put it back on was mom.  The gloves would usually stay on, unless they did not help you make snowballs, then you had to take them off to make your snowballs before you put them back on and unsuccessfully warmed them back up.

This was before you had to worry about driving in the snow or digging out your car to go to work or having to find child care because your kids were out of school but you still had to work.  Yeah, those were the days.  Today, the snow just makes me cold!  That is part of the reason I spent a few years in Hawaii and why I now live in Florida.  No snow!  I will always be nostalgic for those days, but in my old age, I can do without it!

Running in the snow is actually something I never did.  I have run in sub freezing weather including the NYC marathon where it was about 30 degrees at the start of the race.  It warmed up, a bit, during the race, but it was cold the entire run.  I have a lot of respect for those people who run in the snow.  I always used to go to the gym and use the treadmill.  Running in the snow is hard and dangerous, but whoever said getting in top shape was easy?

Here, it was about 60 degrees when I started my run.  Well, the temp was upper 60s, but the real feel was 62.  All I know is that when I got out there, I was cold!  60 isn't really cold, but when you are used to 80, it feels cold. Anyway, I didn't even bother warming up.  I was too cold, so I just started running.  Running in this weather is so much easier than running in hot, humid weather.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.86 miles

Pace: 7:46/m

Max Pace: 6:42/m

Calories: 362

Avg HR: 140

Max HR: 160

Yeah, I felt good from the outset, even without warming up.  I am sure I could have pushed it harder, considering my top HR was only 160, but I ran how I felt, and I felt good, so that is all that matters.

Lets take a look at the next locale on the 10 Can't Miss Running Adventures from Runnersworld.com.

Glacier National Park, Montana

The shift in scenery is abrupt and rewarding at the crest of this 10-mile route in northwestern Montana.

Speaking of cold, it looks cold there, doesn't it?  Based on what she is wearing, it can't be that cold.  It is beautiful though.  I have to think that running in the shadow of mountains has to make you think about how small you are and how you fit into a huge universe.  I know that is what it would make me think about.  I want to do it!  Let's go!!

Run for Life!!