Winter running and my marathon training
I've always said I would run in pretty much any weather, but that was when I lived in the South and extreme weather was more in the triple digit range vs. the negative number range. That statement has been challenged a few times as I've gotten back to regular workouts by wind chills that dipped below -20* sometimes here in Wisconsin. I'm still committed, though, to running outdoors any time I can, because try as I might, I lack the grit and stick-to-it-ness needed to get much farther than three miles on a treadmill.
Big problem there, because three miles is totally insufficient for the training I'm doing right now! Shauna and I are going to run the Illinois Marathon together in April, which means long weekend runs and increasingly long midweek runs to get enough miles under my belt to make it the 26.2 miles. I have my training plan printed and on my dresser to keep me on track, and last weekend was supposed to be a rest weekend with no long run on the calendar. I had hoped to cross train instead, looking forward to a couple of hours of cross country skiing. Unfortunately, with the warm temperatures and lack of snow, that just didn't pan out.
In my hopeful, optimistic way, I decided - I'll switch up rest and run, and hope for snow and skiing next weekend! Especially with the relatively warmer temperatures and clear streets, it seemed like a great chance to get a solid run in without layer upon layer upon layer of clothing.
I headed out on Sunday morning with just my warm tights, a fleece base layer top and a warm running shirt over it. My friend Giselle turned me on to something called a Turtle Fur neck warmer, and I snagged Justin's cadet-issue watch cap to keep my head warm! Dropping hand warmers in my mittens and pulling on my second pair of socks completed the preparation, and I was out the door. What a rare treat to run without two pair of pants and a jacket in January!
I tried a new route, running down to the park on the river and back to get my 12 miles in. With a missed turn on the way back, I found myself heading directly to the street that ended in the lake Literally - it ends in the lake. Last summer when we were house hunting I thought, that's the craziest thing I've ever seen! Now, though, I understand it's so that cars and trucks can drive directly out on the ice for the ice fishers! Ah, Wisconsin life!
I recognized my wrong turn immediately but since it was just a short way to the end, I decided to keep going, with a stop to catch my breath and a chance to take a couple of pictures on a sunny winter morning. It was a great run in my new town, and a chance to capture a moment of stillness and peace on the lake.
Big problem there, because three miles is totally insufficient for the training I'm doing right now! Shauna and I are going to run the Illinois Marathon together in April, which means long weekend runs and increasingly long midweek runs to get enough miles under my belt to make it the 26.2 miles. I have my training plan printed and on my dresser to keep me on track, and last weekend was supposed to be a rest weekend with no long run on the calendar. I had hoped to cross train instead, looking forward to a couple of hours of cross country skiing. Unfortunately, with the warm temperatures and lack of snow, that just didn't pan out.
In my hopeful, optimistic way, I decided - I'll switch up rest and run, and hope for snow and skiing next weekend! Especially with the relatively warmer temperatures and clear streets, it seemed like a great chance to get a solid run in without layer upon layer upon layer of clothing.
I headed out on Sunday morning with just my warm tights, a fleece base layer top and a warm running shirt over it. My friend Giselle turned me on to something called a Turtle Fur neck warmer, and I snagged Justin's cadet-issue watch cap to keep my head warm! Dropping hand warmers in my mittens and pulling on my second pair of socks completed the preparation, and I was out the door. What a rare treat to run without two pair of pants and a jacket in January!
I tried a new route, running down to the park on the river and back to get my 12 miles in. With a missed turn on the way back, I found myself heading directly to the street that ended in the lake Literally - it ends in the lake. Last summer when we were house hunting I thought, that's the craziest thing I've ever seen! Now, though, I understand it's so that cars and trucks can drive directly out on the ice for the ice fishers! Ah, Wisconsin life!
I recognized my wrong turn immediately but since it was just a short way to the end, I decided to keep going, with a stop to catch my breath and a chance to take a couple of pictures on a sunny winter morning. It was a great run in my new town, and a chance to capture a moment of stillness and peace on the lake.
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