This morning when I checked the temp to suit up for my run, I was greeted with the harsh reality of a 35 degree low. Yes, it’s late October, but this cold snap came on very suddenly. Sunday afternoon I was sitting on my porch in a very comfortable 70-something degrees. But even if it had been a more gradual descent into colder weather, and this morning hadn’t felt quite so jarring, I’d still prefer the warmer temps.
It makes sense on a basic, instinctual level that it would be difficult to step out of your warm house into the cold and dark, and no matter how much of an expert you’ve become at gauging the appropriate number of layers to be comfortable, those first few minutes always sting. Okay, okay. Maybe 35 degrees wasn’t that cold, but it was a prelude of greater colds to come. One of the biggest reasons I love running is that fact that I like to be outside, and I do like feeling connected to the natural rhythm of things, even if I don’t love some seasons as much as others. I used to have a long commute, which meant that I really only had to walk the 10 feet from my back door to my car, sit in my climate controlled car for 90 minutes, and then walk another 15 feet from my car to the office building. While it could be cold, it didn’t really matter how I was dressed for those collective 25 feet. When I got a job closer to home, so close that I could walk or bike, I was suddenly faced with the fact that none of my clothes were actually functional, and once I reconfigured my wardrobe to contend with the weather I felt kind of badass schlepping to work in the snow with my boots and tights hidden under my pants. (Side note: don’t even get me started on women’s footwear if you actually need to walk.)
So, I guess for as much as I dread the cold, I don’t mind channeling a little sherpa-ness to my daily adventures, and it really doesn’t take a whole lot to stay warm. Layers and mittens are magical. If nothing else this post has helped convince me that I will survive thrive this winter, and I’m already looking forward to that first run in the snow. I love being the first set of footprints out there, and the world around me seeming brighter and more still. Hopefully I didn’t just jinx myself and create a cosmic ripple that will dump that first snowfall tomorrow. December, maybe? Yeah, that’d be okay.
This morning I had an easy 8 mile run in those lovely 35 degrees. I was very slow to start this run, and while I had no intention of trying not to run easy, today “easy” was more like zombie sleep-running. The darkness does tend to slow me down initially, but I started to wake up around half way through. The back 4 miles felt lighter and like my legs were starting to turn over a little faster. They weren’t feeling heavy after yesterday’s speedwork, though it did take me a few extra snooze button hits to get myself up and going. I’m not upset at the prospect of sleeping in tomorrow morning.
Yours in all things cozy and warm,
Sarah
*Photo credit: _Ardu_
