That's right. Today,
Calgary was second only to Antarctica (where it is summer) with the recorded temperature at -27 C (that's -17 F for you 'Mercans). I read about the different injuries, personal hardships, and other challenges that so many in ye ole blogosphere deal with and train through or around, and I thought a little weather isn't so bad.
What does it take to run in this weather?
Well, as
Keith says, there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices. 20 minutes to get dressed, in order:
Wool socks
 |
| Getting geared up! |
Non-cotton skivvies
Fleece long-underwear
Thin turtleneck
Thin running tights
Windbreaker hiking pants
Two light fleece running sweaters
Balaclava
Neck warmer
Toque
Headlamp
Gloves
Goretex Trail running shoes
I was happy to have all those layers, but I was actually a little
too warm for our 5.5km run! The wind that made it so cold earlier in the day died down a little, and it was actually a little warmer in the evening after the sun went down. After talking to my chiropractor,
Dr. Dan, about winter running, I was really focused on my posture. Running outside in the cold, we tend to hunch over a little, tucking our chin into chest, and the stride tends to be shorter and more out in front. So I was thinking open up the chest, shoulder blades together and down, head up, light on the feet, and leaning forward slightly. I'd say the run went well! Our pace was not as fast as it would have been on dry roads, but it was pretty good, especially considering the slippery footing. (This was a "tempo"run-- my pace buddies and I usually shoot for 5:20 min/km)
