Winter Running

I am in love and his name is Rock Cut State Park and Old Man Winter.


I knew that Saturday's run was going to be interesting and it held up to my expectations.

First time running in the snow this winter. Also my first time at Rock Cut in the winter. I have always stopped going once you can no longer bike on the trails. So I've never seen Rock Cut in this beauty.

We were driving into the park and I had just finished telling Luke that and as soon as the words were out of my mouth, we turned a corner and my jaw fell and breath was taken away. I was in total awe. I felt like I was entering in a Runner's World photo spread or something!

We had said that Luke was going to run his pace and how many miles he wants and then loop back and find me and we'll finish together. So we started running right away, Luke left me behind quarter mile into it and I was pretty good at keeping pace, even with taking pictures.

I did eventually lose sight of him but I could still see his footsteps which I figured will help me stay on track. But it didn't. Eventually I did lose his footprints. I thought I was still seeing them but then I realised that I was not since the footprints actually were facing me so I was definitely not on the right path. This was 1.55 when I realised my mistake.

Luckily, I came out of an area that I recognised and made my way across the road to pick up the correct path. I took a picture of my mistake to show Luke later. I started out again knowing I was on the right path and felt a lot better. Again, bear in mind that Luke said that he was going to loop back at some point and find me but if I wasn't on the right path, we would miss each other and he had the keys and I without a cell phone!

I had to walk a lot more in this path because of the hills and the downed branches & trees. I was getting chilier. I could feel the temperature dropping as the sun dropped further behind the horizon. So at this time, I decided to take some video. [below] I was running with my new trail shoes & my new Smartwool socks. And luckily, my feet stayed warm the entire time though. they never went numb from the cold. It was amazing. Not sure if it was the shoes (Gore-Tex so waterproof) or the socks but something worked! Even at work, my toes & feet go sooo cold on me.

After that, I took a wrong turn again somewhere (or didn't take a turn) and totally missed my path that went over the creek. Instead of I came out to the Perryville Path at a place that I've never been before. I then was deciding whether or not to continue on the path or to double back and see how I missed the creek and then get on the right path. I doubled back, found a path that I knew would take me to the creek, went to the bridge over the creek and realised that I was on the correct path so I turned back around, came back the way I came but I don't remember ever running over the Perryville Path the few times I've ran on the path before. I realise this is now because of the snow. Everything looks completely different when covered in snow & drooping trees & branches.

So I decided that since I really screwed up and don't know where I'm going, I was just gonna run on the Perryville Path since it was actually paved and just head back to the car and wait for Luke there or something. Luckily, as I ran past a trail entrance, I heard someone running down it and he popped out in all his tall running glory. I ran over to him and threw my arms around his neck. I was so thankful to see him!!! At that time, we decided to say screw the trails and head off on the path.

I was totally all snotty by the time we got back to the car. We were both blowing snot rockets all over the place. It was awesome. I can't explain how it makes me feel that I can be ME, as a runner, in front of this guy and he doesn't get grossed out or doesn't understand.

So now I leave you with pictures and then the Bones in Motion stats at the bottom. Luke has the 5k on Saturday but I will be in southern Illinois. I would like to get a run in sometime down there but who knows if I'll have the motivation, drive & determination to do so.

Luke is bending down & under some branches in the background.

This is not a black & white picture but it kinda looks like it.

Some places were deeper than this but also my new shoes!

Runner's World image, I swear.

Cross country skiers.

Had to run through that.

The creek.

Luke getting an icicle for me!

Sucking on said icicle!

NINJA!

Here's video that I took of me talking and of the views:

Find more videos like this on RuncastTV

Bones in Motion stats:

Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 826 ft Location: Machesney Park, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 12/12/09 Up/Downhill: [+577/-577] Time: 02:38 PM Difficulty: 3.0 / 5.0 Performance Distance: 6.33 miles Time: 1:48:56 Speed: 3.5 mph Pace: 17' 13 /mi Calories: 589 Map Elevation (ft) Pace (min/mile) Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 11' 20 -5' 53 5.3 +1.8 +17 ft 2 16' 18 -0' 55 3.7 +0.2 +9 ft 3 17' 32 +0' 19 3.4 -0.1 -102 ft 4 25' 06 +7' 53 2.4 -1.1 +3 ft 5 14' 13 -3' 00 4.2 +0.7 +56 ft 6 21' 16 +4' 03 2.8 -0.7 +42 ft end 8' 26 -8' 47 7.1 +3.6 -26 ft Versus average of 17' 13 min/mile

Posted from bimactive.com

Categories: Luke, Rock Cut State Park, snow, winter running

Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day

Especially when planning on running over an hour! I didn't get out of bed in time this morning to eat a bagel with cream cheese. But I still thought I would still be fine. Unfortunately, I was not.

I got there right at 7am and saw the most beautiful sunrise. Then we took off. I had no idea what we mileage we were going to do however. We totally took a different route than the last time I was out there (3 weeks ago).

My hands were again hurting, pins & needles. I tried to ball my hands into a fist but still nothing would help. I finally noticed that the pain was no longer there around 1.59 miles into the run and it felt NIIICE! I was also talking in the first part of the run. I thought that might have something to do with how hard it was but I'm leaning towards the no food.

We stopped around 3 miles for some Gatorade and started up again. This time I was keeping the same pace but everyone around me seemed to be speeding up! By the time we got to 3.5 miles, we were all split up. Luckily, I could still see the people in front of me so I knew where to go cause by that time, I was totally lost!

Other lessons learned: bring a snot rag with me to blow my nose into. I think I spent more energy sniffing and messing up my breathing.

It was also the first time that I wore my heart rate monitor outside on a run. Very exciting.
This was me towards the end of the run. Heading south, where the wind was coming from. Immediately after that my eyes started tearing up from the wind and my eyelashes starting freezing more so than they were before.

When I got in my car, I sat down and my butt was so cold, frozen! It hurt every time I hit a bump, it was like pins & needles all over again. Last night I was looking for pants to wear on top of my Under Armor ColdGear tights & under my jogging pants. Hind Women's Drylete XPT Pants. They're loose and will work in cold weather. I was thinking of the Arctic version of the pants but since I am going to wear the UA tights under them, I should be fine. I'm also gonna look for another top too. My fleece pullover was soaking wet which made me very cold when I stopped.

I stopped at 5.84 but everyone else continued around the loop to finish up with 6 miles. I just couldn't run anymore. Here's a photo of them making their way around. It looks like a Nike ad! Running in the snow!!

Next Saturday should be just as warm so I'm looking forward to another run outside!

Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 844 ft Location: Sycamore, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 01/31/09 Up/Downhill: [+127/-127] Time: 07:04 AM Difficulty: 3.1 / 5.0 Weather: Overcast 14 F temp; 83% humidity 14 F heat index; winds S 15 Performance Distance: 5.85 miles Time: 1:00:21 Speed: 5.8 mph Pace: 10' 19 /mi Heart Rate: 166 bpm (Avg) Calories: 627 184 bpm (Peak) Map Elevation (ft) Pace (min/mile) Heart Rate (bpm) Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Heart Rate Elev Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 10' 19 +0' 00 5.8 -0.0 150 -4 ft 2 10' 15 -0' 04 5.8 +0.0 163 +14 ft 3 10' 23 +0' 04 5.8 -0.0 173 +10 ft 4 10' 15 -0' 04 5.8 +0.0 172 +13 ft 5 10' 22 +0' 03 5.8 -0.0 171 -32 ft end 10' 46 +0' 27 5.6 -0.2 168 0 ft Versus average of 10' 19 min/mile

Posted from bimactive.com

Categories: 6 miles, pictures, Sycamore, winter running

I'm hardc0re

OK, so maybe not. Just because I ran in the snow, wind coming from the north at 17 mph and a temperature of 25, does not make me hardc0re. But I think it does make me a little certifiable. :-) (The picture's blurry cause of the falling snow and while it was in my pocket during the run, it was getting warm and fogging up a bit when I brought it out in the cold.)

I got home last night from the bar at 12:30a. The roads were horrible. But I was pretty sure that the run was going to go on anyway. So I set my alarm for 6:00a. Was out of bed by 6:15a and got dressed in my bathroom (smallest place that could heat up fast). I looked at my Garmin and it only had 32% battery life yet so I decided to hook it up to the charger while I was getting dressed. Well, I went and left without it. A half mile or so, I realised that and turned around to go back & get it. Luckily, it didn't make me late.

I found out where the place was by following another person there (that I actually didn't know was going until he turned into the park). Got out and one guy, Dennis, remembered me. There were 2 other women and another man in the group. Dennis helped me put on my YakTrax and a few minutes later, away we all went.

We started out really slow, 1st mile was 11:14 but that was fine since I wasn't sure of my footing and my YakTrax. But the wind was fierce. We were heading east and the wind was from the north. The snow was still falling too and coming in sideways. Cutting into my eyes pretty strong. A snow plow went by us and we said that he probably thought we were crazy. We also watched one woman try to get out of her uphill driveway. When she made it, I threw my hands up in a victory sign and when she drove by us, she smiled and waved.

At 2.5 we stopped for Gatorade. One woman's husband tailed us in his SUV. That was pretty cool. Making sure we were alright, not falling or injured and then gave us a supply of drinks. When we stopped, I didn't have my Garmin set so that it would stop the time when I stopped. So it just kept on ticking while we were waiting. But it was very hard to get going again. I was using the SUV for a shield and to get back out into the snow & wind was pretty harsh.

At 3 miles we turned around and Dennis and I got ahead of the group. At mile 4, my YakTrax started to hurt my feet. Like the balls and then my arch too. Not a good feeling. I complained at 4.66 miles. But I sucked it up to keep them on til the end.

We ended and waited for the other three to come on in. They were all going to Panera to have coffee but I was thinking of heading north for some skiing. But one of the women said that the Winter Advisory was supposed to be cancelled at 6a had been extended until 1pm. So after hearing that and knowing how the roads were this morning, I decided against the trip north. Maybe tomorrow.

When I got home, I took off my jacket & fleece and my shirt was so wet that I got cold just standing around. My jogging pants were all wet too. I think that was mainly from the snow. After my shower, I laid everything out and took a picture of it for documentation. My core warmed up pretty fast but I was still glad I had on 3 layers. My feet had 2 socks on, my hands had 2 pairs of gloves on. My pants only had the UnderArmour cold weather tights and my jogging pants but I was fine there. I was wearing my new head face mask and a fleece hat. Grateful, I remembered my fleece hat when I got home last night (I laid everything out beforehand). But it was my hands that caused me the most grief right away. My hands were cold because I had my gloves off to put my YakTrax on. When I finally put them on, they were cold; too cold to warm themselves up. My left hand was fine surprising but it was my right hand, fingers, palm and all, that I had to make into a fist inside my glove to try to warm them up. Thumb inside and outside trying to figure out the best way. Finally around mile 3, I didn't feel the stingy pain of them anymore. They're always pretty bad; home, office, driving, doesn't matter.

But for now, I'm just happy that I was able to accomplish my first winter running experience. It's still snowing out now and I think I'm gonna get a hot cup of cocoa and watch some TV and do some laundry.

Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 867 ft Location: Sycamore, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 01/10/09 Up/Downhill: [+108/-108] Time: 07:09 AM Difficulty: 2.9 / 5.0 Weather: Light Snow 25 F temp; 91% humidity 25 F heat index; winds N 17 Performance Distance: 6.00 miles Time: 1:05:58 Speed: 5.5 mph Pace: 11' 00 /mi Calories: 644 Map Elevation (ft) Pace (min/mile) Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 11' 12 +0' 12 5.3 -0.1 +36 ft 2 10' 30 -0' 30 5.7 +0.3 +10 ft 3 14' 40 +3' 40 4.1 -1.4 +13 ft 4 10' 02 -0' 58 6.0 +0.5 -16 ft 5 9' 59 -1' 01 6.0 +0.6 -7 ft end 9' 40 -1' 20 6.2 +0.7 -36 ft Versus average of 11' 00 min/mile

Posted from bimactive.com

Categories: 6 miles, clothing, Great Western Trail, pictures, winter running

To long run or not to long run; that is the question.

There's a group meeting at 7am Saturday morning at a local park to do a long run. It's better than the 5am that another group meets at many weekends.

However, it's cold outside. I'm not talking 40's & 50's that you southern people have to deal with. I'm talking 23* with a feel of 11* for 7am on Saturday. Winds are at 14 mph. It's also gonna snow up to 4" until 6am.

But I'm desperate to do a long run. I need to get out there. I know that 11 miles on a YMCA treadmill is NOT in my future. BUUUUT, I have never ran in this type of weather before. Sure other people run in worse weather than this but I haven't.

How will I even know how to dress? I realise layers are the key but what if it's still not enough? 2 socks? 2 gloves?

And water. How do I carry water with me if it freezes at first contact of outside? I guess if worse comes to worse, I could just eat snow. As long as it's now yellow snow.

Footing. I just got the YakTrax so I shouldn't be too worried about footing but with the 4" of snow we're supposed to get up until 6am, I don't know if anything will be plowed to run on.

Plus, the worse part. How will I be able to get up that early on a freezing Saturday morning? How will I urge myself to get out from under my heater blanket at 6am??

Oh and I'm going out to a bar tonight to see friends that I haven't seen in a very long time. I only plan on having a beer or two but it's not that that I'm worried about. I'm worried about energy supply; being tired and the like. I don't want to leave them early but if I'm serious about this April marathon, I have GOT to get on schedule and do this! I just hope they'll understand if I leave at midnight or earlier to get at least 6 hours of sleep.

Categories: cold weather, winter running