Give Me a Freaking Break!

It's *&#$ing March!!! I'm so sick of the negative temps that I am ready to go balistic on someone...Minnesota sucks!!! I haven't liked it, but I've been tolerant of the freaking cold temps this winter, if it doesn't warm up...I too cold to even think up a good threat. I went running outside after work yesterday and had to wear my balaclava, which isn't good when trying to do any type of speed work since you can't breath quite as normally through it (and I tend to clench my jaw to keep it a bit further off my mouth) all that said I still managed a respectible tempo run, 7 miles, 4 at tempo, wanted 8:15 pace, first tempo mile was 8:14, then 8:09, 8:05 and 7:55, oops...it was cold, I wanted to get done!! Averaged an 8:21 again which wasn't bad, especially considering how cold it was (not quite as cold as today, but defintiely single digits).

Cold, Cold, Cold

Yes, I know, I live in MN, yes, it is KIND OF my choice (I say kind of because I was born here and they have these tags they put on you when you’re born that make it very, very difficult to get away from the border for too long, kind of like electric fences…OK, not really, but, well, my family is here, and while I want to move, it is difficult) but it doesn’t make me happy. I hate cold. I’m not a cold weather kind of person. In fact, my body reacts so badly to cold that until people witness it, they don’t even believe me. Try I can be in cold, get in out of it, and still be shivering and uncomfortable for an hour or more…I basically can get out for a run, and I have plenty of cold weather stuff for it that I’ve collected over the years, but when I get home, it’s so uncomfortable it almost doesn’t make it worth it. I get in the shower and everything turns red, I’m itchy, uncomfortable, and still cold. I typically need to get immediately into a hot bath and drink some hot chocolate and soak for 30 minutes before I can start to feel unfrozen…that said, all last year I did manage to do it, only using a treadmill once, and that was because there was 2 feet of snow on all the paths I wanted to run on at the time I wanted to run. Now I have a track that I can use indoors, and it has kept me from running outside unless it’s been in the 20s (I am tired of the treadmill)…that said, talking to my chiro last night during my adjustment she said her and a friend are going to run this weekend just for the freak out factor that drivers are going to have when they see her (and I know exactly what she means) and I said I was considering it, of course she pushed and said I really should…we’ll see. I don’t know that it’s the best thing for the bad head cold I’m battling, but if I have my way, that will be gone by tomorrow anyway. Problem is I wanted to run 10 miles…running 3 or 4 in the cold is one thing…but 10…when this is the forecast:

Hmm…yes, you read that right, the high Saturday is in the negative numbers. That’s not figuring in windchill either. And that’s different from the highs of -2 and -5 I’ve heard. For those not familiar with this extreme cold, I’ll tell you, -5, -10, there really isn’t a difference. Once it drops below 0, cold is just cold. Add in some wind and it makes a difference, then it’s d**n cold…
Besides my little rant about cold, I had to use this space to enlighten those that have never had the fun experience of “true” cold. My friend that now lives in Idaho, but was originally from Wisconsin, and I have discussed these items in great depth before…particularly when she moved to northern Kentucky where they really didn’t understand about the cold and she “enlightened” them to some of the phenomenon. Until you’ve been in it, you just don’t understand the feeling of walking out into the cold that is so cold your nose hairs actually freeze. Yes, you can actually feel it, and it’s not a pleasant feeling!! Or it’s so cold that it actually hurts to breath. Sucking that cold air directly into your lungs can cause a coughing fit, whether you have a cold or not!! And finally, our favorite…those days that it’s so cold, you come out to your car only to find the windows frosted up, on the inside, not so much fun scraping the inside of the windows…and it’s not like you really want to be going anywhere anyway because no matter how good the car heater works, it never really warms up, and you never really feel warm…this is the joy of the true cold.

Again, I’m not sure why I live here. And anytime I hear people talk about how much they love it, I want to smack them. It’s why you’ll never, ever, hear me complain about the hottest days. It can be 100 degrees, and 70% plus humidity (yes, it does get warm here in MN too!!) and I won’t say a word, I might even, just then, turn on my A/C…I’d much rather it be hot than cold. I’m much better in the heat than the cold…and again, yes, you might ask, why do I live here?? Well…because I have yet to figure out exactly where I’d like to live that I can also afford. And I do live for spring. We have a beautiful spring (the 2-3 days we get it) and when you get that warm lift to the air, and birds are coming in, the green has come through and flowers are in bloom and you can literally smell spring in the air…nothing can compare to that.

1 Year

Wow, a year ago today I started this blog. I've never managed to write in a diary for an entire year...now granted, I haven't posted everyday, but I have managed to do at least an update or two a week and sometimes more often. How time flies too, and things change. I'm still in MN, still in both my jobs, still in my condo, but the condo is on the market (and I had an open house that 3 people came to which apparently is actually pretty big) and of the three, one actually seemed semi interesting, I don't believe that it will lead to anything, but the fact that I've FINALLY had someone come look at it, gives me hope that maybe the May 17th deadline I had for wanting to close on it and on whatever I buy isn't totally hopeless.

So...today is a weird day for MN weather. Normally a cold month, today we are at 77 degrees...and check the "feels like" temp. Remember those posts back and January and February? 10 feels like -1, 0 feels like -15...talk about a difference!! It is a BEAUTIFUL day and such a shame I have to be at work right now. But I'm leaving in an hour or less so that's a good thing. I ran at lunch in short sleeved tech shirt and shorts. And I'm not one to complain about the heat, ever, no matter how hot it gets. But to be honest, it was a little hot out for a run when you haven't acclimated to heat yet. We're talking almost 80 degrees...it was upper 30s a week ago when I ran that 5K!! Nothing like having to adjust to cold and then to heat (but like I said, I don't mind at all!).

Tonight I'm going to grill out too. Probably burgers...with a friend (J)...well, we'll see where it goes. It is a male friend and we have been hanging out, but I'm holding back a bit, remember that thing I should've been posting about I hinted at last week, we'll I haven't had time (or maybe the guts) yet to post about it, but it involves another guy, that I'm unfortunately hung up on, to a degree, probably because he doesn't want a "relationship" or isn't ready for one is how I should say it...thing is, I'm not asking for one either, I don't want one anymore than he does I don't think, but dating, that's another story. But anyway, this guy, C, has hurt me, quite badly, and I haven't really gotten any good answers from him on it. And to be honest, I don't know what it is about him. I want him out of my head but so far haven't been successful at that. So did you follow all that? J is who I'm attempting to see what might happen, C is who I think I have a thing for still (OK, so I know I do) and I do feel bad about doing this to J...I have to make a decision on something soon, either I have to forget C or I have to stop hanging out with J except on a friend basis (he and I did hang out yesterday and he was asking me if I had been hurt, and then after dropping me at my car said something about being friends, or more...it's kind of up to me it seems...I might have to share with him about C...)

Arctic Blast

So last night I got a run in in single digits...this weekend is going to be all below 0. Normally last night, the night after my longer run, I would've just done an easy 4 recovery or so, but instead I extended it to 6 because I was feeling OK and the weather was OK. Managed 54:39 for 6, just over 9 minute miles, I guess that's acceptible. I may brave it today, but not 100% sure on that so if I don't, at least I managed something! I don' t know that I really want to leave the house, but I really do have a few errands I kind of want to run and I wouldn't mind going and using the elliptical trainer...I just know how cold it is, even though I haven't been out, because I did go out for a drink last night and met some friends and it was cold, but not horrible when I got there, but when we left at 2...ouch...the blast was awful. One of my friends that was leaving at the same time as me stopped and was wanting to carry on a conversation, the other two of us were very much, "Come on C, let's go, it's freezing" so we walked and tried to talk, both of them were very drunk though so it wasn't much of a conversation!! They suggested I should come with them as they had beer and movies, but having had only 3 beers in 4 hours I really just wanted to get home and into my own bed, instead of sharing a couch! I did stop at the grocery store on the way back too, but I didn't quite remember to buy everything I needed....so to the gym or not...


There in lies my debate...is it worth it? Not sure I'll manage to leave the house today, but I don't really want to stay in either. I actually don't work tonight or tomorrow. I have a party to go to tonight night, and I feel like I should go and it's not far from my house, and I haven't managed to go to this guys last 3 parties, so I really do want to go to this one. I guess I'll see!

Ask a Stupid Question…

Today I finished my run at lunch time (7 miles, 1:04:40) and was back in the locker room and a woman was in there changing, looked at me coming in, obviously dressed for outside and asked, “Is it cold?” with amazement in her voice…OK, it’s January, we live in Minnesota, what do you think? Of course it’s cold. The temp when I left my desk to go run said 22 feels like 18, it’s now 23 feels like 19. Not a big difference, but in most peoples minds, 20s, below freezing, that’s cold. I myself find that to be very cold. But I am having issues with the treadmill so I’m adapting. I dress for the weather. So another answer to the question is, that no, it’s not cold, because I dressed for it, plus I was running…you run, you create body heat, with no windchill and temps in the 20s and the right clothes, 20s can almost be balmy. So I made my announcement about Grandma’s yesterday. I have the registration form in the mail, now I’m trying to find a place to stay. Of course all rooms are sold out and have been for months, but they do open up as people’s plans change, I need to call hotels and get on a list to have a room reserved if something does open up. There are always the dorms as an option too. I have to call on them in March. The University of Minnesota has a branch up there and for Grandma’s weekend they offer the dorms for rent for the night for $20 or so I think, so that’s my back up option…that and camping. Another thought, there are campgrounds nearby, I do have a tent…doesn’t sound like the best sleeping conditions though for prior to a marathon, but it will do in a pinch. I also invited J2 to come up there with me, working on my support crew, maybe I can even get him to run in part of it with me, I might need the help later in the race.

I’m 20 weeks out. I have the training plan I’m going to use and it’s even in excel, if I can figure out best way to do it, I’m going to try to link it to my blog…I’m also still doing a few adjustments to it and figuring out exactly which plan I’m going to use because the first couple of weeks of the 55 miles plan is a little shorter on miles than I’m at right now, but maybe that’s good because today’s run still felt sluggish. My legs were just dead feeling. Is it because of the fact that I have run in so much slush and glop the last few days that I am more tired than I think? I have run everyday since last Wednesday (although I did just have a 7 day week and it felt just fine), but I haven’t been doing any “hard” workouts, no speed work, not hard hill repeats or anything, just running, so you’d think I would be fine. Anyway, I ended the run today with 10 x 100 meter strides with a 50 jog recovery on it…they were kind of hard…I was on at least dry roads (most of what I ran today was dry, but it was quite hilly, could be part of why I was feeling sluggish I suppose). It is nice though that the workout is done, means I can run errands after work, go home, do some ab stuff, clean up a bit and finally put my Christmas stuff away (yes, I’m one of those) and still relax for the evening. Tomorrow I think I’ll just cross and strength train and skip a run…or maybe I’ll take Thursday off…we’ll see what tomorrow brings…