Monday, October 28, 2013

The seasons of running

I've now been running for a full year. My first ever race was last years PEI Marathon 5k. I ran outside, year-round. I don't own a treadmill... and I'm not sure if I'd want one. (Anyone have an opinion on treadmills?)

I've noticed a few things about running in the summer and running in the winter.

Summer:
Heat (obviously) - I'm not a big fan of the heat. The heat makes me restrict my running to either early morning or late evening.
Humidity -  Oh, how I hate humidity. Breathing in thick, damp air, my breath getting my glasses fogged up, and then, after the post-run shower, it's still humid, so I still feel sticky and gross.
Allergies - Ah, the post-run nose run. This doesn't happen to me often, but when it does, it's surprising how much my nose can run. Thankfully, it only lasts for a short time.

Winter:
Cold (obviously) -  I can never get my cold-weather running clothes right. It's always either too many or not enough layers. Or, that weird thing where I'm too hot with my jacket on, and too cold with it off. The cold air often makes me cough, too, which messes up my breathing.
Runny nose - My nose always runs when it's cold out. The good thing is that after um... "blowing my nose" on the run, I usually have gloves on to wipe my face, just in case.
Numb thighs - I have a pair of fleece running pants, which are awesome. But when those are in the laundry, I wear my other tights, which are thick spandex. My thighs are always numb after my run.
Running Blind - Breathing out fogs up my glasses and I can't see. The wind makes my eyes water, and I can't see. The snow gets on my glasses and I can't see. haha
Shorter running hours - The shorter days really restrict the time-of-day running options. I don't like running in the dark because it's hard to see where it's slippery or uneven.
Dry Lips - I have a tube of lip stuff in the pocket of every running jacket/sweater I own. Sucking in all that cold air makes my lips REALLY dry. It's already started.

The "cons" about winter running seem to outweigh the summer ones... but in number only. I would choose winter running over summer running any day. I love being outside in the cold weather. I love that I can feel warm when it's so cold. I love seeing the frost make the trees sparkle, and I love that everything smells so clean. I always feel so refreshed and invigorated after a cold weather run (cliche, I know!). But after a hot humid run, I feel drained and squishy.

So, fellow runners. Did I forget anything? What do you prefer?

3 comments:

  1. Can I go in between and say fall?? Cooler temps but not so cold that my asthma acts up. Can start to run in a long sleeve with a short sleeve underneath...and the days are still just long enough.

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  2. I dread hot/humid runs as well! I finally found a cure for my chapped lips....Vaseline lip butter! It doesn't rub off and is super thick....plus it comes flavoured as well. :) I love winter running. I wear a long sleeve underneath my running jacket along with tights from the running room. I've had them for four years now and they're good for us up to -20!

    Congrats on a solid year of running! :D

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  3. Haha I'm going with Courtney I vote for fall too. But, it I had to pick...I think I'd say summer. If I go early enough, it's usually not too hot, and I don't need to worry about black ice. That being said, I haven't gone through a whole training season in the summer, so maybe I would change my mind if I did!

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