Inspired by Xavi Vives' Hong Kong 50K after three days of fasting (!!), I have only a cup of lightly salted black coffee (don't knock it till you try it) before heading to work on a snow day. I make several mistakes on my first run in months, fortunately none serious. 1. Plan on hydrating at the several water fountains along my route. All are frozen. 2. The cotton race shirt that seems so warm and dry at home compared to cold polyester tech shirts is damp and clammy when I remove my jacket after a mile of warmup. 3. Wear brand new shoes, a cheapo pair of lightweight black sneakers that I can get away with at the office. They work out fine. 4. Photo op standing on the apparently frozen solid Potomac results in one foot soaked. Good to learn that this was no big deal even in 28°F weather. First miles of run were predictably a struggle after months of slacking, but Running with the Kenyans was inspiring. The author asked how the Kenyans can charge up hills when he wants to slow down. "They want it more" is the answer. The Rosslyn bike counter shows 42 at 9 a.m., about a tenth of the lowest number I've ever seen. Fun conversation at the workplace water cooler (i.e. Keurig machine) when I am asked if I came in on the train. Or drove? Bus? Rode the bike?? The blizzard is expected to start soon after noon, and I haven't decided yet how I'll get home.
8.77 miles in 1:28, 10:02 min/mi pace
1) Salted coffee is disgusting. Yes, it is. So is coffee with coconut oil. Coffee should be drunk as coffee. 2) We had 1.7 inches of rain in 24 hours yesterday. I ended up doing about a mile's worth in water up to my knees (because once you're over your shoes, you might as well keep going, right?). Had to improvise for the other three. Good on ya.
Salty coffee is disgusting. My rule is if I can taste it it's too much. I got the idea after wondering if I could enjoy a grande while walking to the metro station without having to rush to the bathroom on arrival at work an hour later. Alton Brown gave me confidence. I might not stick with it; I can't convince myself that a pinch of salt does anything about bitterness and haven't noticed any other difference. Running in knee-deep water sounds like Zátopek-level training to me. Maybe I'll try my luck in a foot of snow and see what happens.
1) You ever try sprinkling some cayenne pepper on your coffee? The added spiciness clears out my mucky morning throat and sinuses like no other. And my personal opinion is that the tastes complement each other well. I'm not exactly a purist though -- with my current batch I threw in ground cardamom and cinnamon.
I get some bronchial pain while huffing and puffing if it's really cold out. A scarf might help some but the better solution is to stay out of the cold. I've also found that exhaling through the nose keeps that extremity thawed. If by "sore throat" you mean getting sick later, I maintain a superstition that sickness is caused by microbes and not cold temperatures, despite evidence to the contrary.
I can't exhale through my nose most of the year. I mean the same thing I wake up with every morning because I have to sleep with my mouth open in a poorly-heated room. Whatever it's called.I've also found that exhaling through the nose keeps that extremity thawed.
If by "sore throat" you mean getting sick later, I maintain a superstition that sickness is caused by microbes and not cold temperatures, despite evidence to the contrary.
Thanks for sharing! If you run home in the snow I'd love to read the update. Is it all pretty good roads and paths to run in? 8.8 miles to run to work would be ambitious for me; I'm impressed.
Notes from Runkeeper: The "run" home was much more of a slog, ending with frequent walk breaks. After hunger growls at 11, I went for lunch but found the cafeteria closed early, so made do with another cup of salted coffee (just a pinch!) and a square of 72% dark chocolate (is it paleo?). Westbound is slightly uphill, and falling snow stuck to and melted on my gloves and shirt, which got cold and wet. Also felt thirsty and weary. But not exhausted: I could have walked a lot longer for an apple pie or some kringle. Got home and had a V8. Might wait until evening to eat, might not. 8.51 miles in 1:49, pace 12:46
It's almost all dedicated and paved bike trail. A couple miles on the flat 45-mile rails-to-trails Washington & Old Dominion, with power lines overhead and the occasional substation. Most of the rest on the hilly Custis Trail.Is it all pretty good roads and paths to run in?
Thanks! OPM is sending the feds home at noon. Metro is saying "nope" and will close down the subway for the weekend, but it should be an option for me today. I feel great, despite not having eaten yet. Maybe I'll get an Uber estimate just for fun and then go home the way I came.
I learned from a hiking guide that wearing cotton while exercising in the cold is possibly the worst thing you can do. Wet, cold cotton will weigh you down, make you colder, and it takes FOREVER to dry. Stick with artificial fabrics if you can!
Yeah, I made the same mistake with my socks. I put on synthetic running socks, but they left my ankles uncovered. For some reason that seemed unacceptable in a warm, dry, home, so I ended up plunging my foot into the ice-cold river with thick, calf-high cotton socks.
I have a pair of lightweight wool hiking socks I use in winter runs. My feet stay comfortable below 20 F (about the limit of how low I'll go). They're about twice as thick as my thickest running socks, but they work fine for me. They tuck nicely under my tights or pants.