Wind Chill

OK, it's been blowing all week long and the snow is heading this way. London, Montreal and Barrie have already had more than their fair share of it! Last night I braced myself for a 40 min. tempo run outside, windchill be damned. There was no way, I was going to do 3 nights in a row on the beige treadmill staring at the beige walls! So this is how I layered up:
2 pair of running tights
1 long sleeved wicking shirt
1 wicking t-shirt overtop
1 wind jacket
1 pair el-cheapo stretch gloves with a hole in one finger, because someone in this house swiped my Mizuno wicking stretch gloves, which look like cheapies except for the logo and the price tag!
1 thin wicking balaclava, pulled up over my face only when running head on into the wind, otherwise pulled down under my chin - now there is a real cute sight. Top that for an even cuter look with
1 Mizuno beanie
1 pair Asics Cumulus 11 with duct tape over the mesh, oh, forgot, only need that when the mercury hits -30C. Maybe I should think about getting a pair of these?
Here we go, out into the cold dark windy night! Love winter running, once I get going I'm as toasty as can be. Had the streets to myself too - bonus! That's like 6:00p.m. - pitch black!

BEIGE & BOYS

Wow! Two nights in a row on the treadmill. Not the usual for me, but there is a bitter windchill tonight so opted to spend a little time of the treadmill. Shelby was disappointed :(
Here is my view from my basement TM.

unaware of the camera, love how chill they look (could that room be any more beige!)

goofing around, trying to hide from the camera - the straight haired one is my kid. You have no idea how many times a similar scene has occurred  in my home. With seven boys in the house we have had every system, and popular game, trading cards, etc. etc., not to mention how many broken controllers there have been, never a dull moment - although now we are down to three boys and that one is the youngest.
When I got bored of staring at the blank wall, I got to look at this. I kind of felt like those pink guys while running on the mill.

At least it wasn't some first person shooter game, or worse yet, Grand Theft Auto - that would be the older boys domain. Come to think of it, running on the TM, if it were a color, it would be beige. Sorry Emz! Think I'll run outside tomorrow, windy or not. :)

Head Games or 'Snap out of it!'

Missed my training run on Monday and Tuesday for a plethora of reasons - so - started beating myself up about it - I'm way too perfectionistic! - It's like if I don't follow the training schedule perfectly, I feel like a loser, a failure, and what's worse, I don't feel like running because I feel defeated.
Nevertheless, today, I was feeling tired on the way home, like almost falling asleep while stuck in traffic tired, finally made it to my neighborhood after an hour commute, stopped for a few groceries, then home.
It's been cold and windy today  -12C/10F with the wind.
Now, in my profile, it does mention that I have a supportive husband. When I got home, feeling like just plopping down on the couch, I got my head in the right place, asked for help so that I could get my run in and still have time to unwind afterward. Well, he put away all the groceries and made supper - how's that for supportive.
Funny thing is, after that little break I had from running - I ventured out into the cold, dark night and had a great 35 minute run - at a faster pace than I've been running. All that worry and  self-flagellation for naught!
So what's the key to not letting the mind take over??  When I hit the road, my mind still was focusing on I'm tired, it's cold etc. but my body knew exactly what to do - Got to trust my body, even when my head is playing games with me.

can I call this running?

So, kind of fell apart this morning.
Went out and it was crazy windy again. Didn't realize that it was 3C (feels like -2 with the wind chill factor according to the weather network - that's 28F) until I got back home.
There were a few things throwing me off this morning.
Probably hadn't eaten enough, or had gone too long without eating prior to the run.
Garmin died.
Hubby came along on his bike, which threw me off my rhythm, threw off my concentration.
Tried to listen to music in one ear and hubby talking, not good, really threw off my rhythm, so did without the music.
I could see him pedaling so slowly and leisurely and it made me feel like I was working twice as hard.
Did I mention it was windy? Really windy.
So, I crapped out after my 4k route instead of continuing on leaving me to wonder why I'm blogging about such short, wimpy distances at all.....

I'm havin' a good time

So, woke up to this,not bad.

The sky looked a little foreboding

but the forecast is calling for sun. They didn't mention anything about the freaking wind coming out of the north that assaulted me the moment I walked out the door!

Now, I'm not a cussin' or cursin' kind of gal, however there was a time... back in the day... and those little cursin' demons pop into my mind from time to time, like this morning

Things I was cursin' on my morning run today:
%$$# northerly wind broadsiding me
%&#*hard sidewalk for about 1rst 10 mins.
$&#* slippery gravelly shoulder for about the next 10mins.
$&#! northerly wind, causing me to contort into some weird kind of running form to not lose my hat and to just bear up against it
*%&$* loose dogs causing me to stop to put Shelby on leash before they got closer and she'd want to run off after them and trying not to get all tangled up in three dogs
%*$& noisy farm machinery drowning out my music and  with their #&@^# diesel, that smell makes me nauseous
#%@% north wind hitting me head on for a stretch
!#$#!@ overly strong manure smell coming off the farms

Okay, so things I liked about my run this morning:
being out in the country
running by a little house with the smells of a wood stove coming from it
seeing a blue jay in flight
telling the wind - you aint' gonna stop me
listening to Freddie Mercury reminding me - "Don't stop me now i'm having such a good time
I'm having a ball don't stop me now" This really put a smile on my face, reminded me to enjoy the moment and helped me pick up the pace - it was so fun, I played it again
Having that northerly wind at my back for the last km and some AC/DC kicking my butt all the way home, helping me to finish strong
So, 6.84 k done, wind be damned!