Tag: winter running
Winter is my least favourite season. OK, fine, I hate it.
Correction: Winter in the city is my least favourite season. But given that winter here in Toronto pretty much stretches from November through to practically April, that’s a long time to be feeling miserable. So I have strategies that help me hate it a little bit less — one might even say embrace this c-c-cold season:
I remind myself that I prefer winter running is better than summer running. As someone who doesn’t love sweating, summer running in Toronto’s summer humidity is a nightmare. When I train through the winter, I am not a sweaty mess (so it’s relatively more comfortable — although the wind can make some runs super frigid) and running gets me out into the fresh air, which lifts my mood even if it’s -30 outside. I’ve registered for a race in March so I already have motivation to run regularly through the season.
I plan to get out into the country, where winter is actually beautiful. The grey city with dirty snow and ice is not pretty. But when you get out into cottage country and it’s a winter wonderland and you can appreciate the snow and ice. I already have one weekend road trip planned, and usually try to do day trips to hike so that I get some natural beauty breaks. Plus, Billie Jean adores the snow, and her joy on hikes, leaping like a bunny through drifts, is an instant mood boost in itself.
I cook my favourite winter comfort foods. Shepherd’s pie, braised short ribs, tourtiere, spaghetti bolognese, hearty stews, mashed potatoes. So many great heartwarming meals to be had.
I consider how if I love cold plunging, then winter can’t be all that bad. I haven’t completed many successful cold plunges recently — I think I lost the mental strength it calls for over this long break from it — but knowing I willingly have done cold plunges (up to nearly five minutes on a retreat with YETI and Unbounded!) and also did the most wondrous plunges in Oak Lake in the winter at Unbounded Cold Camp in February, well, it’s a reminder that embracing the cold can bring about awesomeness — the high you feel post-plunge, the knowledge you can do hard things. And even though I’ve resisted immersing myself into the cold plunges lately (I couldn’t even attempt getting into the lake in October!), I know it’s all part of the process–cold plunging never becomes easy.
I indulge in cozy things at home. Curling up at home underneath a blanket to binge-watch a series or read a book. Wearing cute, cozy pyjamas like this buffalo check set from Knix. Lighting a great candle for a day hunkered down at home. Sleeping in (always easier for me in the winter since the sun rises so late).
And overall, I try to be mindful of little things that spark joy daily. From the sound of the crunch of snow underfoot to the soft cashmere toque I put on to walk Billie Jean, How satisfying a cup of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows bobbing it is after coming in from the cold. How Lake Ontario looks like one giant slushie–it’s mesmerizing. The warm, cushion-y Uggs on my feet for quick errands. How cute Billie Jean looks in her winter coat.
Then, soon enough, once again the days will get longer and warmer and before you know it, another winter season is behind us.
November 29, 2023
In late November, my running buddy suggested I do a December runstreak with her. Her plan was to run 5k daily in December. I briefly considered it but knew there’d be days I would be unable to fit that in my schedule. I was also very wary of the runstreak potentially making me hate running.
But then I read about the Runners World runstreak in which you commit to running one mile a day (I believe their time frame is from American Thanksgiving until the new year). That distance Daily sounded much more manageable to me so I decided I would aim for that every day to n December.
I maintained the runstreak straight only for the first six days of December. On December 7, I caught an early morning flight to Vernon, B.C., and was out and busy with Buick until 10 p.m. at night. The hotel gym closed at that time plus I was exhausted as it was 1 a.m. EST and it had been a long day. Short of running in the hotel hallways for one mile, there wasn’t a way to get my run done.
After breaking the streak, I became less committed to it. Upon returning from Vernon I was so burnt out I stayed in bed for basically 24 hours straight. I do think if I hadn’t broken the streak on the 7th I’d have mustered some energy to do one mile, though, but with it broken, I just didn’t see the point.
For the remainder of the month, I continued running fairly regularly. I did several one mile or 2k runs on the treadmill. I’m not a treadmill runner but it just seemed easier than layering on winter gear, plus for such a short distance, the treadmill is almost tolerable (I just find it so boring!). For the last week of December, I did my run first thing in the morning daily, combining it with Billie Jean’s first outing of the day, and that worked out quite well.
In the end, I ran 20 of the 31 days of December, as short as one mile and as long as 10k. I learned to withstand short treadmill runs (one good thing about the treadmill is my runs often became tempo runs since I just wanted off of the treadmill faster). I was able to get my active pup some morning cardio. And it got me to try out running in sand when I was in the Bahamas for work.
While I don’t see myself as someone who will runstreak as a lifestyle (I know people who have run daily for more than two years! Yes, two years!!!), I was happy it motivated me to get off the couch and out into the fresh (read freezing) winter air. I think runstreaks are a great way to motivate some people, but it’s also risky if missing a run derails your entire will to run at all. I’m a fairly dedicated runner so I was able to push myself to fit in what runs I could but I could see the all or nothing thinking derailing some people for good in the same way overly lofty New Year’s resolutions can be the downfall for so many folks. For me, I’m personally better cut out to run less frequently but longer distances but I’m glad I tried it out and I’d consider another one in the future.
If you’re a dedicated runstreaker, I’d love to hear what you’ve learned from it!
January 2, 2018
Ah, two months of “off season” was a treat. I kept it simple — my goal for my off season was to run three times a week, about 10k each run. Just to maintain some fitness. I probably could’ve afforded to do some intervals in that time, but mentally I really just needed this time off of training to be simple; the fall was an intense few months of training and racing.
In that time, I got to put some Champion running gear to the test (remember — I posted some six weeks ago about this). Here, my honest review of the pieces.
First off, the running jacket: When I first saw the jacket, I thought it would be too warm and restrictive for running, given it’s slightly puffy. But I could move fine in it, and it’s actually quite lightweight. Since it’s filled, I think it can give you the mental comfort that it’s warm, but layer it with the right gear, and it’s a great option for a winter run. I like the zippered pockets, and while turquoise is not a colour I gravitate towards, look how the hue pops so prettily against the snow! And the style with the contrasting colours make for a flattering silhouette. The only con of this jacket is that I think it could use more snug-fitting inner lining at the wrists (sometimes I could feel cold air coming into my sleeves).
The sports bra: Good coverage. Good support for high-impact. It’s not as stretchy as other sport bras, though, so putting it on can feel like you’re doing a bit of acrobatics (but once on, it’s comfortable). I like the contrast of the green and turquoise (sport bras always peek through when you have them under a tank so I prefer ones that aren’t just basic black so it adds a little something to your fit outfit).
The grey T-shirt: It’s fine, but a bit boring. A decent basic in good neutral colour. Nothing too remarkable about it.
The running tights: Good fit and the turquoise stripe is flattering — makes the legs look slim. A comfortable length (I find some tights seem to fall a bit short but these were long enough so that even with ankle sport socks, I was fine) and they’re not low-waisted, which is good (some tights I have to pull up regularly mid-run, but these have a good rise and I never had to fuss). They are on the thin side, so I’ll only wear them on days where it feels like 0 degrees Celsius outside. Not the current polar vortex temperatures in Toronto. Although I would certainly wear them under a pair of warm track pants or warmer and baggier pants over top for cold winter runs, given how comfortable they are.
After a few launderings, all of the pieces are holding up well so far. All in all, good basic pieces that won’t break the bank. With the right layering, which is key for dressing for winter running, these could all be key elements to your winter fit wardrobe.
Now if only wearing this brand didn’t always end up with me getting that Buju Banton song “Champion” stuck in my head…
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January 12, 2015
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