I’m working on an historic cold streak right now. The temperature outside has been below 20 degrees for each of my past seven runs and bottomed out at 6 degrees today. My habit of getting out before the sun is even up means I’m running in the coldest part of the day. Since I started running back in 2012, I’ve only had a handful of cold spells reach 4 or 5 days. That’s not to say we never get these temperatures. It’s just that they’re here for a day or two then back up closer to freezing. And yes I understand that these aren’t extreme cold temperatures and that many people in the north and mountains would love to run in 10 degree temps rather than the sub-zero ones they have every week.
Perhaps the oddest thing is that this cold streak hasn’t really bothered me too much even though I just got back from a cruise in the Caribbean right before Christmas. I’ve been dressing warmly enough (double gloves, three layers otherwise) that I’m only uncomfortable for the first 5 minutes or if the wind gusts. I’ve been able to get out every day and knock out over 40 miles over this time period. I’m sure it would be worse if I was out for longer than the 7.5 miles I’ve been doing most days, however 70 minutes running at a modest effort hasn’t been nearly as bad as I would have thought. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t love running in the freezing cold, but I’ve been able to get into a halfway decent state of flow for a portion of each run. The worst part is probably that it takes me close to 10 minutes to get dressed properly.
Tomorrow could be the end of the streak as the forecast has an overnight low of 20 degrees. Or it could continue for another 5 days. Even if the temperatures are up into the 20s tonight, we’re supposed to get 1-5 inches of snow so my run won’t be all that comfortable. Oh, well. If it’s not one thing, then it’s another.
Does the cold bother you much?