Cold

Coming home from work last night, the sign outside the school said it was 30 degrees.  It was cold for a mid-November evening in DC.

I had run 5K during the noon hour, around the Tidal Basin.  Given the frigid conditions, I had layered up threefold, which was naturally too much so I was perspiring freely by the end of the run.

I had the footpath encircling the tidal body of water mostly to myself and it was imperative to watch out for ice patches as the tide induced water tends to encroach upon the gradually sinking cement path.  There were a few other runners who went by, one who was actually in shorts and running without a hat or gloves.

All the autumn leaves, so brilliant in their scarlet and golden hues last week, were much dulled and pretty much all knocked down given the gusting winds accompanying the current cold front.  The tall, imperious MLK statue next to the Tidal Basin gleamed coldly white with scarcely anyone present to see his frigid stare across the water at the TJ statue housed inside the Jefferson Memorial's open rotunda.

Winter running

It's cold! Frigid even, 23 degrees with a gusting wind. Treadmill weather? Not necessarily.

I never run inside, so that makes it easy for me. Unless it's icy-treacherous underfoot, I'll be running outside.

The secret to running in the cold is thin layering. Compression shorts and polyester warm-up pants take care of your lowers, along with polyester socks and good running shoes of course. Tights and long trunks work too.

The uppers should be all-polyester items (a little nylon or spandex for "grab ability" is okay). Go to Target and stock up for under $20 per item. Or Walmart for a dollar or two less. These are not pretty running togs, just cheap and effective.

Today I wore a tank top, a short sleeve t-shirt, a long sleeve shirt and a nylon wind shirt. I took off the wind-shirt and tied it around my waist when I got hot.

I also wore polyester gloves and a stretchy thin polyester headband that I pulled down around my neck for a loose neck warmer when my ears got hot. I wore my small waist pack with my camera, money, a fare card, a GU packet and a small tube of Vaseline stuffed inside. I carried my half-liter water bottle. When my hands got hot, I hung my gloves on my waist pack belt.

I would have added a polyester scarf (go to Old Navy), a polyester fleece zip-up (22 bucks at Target) and a polyester mesh ball cap if it had been really frigid and windy.

What I have described is actually not that much stuff. I keep it all isolated on a shelf on which I keep only running gear. I also have a yard-sale dresser dedicated to my various sizes and types of running shirts, shorts, leggings, sox etc. I call it the Polyesser. I can be out the door in 5 minutes with a stop at my Polyesser and shelf.