One last hurrah

So, Wednesday was the first day of spring...and the day before that my kids had a snow day. 

I think winter just wanted one last hurrah. 

I'm running 16 miles tomorrow and the weather forecast shows temps of 24 degrees with 12 - 19 mph winds, which means it will actually feel like 11 degrees!  Sounds like fun, huh?  Unfortunately, spring in Upstate NY isn't really that different than winter.  Here's the thing.  I have lived in this area for a good portion of my life, so I know that March is never really warm or springlike.  But, for some reason, I never fail to be disappointed.  I get through February by telling myself that in a few short weeks it will warm up and everything will melt and spring weather will return.  And then, I spend March feeling annoyed by the weather.  There will be the tease of a few warmish days, which for those of you in warmer climates is not actually warm at all.  Then, the temperatures will drop below freezing again and it will feel like spring will never get here.  Throw in a snow storm or two, which always happens in March, and you have the makings for complete disappointment.

A friend of mine just posted the following picture on facebook, and it sums it up perfectly:

I just want it to be warm.  I don't even care if it's really warm.  I'm just looking for solid 40 - 50 degree weather.  I want to be able to go running without having to put on three layers of clothing and my hat and gloves.  I just want to throw on a long sleeve shirt, my pants and a pair of shoes and head out the door.  I'm not one to wish time away at all.  In fact, I'm usually wishing for time to move slower so that I can take everything in.  But, in March that all changes.  I'm so ready for this winter to be over. 

Back to Reality

Well, I guess the heat wave is over.  Yesterday I ran 11 cold, rainy miles.

                                             

Last week I posted a picture of my car thermometer which read 73 degrees.  Today, it read 37 degrees.

Last week, I was wearing capris and sandals.  Today I needed my winter coat.

So, I guess we're back to regular March temperatures in Upstate NY.  I'm wondering if it will get warm again, or if the cold temperatures will stick around.  The 10 day forecast isn't looking terrible, but it's not great either.  That's the problem with a week of unseasonably warm weather...it makes the regular weather seem so cold.

I'm not too worried.  Unless we end up with a major snowstorm on the day of my half marathon...which is April 22nd.

I could get used to this...

Today, when I left work at 4pm, my the temperature gauge on my dashboard looked like this

That says 73 degrees!  In Upstate NY!  In mid-March!  Seriously, if you are unfamiliar with Upstate NY in mid-March, this is incredible.  Spring doesn't start until tomorrow.  It's technically still winter.  Now, if you live in the South you're probably shaking your head in confusion wondering why this is so exciting.  Well, let me tell you why.  In our region, the average temperature at this time of year is 22 - 40 degrees.  I can't tell you how good this warm weather feels.

Today, during my lunch hour, I took advantage of the great weather and went for a 40 minute walk with my co-worker.  Since I ran 10 miles yesterday, I wanted to take it easy today.  It feet so good to be outside with the sun warming my face.


I think the kids are enjoying it as well

I could really get used to this.  This must be the average temperature somewhere right now.  Seriously, is there anywhere that has average winter temperatures of about 30 - 40 degrees (with occasional snow), beautiful fall foliage and cool, crisp fall days, early spring weather and average March/April temperatures in the 60's and 70's?  If so, I might just consider moving there...

Double Digits

I'm at the point in half marathon training when my long runs enter the double digits.  This is my favorite part of training.  I love the feeling of running a 10+ mile long run.  This morning, a group of us set our for a solid ten miles.  It was fabulous.  The weather in Upstate NY is unseasonably warm and we actually hit 70+ degrees today.  The sun was shining, the birds were singing and we were all running with short sleeves and shorts or running capris.  I was actually hot while I was running.  For those of us who run in extreme winter weather, these warm weather runs are incredibly exciting.  When most of our winter runs occur in single digit temperatures, it feels so good to embark upon warm spring running when we are actually running in the double digits.  Usually, it's about 40 degrees during mid-March, so these super warm temperatures are particularly exciting.

The kids loved the warm weather.  They were able to play outside in their T-shirts.

This weekend wasn't just about enjoying the warm weather, though.  It was all about good food as well.  We had a potluck dinner with friends on Saturday and a traditional Corned Beef dinner with relatives tonight.  Since Saturday was St. Patty's Day, I had to make this:

It's a Chocolate Guinness cake (Nigella Lawson's recipe) and it's incredible.  It's my most requested cake.  

It's a good thing I ran 10 miles today, because I certainly ate my share of good food this weekend. 

Obviously, we had a great weekend.  It was so warm and sunny and springlike.  But, the most exciting part is that our entire week is going to be like this.

I know the wether will get cold again.  We won't go as low as we were a few weeks ago, but we will probably drop back down to the 40's again for a few weeks.  After all, it's not often that it gets this warm in March.  So, we're going to enjoy it while it lasts.  The week will be spent playing at the playground, taking walks, grilling, running outside, and soaking up the sun (with plenty of sunblock, of course).  Even though it won't last, it will certainly help us get through the last few weeks of winter/spring weather.  It's just nice to have temperatures in the double digits.

Ice Age

This morning, Paul and I had a 5 mile run scheduled with a group of people.  We were supposed to meet at a central location at 9:30 am (later than I like to run, but a good time for the entire group).  When we awoke, it was 7 degrees out, and the facebook messages were already pouring in.  Runners were backing out because they didn't want to brave the single digit temperatures.  Most of them chose to run inside on the treadmill instead.  Paul and I decided to keep our run outside (after all, we already had babysitters lined up - Nana and Papa), and one other brave runner decided to join us (our friend, David).  I donned my warm running gear and we set off. 

In the beginning, it was so cold that my toes were completely numb, even though I was wearing two socks on each foot.  But, as we began to move, we warmed up and the run was actually pretty enjoyable.  We joked the entire way about how crazy we were to be running outside, but we also had a great time keeping each other company.  At one point, Paul looked over at me and asked if I had brushed up against something.  Apparently, my hair was grey.  But, it wasn't something I had brushed against...my hair was coated in frost.  I was wearing a scarf and the moisture from my breath froze on the strands of my hair.  By the time we finished the run, I looked like this:

It was frigid and icy, but I'm still so glad we kept our run outside.  There was very little wind, which made the run more bearable, and it felt good to get some fresh air.  When we got home, I took a long, hot shower and drank a nice hot cup of coffee.  It may seem crazy to run in such extreme cold, but it's what you have to do if you want to be a runner in Upstate NY. 

Back to Reality

This past week, our little family enjoyed a short vacation in Florida. 

We visited family

swam in our clothes

and spent 2.5 fabulous days at the happiest place on earth. 

It was so much fun to watch my children experience Disney World for the first time. 

Ben (2.5) was in awe of Mickey Mouse and is still clutching and kissing the Mickey Mouse stuffed animal that his grandmother bought him while we were there. 

Amelia (7) discovered a love of rides - especially spinning rides - and I had so much fun taking her on all of them. 

Overall, our flights there and back were uneventful and both kids traveled exceptionally well.  What more can a parent ask for.

But, alas, as is the case with all vacations, ours has come to an end.  We are back home with bloated bellies after too much junk food and the tired crankiness that often accompanies the readjustment to the real world.  It's tough for an adult to get out of vacation mode, and it's even worse for a 2.5  and 7 year old.  Paul is in bed with a terrible cold, and the house is in need of major cleaning.  But, we are all home safe and sound with a batch of fresh memories that will continue to feed our souls.  It was just what we needed as we make our way through the last couple of months of the cold, dark winter.

It's time to get back on track and prepare myself for the upcoming months of races/events that I am registered for.  Half marathon training has begun and I'm slowly adding swimming and spinning as my cross training to prepare for this summer's triathlon.  I'm contemplating another clean food challenge (actually, I'm hoping Emilie spearheads one) and cleaning, organizing and decluttering.  I'm ready to move forward.  I love having a few weeks of vacation mode, but I always welcome the beginning of a training plan and a more structured schedule. 

P.S. Please excuse the quality of the photos.  They were all taken with my iPhone.  Our camera died a while ago and we have yet to replace it. 

Baby, it's cold outside!

Living in Upstate NY, I'm used to cold temperatures.  We typically experience a week or two in the winter of temperatures that drop below zero, and the rest of our winter hovers between 5 and 30 degrees.   When I left the house this morning, it was 4 degrees, but it felt like -10 with the windchill.  Even for those of us accustomed to cold, this weather is just awful.  It's definitely not good running weather!

Since I live in a place that experiences months of cold weather each year, I am used to running in the cold.  I will run outside as long as it's warmer than 5 degrees and the windchill doesn't make it feel colder.  I will run in rain and snow, and I'm even comfortable with ice.  Sometimes I actually think that it's easier to run in cold temperatures than extremely hot and humid weather.  Seriously Florida runners, how do you do it?  Still, even though I am comfortable running in extremely cold temperatures, it's not without a lot of preparation. 

Winter running is a beast, and it takes a lot of extra work to make sure that you stay healthy and safe in such frigid temperatures. 




The day I ran this 5K, it was 12 degrees out, and I wasn't really properly dressed.  But, I was obviously more prepared than the guy behind me!


I always wear high quality cold weather running gear:  running tights, thermal running shirts, fleece jackets, and windblocking jackets.  Layering is key.  You never know how much you will warm up once you are running, and you want to be able to remove layers if you get too hot.

I make sure my hands and ears are well protected.  Good, warm running hats and gloves are a must.  There's nothing worse than the stinging pain of freezing hands.

When it's snowy and icy, I wear Yak Trax.  These are special coils that stretch over the bottom of your running shoes the keep you from slipping on snow and ice.  They're like snow chains for your shoes (for those of you not familiar with snowy climates, snow chains are put on tires in the winter to keep cars from sliding on the road)

I make sure people know where I'm running, and I always wear my Road ID when running alone (good advice for any time of the year).

If there is a lot of wind and low temperatures, I wear one of these.  It covers my entire head and neck and keeps me nice and warm.  I don't use this in "milder" winter temperatures because I get too hot.

Finally, I always look at the weather before I go running.  If it's too cold or windy out, I take my run inside.  I either use the indoor track at work, or the treadmill at the YMCA.  With temperatures below 10 degrees and a windchill that made it feel even colder, can you guess where I went tonight?