i have been running in the harsh new england winters for a few years and have developed many survival techniques along the way. these techniques have become second nature to me, so i often forget that they are not always obvious to new runners. as i think of them, i’ll share them on here just in case some readers might benefit from my experiences.

sunday’s run was the first brutally cold, windy run of the season. i ran a 16 mile loop than ended in a -1* windchill. my last two miles were incredibly demoralizing, so much that i was literally yelling into the wind. the wind was blowing around 15 mph in my face and i added another 8 mph with my speed for what i call “an effective windspeed” of 23 mph. miserable.

knowing that i was going to be running into a stiff wind for most of my run, i took a few precautions to stay warm:

1) face protection. i don’t like face masks because my breath causes the mask to ice up and block my breathing. instead, i apply a thin layer of vaseline on my face to keep my face from chapping and my nose from bleeding.

2) overdress. i tend to overdress in winter to make sure i’m protected if the wind picks up and the sun goes behind a cloud. if you’re wearing synthetic clothes, it’s ok to sweat because the clothing will continue to keep you warm regardless of sweating. it’s better to be wet and warm than cold and underdressed.

3) duct tape. it really does fix everything. one of my biggest pet peeve is the porous fabric on the top of running shoes. shoe companies designed the shoes to be well ventilated in warm temperatures, like built-in air conditioning for the toes. this is great in the summer and helps mitigate blisters, but it’s miserable in the winter as the icy wind blows into your shoes. on windy, cold days, i apply duct tape to the top of my shoes to block the wind.

so imagine a runner with a fluorescent yellow jacket, vaseline slathered all over her face, mis-matched wool mittens, and duct tape on her shoes.

yep, winter running is a fashionable sport.

this month’s running times featured an article about runner jenny barringer simpson.  in the article simpson mentioned the quote above which was from cs lewis’s screwtape letters.  since reading the quote, i have been pondering its meaning and what it means in my life.

first, i considered the word ‘virtue.’   what is a virtue?  what are ‘the virtues’?  i know that ‘patience is a virtue’ however, i’m not sure i could tell you any others beyond patience.  a quick wikipedia search taught me that there are seven virtues, one to correspond with each of the seven deadly sins.

the seven virtues are as follows, along with their corresponding sin:  chastity (lust), temperance (gluttony), charity (greed), diligence (sloth), patience (wrath), kindness (envy), and humility (pride).

as i thought through each of the virtues, i realized that virtues are not bought or inherited.   each of virtues must be earned.  patience is developed by being tested; it is the forbearance and endurance through moderation.  diligence is the careful nature of one’s actions/work and the capability of not giving up.  by definition, these virtues require time and challenges to develop.  they are developed through trial and perseverance through ‘testing points’.

we are defined and refined by our testing points.  strength untested is not strength.

we do not become marathoners by standing on a starting line then being magically transported to the finish line.  rather marathoners earn their titles by the months of training and every step they run of the 26.2 mile trek to the end.  calling me a marathoner if i had never ran a marathon would be a pointless accolade.  it would be shameful, like wearing a race tshirt of a race i had not ran.

this week i have felt demoralized.  i have experienced a particularly challenging and tiring week.  during such weeks, it is easy for me to question why life must be so difficult sometimes and why i must continue to seek out challenges for myself.  maybe i could have chosen a more simple path in life or a less challenging lifestyle.  i question the road that i have chosen for myself.

these doubts, and we all have them at certain times, mark a ‘testing point.’  they signal a decision point where i can choose to give up or to persevere.  if i choose to press on, i refine and reinforce the virtues in my life.

this week when i read the above quote, i was reminded that life’s ugly challenges are the very things that create the virtuous and beautiful qualities in life.

i should welcome and embrace challenges.  i should wish for the courage to face the very testing points of life that lead to the development of the coveted virtues.

The new Running Times showed up in the mail yesterday telling me how to run a 2:03 marathon.

No biggie. All the kids are doing it these days!

i love winter.  and even though i complain about the challenges of training through the winter, i love getting outside and running in the snow.

today was the first time this season i was able to run in the snow.  i snuck outside for a lunchtime run, just as the snowflakes started falling. the flakes were huge and blinded me as they stuck in my eye.  when i started the road was merely wet with precipitation, but quickly accumulated 2 inches of snow by the end of my run.  my calves ached by the end of my run due to the extra muscle contractions needed to stabilize my stride on the slippery surface.

i absolutely enjoyed the peaceful quiet of the snowfall as I ran along the country roads of new england.  welcome winter!  i hope you stay for awhile.

for new year’s day, i took toby up his namesake peak, mt toby.  the vet said i needed to keep his mileage around 6 miles and stick to the trails.  since the 10 month old pup is still growing, his joints are vulnerable to the jarring on his joints which could lead to arthritis later in his life.   i was disappointed to hear this, but was happy to take to the trail for a little fun.

toby was a champ, running straight and true up the trail despite the numerous dogs on the trail trying to distract him.  my legs were a little tired from the 15 miles i ran earlier that morning, but toby gently tugged me up the trail, aiding my climb on the steep ascent.  the trail was a little icy and caused me to take a spill.  toby slipped a little, but was able to stay upright.   the run made me think about the gear adjustment that both myself and my dog will have to make in the coming winter weather, such as doggie booties.  i couldn’t help but think about how i could fashion a pair of doggie crampons for my bud so that i can take him ice climbing.   making the crampons is easy, the trick is teaching him to belay!

At the end of every year, I like to look back at my mileage.  This year, I ran 2245 miles (I probably ran more, but I  just didn’t log it).  This is the equivalent of a trip to Perryville, MO and back.   I averaged 6.15 miles a day.

Chuck and I drove that distance over Christmas and it took us 38 hours in a car.  It took me 299 hours to run that distance or 12.45 days.   This is an average of 49 minutes per day.

Next Christmas, if I start running on December 18th I can be home just in time to open presents with my family!

we welcomed a new addition to our family this week:  toby, a 10 mth old vizsla pup.  we researched dog breeds extensively before we decided that a vizsla was right for us.  my husband wanted a larger hunting dog, similar to the weimaraners with which he was raised.  my criteria was simple:  i wanted a running partner.

today, i took him out for our first run together to see if he would be a suitable running partner.   we ran our first mile today in 8:04.  i stopped him after the first mile, looked at my watch, then gave him the ‘paw’ (similar to humans giving each other “knuckles” or “the rock”).   toby and i ran a two more miles, the last one in 7:33.

nice work, toby!  i think you’re going to be a great training partner!

a few of my favorite running quotes to inspire you this sunday morning:

“Every morning when I wake up, I try to wake with a Smile on my face, Enthusiasm in my voice, Joy in my heart and Faith in my soul.”
~ Dick Beardsley

“If one could run without getting tired I don’t think one would often want to do anything else.”
~ C.S. Lewis

“You triumph over the adversity, that’s what the marathon is all about and therefore you know that there isn’t anything in life that you cannot triumph over after that.”
~ Katherine Switzer

“Sometimes the moments that challenge us the most are the ones that define us.”
~ Deena Kastor

“Running is a lifetime pursuit. If you set goals and have passion and believe in yourself, anything is possible”
~Joan Benoit Samuelson

what i love about the above quotes is that they are not about running hard and fast, but they touch on the spirit of running and how it spills over from the sport and into our lives.

running isn’t a simple act, it’s a lifestyle, a worldview, and an attitude.    it’s an attitude of discipline, confidence, triumph, peace, and joy.

in the last few weeks i’ve had a couple people ask me about how to prepare to run through the winter.  i thought it might be a good topic for my ‘ask the big mo’ series…..  there are many aspects of running in the winter, so this may be a multi-part series.

Winter running is a totally different animal and winter athletes are a special breed.  It takes extra commitment, determination, and endurance to continue your training throughout the winter months regardless if your sport is running, biking, or ultimate frisbee.

Everything about winter running takes additional effort — more effort to get dressed, to wake up in the dark, to train in the snow, blah blah blah.  Sure, it’s an additional challenge, but you’ll be such a strong runner when spring comes around.

To prepare for a winter of running, the first thing to do is gear up.  Having the right clothing system for any condition is the first step toward being comfortable while running.   And if you’re comfortable while running, you’re more likely to run.   Just in time for christmas, i’ll share some of my favorite pieces of winter running gear.

Bright jacket — unless you can get out at lunch or don’t mind the treadmill, you’ll be running in the dark.  I don’t much of either, so I am always running in the dark.  I wear my Brooks Nightlife jacket everyday.  i also run with a Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp, mostly to be seen rather than to see.  I swear by it because it’s lightweight but has a long battery life.

Windproof clothing – the cold isn’t bad, but the wind is terrible.  I swear someone would think I have Terret’s if they saw me run in the winter wind — I’ll randomly start yelling “i hate  you wind!  i curse you!”  I always run with a windbreaker, which is why I go with the brooks jacket rather than just a heavier shirt.  I also like zippers because you can ventilate as your temperature fluctuates which isn’t possible with a pullover shirt.

Tights – Finding the right pants was a challenge, because cheap tights allow too much wind to blow through.  I can get away with any ole pants/tights down to the 30s, but colder than that and I double up.  I love my Brooks Wanugi (I think they’re called Silver Bullet pants now) because they are warm and are windproof.  Windproof is key on these.

Shoes — some people use traction on their shoes, but I run on the roads and don’t really need it.  I have YaxTrax which I’ll wear on freshly fallen snow, but very rarely.  If it’s a true blizzard (read:  more than a foot of snow and the roads haven’t been plowed), I’ll break out my Kahtoola MicroSpikes, but I only did that once or twice last year.  Otherwise, I’ll only wear them on trails in the winter.  Another option that I have used were IceSpikes, which screw into your shoes, but then you have to dedicate a pair of shoes for the Spikes and they aren’t good to run in if there is no snow or ice.   When it’s icy or snowy, I usually just slow down and step carefully rather than rely on my shoes to provide traction.

Gloves are tough for me — I usually go with wool mittens because every other glove I’ve tried leaves me with frostbitten fingers before the end of the run.

I also swear by my Buff.   It can be a neck gaiter, face mask, headband, or beanie.  Since I normally run pre-dawn in the wind and cold, I usually have a chapped face and raw nose!   I’ll wear the Buff like a face mask on windy days to protect my face.

Other random thoughts:

I go with black clothes if I’m running in the daylight because they absorb more sun and keep me warm.  Obviously, at night I don the sexy construction crew fluorescent yellow jacket.

Don’t wear cotton!  Cotton won’t keep you warm after it gets wet, so your sweat will just make you cold.  Go with synthetic clothes.

Wool socks —  I swear by Smart Wool light weight crew socks.  The top part of a running shoe is porous and the cold air flows right through to your toes.  Wool, just like synthetic clothing, will stay warm when it gets wet with sweat.