Winter Running

I’m embarrassed.

I’m from Iowa.

That’s not why I’m embarrassed.

I’ve been living in California for the last 20 years and I am now a total wimp when it comes to the cold.  There was a day in college when us Iowans were thrilled because the temperature was up to 45 degrees! Half the campus grabbed bottles of baby oil and laid out on the hill overlooking the pond to ......sunbathe!!!

I’m not kidding. It was the first ‘nice’ day in six months and we thought it was hot out!

Now if the temperature drops below 60 I only want to crawl under a thick blanket on the couch and watch re-runs of Drop Dead Diva. 

So when I needed to go for a ‘run’ in the COLD RAIN on Sunday, I caught myself whimpering.

My Iowan friends would be so ashamed! They would’ve said, “What is WRONG with you! It’s gorgeous out! Let’s go!” And they would’ve ran outside in their shorts and t-shirt. Crazy Iowans!

I can always spot a tourist from back East in the winter time. Not because they have a camera around their neck. But because they are the only ones in tank tops and shorts with their winter white legs glaring at us.

I envy them.

I wish I felt the same about sub 60 degree weather. It would be so easy to get my runs in if I were like my friends back East.

But no. I have to cajole, manipulate and trick myself into getting out there.

So first I had to convince myself I had the right clothes. I had winter running clothes. So no problems. But then I couldn’t find my fleece lined running tights. Oh no! I’ll be way too cold if I wear unlined leggings!!

Well, I have a warm long sleeve running top and I’ll wear my cool Nike Women’s Marathon rain jacket to keep me dry. Then I decided I should cover my head. Even though the sun wasn’t out, covering my head will keep me from getting wet and will keep my core temperature up.

So I told myself, I’ll wear my NWM’s “Finisher” running hat. (A Christmas present no less). That way as cars drove by and wondered why the hell I was out there on a cold rainy day, they could see the bright pink “F-I-N-I-S-H-E-R” and know: “Ah ha!” They’d think to themselves. “She’s one of those crazy people! .... Nutbar!” Then they’d drive to their nice warm house.

So my self-badgering worked and I hit the pavement. Because, unlike Nike will have you believe, it’s not about “Just Do[ing] It”; it’s about doing it even when it’s hard.

You  may understand the need for this internal struggle in order to complete an hour-long running session in such ‘tough’ conditions. But this was for a short warm up which would last 20 mintues....top.

I’m a wimp.

I’m embarrassed.