Winter Challenge - 2013

Ok I'm STILL stupid, even after 3 years of winter running. Two dandy blood blisters after a 10 miler.

A perfect example of ego winning over common sense.
:cool: Ego says you can do 10 miles. You've done it lots of times
:nurse: Common sense says 3 miles is plenty since you've only been back running barefoot for 3 weeks.


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Now, that's no way to set an example, now is it, Mr. YOW?
 
Ok I'm STILL stupid, even after 3 years of winter running. Two dandy blood blisters after a 10 miler.

A perfect example of ego winning over common sense.
:cool: Ego says you can do 10 miles. You've done it lots of times
:nurse: Common sense says 3 miles is plenty since you've only been back running barefoot for 3 weeks.


YOWch! That from the mileage, the cold, or the combination of both?
 
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Awesome news, all! A reporter from the Toronto Star contacted me wanting to talk to YOW about doing an article on the Winter Challenge! Is that great, or what?! I mean, who would have thought that this could turn into something greater...I guess you all did! Good work, you guys! You all Rock!
 
YOWch! That from the mileage, the cold, or the combination of both?

I like that Rick ... "YOWch". I think it was a combination of cold, wet, TMTS, and trying to get as many miles in before they sand/salt the roads. I just got into LaLa Land when I was running, and I forgot to listen to my body. Oh well, blisters drained and will back at it in a couple days.

... A reporter from the Toronto Star contacted me wanting to talk to YOW about doing an article on the Winter Challenge! ...

TJ - I sent the reporter an email.
 
Sorry to hear of the injury YOW. That's exactly why I've been hesitant to sign up. But I think I've been able to convince myself that I may be able to avoid a similar mishap, like last year's frost nip, and follow a slightly more reasonable course this year. I hope.

In any case, I'll be running barefoot as much as possible anyway, so mis' well, right? Done. A lot of my runs will be rinky dink one-mile run-commutes to my office in the morning, but it's all good.


Look forward to reading your interview!
 
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First sub -5C run yesterday. 1.5 miles in a -8C windchill. Still very much doable as the roads are dry, as soon as the snows get here it will be hit or miss as to whether I will get many more miles. The frozen ruts and ice can be just as brutal as crushed gravel, with the difference being that you will not know until you get home if you have cut your feet on the icy ruts.
 
Yup, got another 2 km in yesterday at -7 degrees, was going to go out last night during the sub-10 temps with the WC but decided to keep my wife's feet warm on the couch instead. We will see that tonight brings.
 
Blisters drained and drying up. I should be go to go tomorrow. Yep, going back to the shorter 2-3 mile runs.

I hope that rookies, maybe even the veterans, in the Winter Challenge take this to heart. Running barefoot in the winter is like starting barefoot running all over again. Avoid TMTS. You have to acclimatize. The Winter Challenge is about exploring running in conditions you may have thought were not possible. It will give you a better understanding of how the human body adapts.
 
Blisters drained and drying up. I should be go to go tomorrow. Yep, going back to the shorter 2-3 mile runs.

I hope that rookies, maybe even the pros, in the Winter Challenge take this to heart. Running barefoot in the winter is like starting barefoot running all over again. Avoid TMTS. You have to acclimatize. The Winter Challenge is about exploring running in conditions you may have thought were not possible. It will give you a better understanding of how the human body adapts.

This is so true, you do almost have to learn to run all over again. Running on gravel or any other smallsharp pointy stuff can be quite different when the temps start to drop from when you were running on it during the summer months. The sensations of pins and needles come quick until the blood starts to flow through your toes. But don't mistake your feet going numb with those pins and needles, once the numbness starts get them covered and quick as damage is starting to set in. Remember numb feet are dumb feet.

Another 6 km for me tonight at -7 degrees. I do have one toe that appears to have lost my uncanny ability to act like a furnace, as the pins and needles stick around for that one only. Will have to watch that one this year I think. Hopefully the fires start burning in that one soon or i might not be able to break my coldest run from last year.
 
Blisters drained and drying up. I should be go to go tomorrow. Yep, going back to the shorter 2-3 mile runs.

I hope that rookies, maybe even the veterans, in the Winter Challenge take this to heart. Running barefoot in the winter is like starting barefoot running all over again. Avoid TMTS. You have to acclimatize. The Winter Challenge is about exploring running in conditions you may have thought were not possible. It will give you a better understanding of how the human body adapts.
 
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...That's exactly why I've been hesitant to sign up.

Hey Lee, we must have pulled you a little too hard. You're already in 3rd spot!

Erick Tessier completed a half marathon!

Barefooting Bob has the coldest run so far at -7°C or 19°F
 
Temps are on the rise here as well, suppose to be 6 degrees for Halloween. But did get another 6 km in at lunch today. Nice beautiful 3 degree day
 
Looking at the spread sheet is a little depressing, for me. Great job to the rest of you. Trying to find a niche this year as my overall mileage is at risk if Grant gets on the spreadsheet and I know YOW throws up some numbers. Even though Bare Lee is playing conservative now, I know he will make a run for the sub-freezing category. I was thinking about a cold weather 50k and then noticed that Bob already achieved that. Nice job Bob, but come on, give us a chance will ya?:)
 
Here's my first cold weather comment of the season, reprinted by permission from the mileage forum, for those of you who don't tune in there. It was about 39 F / 4C at the time, and my feet were nice 'n toasty:

Towards the run end, when the sprinkles had turned into light drizzle, just before ascending from a path along the Mississippi River banks to make a bee line home, an attractive, athletic-looking, late 30s/early 40s woman with short hair who was walking her dog with another woman and her dog said to me with a big, teasing grin,

"You're feet are going to get cold really soon."

I asked her, "How soon?"

She just replied, "Soon!"

I wasn't sure if she meant on that particular run, or later in the season, so I just said, turning my head slightly as they were behind me now,

"Well, I've already been out going on two hours." (It had actually been closer to 90 minutes at that point, but 'two hours' is what rolled off the tongue.)

I then wanted to say, "Heck, I'm good down to 15-20 degrees (F)," in a fit of barefooter's pride, but that woulda been overkill. I guess it was fitting that on the day I decided to sign up for the Winter Challenge, I should get my first cold feet comment. This year I'm running longer and in more public areas, particularly the river paths, so I should be hearing more of those as the season progresses.
Even though Bare Lee is playing conservative now, I know he will make a run for the sub-freezing category.
Haha, no, I'm full into it now. The only conservation will be backing off a bit in borderline conditions when it gets cold in earnest, or possibly donning shoes to run on scenic but salted or snowy paths instead of heading for that one boring street in the nearby fairgrounds where the snow melts first, there's no salt and little traffic. We'll see.
2. Temperature with windchill must be less than 42°F (5.1°C)
Just curious YOW, why'd you raise the cut-off from 5 to 5.1 C?
Wow, that is so hard to believe...although it's true. I mean you Canucks are known for your serious winters.
It's actually a disadvantage TJ, especially for the folks in Winnipeg. Their winter highs are on average 5 degrees Celsius lower than ours, which is just enough to rule out barefoot running for a good part of December, January, and February. And then the Canadians in the east get a lot more snow than we do.
 
That photo is going to follow me everywhere. Now I have to figure a way to top it for the Polar Bare run on New Years Day......... hmm maybe without the gloves.........nah, that would be just crazy.