Winter Challenge - 2012
- Thread starter Barefoot YOW
- Start date
Week 5 Update:
We are now over 100 runs. 478 miles or 771 km. That puts us at half way between Sioux Falls and Beresford South Dakota, on I29
We are now over 100 runs. 478 miles or 771 km. That puts us at half way between Sioux Falls and Beresford South Dakota, on I29
Well done Anne. Running in cold wet conditions is more difficult than dry sub-freezing.
We are a strange bunch now aren't we.
I got my first winter challenge run in today.
Temps were 38 degrees with a slight wind. Last year, my lower limit was 40 degrees but this year feels better. I just bundle up all over the rest of my body and it seemed to help, though that probably looks even stranger to folks to see someone with a hat and mittens on but barefoot!
Temps were 38 degrees with a slight wind. Last year, my lower limit was 40 degrees but this year feels better. I just bundle up all over the rest of my body and it seemed to help, though that probably looks even stranger to folks to see someone with a hat and mittens on but barefoot!
Yeah! Mike. I know what you mean. I get those comments all the time. Barefoot with a toque and mitts. Sure way to turn heads.
I'm not sure if I'll bother with wind chill. It's all about the feet. If the air temp is 34 deg. F and the wind chill is 24 deg, no matter how hard it blows it won't cool your feet below freezing. Wind chill has a greater effect on core temperature.
That wasn't my experience last winter. Although I agree, normally the soles get colder/number much faster than the tops of my feet, a strong wind can change that equation, especially if it's blowing across a lake or such-like expanse with nothing to impede it.
Unrelatedly, I've found surface temp is much more important than air temp in calm conditions, but there's no way to measure that. This year I've done a few early morning runs, and 28 F /-3C feels a lot colder then than at mid-afternoon, after the sun has warmed up the surface.
Okay, I'm finally in. I made my first entry in the Winter Challenge.
I have been running pure barefoot in the winter for a lot of years; I wasn't aware of the Challenge last year, unfortunately, 'cause I got quite a few miles in. My problem this year is that I've been having problems with my ankle (non-running related injury) since about mid-August, so I haven't run AT ALL since then. The ankle's been feeling pretty good the last couple of days so I decided to give it a try.
Did 2.5 miles around my neighborhood in just over 25 minutes - definitely taking it easy after not running for 3 months.
Felt fine at the end; ankle is slightly sore this morning, but really not bad. Signed up for the local Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving Day, so I have some incentive. Looking forward to more cold weather running for sure.
I have been running pure barefoot in the winter for a lot of years; I wasn't aware of the Challenge last year, unfortunately, 'cause I got quite a few miles in. My problem this year is that I've been having problems with my ankle (non-running related injury) since about mid-August, so I haven't run AT ALL since then. The ankle's been feeling pretty good the last couple of days so I decided to give it a try.
Did 2.5 miles around my neighborhood in just over 25 minutes - definitely taking it easy after not running for 3 months.
Felt fine at the end; ankle is slightly sore this morning, but really not bad. Signed up for the local Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving Day, so I have some incentive. Looking forward to more cold weather running for sure.
A good point Lee, I doesn't take too much sunlight to warm the surface, at least right now. You can feel a huge difference when you run through a shady area.
Also in my experimenting, I am done with tights. My feet stay warmer if I wear loose shorts. Now that is a funny sight, hat, jacket, gloves, shorts, bare legs and bare feet, but it works better. When it gets colder, I'll try some baggy sweat pants. Anyone even have those anymore with all the recent tech clothing?
Sweat pants and gym shorts are all I've ever worn, but I'm an instinctively low-tech kinda guy. When it gets really cold I put long underwear on underneath the sweat pants. For running I don't like the sweat pants to be too baggy though, but not skin tight either. Up top, over my torso, I like layers. On really cold days I wear a turtle neck as one of the layers and a nice neoprene face mask with air holes. I've had that for a long time and it works really well, cuz you can velcro it over the overlapping turtle neck and hat, keeping everything in place, with only your eye balls exposed. Sometimes I even wear two hats, or a 70s-era head band with a hat over it. A more recent concession to high-tech has been last week's purchase of some triple-layer, double wrist bands to use on my ankles. I think JT recommended that. Not sure if it will help, because like I mentioned above, my soles usually tap out before the tops of my foot, but it's worth a try. They do feel nice and snug. I think I may have to take off the toe rings soon too. They probably conduct cold, and reduce circulation just a bit, right?
NickW
Guest
I wear shorts too and am fine. We don't typically get cold enough for me to wear a jacket, but I do wear long sleeve shirts, headband thing, and gloves as needed. I also have a pair of the baggy workout pants if it get's really cold (I think I only needed them once or twice last year). I don't like the tights personally and don't feel they offer any extra warmth compared to shorts.
Welcome BFSailor, its always great to have another runner to add to the masses of 'the misunderstood soles that we are'
Thank's for all the positive thoughts and congrats, guys!! And congrats to you, too, Bosenoge! You're definitely not a wuss for carrying your shoes! I ended up carrying my hydration backpack with me the whole way so I could carry my huraches and also be able to avoid the wet pavement around the aid stations by having my own water.
Finally got my marathon on the chart! My iPhone has been acting kinda weird lately so I had to get to a real computer to update the chart. (That's what work computers are for, right?) Still don't have a marathon report written, though. I started writing and all at once I realized it was turning into a short novel which probably no one except me will ever want to read. Still, I'm enjoying writing it and will probably post it on my blog here eventually, but at this point I'm doing it more for me than for anyone else.
Has anyone else every heard the theory that if your feet are cold, you're more prone to get bladder infections and, as a woman, become infertile? I'm thinking it's a strange German thing, but over the last two years I've probably heard that from about 100 different people. This afternoon on my run I was "joined" for about 10 minutes by a lady riding her bike home from work who was absolutely convinced of both of those things and seemed truly concerned for me. (She also happened to mention that she works as a neurologist at the university hospital here in Frankfurt, and that if she were to tell her collegues about me, they'd probably all agree that I had a screw or two loose.) She was really nice and friendly and I enjoyed chatting with her, but she was pretty adament that I talk to a doctor--if possible an OB/GYN--to ask about the risks. Nevermind the fact that I've never had a bladder infection in my life, and nevermind the fact that it was a balmy 8*C outside and with my two layers on the bottom and three on the top plus a headband, my core was toasty warm the whole run. Bladder infections and infertility from cold feet. Ahh Jeez.
Finally got my marathon on the chart! My iPhone has been acting kinda weird lately so I had to get to a real computer to update the chart. (That's what work computers are for, right?
) Still don't have a marathon report written, though. I started writing and all at once I realized it was turning into a short novel which probably no one except me will ever want to read. Still, I'm enjoying writing it and will probably post it on my blog here eventually, but at this point I'm doing it more for me than for anyone else.Has anyone else every heard the theory that if your feet are cold, you're more prone to get bladder infections and, as a woman, become infertile? I'm thinking it's a strange German thing, but over the last two years I've probably heard that from about 100 different people. This afternoon on my run I was "joined" for about 10 minutes by a lady riding her bike home from work who was absolutely convinced of both of those things and seemed truly concerned for me. (She also happened to mention that she works as a neurologist at the university hospital here in Frankfurt, and that if she were to tell her collegues about me, they'd probably all agree that I had a screw or two loose.
) She was really nice and friendly and I enjoyed chatting with her, but she was pretty adament that I talk to a doctor--if possible an OB/GYN--to ask about the risks. Nevermind the fact that I've never had a bladder infection in my life, and nevermind the fact that it was a balmy 8*C outside and with my two layers on the bottom and three on the top plus a headband, my core was toasty warm the whole run. Bladder infections and infertility from cold feet. Ahh Jeez.
I don't agree. Wind chill is the effect of cold wind across skin. Take a look at this chart.
It shows that wind speed does reduce the perceived temperature, with frostbite even possible at 40°F. Interesting enough, Environment Canada does not record a wind chill, if the temperature is above 32°F.
I do agree that radiant temperature of the running surface has a greater impact on how comfortable running in near/sub-freezing temps can be. I believe that Lou actually used an infrared thermometer on some of his runs.
Living in Winterpeg, believe me windchill makes a huge difference. Temps can be at 0 degrees and with the wind chill when it is blowing from the north can easily drop 10 to 20 degrees. When you get to -20, those 10 degrees can account for a hell of a chilly run. Believe me I know from my first year out.
Another 6 km tonight (funny that it was warmer tonight than this afternoon, damn windchill) that brings me to a even 200 km so far.
Wow, that's a lot of work!
I definitely won't be testing my limits. Minus 6-7 C / 20F on smooth dry asphalt is my cut-off point, to make sure I don't risk getting hurt.
@Chelsea, I've never heard anything about bladder infections and infertility, but presumably Old World folk science is more advanced than here in the New World. Mostly we just get nonsense about catching a cold. Unfortunately my tropical born-and-raised wife also subscribes to this silliness and won't let our toddler out without shoes on even if it's above 50 F / 10 C.
