My next run would be my first in the pre-dawn before work. The January thaw of my first run was definitely over and the thermometer read under 25 degrees when I woke up. Definitely "non-actionable" for cycling outdoors, at least for me (which is why I'm usually on the trainer until the first race in March), but worth a try for running. Especially if you have the right clothes.
As comfy as the sweatpants/hoodie combo is for lounging around, I discovered it's not all that practical for running. Even worse, the pants are black and the hoodie is dark red - and there's nothing reflective at all. I might as well beg the cars to hit me on their way to work. So, instead, I donned my Le Carbons* and my YJA**, got my gloves and hat, again, and went out the door.
It was cold. There was frost over everything, and even the driveway was just a little slick from the freeze. Even if I'd been inclined to ride, the prospect of black ice and skinny tires would have put the ixnay on that. But I figured I could run, so I started my podcast and my walking warmup.
As soon as I started my first running interval, the iPod stopped. Apparently, the cycling jersey pocket wasn't snug enough and the earbud wire kept popping out. I finally got that all secured and the rest of the run went as the first one did - except this time it was colder, and I got to see the sun come up. Between the gorgeous sky and the 8x intervals, I quickly forgot the cold.
I tried a small variation in the route, hoping to time the end of my cooldown in the cafe parking lot this time, rather than have to do a couple laps around it before stopping. The morning coffee was especially welcome and I had the place to myself, so I had a chance to take a photo to commemorate my first morning run....
... and time to check my Garmin. It had stopped after only a mile in - apparently, the bouncing that had stopped the iPod had stopped the Garmin too. $%^#!
Anybody that uses a device to record their exercise gets frustrated when it doesn't work - almost as if the workout didn't happen if there isn't data to prove it. But nothing was going to upset me this morning - the cafe was warm, the coffee was good . . . and I could always manually enter data later.
Only problem was that I underestimated the time it took me to get home from the cafe. When I entered the data for the "final" part of my run, I'd done a sub-5 minute mile.
Heh - my speed is improving by leaps and bounds already after only two runs!
I expect tomorrow's run may be, um, a bit slower though - provided I can keep the Garmin on (and the Garmin can keep me honest).
**YJA = "Yellow Jacket of Authority" (thanks to Koz for being the first to let me know what this meant)
*Le Carbons: Funny, and true, story.... The first Christmas after I started cycling (2005), the Missus wanted to get me some *good* winter cycling clothing (probably cuz she was tired of hearing me complain after my cold rides that I didn't have any good winter cycling clothing). Fortunately, we had a great local bike shop with very helpful staff. She knew them and they knew her, so she was confident going there on her own to pick something out - and with no help or particulars from me. She asked one of the guys there for "the best, warmest cycling pants" they had. Cannondale had just come out with "carbon infused" winter gear and they were marketed and labeled as "Limited Edition." Well, they were actually labeled "LE Carbon" so when she asked the guy what that meant, he said - in all seriousness - "oh, these are part of Cannondale's new Le Carbon winter clothing line - must be French or something." So, for a little while anyway, we called them Le Carbons - until we found out what the LE really stood for. But the guy sold her a great product - it's going on over 8 years and they're still the best pants for cold winter riding - and now running.
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