I can only take so much treadmill running before I just have to get outside. My threshold is about two runs on the treadmill per week. I don't really feel like the treadmill engages my mind, body and spirit in the same way running outside does. Which is why I'll brave the cold and snow to run outside (Ice is a different matter, I've fallen before and have no desire to fall like that again so I'll come inside when it is icy). Everyone has a different tolerance for cold, as a runner in New England I've kind of had to move my threshold in order to run outside in the winter months. When we first moved back to New Hampshire from Arizona I had an incredibly low tolerance for cold and also had no idea how to dress, so most of my runs were inside; I also wasn't running more than maybe 10 miles a week and racing wasn't even on my radar at that time. Now all that has changed. I know how to dress. I've heightened my cold-tolerance and as a result I'm able to log miles in the winter. I'm not saying that running in the cold is super fun, it's not, but for me it is more desirable than running on the treadmill.

As with everything that is uncomfortable or difficult, I've found that the more you lean into (or embrace) it, the more tolerable it becomes. There are a few ways that I "lean into" the difficulty of cold-weather running:

Visualize It. I spend some time the night before, as I'm setting out my clothes, visualizing getting up early, putting on my gear walking out into the shocking cold and starting to run. I know I'll be cold for a bit and then once I warm up I'll be OK (not great, but OK). And then I think about the satisfied feeling I'll have finishing the run and coming home to a nice HOT cup of coffee.

Dress Properly. I wore three layers on top and two layers on the bottom on my 5 degree run on Tuesday. It turned out to be perfect. How much to wear is very individual so it's best to play around with it and find out what works for you at different temperatures. But the more layers you have the more variable it can be: you can always take a layer off and tie it around your waste. The tricky parts to keep warm are you face, hands and feet. I wore a neck warmer that I could pull up over my face its very similar to THIS ONE: something that is breathable but covers. I wear Darn Tough socks (or Smart Wool, when my Darn Tough ones are dirty) on my feet and they keep my toes warm. I also make sure to wear my "warmer" running shoes, my Saucony Rides because they aren't as thin as my Kinvaras. On my hands I wear convertible clove mittens from Saucony. Mittens are a must for me because I have Raynaud's Phenomenon/Syndrome, which is reduced blood flow to extremities in the cold.

Would you Rather? For me this works. I'd rather spend 45 minutes outside in the cold than 45 minutes on the treadmill. And if that doesn't work sometimes I compare things that are mildly uncomfortable to child birth, and honestly nothing ever compares. If its not childbirth I should be able to tough it out. Maybe I'm a little crazy.

The same thing about "leaning into" uncomfortable things could be said of me and the treadmill. If I leaned into it a bit more, maybe I could raise my treadmill-tolerance. It can go both ways. So if you don't like the cold don't feel bad! You have a higher treadmill-tolerance than I. But if you can't stand the treadmill and want to give running in the cold a try make sure you've got plenty of layers and go for it! Use discretion though. You can be a little crazy…just don't be stupid.

What is your cold tolerance? How do you lean into things that are uncomfortable or difficult?

--Sarah

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