Electron Cold
 

David Yon, January 8, 2010
 

I do not remember a time in Tallahassee when there were so many days so cold for so long. It presents a unique set of challenges for runners who insist on staying outdoors. And it is not just the cold that makes it so difficult to get out the door; it is also the dark. Maybe by North Dakota standards this is spring weather. But when I wander out the door and the temperature has dipped into the 20’s, the wind is blowing and it is dark – all I can think of as that first blast of cold hits me is , as the “fusion” group Sea Level once sang, “electron cold.”

But for those who decide to stay inside and hit the treadmill or bike, you are missing one of the great feelings associated with running. Despite that initial shock and bone chilling first mile, some of my favorite runs have come on “electron cold” days. As the sun comes up, the effort of running warms the body and something special happens. The bone chilling cold gets replaced by a warm glow and a sensory awareness that only a clear cold day can produce – a day when the outdoors almost seems frozen in silent space. Maybe you first notice it while stopped at a light or crossroad – your breath hangs in the air and the world around you is calm and clear. Suddenly, you just feel connected to this quiet world . The cold can no longer penetrate your armor; and it is just better to be outdoors than inside on the treadmill.

The good news today is that clothing fibers give runners the chance to wear more layers without feeling like the Michelin man. My key to running in cold weather is wearing layers and keeping my hands warm. The demands of running shunt the blood away from the hands and they get cold and don’t warm up. If I can protect them, everything else seems to warm up ok. So good gloves are my first key to surviving outside. A good ski cap (you lose a lot of heat through your head especially if it contains a lot of empty space) for the first part of the run helps a lot as well. As I have aged, I have found I put on more layers than I used to . The good thing about layers is they can be peeled off as you start warming up.

And my legs? Well, the days of “real men don’t wear tights” have been replaced by “yes, if it is under 40 degrees, I will.” The threshold temperature has gradually moved up from the teens, to the 20’s and now it is the 30’s. Tights really don’t slow me down and they sure help get me through those early miles. But legs do warm up and if I had to choose between tights and gloves, I would keep my gloves. The best choice though is running outdoors over running on the treadmill.

Saturday, January 16, is a special day for running in Tallahassee. It starts out with the GWTC 30K (and 15K) race on Old Centerville Road which is directed by Jackie and Jerry McDaniel. It was a bitterly cold start for this race last year, but still a wonderful day for racing and the cold just made the post race chili taste that much better. Old Centerville Road is a beautiful country clay road that passes between huge oaks and beautiful plantation land. It is a hilly course, but well worth the effort. That night the club will hold its Annual Awards Ceremony at a new location – the Retreat at Bradley’s Pond, which is the staging area for the 30K. Among other awards, the Runners of the Year and new Hall of Fame inductee will be introduced. Something tells me that whoever they might be, they will have a good appreciation for running in the cold.