That may or, may not be Santa off in the distance, but yeah, it started up cold……

okay it remained cold for the short just under 4K run……but am so glad I got out…

I procrastnated for most of Christmas morning….then after the gifts were all opened, I knew I had to get out before the family get together, and yeah, FOOD!!…….

at one time, I was thinking maybe not….I’ve been out 4 out of the last 5 days, 6 out of the last 7….should I take Christmas day off as a day off…..would it be the worst thing….

BUT IT’S CHRISTMAS…..a tradition…even though it’s the coldest it’s been here on Christmas Day in 50 year, you still have to go…

There’s still that commitment, every day until the end of the year, until I turn 63.

The whole purpose being to get me ready for 2022, ready to begin that focused march towards the BMO Vancouver Half Marathon on May 1st………

So yeah, I ran today……not that far, a pretty good route, some trail, some through the ‘hood…..and yeah, dispite all that, no matter what, no matter the distance, you still get some fitness…

You would think snot would freee at -37 C (for those of you outside of Canuck metric land, that’s -34.6F…the colder it gets, the closer the two sort of measure the same sort of suffering)

So what do you wear at -37C? Everything?

The jacket, this New Balance jacket has been doing the trick…it’s lined and warm…I complained about it a few times over the past year – it’s a little too warm – but at -37C it does the trick. Keeps out the wind chills, and it fits and feels like a great runner’s jacket……..

I did two layers underneath, I needed that……a Craft base layer ……one they don’t make anymore, but it’s been good for 6 winters, so still works, and then I threw just a random long sleeve on top…..that did the trick….we do carry Craft gear at our Running Room store in St. Albert…..and their stuff aways seems to work well in the colder seasons.

Bottoms, was simple…a Ron Hill pair of tights – again something I’ve had for a while, but I like them…they’re not winter specific, but my legs don’t always get that cold, I just need something to keep the wind chill off…..and possibly for the first time ever, I wore a base layer, and a warm bit of protective gear to keep the privates warm…….none of it was all that thick, so all fit well….

Socks, just a pair Feetures socks just longer than usual (I usually like showing a little skin…again, my lower body doesn’t always get that cold…..

The head…just an old toque from a Hair Massacure event (yeah you know, you dye your hair pink, get it shaved, raise money to fight cancer in kids) and a BUFF…

the only issue was…my glasses fogged up (I can’t wear contacts!)….so I just took them off and stuff ’em in a pocket…I can see well enough without, just don’t ask me to read a book.

I’ll model for tomorrow’s post…I plan another run, and will probably dress the same, it works!…….

With all the extra gear, and the traction aids on my Brooks Adrenalines, I did feel a little heavier…so wasn’t moving too quickly (that was yesterday’s run/workout)………..

So the lesson…it’s almost never too cold to run. I seem to have developed a love of running on ice….I seem to almost be looking for something to stick those pins into…..I usually like to stick between -25C and +25C, but if you’ve got a run plan, or even if it’s a want not a need, it still can be done…..

And even though at 63, trying to run every day is probably not what the doctor ordered, but just as with every run, it just felt so good…….the really only bad run, is the one you don’t do.

So…..see you tomorrow?