Winter Is Coming

Snowman

Yesterday, when I left for work, it was in the 60’s.  This morning, when I left for work, it was 42 degrees.  Hello, fall.

I’m honestly a big fan of fall and winter.  I love being able to bundle up in sweaters and coats and scarves.  I’m not a huge fan of being cold, but there’s just something so comforting about cold weather.  Plus I much prefer running in the cold to running on a hot summer day.  And running in the snow?  So much fun.  I always feel like I’ve accomplished something huge when I go for a run and the snow is falling.  It’s as if it makes me extra powerful or something, even though the run always ends up being fairly slow.

Another benefit to winter running?  It’s actually advantageous to sleep in and start my run later in the morning.  In the summer, if I want to get a long run in, the earlier I’m out there, the better.  In the winter?  It’s much better to wait until the sun has been up for a while.

Plus I need less sunscreen.  Yes, you need to wear sunscreen in the winter.  But when your arms and legs are covered in clothing, that’s fewer body parts that need sunscreen.

One of the reasons I like cold weather running has to do with my heart rate issues.  When it’s hot, my heart rate is generally higher to begin with, so it’s really easy to hit 185, which is the point at which I make myself slow down.  In the winter, it’s much less of a problem, so I end up running significantly faster because I’m not having to slow down to slow my heart rate.  And I can run faster and feel less run down.  It’s a win all around.

Of course, DC winters frequently involve lots of cold rain.  That is not fun weather and I absolutely do not run outside in it.  It generally makes me grumpy.  So I’m hoping that the predictions of a colder than average winter are correct.  Colder = more chance of snow instead of rain.

I’m sure in a few months, I will be lamenting how cold it is.  But for now, I’m looking forward to the winter.  I don’t know how those of you living in climates without seasons handle it.  I love the variety.

 

2 thoughts on “Winter Is Coming

  1. Yay!! I love winter too, although I don’t like DC drivers in the winter. They panic when it’s snowing anywhere in the world, even if the street in the area are dry. 😀

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