Last night it was cold. There was snow piled up on the sidewalk and ice underneath. It was -10 C (14 F) but said to feel like -20 C with the windchill. It was not a nice evening. But, Eric doesn’t have a gym membership and we had a three-mile run scheduled and there was no way we were going to miss it.
So we set out donning toques, turtlenecks and gloves. After the first 1/2 mile my lungs were burning. Thank god we were only running three miles. Eric is doing so good, for the most part we run alongside each other. But he’s the opposite of me, going downhill bothers his shins so he usually has to walk/run slow on the downhill part of the run and going uphill is what tuckers me out.
Instead of swimming on Wednesday night I did the bike for 40 minutes and my legs were BURNING yesterday. I don’t know if it was a combination of that and the cold but I have never been so tired after a run. We’re doing it again today but this time we’re going to try going the opposite way and see if there’s a little less downhill. Training week 1 has been successful so far. There’s still three days left in it but today I’m just going to do some weights and running and tomorrow is just yoga. Well, for me anyways. Eric hasn’t been doing any crosstraining. He’s just doing four runs a week and then he does weights at home occasionally.
You know how some guy’s have those big arm weights lying around and they do a few sets of bicep curls and consider it a workout–well that’s his “weight” workout that he occasionally does.
Since I’m doing all my running outside with Eric now I’m thinking about not getting a gym membership next month and just doing the 30-day shred DVD twice a week for weights, I’d do two levels in a row so I’d get 40 minutes of circuit training, twice a week. My gym membership is ONLY $25 a month, but I’m not really using it other than doing weight training twice a week so I might as well get rid of the extra cost. I can always renew my membership half-way through the month.
Do you guy’s use the gym a lot or do you do your workouts from home or outside? What’s the coldest temperature you’ve ever ran in? Seriously, I might be being a total baby but it was COLD last night!
Have a good weekend, what’s everyone doing? XO
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
wow girl! kudos to you for running in the cold! i am such a wimp when it comes to that! i have ran in teh 30’s before, but its so cold for me haha. i would so much rather run outside than on the treadmill though. hope you have a FAB weekend! im DECLUTTERING!!!
woooo how fun
I mix it up! I love to run outside when i’m training since it’s easier to pass the time than being on a treadmill. However, I love my gym and go at least four or five times a week. they have the weights i don’t feel like buying, people watching and the gym excitement.
Weekend is going to be super lazy and I’m super excited about it. Reading. Dinner/Movie date with the boyfriend. Family dinner on Sunday. it doesn’t get much better than this!
Have a great weekend!!
now i’m doing my weights from home. still go to the gym for treadmill, sometimes the stationary bike. but the Tri Power program i’m doing is mostly bodyweight/light dumbells so i do it during evening tv.
Can’t believe you can run outside in the winter…I would be on my ass in less than 5 min. that’s for sure!
I absolutely LOVE working out at home, although I do like taking classes too
I have a treadmill though, so I guess it might make it a bit easier 
I’m going to use the 30-day shred as my weight work-out too, and I’ll be following your lead: today I’ll do 2 levels
Wow! You’re a trooper! I have a gym membership but haven’t been in a long while… it’s TERRIBLE! I need to get my lazy butt to the gym asap!
This weekend I’m going to see Legally Blonde!! So excited!
i do not run outside if its below 35 degrees! i’m also not a fan of the rain…its pouring right now, and i’m about to head to the gym!
I hate running on treadmills, so try to run outdoors as much as possible. That said, I am SUCH a baby when it comes to running in the cold. A few years ago I did this Valentine's Day 5k - it was -10F when we started the run. It was not fun. At all. Again, I am such a baby.
So even though I hate the treadmill, I run on it until it's about 20F outside.
You & Eric are doing so well on your training! I had to decide not to do the 1/2 in May…
My semester has not been going so well & I just haven't had the time to properly train. I am hoping to run one in June or maybe late July, though… we'll see!
Hey congrats on the cold run! I think running when it is really cold gives you perspective- regular cold weather doesn’t feel so bad afterward. It sounds like you two are doing so well with your training! I know I have more trouble working out without a gym, it’s just so much easier to take a nap
But I’m lucky because there is a gym literally right next door to me, and it’s free through my university. You could always try going gym-free for a month and see how that works.
~Amanda
Er, I admire you so much right now. You have no idea. You’re just my fitness hero. I would have never even considered going outside in sub zero temperature to go running.
Yeah, 14degF is pretty cold. I’ve run in probably 25degF weather with full on ski mittens, spandex, goretex shoes, etc. So freezing and had to watch out for icy spots on the sidewalk, which made the pace much slower. I do a mix of gym, outside running and home workouts. Sometimes I think I could live without my gym membership, but on those days I’m feeling too wimpy to be outside for long periods or just can’t get motivated at home, the gym is my ideal place. The thing about the gym is that once you’re there you’re forced to workout pretty much. I don’t go home until I’ve finished at least 90 minutes of workout, after all, I did have to get dressed, drive/walk myself there and then get home so I might as well. Happy weekend!
Cold is definitely tough. If nothing else it makes you run harder in the spring and summer because you realize how beautiful that weather is, what a joy it is to run in optimal conditions. So I suppose you could choose to look at it as a motivational element?
Cool blog. I will have to add to the reader.
Where I live it’s easy for me to be a wuss about the weather. I like running in the cold — I’m usually too hot. Of course, it doesn’t get nearly as cold where I am.