winter running

Molasses in January

I’ve completed one whole week of MAF training. Go me!

My first observation is that while I am running slowly, I’m not running that much slower than I was without the heart rate monitor. It seems I was doing a pretty decent job of staying close to aerobic. It is difficult to tell, of course, because I run such different courses.

I downloaded a user-created app for my watch that beeps when I go over 144 bpm, which is 2 bpm over what the 180-age-5 formula says. That works nicely, as it doesn’t start beeping if I’m briefly at 143, or if I’m holding steady at 142. It has helped me keep in check, although the first time I used it, I ended up well below the threshold, so I have been paying more attention to the heart rate display on my watch as I’m running.

Now that it’s very cold, I’m struggling. It’s still hard to keep it under control for the first mile or so, but earlier last week, when it was still in the 20s or even low 30s, it leveled off.

Saturday it was in the single digits, and I was miserable. My thighs and my butt were cold for most of the run, and I couldn’t find a way to protect my face without fogging up my glasses, so I alternated between blindness and frozen cheeks.

I gave up on keeping my heart rate below 142, and instead tried to keep my heart rate steady. I ended up completely unsuccessful. Spikes all over the place, as you can see in the picture. (Heart rate is shown with the orange line, pace with the white line.)

HRvsPace

Some of the spikes coincide with hills (corresponding to big drop-offs in pace), but not all of them. It needs to warm up so I can enjoy running outside. Today is treadmill city, again (so was yesterday), since it’s the middle of the day and it’s only 1 F. I suppose I should be glad it’s been mild up til now, but there’s still a lot of winter to go.

MAF Test Attempt #1

My replacement heart rate monitor came on Saturday, and after I remembered I needed to sync it before it would connect with my watch, I was able to take it out for a test on Sunday.

I was attempting to set a baseline for measuring my aerobic progress using the MAF Test recommended by Dr. Maffetone. I was supposed to run a warm-up, followed by 5 miles at my maximum aerobic heart rate (mine is 142), and then a cool-down. The warm-up is 15-20 minutes long (or longer) and I was supposed to gradually increase my heart rate to 142. The 5 miles at 142 bpm should have gotten progressively slower, and then I had to cool down for 15-20 mins, bringing my heart rate gradually back down.

That’s not how it worked.

I chose to do the test along Minnesota Ave. on Minnesota Point, because it’s flat, so I wouldn’t have hills messing up my results. It didn’t seem that cold and the trees didn’t seem to be moving so I didn’t think there was any wind. Wind and cold can affect the heart rate. It turned out it was windy, so that was annoying.

I was having trouble with my heart rate from the get-go. I was walking and it was spiking even though I was barely exerting myself, and then the monitor slipped down and I lost contact. It wasn’t tight enough, since I was afraid of stretching out the strap too much, as happened with my first heart rate monitor. Apparently stretching out the strap affects its ability to function. Argh.

Warmup: 1 mile, 18:39, 115 bpm avg

I was micro-managing my heart rate during the first mile, but it was either too high or too low, jumping all over the place. The road was snowy and/or icy in spots, and the sidewalks weren’t consistently cleared. I was running on the road and at times had to pause and wait for cars to go by before I could safely get around parked vehicles. I ended up with almost exactly the opposite of what is supposed to happen in the test.

Mile 1: 16:52, 137 bpm
Mile 2: 16:03, 134 bpm
Mile 3: 16:00, 133 bpm
Mile 4: 15:27, 134 bpm
Mile 5: 15:43, 135 bpm

Whoops. I’m not sure what this means. Maybe I need a longer warm-up. Maybe I need to use a lower max heart rate. Maybe this is not going to work in winter. I don’t know.

Cooldown: 0.74 mi, 19:06 pace, 122 bpm avg

I’m going to give the test another try in a month or so and see if I can get a better result. The workout itself was good, I felt great afterward, and the warm-up and cool-down felt nice. So it wasn’t a total loss, although it was frustrating trying to make the test work.

I looked at the extended forecast and it looks like there’s only a week or so of the somewhat unusually warm weather left, so that was a bit depressing. I also signed up for the lottery for the Superior 25K in May, so with a little luck, I’ll get in.

Where The Sidewalk Ends

Last week was a bit light on running since I didn’t run from Dec 24-26, but I still got in a couple of relatively decent runs, most of them outside!

I got my safety vest and headlamp and was raring to try them out, so I did a couple of road runs Monday and Wednesday. They were both terrible. The runs, I mean, both items worked well and I felt very safe running.

Monday’s run was slick and difficult. Many stretches of sidewalk were icy, and in some spots the ice was uneven and rutted, making it tough to find good footing.

Wednesday’s run was sloppy and wet with new snow. It was snowing most of the time I was running, which meant the sidewalks weren’t shoveled, and in some places the snow plowed from the street had spilled over onto the sidewalk. It was 34 degrees so there was plenty of slush and my feet were soaked. I was concerned about getting cold, but my feet felt fine the whole time, and I wasn’t even wearing fancy winter socks.

Both runs were infinitely better than running on the treadmill.

I’m a little concerned about running this upcoming week. It snowed on Saturday, and when driving around Sunday, it appeared that the sidewalks were hit or miss as far as shoveling was concerned. Running in the street is not an option as the streets are already narrowed due to the snow. I can’t handle the treadmill every day, so I’ll have to figure something out in the meantime, and hope that people get around to shoveling.

The weather has been great, though. Highs in the 20s every day except yesterday! I can handle the annoying sidewalks if the weather stays this nice!

Dashing Through the Snow

I returned to the Superior Hiking Trail yesterday, starting at the Magney-Snively parking lot and heading toward Ely’s Peak.
SHT
It was a bit magical, you might say. At least, the scenery was.

The run, on the other hand, was not very pleasant. I ran just over 5 miles and it took me a little over 2 hours. Yikes. I mean, I’m slow. But I’m not that slow. I was planning to go to Ely’s Peak and back, and that didn’t happen. I was chasing daylight by the end, and probably had about 15 minutes or so left before it started to get dark. I should have brought my headlamp, but didn’t. I did have my phone with me just in case I needed a flashlight.

I wasn’t breaking trails, but they weren’t nice tamped down trails either. I didn’t expect they would be, but I also didn’t expect it to be so physically taxing to run in snow like that. It’s still preferable to running in sand, but I felt pretty worn out.

I wore my shoe chains (which have corroded a bit on the surface, so we’ll see how long they last before they break), which helped me dig in. I felt a lot more confident bombing down hills with the added traction. I did slip once but I was trying to take too big of a step up and the snow gave way.

I might have to rethink some of my trail running plans for the winter. I mean, obviously running at Hartley or Bagley will be no problem, but going off the beaten path is going to take more effort than expected. I read somewhere (I would link the article if I remembered where) that running trails in the winter should be based on time rather than distance. So, if my training plan calls for 10 miles, I should run for the time it would take me to run 10 miles on dirt, and I’ll get the same benefit. Right now I’m not training for anything, but it’s something to keep in mind. I certainly felt like I ran more than 5 miles, which was unfortunate since I was tired for the 10:20 showing of The Force Awakens.

I ended the week with 27.7 miles, which is about where I want to be for a base. However, I also took two weeks off from running, so that’s not where I wanted to be for a base. I still have a few more weeks before I start my spring training cycle, so I’ll have at least a month’s base to start from. I’m enjoying this unstructured, relaxed running, but I also kind of miss training for a race. Let’s see what I think in mid-March when I’m panicking about whether or not I’m prepared for the race that’s only a few weeks away.

A Chill in the Air

Well, getting some warmer running tights or a base layer for underneath them just rocketed to the top of my shopping list.

I had a great run today at Hartley, hitting three of my favorite trails (Guardrail, Rock Knob, and Root Canal) and ending up with 7.5 miles. It was slow, an average pace of 17:47, but there were some really chewed-up trails rutted and covered in ice. I assume this is because people were biking on them when it was wet and muddy. So with the icy/slippery parts, plus my generally cautious nature, I wasn’t exactly flying down the hills. It’s probably time to start putting the shoe chains on.

I felt great for most of the run, enjoying the scenery and grateful to be outside rather than stuck on the treadmill. Toward the end, my hands started to get cold and my plan to try to eke out 8 miles was cut short. It was a good decision, because I got cold fast.

As I was driving to Hartley, I was concerned I wasn’t wearing enough gear. For a shorter run, those concerns were unfounded, but it turned out I was right. I had a short-sleeved tech tee, a hoodie, a pair of medium-weight running tights, a pair of short shorts layered over the tights, over the calf socks, gloves, and a buff worn as a headband. It was in the low 20s F, so kind of on the borderline of when I like to add more clothing.

What I really needed was another thin layer on top, and another layer on the bottom. I discovered this when I was showering; the skin on the backs of my arms, my sides, and the front of my thighs was bright red. My thighs definitely had the worst of it, as they were itchy, too. I probably should have waited longer to get in the shower, but oh well. I’m still feeling a bit cold, but I also keep my house kinda cold.

So, I’ve concluded I need warmer running tights, another layer for underneath the tights, or possibly both, depending on what kind of temperatures I’m running in as we get into full-on winter up here. If I come up with a good solution, I’ll pass it along.

Ease On Down The Treadmill

Well, two days of running in a row, hooray for me!

I ordered a headlamp and reflective vest today. I was going to pick both up at the store this evening after my (one and only) final, but they didn’t seem to have any good headlamps (only cheapo ones) and they only had one running vest left that wasn’t the right size. So I found a couple deals online and I have free 2-day shipping from Prime, so now I can run outside in just a few days!

The treadmill is unpleasant, and my body already hurts from it, specifically my hips. I’m not doing any speed work and not pushing at all, to try to minimize the stress on my body.

Monday I was absolutely dying of boredom, running at a 3.8 mph pace for 4 miles. And I was so hungry I whined aloud about it at several points. My cats were terrified. Yesterday was a lot better because the Wild were winning.

I found myself wanting to push the pace up a little (especially since I had mileage goals, rather than time goals, for the workouts) or lengthen the workout, and I held myself back both times. I took two weeks off, I can’t go from zero to 30 mpw the first week back. So, I can pat myself on the back for not overdoing it.

I can’t pat myself on the back for the poor time management that forced me to miss one of my last weekday afternoon workouts. I could have gone trail running, but instead I had to study. I had plenty of time to get started studying for the exam, but started Monday night, then didn’t get up til 10:30 or so on Tuesday, and then realized I had a lot more studying to do than I thought. So there was no chance for the 6 mile trail run I thought I’d do from about 12-2 (test was at 4). Alas. I won’t get another chance at a trail until Saturday.

My HOPE is that the precipitation we are supposed to get over the next few days is solely snow, and not rain. I’d rather have snow on the ground than ice/cold mud on the trails. We’ve gotten far too much rain, and it makes me nervous, especially since I drive over the high bridge for work, and don’t feel like driving over it when it’s slick with ice.

Ah, winter. Welcome back.

Cold Weather Gear Wish List

I’ve been getting outside to run on the weekends, but stuck inside during the week. I’ve noticed a couple things: first, it’s cold, and second, the treadmill is really rough on me. I need cold weather gear that will help me get outside during the week, and will keep me comfortable once it starts to get REALLY cold. While the 20s and teens might feel frigid right now, they’ll feel balmy in a month or so.

The next 2 weeks are going to be light on running as my semester winds down. I am digging in on the final touches of my capstone project, and running is going to take a backseat.

High Priority:
A new pair of gloves
Heavier-weight running tights
Head lamp
Superior Hiking Trail Membership
Upper Midwest Trail Runners Membership

I need a headlamp ASAP. I looked a bit on Black Friday but didn’t buy anything, so I need to get on that like, this weekend. For the gloves, I really need is a glove-mitten hybrid, but with fingerless gloves. I want the extra warmth a mitten provides, but I need dexterity to open up food on long runs. I don’t know if such an item exists. I’ll report back. My current running tights aren’t warm enough, and I end up with frigid thighs. I need some new tights, or a super slim pair of long underwear, otherwise I’m going to be rocking the shorts-over-tights look again.

The two memberships are important because I need to stop being such a lone wolf. I need to give back to the trails I’m beating up with my feet, and I need to meet some other runners and be more social.

Medium Priority:
A new sports bra
New hose for my hydration backpack
A heavyweight running hoodie

I didn’t use my hydration backpack in the summer because I used handhelds, but in the winter I will use it because I also cross-country ski, and one cannot use hand-held water bottles and cross country ski. It just won’t work. I’m still in search of a sports bra model that I like, so I’d like to pick up another one and continue the search while cutting down on laundry.

The running hoodie might be medium-priority, but I’ve already got one picked out. I’m getting this lovely maroon one from UMD Stores for myself once I accept a job offer. Whenever that might be. Although I need to make sure it has secure pockets. If not, I need to find a hoodie with zippered pockets.

Low priority:
Another pair of shoes
New socks

I have a coupon for shoes, so even though this is low priority, I’ll probably use it. I want to try some true trail shoes. And I guess I want to try out some different types of socks to see what works best for me in winter.

You can see my summer gear wish list here, and note that some items are on both. A headlamp for all seasons, please!