Tuesday night it was -18C/-0.4F when Yo-go, K and I went out for our group run. We took it easy on K who was brave enough to show up for her first really cold run ever, even though she called herself crazy. We agreed with her that we were all crazy, but in a good way. We did about 5.5km instead of the usual 6.5, and all were pretty warm by end.
Calgary is a strange place, that we have such huge, quick temperature fluctuations. Last night it was -1.4C/29.5F when I went out for my hill run. It always feels warmer when I’m used to colder. It felt pleasantly wierd to go outside without a zillion layers, kind of a freeing, not-quite-nude feeling.
I’m adding this 4th day of running per week (Wednesdays) this year, and despite the warm weather, I didn’t want to go. I managed to tell myself “Just get out the door and do ONE hill”, even though I had put 3 on my training plan. My hill is about 800m (haven’t measured it exactly), and it takes me about 5 minutes of happy running down, 7 minutes of slogging to get up. I did get two done, so it was a good compromise. I think my long run Sunday affected me more than I had thought it would.
Tonight I’ll nip out for a quick, flat 5k and hopefully it won’t be as windy as it has been this morning.
Saturday we are heading down to a predicted -24C/-11.2 for the Nose Creek cross country race. Hah, the less folks that show up, the more carrot soup for me 🙂
Editors Note: We are experiencing some temporary technical difficulties while we tweak my blog format – hope you like the new look we eventually produce.
All Downhill From Here 
ooh, nice new layout! good luck in the xc race this weekend, and enjoy the soup!
By: jeff on January 6, 2005
at 9:32 am
cool blue -like the look of your site!
By: yolanda on January 6, 2005
at 11:48 am
As I look out my office window, I am wishing I like you had run last night rather than the planned long run home. Short or long I will make a start and hop on the bus when I have had enough of the nasty wind and snow out there. See you on Saturday.
By: Dawn (aka Pink Lady) on January 6, 2005
at 12:21 pm
Yeah, those temperature swings are killers. It’s the same here in Montreal, one day is -1C the next is -15C. Wind also appears out of nowhere. A couple of weeks ago I had to cope with an absurd wind chill at the end of a run that really had me cursing for a while.
I’ve been pretty crazy in the past weeks and probably just foolish. In my case, my craziness has turned into caution. I decided to put a hard limit of -20C wind chill to my runs, no more runs at -25C for me. It’s not fun if you have to do it several times a week.
Oh, and yes, your site looks better now. It also loads up faster than before.
Take care.
By: Rafael in Montreal on January 6, 2005
at 12:26 pm
Hi Karen, I think I have it fixed now. Do you like everything ok now?
By: Mark on January 6, 2005
at 12:46 pm
I pretty much limit any running in below -20C to XC races. I know if I go out on the race course that there are volunteers who anxiously await my finish, so they can go in for soup. The races are supposedly cancelled if it goes below -25C, but in 4 years of racing them, I’ve never heard of one being cancelled. There’s a certain extra sense of accomplishment and bonding when I show up with all the other crazy nuts and conquer the nasty environment.
… and hey, it’s only 4 or 8 km …
I have been known to do some very short loops in -30 just to prove a point, but I generally don’t advise it.
By: Anonymous on January 6, 2005
at 4:45 pm
I sure Like the looks of your “New Look”
By: LouBob on January 6, 2005
at 5:16 pm
Lookin’ good, Karen. Good luck and enjoy the soup:)
By: susan on January 6, 2005
at 6:03 pm
I like the new look! Very clean. As for running in the cold: And I thought 30 degrees Fahrenheit was cold. I don’t think this California girl is tough enough to run in the temps you’re running in
By: bex on January 8, 2005
at 5:06 pm