Baby, its cold outside

A cold Laura here,

To quote the husband (who is probably quoting someone else), " if you fail to plan you plan to fail!"

So yes, I plan everything. I plan what to eat for the entire week, what our activities on the weekends (this is not as unilateral as it sounds or as I would like), my next hair appointment while I am getting my hair done, my next teeth cleaning during the cleaning. Especially what I am going to at the gym, on what days and how (wasn't it just two days ago we were discussing flexibility?).

I plan because:

A.    I am a control freak

B.    I don't like surprises (see A)

C.    When I don't I make poor decisions (again see A)

If I did not plan my meals for the week, I would eat pizza probably every day for all meals and M& M's for dessert (peanut, not plain). If I don’t plan what is going to happen at the gym  I would most likely just get on the treadmill every day and run my 5K.

Benefits come from planning. My goals are lofty and I know I can achieve them. I need to eat well and exercise properly. Planning prepares me to do both.

So imagine my surprise when I left the house for my run on Thursday morning and it was not just cold but windy. I saw the thermometer on the Today Show and it said 39 degrees. I know how to dress for that.

I'm a skier plus I read an article from Runners’ world : 1010 Tips For Running in the Cold which clearly states that if you wear long pants, a technical shirt and a vest you will fine (I do believe everything I read). I walked outside and YOWZA! CHILLY! CHILLY! CHILLY!

I walked to Central Park thinking the whole way that once I get moving I will be ok. I have done this before when I trained for two half marathons and I know once I get inside the wind won't be as bad. My experience tells me to embrace the cocoon of the park (of course that only works when the wind is blowing in a single direction and the trees have leaves).

Up the west side to the big hill and back down to my exit , the wind had me, eyes tearing , nose running desperation to finish so I can get inside where it was quiet ( wind is very noisy BTW)

All of my mental predictions about being ok were wrong but only because I had failed to plan my run in advance. Sure I knew the route but it would have had been a much better experience had I just taken five minutes to turn on the computer and look at the wind chill and the real temperature. At that point I would have chosen long pants (not Capri pants), a slightly thicker technical shirt, gloves and hat that covers my ears. Just so you know, I MADE the husband take his ear muffs before he left with the dog to go to the dog run.

Most planning does not take long, some does but being prepared is worth the effort (fire drills anyone).

Yes I love to run. I may have mentioned that before, but on days like this, it’s just miserable and completely preventable.

Play hard & stay warm!

Laura