Six tips for making your winter race more enjoyable

It's been a busy few weeks so I haven't had time to sit and type for awhile about the race I ran a few weeks ago - the Halifax Hypothermic Half Marathon, until today. Since then, I've talked to my friends and family about how much fun I had (despite it being my slowest half marathon to date), and the answer is inevitably:

"You did what??? You're crazy. I'd never do that!"

Yes, it was a -15 degree day. Yes, it was 21.1 kilometres in that weather. But I also had the most fun of any race I've run yet, and after about five minutes I was sweating and didn't feel the cold one bit. And by the time I reached the finish line, I was determined to run another Hypo Half next year.

Here are a few of the reasons why, if you'd been standing on the road in Cow Bay on February 5, 2012, you'd have seen not only me but close to 360 runners out for the race, and having a blast. Believe me, we're not crazy. We've just learned the secrets of running outside in winter weather!

Six tips for making your winter race more enjoyable:

1. Layer, layer, layer

After four winters of running outside, I've now figured out what to wear when, depending on how cold or warm it is. It's usually something I need to relearn each season, but I know that it's much better to start a run shivering than over-dressing and end up sweating, then freezing.

For race day, which was a -15 degree day, I opted to wear a base layer wicking turtleneck with a T-shirt and windbreaker on my top layer (I tend to prefer a jacket with zippable arms so I can remove them if I get too warm). I wore a pair of tights (I cut the heel and toes so it fit like a stirrup), socks and my regular running tights, along with gloves, mitts and a hat. I was a little worried, because I was shivering at the start line, but that was likely due to pre-race jitters. By kilometre 2 I was sweating and toasty warm, and actually had to take off my wool mittens.

That's the nice thing about layering: if you get too warm, you can always take off an extra pair of mitts and undo your jacket. Also remember though that you'll need to carry any extra gear or stow it away in a pocket. You can always pull it back on if you find you're cooling down later.

2. Run with friends

This year's Hypo Half was the first race I've ever run with friends. We set out at an easy pace, with no expectations other than that we'd treat it as a training run. If one of us wanted to peel off and pick up the pace later, we did. Running with friends is a great way to keep yourself distracted and encourage each other on the race course. It's also a good way to watch out for each other - just in case hypothermia or frostbite sets in.

3. Hydrate at the water stations

Because it's cold, you may feel like you aren't sweating as much as on a hot-weather run. But the reality is, you're probably losing just as much water as you would be on a warmer day. It's important to remember to hydrate just as often, particularly on race day. The problem is, your water may become frozen, especially if it's -15 degrees!

Case in point: I chose to run the Hypo Half with my water belt and run through water stations. But because my water was frozen, I ended up fighting with my water bottles and wasting time trying to even open them. Once they were open, I then had little to no water to drink.

4. Keep fuel warm

In fact, I spent so much time fighting with my water bottles that I didn't leave myself much time to take in fuels. And when I did, they were frozen into a gloopy mess. So, if you're taking in GU or gels rather than Shot Bloks or jelly beans, make sure to keep them in your mitt to warm them up at least 10 minutes before you plan to take them. You won't be stuck with a mouthful of cold goop when it comes time to fuel. But definitely fuel - you'll find your legs don't tire as easy and you have that extra push you need to keep going when your glycogen reserves run out.

5. Enjoy the day

Anyone who hasn't run a winter race probably thinks winter runners are nuts. The fact is, running a race in the middle of winter with almost 400 other runners is fun -- there was a sense of fellowship and excitement among all of us at the start line that wintry morning two weeks ago, while we waited for the starting gun to go off. It's a great way to celebrate being active and enjoying the outdoors while other folks are huddled up inside.

The race course for the Halifax Hypo Half was littered with onlookers and folks cheering on the runners - from a group of women dressed up in Mexican sombreros and dancing next to a fake palm tree, to another woman standing by the side of the road at kilometre 10 with a box of Kleenex for us runny-nosed runners, to another group of women in a van who kept driving ahead of the runners, then getting out, opening the doors and windows while they blared music and did a crazy dance. I made a point to thank all the volunteers and high-fived some of them, because their energy gave me an extra boost and made the event memorable.

6. Consider treating a winter race as a training run

Many runners I spoke to who ran the Hypo Half also said they treated the race as a training run for spring races. Because race day conditions can be unpredictable, it's best to go out there and just enjoy the day and celebrate your fitness, because you'll likely not be able to achieve a PB under winter conditions. This is of course a personal decision, but if you set out with no expectations, you're likely to enjoy the day and might even surprise yourself with your result, too!

Those are my tips based on my experiences, but for more suggestions, check out Runner's World 10 Tips For Running in the Cold.

Do you have any tips for running in the cold, or have a winter race story you'd like to share? I'd love to read your comments!

Happy running!

~ HRG

I've been tagged!

Thanks to Losetheshoes.net for tagging me in this meme. It's time for 11 random facts about me! Here are the rules ...

11 random things about me:

1. I like dancing and singing in the rain while wearing rubber boots.
2. I come from a line of strong, independent-minded women: my grandmother on my father's side was one of the first competitive rhythmic gymnasts in England, and one of the first cohorts of Girl Guides. My grandmother on my mother's side was a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse, which she heated by stoking an old flume stove. My mother left her small northern Quebec village at the age of 16 so she could make a better life for herself instead of becoming a nun.
3. I spent a year in Holland with my family at the age of 7, where I learned to speak Dutch, jumped rope wearing wooden clogs and brought the neighbour our stale bread for his sheep, in return for candy.
4. At most points in my life I have been trilingual - although never with the same third language, which has included Old English, Japanese, Spanish and Dutch. The other two languages have always been English and French (believe it or not, my maternal language was actually French).
5. If I could, I`d do yoga every day.
6. Growing up, I dreamt of becoming a ballerina or modern dancer. My other dream was to become a writer for National Geographic or at the very least write about nature. I`d say my current job comes pretty close to accomplishing that goal. As for the first one, I still love dancing any time I can, even if it isn`t on the big stage (see #1.).
7. One of my favourite foods is fondue - can`t beat melted cheese! Then again, I love pretty much any cheese, which is why I could never be a vegan.
8. My favourite books as a little girl were Anne of Green Gables, The Little Princess, The Wind in the Willows and any of the Nancy Drew series.
9. I have often broken into laughing hysterics for minutes at a time - the belly-aching, tear-jerking, gasping kind of laugh - simply because of something silly.
10. I love my husband because he brings out the child in me, gives me pep talks before a big race, makes me laugh like no one else can, believes in me and has a big, warm, loving heart.
11. I have a love-hate relationship with running, but I love to run fast to good songs - the kind of run where you feel like you`re floating on air.

Losetheshoes` questions for me:

1) What is your favorite color?
Not fair - there are too many! I love earthy colours - burgundy, red, green, purple, brown...

2) Would you rather run up a hill or down a hill?
Downhill, skipping all the way and whirling my arms. But there`s no question that running up a hill during a race and knowing that your hill training has paid off is also a great feeling.

3) Would you rather make millions doing something you disliked or struggle at something yoou love?
The latter, for sure! I took a 15% pay cut from my last job for that very reason. I love my job, even if I know I`ll never make millions at it!

4) Would you rather workout with Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper?
Good question - they`re both really tough on their teams. To be honest, I`d love to have a chance to work out with either of them for even just an hour, to learn some of their tricks and tips and to mix up my workout regimen.

5) If you could be in one place in the world right now, where would it be?
In my house with my husband in Halifax, sharing a bottle of Blomidon Winery`s Seyval Blanc with some Foxhill Cheese House cumin gouda and a freshly baked baguette.

6) Would you rather downhill ski or water Ski?
Downhill ski - I`ve only ever waterskied first. Although if it was summer, I`d rather water ski.

7) If you could be drawn into one cartoon which one would it be?
The Simpsons, without a doubt - my husband constantly tells me how much I remind him of Lisa Simpson.

8) what child would you be off Willa Wonka and the Chocolate factory?
I have no idea!

9) Would you rather a dream truck or a Dream car?
Dream car (a silver convertible Porsche 911) - this is a generalization but I find that truck drivers (at least in Halifax) tend to be really aggressive and bad drivers.

10) If you could stay in shape without working out would you enjoy that?
No - working out is part of my life, and I love the feeling of accomplishment I get after a good workout. Gotta love those endorphins!

11) Would you rather be President of the biggest company in the world or start your own within its shadow?
The second. I have no delusions of grandeur and am happy living my life on my terms.

The rules for this meme

1. Post these rules.
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in your tagger's post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
5. Go to their blogs and tell them you’ve tagged them
6. No stuff in the tagging section about "you are tagged if you are reading this." You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

My tags:

1. Forever in Running Shoes
2. Forty 4 Change
3. I`m an adrenaline junkie
4. Live Run Love Yoga
5. Runner`s Rambles
6. Runnergirl Training
7. How to climb a volcano (and other fitness exploits)
8. Mr. Durwin
9. What Lies Within
10. A life-changing journey
11. With Bite

My questions for my taggees:

1. What is your favourite colour?
2. Would you rather run a short distance fast, or a long distance slow?
3. Would you rather make millions doing something you disliked or struggle at something you love?
4. Would you rather work out with Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper?
5. If you could be in one place in the world right now, where would it be?
6. Would you rather dance in the rain or run in the snow?
7. If you could be drawn into one cartoon, which one would it be?
8. What are your favourite books of all time?
9. Beer, or wine?
10. What are your favourite running shoes?
11. Cat, or dog?

Day Six of the Yoga Journal 21-day challenge!

I can't believe it. We're already into Day Six of the Yoga Journal 21-Day Challenge -- almost a third of the way there! And while that seems like a relatively short period of time, I'm amazed by how much I'm learning and challenging myself, as well as how difficult it has proven to actually get the practices and meditation in each day. I'm also starting to feel some physical changes in my body, particularly in my spine.

This week has been a remarkably busy one, so it's been tough finding the time to practice (and sometimes, the energy). A couple of days ago on Day 3, I ended up doing the practice in my home office late at night, after a long day at work, and I was glad to have done it - it was a nice way to round out the day, although my mind perhaps wasn't in it as much as I'd have liked to.

Then on Day 4, I only got to do about half of the practice first thing in the morning before having to get ready to go to work. But I figured I'd made the space in my day to at least try and get to it, which was a good thing.

And yesterday, although I missed yoga practice (another hectic day that left me burnt out at the end), I did have an amazing meditation session. I decided to simply meditate on my own rather than use the recommended recording, because I find when Beryl Bender says "thinking" in the middle of nowhere and when she talks about bringing my mind to stillness, it just jars me and makes me start thinking how much I wish she would just not say "thinking." Then, I start wondering whether I'll ever get to a point where I can meditate in the middle of someone's conversation, and my mind is lost.

So yesterday, I turned off the recording. I started out with a mind that was jumbled from sleep and swimming in all directions, but I focused on my breathing and let my thoughts bubble to the surface, including some of my dreams. I tried not to judge the fact that my mind was distracted, but instead, to watch the thoughts float by like leaves on a stream (as Beryl suggests). And it kind of worked.

Then, I focused on my breath - on the inhalation and exhalation. And while Beryl suggests not forcing it, I adopted more of an Ujai breath and the sound of my breath. I soon focused on a spot of bright light in my third eye, and imagined my inhalations filling me with light, and my exalations sending out the darkness. Soon, the light began to grow, and I could feel it filling my entire body.

And then I sat there, conscious but not thinking, aware of my surroundings but not engaging with them or my thoughts. I felt like I was on some kind of tightwire, balancing gently between consciousness and meditation. I almost felt like I was sitting watching myself in this moment, and it was truly amazing...No other word for it.

When I opened my eyes, I'd meditated for 15 minutes by myself. It felt like quite the accomplishment. I tried explaining it to my husband but truly there is no way to explain this to someone unless they have tried it.

Sadly, before long the craziness of a hectic work day made that moment feel like eons ago, but in my mind I believed that I'll be able to return there again.

As for practice, I missed yesterday's session but did Day 5 (side stretches - amazing - so often in yoga we stretch forward and back but I've never done an entire session of side stretching. It felt great) and Day 6 (backbends - not my fave because I have scoliosis, but I can feel my spine begin to loosen up, so I persevered).

I'm also starting to realize that there is a big difference between practising at home and in a studio (other than not having props available - so I used a ribbon as my strap and my Oxford Companion to English Literature as my block). There's less of a sense of performance, and there is also much more of a sense of opening yourself up to the experience of a new teacher, a new practice every day, and new experiences. With Ashtanga or even with Baptiste yoga, I feel as though I can almost always anticipate the next move. But with this challenge, every day seems to be different and to focus on a different theme, so I never know what to expect, even if the basics are always the same.

The challenge also encourages people to try and eat at least one vegetarian meal a day and eat healthier. I've been averaging 1-2 a day. The other change this week is that my husband is on a new healthy eating kick, and we've both been focusing on cooking healthier and more nutritious foods. It just so happens it started at the same time as the challenge, which is great!
As for running - do I think doing yoga and meditation almost every day will help my running? Well, it's too early to tell, and quite honestly this week has been so nuts that beyond a 12k on Monday and a 5k on Wednesday in the middle of a snowstorm (an entirely different experience), I haven't had much time to get out there and test out my new yogi legs. But I plan to perhaps go for a short run tonight and see how that goes. And there's always tomorrow's 18k LSD (I think, finally, I'm back on the proper Hypo Half schedule!). I imagine that I'll find I'm stronger in my core and more flexible, which is always a good thing.

No matter: it's said often by many people, and I believe it to be true: yoga makes everything better!

~HRG

I'm taking the Yoga Journal 21-day chalenge!

We are into the final stretches of training for the Halifax Hypothermic Marathon. Things have been going fairly well, despite me getting a little confused with the schedule over the holidays and doing my 18ks two weeks early. But I'm finding that now that I've done these distances more than once, the learning curve isn't as steep.

What I have learned, however, is that training with a group is way, way more motivating that running alone.

Take my last two 18ks, for instance: two weeks ago, I ran it on my own in 2:06. I knew that was slow, for me -- my average pace was way slower than I'd run it in the past (a good argument for tracking your runs -- I use the Running Room's tool, but there are others out there).

Then, a week later, after a particuarly festive New Year's Eve and a day to recover, I ran the same distance with my friend Carol. We shaved 14 minutes off that time! Crazy! I could definitely feel the difference in my legs - with that run, I felt I was working, but it was manageable. With the previous run, it just felt like I was plodding along. Of course, it helped that we were chatting the entire time, thus keeping my mind off the run.

So one of my intentions (I don't make resolutions- they're too easy to break) for the New Year is to try and get back into group running. That run with Carol made me feel vindicated as a runner and helped me gain back my trust in my legs. I haven't gotten slow - I've just been running alone!

We'll see how the Hypo Half goes in a few weeks' time, but my goal ultimately will be to run it and have fun, as a prep for a spring half or full.

Another of my intentions since the New Year has been to sign up for the Yoga Journal 21-day challenge. Why? Because healthy minds + a healthy body = a healthy runner! I also love yoga - perhaps even more than running (though the rush you feel while running a good tempo or race is nothing like the calm you feel when you're in the zone in the middle of a good yoga class).

The challenge for this week is to do one yoga practice each day, plus one 15-minute meditation and eat one vegetarian meal. And yesterday, I did all three: a practice in the morning, followed by a vegetarian brekkie and meditation at lunch. It was nice waking up and starting the day with a nice stretch, and taking some time during a hectic day to close my eyes and simply focus on my breath.

Today was day two of the challenge. Things I learned today:

- this takes time, and effort. I had a busy day, so I didn't get to the challenge until the end of the day, after work and Zumba. I haven't even had a chance to meditate yet;
- each day in the challenge seems to be a different instructor, and a different series of poses. You kind of have to trust the process and learn to give yourself up to it, because you don't know what's coming up next. For someone who is used to practising a regular series, this can be a little frustrating at first, but also a learning experience; and
- practising yoga at home is also different from going out to a studio. You need to find the physical space to do it, as well as the equipment. I practised on my carpet the last two days, which eliminates the need for a mat but also works different muscles than normal. I also improvised a strap by using a ribbon I had in my sewing kit, and figure I could use a dictionary as a block if need be.

Trusting the process, and looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings. I also look forward to seeing if this makes any difference in my running!

~ HRG

I've been running, honest!

Boy, it has been a loooong time since my last blog post! Life seems to have gotten busy, but that doesn't mean I haven't been running! Truth is, I've been following the 18-week schedule for the Halifax Hypothermic Half Marathon, and we are now in week 10!

The training has been going pretty well. Unlike this summer, where I jumped in at week eight of the program after being off for two months following surgery, I've started at the beginning and have been focusing on building up my speed, endurance and strength by sticking to the program fairly rigorously. In fact, my tempo runs have improved from 5:59/km to around 5:39/km, while my steady runs have also improved so that a 6:03/km run now feels pretty comfortable.

Cross-training

I've also been building my strength base with GoodLife's Body Pump classes, along with quite a bit of yoga. It's so great when you're running and your legs just feel strong, and this combination of cross-training seems to work for me. Body Pump is a full-body strength workout with a barbell, and includes one track (song) of squats, and one of lunges, in addition to all the other major body groups. I can really feel the difference in my legs!

I also discovered that Halifax Yoga had a special on for new students: $20 for 10 days of unlimited yoga. I used that as an opportunity to check out the studio and its classes. It's amazing how different each studio is each from the other, and it took me a while to get used to this studio's style. However, within a few days, I noticed my hips opening up, and it felt fantastic! Running can be pretty brutal on your flexibility, if you don't maintain a rigorous stretching program.

Running in cooler weather is lovely 


Starting the program in the fall meant I could avoid the hotter running conditions from the summer, and I've really noticed a difference. You can always dress warmer for the cold, but there's only so much cooler you can dress. However, this fall has been so unpredictable, with warmer days following cooler ones, that I've started wearing three different options in my gym bag each day, just in case the weather should be cooler or warmer than expected. Then again, living on the coast, you quickly learn that you can never predict the weather.

The other nice thing about running in cooler weather is that it gets you acclimatized to the winter weather, and makes sure you stay active throughout the holiday season.

Getting used to longer distances


Oh, the human mind is a funny thing. It doesn't matter how many half and full marathons I've run in the last four years, my brain seems to have short-term memory when it comes to long slow distances. For example, last Sunday was my first time running more than 10k in a couple of months. Unlike my 14k LSD last August, which was a sweaty torture from start to finish, this week I actually felt pretty good and maintained a fairly decent pace, up until km 8 or 9. It was at that point that my legs started getting heavier, and my brain started getting bored. I also didn't plan my route properly, so I ended up having to do loops around our neighbourhood for about 4kms, which got boring really fast.


By the end of the run, I was so mentally drained from my inner dialogue with myself about why I was keeping up the run when all I wanted to do was to be home, and home was so close, that when I walked in the door, I was a fuming mess, which hubby noticed. Smart man, he suggested that I go take a bath and relax, because I was so worked up.


Obviously, I've lost the knack for running those long distances - particularly on my own - and I'll have to learn the patience and endurance that I had built up before. I'll also try and kick myself out of bed sooner on Sunday mornings so that I can make it to the Running Room for Run Club. Running long distances alone can get rather...lonely.


Anyways, that's the long and short of it for now. I hope to start blogging more regularly again to track my progress, so stay tuned!


~ HRG

A tribute to Coach Wendy!

A little more than a month ago, one of my running friends messaged me and asked me if I'd be willing to help out with a project - she and another friend wanted to recognize Wendy Leiper for her great coaching of the summer-fall Halifax Running Room marathon clinic.

Anyone who's run with Wendy knows she is passionate about running and extremely generous about offering her wisdom, insight and enthusiasm to encourage other runners. I personally have benefitted so much from her encouragement and generosity. So when Carol asked if I'd be willing to help write an instructor profile for the Running Room Magazine, I said of course!

Carol and I got together a few weeks ago after soliciting feedback from clinic participants about Wendy's role as a coach and mentor, and sat down over chocolate-banana muffins and tea to write the piece together.

The result is this article on page 9 of the November-December Running Room Magazine.

We felt it was a great way to recognize Wendy and say thank you for all she's done to encourage, lead and motivate all of the runners who are lucky enough to have gotten to know her.

Thanks, Wendy!

~ HRG

Guest blog post: Laura's first 5k race

About a year ago, I started reading my friend Laura's blog - How to climb a volcano (and other fitness exploits). Over the course of several months, Laura documented her training for a hike to climb up a volcano in Costa Rica to raise money for diabetes.

I really liked Laura's blog, because not only were the entries well written, they were humorous and gave real insight into the highs and lows of such a training program (which included having to raise the funds to get herself there). In fact, Laura's blog partly inspired me to launch Halifax Runner Girl and start documenting my own training program for a marathon, and the blog expanded to what it is today - part journal, part advice column, part product review and also a chance for me to profile other runners.

In the meantime, Laura raised the funds, climbed the volcano and then took on a new challenge - training for her first ever 5k road race at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon while I was training for my races. A few weeks ago, she successfully completed that challenge, and I asked her to write a guest blog about her experience. I loved her entry, and I think you will too!
Without further ado, I give you Laura's guest blog post:

My foray into running and my first 5K race

I ran my first 5K race on October 16th. Some of you veteran runners are probably thinking, “Big deal!” but this was a pretty awesome feat for me. I am not a runner. Wait – I was not a runner. Until five months ago. I remember the torture of the one-mile run from phys-ed in highschool and barely being able to finish. Heck! I remember not being able to make it around the block, jogging with my dog, back in June. But on October 16th I not only ran a 5K, I did it in 31:44.

This time last year I was gearing up for training to climb a volcano (yes, really) but it was very different training. When I returned successful form that adventure in late May, it was time to learn to run. In June I launched into a couch-to-5K program and began my running adventures.

They go pretty easy on you in the beginning: run for 60 seconds, walk for 90 seconds. While the running jaunts were a challenge for lil’ ol’ me, I was pretty proud of myself for completing week one. In week three I sort of glossed over the running plan and read, “run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, repeat.” No problem. Well, you should always read/listen to all the directions. In this case that would have revealed run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, run three minutes, walk three minutes, repeat. I panicked when I first heard that, but guess what? That’s right – I did it! I ran for three minutes in a row. More than once! Again, you may be thinking, “Big whoop!” but it was another first for me.

In the end, the nine-week training program dragged into 15 weeks (injury, travel, injury – my physiotherapist and I are very close now) but I was finally running 5K around mid-September. Oh. Em. Gee. Me. Running.

A week before the official race I ran my best time ever: 5K in 30:43 (my October 16th race time was my second best time).

Race day came. I knew I could push myself and probably run my best time ever. My sister was also running though, and I really wanted to run with her. It was more important for me to run my first 5K race (and hers!) with her than to score my best time. As we stood in the corral it was hard not to feel energized and I was antsy waiting for the start gun. When it finally went... we didn’t move. Right, must wait for everyone ahead of us. About three minutes later though, we crossed the start line.

My sister set a great pace. I felt good running with her. It was also my first time running without music but between my sister, all the other runners and the crowds cheering us on, it was pretty easy to feel motivated. As we ran I felt pretty much the same as I would on one of my own runs; my sister’s pace was my pace. How convenient! We’d never run together and yet we were right at the same place.

I must admit it was a tricky run. Usually my path is clear but for the occasional person on the trail or 

Final 200 metres

 sidewalk, easy to manoeuvre around. This time, thousands of other runners surrounded me, some blocking me, some passing me, some darn near tripping me up! I’ll say that’s where my minute (best time) went. As we approached the end though, my sister and I powered up. At 200 metres we began to push ourselves. I didn’t feel I had much left in me, but I found something and my sister and I crossed the rather dangerous (people coming out of nowhere!) finish line together! It was a fantastic feeling.

So, I’ve crossed the line, I’m gasping for breath, my legs just want to stop, I need water desperately (which was not so readily available – grrrr....) and we are barely recovered when my sister asks, “So, are we training for a spring 10K now?”

We’ll see sister, we’ll see.

[Special thanks to friends, including Halifax Runner Girl, who gave me great advice and support throughout my introduction to running, and to Carli at Running Into Shape (http://runningintoshape.com/5k-training-downloads/) for her fantastic couch-to-5K mp3 training series.]


~ Laura Mousseau