Winter runs

I have now successfully gotten up twice this week in the frigid 20 degree weather to run.

Man, nothing makes a hot shower feel deserved like an ice cold run.

Tuesday:

I had been conned with ice cream into staying at the boyfriend's place that night knowing that I'd have an opportunity to run the Silver Comet trail in the morning.  Stayed up a bit too late studying (1am) and when my alarm when off at 6 I felt like I hadn't even fallen asleep yet.

To be completely honest I was extremely nervous about this run. I've never run in cold like this, ever. I didn't know if I was prepared for it or not. I have some NikePro long tight/warm weather gear pant things and underarmor. So as I donned all of my apparel I kept thinking "is this too much? is this not enough? is that tiny space between my tights and my socks going to feel like ice the whole run?".  

Walked outside and the cold immediately took my breath away (I had a hat and gloves, but nothing prepared me for that first step). It was 18 outside. 

18.

A TEEN NUMBER.

In ATLANTA.

Hello? Mother Nature? Yes, this is the south calling, we're upset.

Anyway I took a deep (cold, harsh, dry) breath and set off. 

My legs responded beautifully. 

I've been taking it pretty easy since the half and I wanted to make my morning week runs shorter but faster. So I chose 4 miles. 2 out, 2 back, very straight path but with rolling hills the whole way.  

I knew I was moving quick but when I hit the 2 mile turn around at right over 18 minutes I did a double take on my Garmin.

Err what? 

So that's when I decided I wanted to kick my 5k time's ass. The last 5k I did was in June, it was my first race ever. My goal was 30 minutes, I ran it in 28:45 (or something like that, 28 high).  I hit the lap button so I'd know how fast my third mile was and took off with gusto.  New 5k time: 27:36. I shaved a minute on that last mile and then kept going to do another 9 minute mile.

I guess I didn't need to be afraid of the cold. My body seems to like it. It reminds me of diving into a cold pool for a race. That immediate jolt of OH SHIT. 

My hot shower felt so good ...the only reason I got out was because I was starving.

Today:

Got up, struggled to get out of bed. I'm having a rough dead week/pre finals week. Very stressed. I caved and had mac and cheese for dinner (AH I knowwww it's bad) and wans't sleeping well. Got outside, again, 21 degrees...cold. Ran 4 miles, did 4 freshman hill (read: HELL hill) sprints...somehow managed to get my cold ass back home and ready for school.

My new shoes are holding up wonderfully. My underarmor and Nike pants are keeping me mostly warm...

If only finals were as easy as running.

Speaking of I need to go study.

Till another time,

Run Happy!

Finals food vs. Running food

In the past six months I would say I have become an avid runner.  In these six months I've learned a LOT and a lot has changed in my life. One of the biggest things is probably my eating habits. 

I have frequently posted/complained about my constant hunger. 

It's bad. 

This morning I had a huge bowl of cereal and a yogurt. Probably at around 8am. 

By 10am I needed more food. I had a fiber bar.

By 12:30 (i'm in class for all of this) I'm starving.

By right now I'm eating peanut butter, carrots, and popcorn.

The runner snack of champions as I call it. 

I just made that up.

Anyway as finals approach everyone jokes about "finals food" and how everyone orders pizza at 3am and consumes large quantities of coke and coffee and junk food and chocolate. It doesn't help its the holidays and in my apartment right now we have 3 types of candy out on the bar. 

I may-or-may-not have bought them.

So as my stress level for the next few weeks skyrockets I know I will have to keep myself under super-control. 

In my new eating habits I have what I see as "runner food".

Popcorn for example. Great snack, really light. You can eat some now, eat some later, not hard to eat and then go for a jog if need be. 

Peanut butter, eating it now. Keeps me full, high in good fat/protein. Absolutely live off of it. I carry little jiff to-go cups. 

I drink water like its my job. I make sure I eat enough protien in a day, I keep my sugar intake low (half for running, half for pre-diabetes in my family). I'm good about grease etc. I don't eat out a ton.

Finals food is NOT this food. So this finals I will be fighting the finals vs. running food. Healthy vs. convenient/fun.

I am craving pizza however...