Cold Weather Running

Baby it’s cold outside!!! Don’t let the cold weather get in the way of hitting PR’s in your spring races. I have some tips for you to keep you moving this winter and have you loving every step!

The most important piece is to have weather appropriate clothes.

• Long pants- preferable ones that are fitted around the ankle. Having wet pants bottoms when you get home and slide off your shoes is no fun!
• Fitted gloves- Your fingers will be one of the first things to get cold when your blood is trying to get back to your heart to keep up with your activity. However, having the use of your hands to shuffle your music, snap a pic of the scenery or adjust your shifting clothes is important.
• Fitted, insulated shirt- I have an Under Armour mock turtle neck that keeps we warm without me feeling soaked from sweat. Having layer options in essential to keep warm and cut the winter windchill.
• Thick socks- especially when the snow starts to fall, warm socks are a must. Running shoes are meant to breath, which in turn can let the dampness from the snow in. Cold, wet toes are no good:(
• My favorite addition to my winter running arsenal is definitely my Yak Trax! Whether there is a dusting or a foot of snow, you can slide these removable cleats onto your regular running shoes and take off without the fear of falling. The best part is you don’t need a special pair of shoes. After waking up and prepping for a run only to find out the sidewalks are slippery, it was time to invest in some footwear.
• Last but no least, another piece I never leave home without on a winter day is a bandanna scarf. I start with it around my neck and up over my nose to ease my lungs into the cold air exposure and end with it around my neck to keep it warm.

Once your wardrobe is prepared for the elements, have a goal is key to keeping you moving. If you don’t have a specific purpose, getting out the door on a cold day is harder to do.

• Join a running group for accountability and maybe even a running buddy.
• Sign up for a spring race and set a goal time to finish.
• Set a realistic monthly mile goal and track your miles.

Stay tuned for more winter running tips!!

~ Jessica

AKA; mamma with muscle

Running a marathon and having a baby; scary similarities!

I will never forget the time that my Dad said to me that he was dumfounded at women that have repeat children after going through the childbirth experience. The weight gain, stress, fatigue and pain that is inevitable. Obviously he could not truly understand, just like words cannot describe how you feel when you tackle a huge goal. A huge accomplishment that many will never attempt.

This childbirth experience was running through my mind as I ran my first full marathon this past weekend. A few weeks before the race, I was stressing about not having enough time to train properly. Being a busy mom of four that works part time and runs  a gym, getting three hour runs in was not very convenient. As the date got closer, I swore I would never run another full marathon and I had not even done one yet!

The morning of the big day, I had an overwhelming sense of calm and “you got this.” I was not confident it would be pretty, but I knew that God had given me the heart to do it and would provide the body to complete it as well.

About mile two I ran passed a little girl(7) and her Dad. That was the first time I had the crazy thought that I may repeat a marathon. I have a little lady myself that has a heart for running. I took Aaliyah (5) with me to pick up my bib and she was so disappointed she could not run with me. I decided, as I passed that little girl, that when Aaliyah is old enough to run the relay portion of the marathon I will complete another full so that we can cross the finish line together.

As the miles went on and my body got more tired and sore, I did have thoughts of walking. Just taking a little break. Deep down I knew that once I walked it would be that much harder to run again, so I pushed on. Just as a new mom forgets about the time in labor when she meets her newborn, my sore legs suddenly felt better as I neared and then crossed the finish line.

The reward, the sense of accomplishment, was well worth the sore legs and long training runs. So, will I run another? I’m sure I will, I do have fur children after all 😉