The sun was shining brightly on the snowy Calgary streets when I took a no fuss approach to my run. I ran 8K on my treadmill while watching an episode of the final season of Sons of Anarchy.
Friends, I am not ready to tackle winter running. Besides I wasn’t convinced the sunshine wasn’t a ruse to get me outside (where I would no doubt freeze to death or lose a finger to frostbite).
I am just not there. I will need a few weeks of cold, snowy weather to convince my brain that winter is real and it isn’t going anywhere for five or six months – give or take.
Sigh. I felt a sense of deja vu when I read my paragraph above. Have I written about how much I dislike the quick transition to winter from fall? Probably. I like to grumble with the best of them – I can’t believe it has snowed already. Snow comes earlier every year. etc.
We know we shouldn’t be shocked or surprised. After all we live in Alberta where the weather can change at the drop of a hat. What is it that they say? Complaining about the weather is the national pastime?
Anyway … I’ve been avoiding running outside since the snow began to fall about a week ago in Calgary. (Although Amanda and I hiked Prairie Mountain during the first snowfall.) I have run outside a couple of times but it was not overly enjoyable. The thing is with winter running you have to have the right mindset or you are going to be miserable.
I will run this winter but it’s just taking me a little time to get my head around months and months of running on cold days and icy and snowy surfaces. I haven’t put my winter tires yet on the Qashqai so I won’t be heading to the mountains until I take care of this.
What I have done – besides pulling down the shades and ignoring the snowfall – is some light winter clothes shopping. The best thing you can do to make your winter runs more enjoyable is to dress properly. I needed a few base layers and a warm jacket. Now I just need to get my butt out the door.
What is your favourite season to run in? Do you run inside or outdoors during the winter months? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.