17 Degrees

I did my first real winter run on Saturday morning. I knew it was cold out..obviously. It's December in Illinois. My weather app said 17, but I had told myself I was going to run, so I began to bundle. Sports bra, Under Armour cold weather shirt, Dri Fit Nike Combat shirt, Under Armour fleece coat, Nike capris, Nike cold weather pants, earmuffs, socks, shoes, gloves. I thought I was prepared...

HOLY SHIT!!! When I say that the beginning of my run was miserable, I am in no way exaggerating. I thought the wind was ripping my skin from my face. I also thought my poor toes were going to freeze solid and begin snapping off..because wearing performance dri fit socks in the winter is obviously dumb as shit. They are designed to wick sweat away from your feet, and another function they fail to mention is that they suck cold air IN to your socks.

After about the first mile I stopped to catch my breath for a second and, sorry to be gross, but shoot some serious snotrockets to clear out my nose. That cold air is a LOT harder on your lungs. I've obviously still got some adjusting to do. What the hell have I gottten myself into exactly?? 3 1/2 months of this is seeming like a giant, terrifying monster right now.

I ran 2.6 miles in 28 minutes. Not bad. Would have liked to have run further, but again I'm still adjusting. No shame in that. The last 1.6 wasn't bad at all. My body finally accepted I wasn't going to stop until I was done so I think it gave up sending cold signals to my brain. The wind was at my back as well so my face got a little break.

The amount of people staring in awe was quite comical. I could just hear them saying "look at this crazy bitch, out running in 17 degree weather." Ha, well you gotta do what ya gotta do and I feel like I have to do this. Not because I've agreed to do it to other people, but I've mentally accepted and taken on this challenge. If I quit, I'm disappointing myself. I want to redefine what my impossible is, and I know this half marathon is completely possible for me. If you were to ask anyone around me, I don't quit. Not even the most mundane, unimportant tasks. It's just not my nature. I remember so many days at the gym or on a run that I wanted to just stop; my brain was in a power struggle with itself. Overcoming your mental limits is the hardest part of running, and fitness altogether, and I've fought that battle for so long.

My solution: I tell that nagging, lazy, uninspired bitch of a voice in my brain, "Back the fuck off, I've got work to do." ;)