Freezing My Tail Off...Literally.

Hi folks. Sorry it's been so long since my last post. I was in St. Louis last week for a criminology conference. I have lots of pictures to post from Parker's tiny birthday party and a trip to the museum, but while I'm working on editing those, I thought I would write about what's been most on my mind...freezing weather!

When I checked the temperature for my run this morning, I cringed when I read that it was 34 degrees outside. So, I promptly layered on my short-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved shirt, jacket, gloves, ear muffs and running tights. I stepped outside and it was so cold, I still felt like I was in my skivvies. This was not good.

I drove down to the track with icicles for fingers willing my car to warm up and wondering if I've completely lost my mind. Most sane people, I was sure, were still tucked into their nicely heated homes snoozing away for at least another hour or two. I, on the other hand, was making my way to a pitch black running track. My crazy theory was confirmed when there wasn't a single car in the parking lot. Yup, I was the only crazy out this morning, but at least my friends were going to join me.

When they showed up, I felt much better. Misery loves company and we were a chorus of groans and complaints as we walked to the other side of the track. We left all of our layers on as we started our warm up, but slowly, we started peeling layers off one at a time until, at mile four, I was running in a short-sleeved shirt and gloves.

It's amazing how quickly your body warms up. It equally amazing that you forget this fact every single time you head out for an early morning run. I'm half convinced in the ride over that this particular time, I will not get warm. I will run with chattering teeth and numb fingers cursing the first time that I ever laced on running shoes. Thankfully, that's never happened and the bigger concern is making yourself pile on all of your layers after your run so that you don't catch a chill on the way home.

What's funny though is that, while your muscles warm up, your fat cells never do. It has something to do with the fact that blood does not circulate as well through fat as it does through muscle. So, without fail, I hop into a searing hot shower after my run and feel as if my backside (the largest deposit of fat on my body) is frostbitten. This process invariable serves as a reminder that regardless of how fit I think I am, there's always room for improvement.