Running in Cold Weather

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elijahm33
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Running in Cold Weather

Post by elijahm33 »

I live in Michigan, and even though this year has been uncharacteristically warm, the past two weeks have been really cold. With no access to a treadmill or any kind of indoor running facility, the pavement has been my best friend the past couple of months, but I must admit that running in weather anywhere from -6 to 25 degrees has really kicked my ass. From what I've read on google, running in cooler weather is greatly beneficial, but my times have been atrocious. My 14:45 2 mile went to about a 16:00 2 mile in a matter of a couple weeks. My lungs are on fire by the time I reach the end of my runs.

To get to the point, do any of the Rangers on the site have any experience running in the cold? Is it beneficial for my run times? I get my driver's license very soon and will have consistent access to a gym. Would running on treadmills be more effective? Thank You
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cams
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Re: Running in Cold Weather

Post by cams »

You've answered your own question here. How could running on a treadmill possibly be beneficial to you, when you saw your time go from "just ok" to "complete fail" simply because of cold conditions.

Your PT test will not be conducted on a treadmill, ever.

"If you find yourself running on a treadmill, warm, comfortable and have good music playing, do not fear, for you are already in Elysium!"

You will run in boiling heat, freezing cold, snowstorms, rainstorms, earthquakes and volcanos. If you're training properly your times should all be very close in any weather condition.

Rangers excel at being soaking wet and cold and still operating at 110%, they don't get way by not living in harsh conditions. Start training for it now and get a leg up beforehand.
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elijahm33
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Re: Running in Cold Weather

Post by elijahm33 »

Understood, Ranger cams.
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Jim
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Re: Running in Cold Weather

Post by Jim »

I wear a surgical mask when it is extremely cold outside.
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elijahm33
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Re: Running in Cold Weather

Post by elijahm33 »

Roger, Ranger Jim.

Roger, Ranger Lunch,

As for 1), I live in rural SW Michigan, a town called Berrien Springs.
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ncgater
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Re: Running in Cold Weather

Post by ncgater »

My 14:45 2 mile went to about a 16:00 2 mile in a matter of a couple weeks. My lungs are on fire by the time I reach the end of my runs.
I bet the next morning you feel great. In the '80's, I used to run in Germany during the Winter. We had some brutal cold snaps. Battalion had a 5-mile loop we used to run on Fridays. The last mile or so was all uphill. I would run that loop on my own a bunch and I will tell you when the thermometer read 20 it used to burn like a somabitch. But the next morning I always felt like superman.

We had the Stars And Stripes newspaper back then. One of the best articles I ever read in that rag was about cold weather running. The best advice I got out of that was head out into the wind, before you get sweaty. You do not want to me sweaty when you have a headwind if you can avoid it.
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rangerjd
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Re: Running in Cold Weather

Post by rangerjd »

Running in the cold, or any type of weather for that matter, is just something you need to train your body to do. Your letting your body control your mind. Remember, you body will do whatever your mind tells it to do. Don't think about it, just do it. Force yourself to run, and when it hurts, run some more, run harder, run faster, just run! I've ran in Fairbanks AK, Camp Ripley, MN and several other places in the middle of the winter, yeah it sucks, so what, just RUN! This may sound too simplistic, but trust me, it's the truth. Give everything you've got, every time you give and never, ever quit! RLTW
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