Thursday, January 19, 2012

My eyelashes froze together!

It was -9 degrees outside yesterday when I went for my run yesterday.  30 below zero with the wind chill factor. I was considering bagging it and just staying indoors.  My elliptical has been a little lonely this winter. I whined about the weather to my husband who told me "You are a runner aren't you, get out there and run"

Fine.  I only had 3.5 miles to do for Running, Loving and Living's virtual run. 

I decided that since I was supposed to do speed work today but the snow was too hard to do it right in I would do hill repeats.  Once again it was like running in sand and uphill.  I think I got a pretty good workout, not to mention the two extra layers of clothes I was packing.

Verdict.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I need better face protection. Toe and hand warmers helped keep my feet and hands toasty.  My hands were maybe a little too warm, but when it is 30 below, I think that is okay.

I was actually well dressed for the weather except for my eyes.  I couldn't wear my sunglasses because they kept fogging up and the bacalava I have is not a good one and it felt like I was suffocating.  Running with the wind was fine, which is what I did for the first part of the run.  Coming back was not fun, in fact I ended up running a great deal of it backwards to keep the wind off my face.  I think I ran at least a mile total backwards, if not more.

I had chunks of ice on my eyelashes and they kept freezing together. So I would run into the wind for .10 miles and then run backwards for .10 miles.  Running backwards actually is good for you.  You can check it out HERE and HERE It is a great way to "restore balance and reduce the risk of injury".

I had the face part of it off my face here so I could breathe.
Tell me you aren't totally jealous of this hat I borrowed from my husband.
I know running backwards was kicking my butt.  Which made sense when I later read that 100 steps in reverse produces the same results as 1000 steps forward. They also say it burns one-fifth more calories than running forwards and you only need to move at 80 percent of the same speed as running forward to get the same fitness benefits.

I think that if I get better face protection, one I can wear without fogging up my glasses and making me feel like it is trying to suffocate me, I would probably run in this kind of weather again.  It wasn't really as bad as I thought it was going to be.  

Oh yeah and my total time for 3.5 miles was 36:24.  Running backwards and doing hill repeats does not make for a fast time!

Do you run backwards?
 Can anyone recommend a good balaclava to wear while running?

35 comments:

  1. Wow! You are hardcore! Love the hat. I am actually in love with my L.L.Bean Balaclava. It is very thin that I feel like I can breath and I can pull it down under my nose if I so choose (I didn't though).

    I need to remember to run backwards - love that reminder!

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  2. seriously no words for how badass you are!!
    I moved to TX Im so so softcore :)

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  3. you are totally hardcore and my hero!
    I 'freeze' if its in 60's here! brrr lol
    lovin the hat too
    i can semi-sorta run backwards

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  4. woweee! You are so hardcore. I felt cold just looking at that pic. I've never ran backwards, but I guess maybe I should try it sometime.

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  5. You are such a beast--love it!!!

    I have a great balaclava from REI that I use for mountaineering--it has a nose hole and a mouth vent so it doesn't fog up but it's still really warm! Check out their website and you should find it :)

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  6. That's cold!! The wind is always the killer, if it was -9 and no wind (and sunny) it would feel refreshing and nice (that's how I feel). But the wind, brrr.

    Your hardcore, I bet it felt great when you were all done.

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  7. You're out of control! -9 would have kept me indoors and under the covers!

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  8. You should get extra points for being so badass and braving this weather!!! Kudos to you!! Oh and so jealous of the hat!

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  9. I can't recommend a good balaclava but I can commiserate (sp?) about a bad one! I find it really hard to breathe through mine too. It has a little vent that is supposed to be for breathing I guess, but when I am running I feel like I'm trying to breath through a plastic bag. I wear it to walk to work too, which is a little better, but if I put it up over my nose it fogs up my glasses. I will have to look for one like the REI one mentioned above.

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  10. Well...props to you cause I can't imagine running in this weather. I'm such a baby! I think running backwards is a creative technique though I've never tried. It's the on list for a cold day coming soon!

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  11. YOU are such a trooper for getting out in that. My mom lives in Kalispell and she said they're getting dumped on up there..although that's life in Montana in the winter!! For as cold as it is though you look pretty happy! That smile says even running backwards is ok!

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  12. I think my fingers froze to the computer just reading this.
    Your one tough cookie, or crazy. ;-)

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  13. WOW! love that hat....I completely believe that running backwards would be a great workout...I'm going to try that next time it's crazy windy :) and I thought I was cool /w my frozen water bottle....but eye lashes freezing! that's insane :)

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  14. Hardcore for sure you are. I wear a Saucony balaclava. I got it this winter to replace the old on that I felt was hard to breath through the material. The Saucony is so much easier to breath through. Awesome run in this cold weather girl..

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  15. yikes! I can't stand to be outdoors if it's under 20 degrees. let alone negative 30!
    you are definitely the toughest runner I know!

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  16. I've never thought of running backwards, but might have to try it! You look great and warm in the hat!

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  17. Love the hat!

    Good for you, Christy!

    I hate it when it is so cold that my eyelashes ice up and my nostrils stick together!

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  18. You are hard core. No way I'd be running in that kind of weather. I'm a pansy!!

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  19. Wow I fee like a big wuss right about now. It is snowy and 27 here and I am not going to run in it. In my defense I am a bit clumsy sometimes and I would probably slip an fall and be sidelined for 3 months. I will stick with shoveling snow and leave the sub zero runs to you:)

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  20. You are freaking hardcore lady, that's all I've got to say.

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  21. You are seriously hard core. I think the coldest I have ran in was 25 and I felt like THAT was hard core. So seriously, way to go. I've never heard about backward running before but maybe I need to try it?

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  22. You're my freaking hero. I wish I could see a video of you running backwards in that weather. :)

    I have a Brooks balaclava that I like and I got it from Running Warehouse:

    http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpage-BROBAL.html?gclid=CNH2uOrf3K0CFQPf4AoduB3Bng

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  23. Wow!
    You are hard core and I love it! The coldest i have ran in was 17 degrees. My ponytail froze. But I loved it.

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  24. Holy crap. You are AMAZING! And I thought ten degrees was cold. Geez.

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  25. Seriously ... you are HARD CORE and freakin' AMAZING.

    PS - Thanks for the tips/info about running backwards. I'm gonna have to try it :)

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  26. You are a better woman than I...anything less than 30 degrees and I'm working out indoors. Kudos to you mama!

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  27. You are crazy!! I don't think I'd ever run jn anything below 10 degrees!! You are truly a bad a**.runner...you need a shirt for this one

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  28. -9 and -30 wind chill...enough said-- you are SO hardcore!!

    I just bought an AWESOME face warmer thing from the Saucony last chance sale....and there's a 20% off coupon code, I can't remember it. If you're interested, let me know and I'll find out for ya!

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  29. Wow! I can't believe you ran in that kind of weather! That is some serious running. I know I could never do it, so way to go!

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  30. Christy you are hardcore! That is COLD!

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  31. I've never tried running backwards...Sounds like it could be fun, and I'd love to see the looks you must get.

    I know the feeling of frozen eyelashes. Last year someone took a great pic of me with frozen eyelashes and eyebrows.

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  32. I am so very impressed with the fact that you ran in those conditions! absolutely hard core!!

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  33. i bought a saucony one last week but i dont think it would help you in weather like that....it's pretty thin. you are very brave! :)

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  34. Sounds like the same kind of run I had yesterday in MN! Tough runner!! Never thought of running backwards! The baclava I have is Under Armor - nice and warm. However, it gets wet pretty fast from breathing and then freezes up. I am looking for one with better ventilation.

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  35. That is insane. As I have gotten older, I have become more wimpy about running in the cold. Your run is very inspirational to not be such a wimp :)

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