Oh, the weather outside is frightful (sing along here)…de da de da de dada…

Now that winter has arrived, it means that we athletes must take extra care when running. Here are a few recommendations for those cold, dark days ahead:

1. COTTON IS YOUR ENEMY. Do not dress in any cotton items when preparing for an outdoor run. Reason: cotton absorbs moisture, gets cold and stays cold. Wear clothing made of material designed to wick moisture away from your skin. Always cover your head and hands to retain heat. A nylon jacket over that Dri-Fit top will suffice for most temperatures; nylon will resist wind and help keep you warm.
2. Watch out for icy conditions: ice can hide under snow, or under nothing. Before you know it, you’ve slipped and fallen hard, landing on those muscles that are already cold and inflexible. Running in slippery conditions changes how you place your feet, so be prepared for soreness where you usually don’t have it.
3. Safety: wear reflective clothing, a reflective vest, or a flashing light to warn motorists of your presence. Be extra careful at corners and stoplights; make sure the cars are stopped before venturing to cross.
4. Fluids: even though it’s cold, you still need the drink lots of fluids, just like in summer.
5. Run inside if the wind chill is lower than you think you can handle. This is no time to be a stud. With careful planning, winter running can be absolutely delightful!

And, to test that theory, plan on joining your teammates for the 13th Annual Pub Run, December 8th, leaving from NWHS at 3PM. Always a blast!

The workout this week marks our first night indoors. We will run 6 x 5-lappers, one every 7 minutes. Please be conscious of how you feel as you run; I always find my left foot and left hip are sore after the first indoor workout. BRING WATER; the stuff in the drinking fountain is disgusting. We will plan to go to Shotzy’s afterward for a drink of thanks!

We have no results for the Lincolnwood Turkey Trot! If you were there and can fill us in on the results, please email me back! I didn’t see anything in the police blotter about busting the Big Party at Rich’s house. Hope you all had fun!

That’s it for now, see you at practice!!

Melissa