It’s getting colder here and I have to accept that for the 36th time in a row, as far as I know, winter is once again coming. Not pleased but it’s happening. The days are getting so much shorter, the nights frosty and it’s happening again. This year I’m trying to put a different spin on it though. Work will be within running distance and not over 40 km away in the coldest place possible and it will end eventually. So I’m trying to be positive. And I will admit fall running is stunningly beautiful and not having my hair follicles sweat is kinda nice. Plus this is pretty much the only week of the year that I can wear a pants and sports bra combo out for a run.
This year I vowed to run 50 km every month, many including weirdly March, a whole lot more. I’m so close I can taste it! But our deep, dark depths of winter is really January and February and that’s behind me. Now I’m making a commitment to myself to reframe winter and winter running just a little bit. You’ll see some of that on here too. But this year I’m going to love it or at least hate it quite a bit less. Possibly because this is the first year since I was 9 that I have owned snow pants and skates. It might not get cold enough for the lakes to freeze and I might not be able to but that’s okay with me too. I might not have reached actual positivity yet but there’s still time and neutrality is within sight.
Winter running is harder even if you live in a not so wintery place. Race season is over for another year and it’s just maintenance running. If you do have winter the cold temperatures, ice and bulky gear slow you down while demanding more effort so it’s hard to log many quality miles. But every spring if you bounce back when the weather gets better and get faster again. I guess what I’m saying is winter is hard and it’s tough to stay motivated. So as you are enjoying some amazing fall runs this weekend remember this moment for those not to great runs to come. If you can also try to find a way to reframe it for the upcoming season too, there’s still time!
Sweat Sweetly 
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