RUNNING IN BELOW ZERO! AND LOVING IT...

These Drymax Cold Weather Running socks kept me in awesome condition in below zero temps!

On a Scale from 1 to 10...I give it a 10++++ !!!!

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4:30 am today - my dedicated WR morning girls - rain, snow, wind..they are there. Today was so cold, we had icicles on our eyelashes, white hair from frost...super duper cold. The snow was sparkling, the stars were out and it was beautiful...but, cold!

So how do you keep warm in something like this - layers (even double layered tights), face mask (neck gaitor to pull over your mouth and nose), warm gloves (with possible handwarmers!), good socks, and good hat. Still, make sure not to overdress...sweating in the cold does not feel to good...and will make you colder! So, getting back to some of these items, I am going to elaborate on one because I noticed a significant difference....

My hands and feet get very very cold - today, for the first time I wore the Drymax winter socks and - THEY TOTALL ROCKED! Not once did my feet feel a tinge of coldness (when they usually do..) and they weren't sweating either. One layer of the Drymax socks and I was good to go. So if you have problems such as me with keeping those phalanges, extremities, appendages..in other words, toes...then these socks are the way to go.

I think I will have happy feet this winter! Thanks Drymax...and a happy soul, thanks WR girls...helps to be tough together!!!

Our road will be smooth and untroubled no matter what care life may send, if we travel the pathway together and run side by side with a friend! anonymous

Getting out in the cold....

So you say its cold out? Well, get use to it! Only 5-6 more months of this where we live! It's easy to acclimate to the household temperatures, but once you dress for the temps and get out in it, you will be suprised at how quickly you adjust. Thankfully we have all that tech-wicking stuff to keep us dry and warm - layers, good gloves, a good hat, a good neck warmer/gaiter, socks, - good to go. Worth the investment if you want to enjoy the winter wonderland!

Today my kids and I went up Hernia hill as well as many other hills and trails...they were definetly raring to go! The woods were snowy, icy, beautiful and peaceful...well, my kids were a bit of disruption to the beautiful nature noises! But once we got moving, the jackets unzipped a bit, gloves came off, and we were warm!

So, welcome to winter in Syracuse NY...I think it is finally here...enjoy it - remember those hot days when the layers could only come off so far? The bugs? I know...its easy to forget!

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there within me lay an invincible summer" Albert Camus

EVERYONE KNOWS ITS WINDY...

I think it is easy to forget that along with winter snow comes the winter wind! We have been experiencing some pretty windy days this past week in Central New York. Today, the wind and I battled it out in the woods. For the most part, the best place to be is a sheltered area such as the trails - although it was like a war zone with the many trees that had fallen! Yet the wind does get you on all ends when you make it up to the open fields that I had run to. I embraced it, thought of it as a good resistant training...listened to the vivacious sounds that the wind can make...no need for an ipod today!

So, for the wind, one of the best pieces of material is to wear a buff or some type of neck gaiter to keep your face covered for when the wind makes its appearance....its a great piece of material that can be put over your face and dropped down to your neck when not needed. I like to think I'm in ninja mode when just my eyes are exposed...no one knows who I am!

A wonderful windy day...makes we want to break out the lyrics "...and Windy has stormy eyes...and Windy has wings to fly above the clouds....". Yes, as I sit typing this, the wind is still talking to me through the window...nope, not afraid of you!

On Cloudy Rainy Days...you just might see a Rainbow

Yes, a typical cloudy day in Syracuse..but amazingly, when you get out in it, their is sun! And whether it is sun from your soul, or patches from the little openings of the cloudy ceiling above...you feel it. So, these days are hard to get out in...but...GET OUT IN IT. It will make a difference, in your mood, in your energy, in your production for the day.

On a personal note...I am so happy to finally wake up and be...100% healthy - mind and body. The downtime paid off. It is hard to stop and recharge - but the lessons learned are amazing. I relearned rehab (took out those old kinesiology books that were getting mighty dusty from the college years!), I read more, took more epson salt baths, re looked at nutrition...so much learned the past couple of weeks.

Life is a spectrum of moods and savor the rainbow - the sun is shining somewhere through the rain to create it!

So, to end this with one of my favorite quotes -

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts" Winston Churchill

Continue, continue, continue...persevere....keep moving.....

Amazing Amazing gloves...my hands have never been so HAPPY!

As many of you know who have run with me, my hands get cold very easily. Although I love the saying "Cold hands, warm heart" I would prefer to have some warm hands with the warm heart! So, I have been very fortunate to test out a pair of Mountain Hardwear Momentum Gloves. And the truth is...THEY ROCK. Not only are my hands super warm in them, but the snot wiper is a genius idea...I don't even want to blow snot rockets anymore! Ok, and to add on to that..they are pretty cool looking - especially the reflectives for night wear. So, when they come out in March, 2010 (I'm hoping!), I would suggest checking them out...or you might just get them for a birthday present!

"This product was supplied to me by Mountain Hardwear, free of charge, for testing and reviewing"

It is good to be BACK.....

We are what we repeatedly do, Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit. Aristotle

Well, it is good, to once again be running with the girls. I've had a little over a week of down time and although it was mentally hard for me, it was much needed. Down time is very important for your body to recover but just as important for your mind to recover. It is hard to be ON all of the time.

So this month is a month of building, strengthening, goal setting...and getting the WR girls to do the same. Know where you are going, set goals, get excited, enjoy the process....get out in all kinds of weather.

Keep a smile on your face through it all.

Nothing great was every achieved without enthusiasm! Confucius

A WONDERFUL RUN WITH SOME WONDERFUL GIRLS!

It is so important to have the ability to self-motivate and get out and run alone...but, the chances of getting out religiously are much higher when you have a group who depends on you and you depend on them.



4:45 runs...I am so impressed by these morning chics. Especially the ones that have a full-time job and still can manage to get these runs in. 6:30 - the run is done for the day!