Warm Goopy Feelings In Week 9

I love, love, LOVE the warm goopy feeling I get after running. Actually, it sets in immediately following any physically demanding exercise. I sit down after a run and I just want to melt away. It's so relaxing.

I firmly believe that there's no better way to relax your mind AND every muscle in your body than to beat the hell out of it. Sometimes it's hard to remember this excellent side effect of running, most notably when it's 26 degrees and dark outside. I forgot about the warm-goopiness today. I was too scared of the potential for black ice in my parking lot and of the equally frightening potential for yet another running failure.

Well, good news. I'm currently in the warm, goopy post-run stage and I didn't encounter any ice to get here. Ladies and gentlemen, I just completed a Week 9 workout of Couch to 5K (run 30 minutes without stopping), and I truly did it this time--without stopping!

[applause]

Thank you, thank you ...

Actually, I was seriously starting to doubt if I could do it at all, at least until the weather warmed up. My body is just not dealing with the cold very well. I feel like I've gotten used to the cold much quicker in years past, but maybe I'm getting old. Or maybe the cold just got here much faster this year? Who knows. What I do know is that I've been miserable in the mornings this week. I just can't seem to get warm, inside and out. I don't think it helps that my winter coats are like tents on me now and let all kinds of cold air up inside of them. BRRRRR!

(Who wants to buy me a new coat?)

My co-worker and fellow running newbie passed an article along to me today. The blog is for marathoners (and desperately needs to be proofread), but I think we can all find something to help us cope with the cold.

Here it is: Top Winter Marathon Training Tips

And I'll also share a link to Runner's World's website, which is FULL of info. There's so much on there that I don't think I'll ever get through it all, but it won't stop me from trying. By the way, the magazine is pretty fantastic. I recommend it. This particular page has links to all kinds of extreme weather articles/blogs, etc.

And, here's that one: Runner's World Running in Cold or Heat home page

So, that's all I have today. Don't give up through the cold stuff, and PLEASE don't let me give up either. Special thanks to the person who bargained with me this afternoon to make sure we both ran. I really truly appreciate it, and all the warm, goopy feelings I got because I took your challenge. =)

By the way, have I ever talked to you all about what happens after the warm goopy-ness goes away? No? I get absolutely freezing cold, complete with shivers. Sad, freezing Beckey. I want the warm-goopies back! And a heated blanket.