This week has been very challenging for runners – well, everybody included — with some very unusual weather conditions. With freezing temperatures over 150 hours so far, snow, ice, and limited power and water make for unusual weather for Texas. For runners, the prospect of indoor substitutes such as treadmills and stair steppers look good. Alternate options include walking up and down any flight of stairs in the home might work. The old standby of jumping rope might be a good old-fashioned try. Those that skip rope know that a rope is less than one-half of an inch in thickness so the feet do not have to come very far off the floor. And a minimum of an eight-foot clearance is needed — both front and back and above your head. Skipping can be innovative with dance steps, one foot hopping, creative foot movements, and the standard high step for keeping you from getting bored. If push comes to shove you can always run in place while watching television.
Most average runners will just take a few days off and hope for better running conditions on the weekend or next week. The dedicated runner will venture outside and put those miles in one way or another. Heading outside needs some adjustment to a regular run. First up is wearing suitable clothes to keep warm and dry. Running builds up body heat so over-dressing is not necessary. A warm long-sleeved shirt and a rain suit for the top is about all that is needed. If the weather drops down close to that zero mark, the shirt needs to be a little warmer. If the jacket does not have a collar that covers the neck area a turtle neck shirt is nice. Wearing a scarf around the neck is another alternative to keep the neck warm.
Legs can get by with tights and nylon pants. The head loses heat faster than some runners realize so a nice wool cap is a nice addition. Try to get a cap that covers the ears. From experience, I can tell you that frost-bitten ears can be painful. If you wear glasses and it is snowing the cap with a brim will help keep the glasses clear. Gloves are needed for the fingers. I like the gold garden gloves since cold weather makes my nose run and the soft material makes a great hankie. A mask over the face is necessary to keep very cold air from reaching the lungs. Most runners have a mask because of the Covid-19 virus anyway. A runner’s mask is a little different in that it has an opening in the front for exhaled air.
