Happy New Year! I rang in the New Year with friends at a pink, black and white-themed “Flamingo Formal” at Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club in Brooklyn, and watched the fireworks in Prospect Park at midnight.
Two days later I hosted a Post-Hangover Brunch in my apartment and decided that it was one of my more brilliant ideas. Who wants to get out of bed for brunch on New Year’s Day? January 2nd for the win!
It wasn’t as dramatic as the start of 2015 when I did the Polar Bear Plunge at Coney Island, but it was a fun way to catch up with friends and spend a Saturday afternoon.
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December was eerily warm in the Northeast, and when I joined the NYRR Open Run in Brooklyn Bridge Park on the morning of Christmas Eve Day, I wore a t-shirt and shorts. It was 72 degrees that day!
Meanwhile, just a few weeks later, I headed out for a 4-mile run after work in 25 degrees. BRR! I bundled up and was warm enough after a mile or two, but man, I forgot how brutal winter running can be. I think it also made a big difference that I was running at night with no sunlight to keep me warm. I was proud of myself for heading out, but the next 25-degree evening will probably find me on the treadmill instead!
Since I signed up for the Ottawa Marathon on May 29th, I’ll be doing a lot of winter running. I’ve been trying to gain some momentum by running with friends – the only surefire way to get me through chilly runs!
Prospect Park (Grand Army Plaza)
NYRR Open Run in Brooklyn Bridge Park (Thursday evenings)
Brooklyn Bridge Park with Prospect Park Track Club (Saturday morning group run)
And of course, there’s nothing like ending a run with some delicious food. One of my French PPTC teammates brought a Galette des Rois (King’s Cake) to a café after our group run this week and we all warmed up with some coffee and cake.
Not really related to winter running, but how cute is this ornament my aunt gave me for Christmas?
Training for the Ottawa Marathon starts in about a month, so until then I’m trying to slowly build up my base and motivate myself to do some strength training that I tend to get lazy about. And hoping that we see some snow soon!
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Are you training for a spring race?
How cold is too cold for you to run outside?
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