Layers. It's about layers.

When I was hanging out at my favorite local coffee joint a few weeks ago, the owner was talking about his friend who wears layers when he runs in cold weather and then peels them off as he gets warm. I have enough trouble running with my keys, my cell phone, and now my mp3 player. How in world can I remove and somehow carry clothes when I get warm?!

Yesterday, I had my first run as a 38 year old. I am happy to say I ached less than I usually do, but I was so cold to start my run, I might as well have been in pain. It was in the upper 30s, and I ran wearing my lined workout pants and a long-sleeve shirt and thin hoodie. I kept my hands in my sleeves, and my hood up. My upper body, save for my head and hands, was too cold. But by the time I reached my halfway point (at almost a mile), my body warmed up just fine.

I ran in the Great Race or the Race for the Cure one year when the starting temps were probably in the lower 40s. I recall one guy discarding his long-sleeve shirt by the time the race started, and I wondered if he came back for it later, or if it was something he left, never to see again. I can't imagine doing either. But at least he did not have to worry about lugging extra attire.

If I am going to keep running in the cold (and for western PA, that is pretty much the next four months), I need to figure out how to dress better. Eliminating a few keys and/or my cell phone probably would not hurt either.

Race for the Cure

The first 5k I ran in the Burgh was the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, in 2000. I ran with a few coworkers from my last job, and my personal goal was to finish the race without once walking. I did not care if I had to jog in slow motion; I refused to walk.

What I was not prepared for was the start that pretty much was not. When the gun went off, we did not move; there were just too many people. After a minute or so, we made our way to the actual starting line, but we spent the first half of the race dodging walkers (note, that I pretty much was jogging in slow motion for the first few minutes). I remember being irritated, wondering why the walkers would be at the front of the line, in the way of the runners. I ended up at just under 34 minutes (thanks, Google!), knowing I would have done better had there not been so many walkers.

Later I realized that one does not participate in the Race for the Cure to win any accolades or run like the wind. You just do it because it is for good cause. Still, I was not disappointed when the next year the runners and walkers were separated (I cannot remember if one group started after the other or if they ran slightly different courses). I shaved about three and a half minutes off my time (again, thanks, Google).

It is great to run that race, with tens of thousands of people. Running up the snaking hill I could probably do without (I think it has some colorful nickname). Since I just got back into running recently, hopefully I can stick with it enough to make a return to this 5k. I think my last Race for the Cure was 2002.