Jogging in winter Part II

We are having an extended cold spell here Europe. We had constant subzero temperatures during the past three weeks. This winter is definitely colder than the last one. In a way, I prefer this cold but dry winter rather than the mild winter we had last year which was wet and rainy.

While it is very tempting to simply stay put inside our warm heated house rather than venture out in the cold, it is imperative that I should go and do my 3 times a week jogging run for a number of reasons, namely:

• My heart and blood vessels need the physical activity.
• My lungs need the fresh air.
• My body needs whatever sunlight I can get.
• I need to get rid of those extra kilos gained during the holidays.

In my last post on winter jogging, Richard cited in his comment a problem he encountered while jogging in winter time – freezing in the inside of the nose. I never had this problem myself but I do have other problems which I want to share with you here.

• Frozen toes, slippery ground. I am one of those who get frozen toes no matter how many layers of socks I wear. I therefore run now with a pair of climawarm adidas shoes, lined with thinsulate insulation. They are not new, mind you. I bought on sale a couple of years back so the model doesn’t exist anymore. They keep my feet dry and my toes warm. In addition, they have wonderful soles that keep me from slipping on the compacted frozen snow.
• Runny eyes and nose. While I don’t get frozen nostrils, my nose just couldn’t stop running when I am outside. And when the wind blows strongly, even my glasses are not enugh protection to keep from eyes from getting watery. There is only one thing to do under these circumstances – bring a handkerchief or a couple pieces of tissue paper with you.
• Fogged up glasses. Speaking about glasses, I run with mine on, despite the hassles. I need them to see where I am going or stepping. I don’t have any problems with them as long as it’s not raining or snowing strongly. Fogging up only occurs after the run once I go indoors.
• Conked out mp3 player. I wear my mp3 player around my arm when I go jogging. It simply conked out last week because of the cold. I learned my lesson. I should keep my mp3 player inside my jacket where it can be kept warm.
• Sunscreen and sunglasses. Every now and then, the sun shows itself, and when it does, it comes with a vengeance as it is reflected on the crystal snow. In this case, sun protection, silly as it may sound, may actually be necessary.

Now, you may ask, what about other winter sports?

Unfortunately, having grown up in a tropical country, I haven’t really developed the taste nor the skills for skiing, snowboarding or even sledging like my kids have. However, I am planning to try out snowwalking soon and see whether I can get the hang of those snow shoes. And I’ll be sure to tell you about it.