Will Run For…Just About Anything

Even though I’ve run a marathon, three half–marathons and quite a few other races, I sometimes feel weird calling myself a runner. When I think “runner,” I think of fast people like Laurel.

But this morning, as I stood in the lobby of my building, staring out into the snowdrifts, trying to catch a signal on my Garmin through the glass of the door, I realized I was a runner. 

As I ran west to my BFF, the Hudson River path, stepping into slush piles, gingerly hopping through snowy obstacle courses, doing spontaneous high-knees, wearing just two layers of clothing to everyone else’s three and four layers of clothing, I realized I was a runner. 

As I plodded down the path towards to Trader Joe’s to get my grocery shopping on, I realized I was a runner. I ran to the grocery store. I really love when I can use running as transportation, not just as exercise.

Some people have asked how you’re supposed to dress for cold-weather running. Here’s what I wore today. It was about 27 degrees here when I left.

(I haven’t found a good spot in my new apartment to take photos of myself in the mirror. I may need to start learning how to use the self-timer…)

• Lululemon Stride Jacket
• Lululemon Run:Hustle Pants
• Nike Dri-Fit Shirt (mine is from the marathon, but I think they make the same shirt without the marathon fabulousness)
• Feetures socks
• Nike Running Hat (with ponytail opening!)
• Saucony Pro Grid Ride 3 sneaks

You’re supposed to dress for about 10 degrees warmer than it actually is. I think if I weren’t running, I’d still be wearing a lot more clothes than this in 37-degree weather, but this is what I run in. Unless it’s below maybe 25 degrees, I don’t usually run in gloves, or, if I do, I take them off within the first mile. My hands get REALLY sweaty in gloves.

I don’t usually wear that much Lululemon (but Santa was nice to me), but I do definitely recommend as much dri-fit/wicking gear as you can muster—especially the base layer. Sometimes I wear just a regular sweatshirt over the base layer, and that’s fine, but if you’re just wearing a regular cotton shirt under your jacket, you’re gonna get COLD the second you stop.

The wicking socks are clutch, too. I stepped in puddles so many times, but my feet never stayed cold for longer than a minute or two.