Over the past couple of years when the temperature dropped below zero Becky and I would opt for an indoor run instead. Not only have we moved that dial a bit, but we’re wearing less layers than we would have been wearing at significantly warmer temperatures.


This morning was a chilly one! Based on the air temperature and wind chill we were at -6. We kind of both looked at each other and shrugged. Becky then pointed out that the 50+ year old guy we watched on the video last night was shown surviving in Alaska and being out and about in the wild when it was -45. If he can do that cold we can easily do this, right? And off we went.


There were times on the run when I was a little chilly, especially at the beginning. By the time we’d wrapped up our miles and were back on our street I shucked my shirt and jacket as I was sweating. When we got to our house I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of my shirt and jacket both showing frost and ice where the sweat had been just a few minutes earlier. The ice in my beard was a little extra thick and took longer to thaw than some of our past runs.


At the start of our run I just kept thinking about Richard Proenneke living in his 45 degree cabin, spending time outside in -25 to -45 degree weather. Me spending time in my 58 degree workshop/office and running for a small handful of miles when it’s -5? In perspective it really wasn’t that bad. It’s really about acclimatizing to our surroundings.


I cannot choose the weather or the temperature, I can only chose how I react to it. Remembering that it isn’t that cold, that I can get used to it, and keeping the right perspective can help me not only survive it but thrive in it.


Thanks!!!