Running in a New Area

Over the weekend I went to wonderful Columbus Ohio.

Running in a new location can always be fun and exciting, and I made sure I packed some running clothes. I did bring long spandex and a long sleeve running shirt, but the thought of packing a hat or gloves didn't even cross my mind. I stepped outside at 7:30am and my body went into shock!! Umm... hello 30 degrees...so nice to see you! I ran back inside and borrowed my sister's nicely fleece lined pink hate. The one thing that I have to have covered up when it's cold is my ears. My sis didn't have anything but cute fluffy mittens, so I figured I can just pull my long sleeve shirt over my hands. When I stepped back outside for the second time, my head was happy, but the rest of me was still cold.

I had seen a track on my way into my sisters and my plan was the find my way up there and see if it was open. But, first I wanted to run around her neighborhood and check things out. The one thing about running in the suburbs is well all the houses kind of look the same and there isn't so many people out, which means less people watching while running. Actually I didn't see a single person out, not even someone walking their dog.

Within the first half mile I could barely breath as I was sucking in what felt like the coldest air ever. I usually like running when it's cold out, but I think just being thrown to the 30 degree wolves didn't give my body a chance to adjust to the cold weather. I was dying out there and my lungs hated me! I thought about just running right back to the house after making a small loop, but no I kept running. I thought I might get lost making my way out of the development, but soon enough I found my way out and came up on the cutest little covered bridge.

 After running over the bridge I followed a running path that made it's way up to the track.

Once there, all I saw was a fence and chains and locks .... great! I ran around the outside of the track and made my way into the school parking lot and saw that one of the gates were open due to football practice starting at any minute. I asked the coach if he minded if I ran and he didn't. I thought about doing speed work, but with the cold air I wasn't doing so great, so I just stuck with some tempo running around the track. I did three miles on the track, then ran back to my sisters.

It was a fun run and I managed to run 6 miles despite wanting to be a wimp and turn around a half mile into the run.

What's the best vacation spot you have ran at? And are you a cold weather runner?

Happy Monday All :)