There’s an old saying “no pain, no gain,” which we have all heard and at some point probably lived through. There’s another saying I’ve heard and recently lived through, “stupid is as stupid does.”
Part of life is making mistakes and learning from said mistakes. So with that in mind, I’ve decided to highlight my own mistake in an effort to educate others – and probably get a few people to ask, “What was he thinking?”
I’m not sure when it started, probably in college when my football career came to an end and the requirement of conditioning ended with it. Since then, though, I’ve found myself running roughly three miles or so four to five times a week.
Now don’t get me confused with one of those “runners.” You know, the people who can do two marathons a year, are up at 4:30 a.m. in the summer, have the short shorts, the stop watch and the gel packs. Running isn’t my favorite thing to do, by any means, but in an attempt to keep myself in shape, it’s one of the best things for the body.
Unless, of course, the temperature is in the single digits, as it was a week or so ago when I ventured out for my three-mile journey.
Bundled up with long socks, Under Armor, winter gloves, a head band and a couple more shirts, I made my way into the evening night. The first half of the run, with the wind at my back, was, well, a breeze. But as I reached my halfway point and turned into the howling wind, I quickly felt the pain.
It didn’t take long before my legs started feeling numb, and my face was as cold and frozen as the ground my feet were pounding on. “I can tough it out,” raced through my mind. But before long, the cold had simply consumed me. Returning home, finally, I felt dazed, upset with myself and even concerned for my well-being.
First, it was a shower of cool/warm water to allow my body to thaw out. Then it was a quick call to an old friend who coaches cross country in Albion, who reminded me about the dangers of extreme cold and frostbite, and how quickly it can set in.
Part of life is making mistakes and learning from said mistakes. So with that in mind, I’ve decided to highlight my own mistake in an effort to educate others – and probably get a few people to ask, “What was he thinking?”
I’m not sure when it started, probably in college when my football career came to an end and the requirement of conditioning ended with it. Since then, though, I’ve found myself running roughly three miles or so four to five times a week.
Now don’t get me confused with one of those “runners.” You know, the people who can do two marathons a year, are up at 4:30 a.m. in the summer, have the short shorts, the stop watch and the gel packs. Running isn’t my favorite thing to do, by any means, but in an attempt to keep myself in shape, it’s one of the best things for the body.
Unless, of course, the temperature is in the single digits, as it was a week or so ago when I ventured out for my three-mile journey.
Bundled up with long socks, Under Armor, winter gloves, a head band and a couple more shirts, I made my way into the evening night. The first half of the run, with the wind at my back, was, well, a breeze. But as I reached my halfway point and turned into the howling wind, I quickly felt the pain.
It didn’t take long before my legs started feeling numb, and my face was as cold and frozen as the ground my feet were pounding on. “I can tough it out,” raced through my mind. But before long, the cold had simply consumed me. Returning home, finally, I felt dazed, upset with myself and even concerned for my well-being.
First, it was a shower of cool/warm water to allow my body to thaw out. Then it was a quick call to an old friend who coaches cross country in Albion, who reminded me about the dangers of extreme cold and frostbite, and how quickly it can set in.
"You might as well just hit the treadmill,” he said.
If you’re anything like me, the treadmill might as well be called the dreadmill (clever huh?). What's more ridiculous than essentially running in place for as long as desired? Yet, after that fateful night of shivering and shortness of breath, it’s the go-to option when the weather is like this.
So my advice, after all that, is to be smart this winter. Whether you're training for the spring sports season, maintaining your shape for the current winter season or preparing for those two marathons you have to run this summer, only do so when the weather allows and educate yourself about the dangers of extreme cold.
Believe it or not, spring is right around the corner, and that 4:30 a.m. alarm will be ringing before you know it.
If you’re anything like me, the treadmill might as well be called the dreadmill (clever huh?). What's more ridiculous than essentially running in place for as long as desired? Yet, after that fateful night of shivering and shortness of breath, it’s the go-to option when the weather is like this.
So my advice, after all that, is to be smart this winter. Whether you're training for the spring sports season, maintaining your shape for the current winter season or preparing for those two marathons you have to run this summer, only do so when the weather allows and educate yourself about the dangers of extreme cold.
Believe it or not, spring is right around the corner, and that 4:30 a.m. alarm will be ringing before you know it.
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