The Running Thread - 2016

[Anisum]

QOTD: Keeping our focus on weather again today. How far out do you start to look at the weather forecast for a upcoming race? Which sites do you use for the long range models and as race day approaches, do you use a different source?

If I'm travelling to the race I start about ten days out but don't get serious until three days out. If I'm not travelling or it's not a long race I'll look the day before so I know what clothes to plan out.

 

[surfde22]

QOTD: Keeping our focus on weather again today. How far out do you start to look at the weather forecast for a upcoming race? Which sites do you use for the long range models and as race day approaches, do you use a different source?

I don't spend a lot of time monitoring weather in advance. The night before/morning of I will check the weather to know what to wear. Not much I can do about the weather after all.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Speaking of weather...



LOL, at Thursday 12/15's forecast for here in Wisconsin... A little early for something that intense! Fingers crossed for an unreliable forecast!

 

[rteetz]

Speaking of weather...

View attachment 209191

LOL, at Thursday 12/15's forecast for here in Wisconsin... A little early for something that intense! Fingers crossed for an unreliable forecast!

Oh dear... I am not ready for single digits.

 

[PrincessV]

QOTD: Keeping our focus on weather again today. How far out do you start to look at the weather forecast for a upcoming race? Which sites do you use for the long range models and as race day approaches, do you use a different source?

I'm a die-hard Weather Watcher! I'll start watching the forecast 15 days out - yes, I am fully aware that it can - and likely WILL - change a bunch of times, but it passes the time and I enjoy it, so whatever. I also like to start thinking about what types of outfits I can put together for various weather challenges, so I find watching a long range forecast and adding/subtracting items as needed to be helpful. I like a combination of Weather Channel and Accuweather - watching them differ is part of the fun, lol! They almost always come together 24 hours out from whatever day is in question.

ETA: case study - yesterday, the forecast for this coming Sunday, when I'm scheduled to run 22, showed thunderstorms in the morning. I don't mind rain, but I don't run in lightning. So I started re-planning to do my final Dopey sim as 3 Thurs, 6 Fri, 22 Sat, and whatever I can do via treadmill Sun. The forecast has since changed and I'm back to 3/6/12/22 Thurs-Sun... but I was mentally prepared to change if required!

 

[roxymama]

I check as far in advance as I can even though I know the forecast will change. There's not much I can do to control the weather , but I at least want to be informed!

Same!

Chicago weather and Bears football share one thing in common...they never do what everyone says they will do.
So I over-pack way too many "choices" into my car for layering and hope the weather hasn't drastically changed (or maybe I hope it has) by the time I park my car. And then I hope the weather doesn't drastically change from corral to start. And then during the race. I'm not kidding.

 

[cavepig]

I start looking at weather as soon as I can, usually wunderground. It's just because then I know I'm that much closer to the race time &/or trip, so builds into the excitement of it all.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Sorry, but that's one of the silliest things I've read (the wind part). Wind freezes my butt off when it's pushing me from behind, so there are wind issues, 30 mph+ wind gusts don't just stop if I change direction, it blows right though me.

If the wind were the problem, every part of your body covered with similar layers would get similarly cold. That isn't what you guys have reported in this thread. So this issue isn't the cold or the wind. It is something else.

I don't know of any high elite runners that have complained about cold glutes. They have very little fat, so they have less insulation. I suspect that it is as simple as this - to become an elite runner you have to learn to engage all of the muscles to gain that level of performance.

I know that we are all different, but that only goes so far.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

QOTD: Keeping our focus on weather again today. How far out do you start to look at the weather forecast for a upcoming race? Which sites do you use for the long range models and as race day approaches, do you use a different source?

I use weather.com, and it depends on how far I am traveling. I check the weather every day anyway since I run every day. I only check in a different way if I have to pack for a trip for a race.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

While you are correct that the only way to learn what it is like is to go out and do it. I don't disagree with that, but I think that once you've done it a handful of times the need to repeat it aren't necessary. In much of the same way it isn't necessary to run 26.2 miles in training before running 26.2 mile race. If you are training for a southern marathon while living up north in colder temps and race day could be warm, it takes a few days for the body to adjust. So running on a TM where we can control the temp would be beneficial in preparing you for a warm race instead of running outdoors in much cooler temps for the last few runs during the taper. I think its much easier to go from running in warmer weather and then running a race where its cold, as opposed to cold to warm.

I think that this is true, but only to a point. You forget a lot when you don't face a particular hurdle in running for a while. For me, winter running seems like something that I have to "relearn" every year when it gets REALLY cold. That even though I run every day in the winter in some pretty ugly weather. Same applies to trail running. It is so different and if I go a few months without running trails (I rarely run trails in the dead of winter) then I have to relearn a lot of that the following season. The learning curve is much shorter, but for some reason I simply forget a lot of basics.

Maybe I'm just getting old.

 

[Miranda]

I don't know of any high elite runners that have complained about cold glutes. They have very little fat, so they have less insulation.

I know you were responding to a post about wind coming from the back and what not, but this article that was posted a little ways back in this thread addressed the fat thing. It's likely that because we have more butt fat that it is contributing to them being colder:

Here's a quick explanation about why that area gets so cold and also some recs:
http://www.shape.com/fitness/cardio/why-does-my-butt-stay-cold-during-run

 

[ZellyB]

I usually start looking at weather about 10 days out looking at a few sources. I don't take much of it as very legitimate though until somewhere within 3-5 days.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

QOTD: Some much colder weather is forecasted to make a run into the deep south in the coming days. What type of gear do you use to stay warm on those colder than normal days?

I am not ready for cold weather. Especially when it was in the 80s on my run last night. I do have have some long sleeve tech shirts, long pants and gloves. Hopefully I won't need more than that anytime soon.

QOTD: Keeping our focus on weather again today. How far out do you start to look at the weather forecast for a upcoming race? Which sites do you use for the long range models and as race day approaches, do you use a different source?

I am really bad about checking the weather. I don't really look at it until the night before or maybe the morning of. I usually use weather.com when I do check.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I know you were responding to a post about wind coming from the back and what not, but this article that was posted a little ways back in this thread addressed the fat thing. It's likely that because we have more butt fat that it is contributing to them being colder:

That article does not say that this is definitely the problem, but if it makes you happy, accept it and move on.

ETA - I don't mean to sound snarky, but the explanation offered makes almost no sense. More fat = more insulation = warmer. I get the blood flow part, but that doesn't explain why people with very little butt fat also complain about this.

 

[Miranda]

That article does not say that this is definitely the problem, but if it makes you happy, accept it and move on.

ETA - I don't mean to sound snarky, but the explanation offered makes almost no sense. More fat = more insulation = warmer. I get the blood flow part, but that doesn't explain why people with very little butt fat also complain about this.

I cannot explain why people with very little butt fat also have the problem, although I do agree that muscle engagement likely also contributes. I think the article also mentioned that. But I can see having more insulation causing your butt to feel colder. Your muscles might be warm underneath the fat, but that warmth is not making it to the outside because it's being well insulated.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I cannot explain why people with very little butt fat also have the problem, although I do agree that muscle engagement likely also contributes. I think the article also mentioned that. But I can see having more insulation causing your butt to feel colder. Your muscles might be warm underneath the fat, but that warmth is not making it to the outside because it's being well insulated.

And, BTW, that might actually be a problem. I just think that it isn't likely enough that I would stop looking for answers at that article.

 

[cavepig]

If the wind were the problem, every part of your body covered with similar layers would get similarly cold. That isn't what you guys have reported in this thread. So this issue isn't the cold or the wind. It is something else.

I don't know of any high elite runners that have complained about cold glutes. They have very little fat, so they have less insulation. I suspect that it is as simple as this - to become an elite runner you have to learn to engage all of the muscles to gain that level of performance.

I know that we are all different, but that only goes so far.

Good for the elite of not feeling cold then, that would be great. Wind doesn't hit all parts equal either, so just because you are clothed the same doesn't mean everything warms the same, we get some pretty crazy winds, one nostril freezes where the other doesn't type winds. I have ran in shorts for races that were freezing and I felt cold, maybe my glutes & quads were warmed up, but I still felt cold mostly on my thighs and butt. Maybe that's the difference here in what we are both saying, feeling cold versus warmed up muscles. So my muscles might be warmed up, but my skin sure isn't.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

So my muscles might be warmed up, but my skin sure isn't.

Ahhh, that makes perfect sense. I have finished runs in which I didn't feel cold at all because my core was hot, but my skin was very cold. I have even lost skin that got too cold for too long - never felt cold at all during the run. I did not realize that you guys were talking about a "surface" cold. Now I just feel stupid.

 

[camaker]

I cannot explain why people with very little butt fat also have the problem, although I do agree that muscle engagement likely also contributes. I think the article also mentioned that. But I can see having more insulation causing your butt to feel colder. Your muscles might be warm underneath the fat, but that warmth is not making it to the outside because it's being well insulated.

Good for the elite of not feeling cold then, that would be great. Wind doesn't hit all parts equal either, so just because you are clothed the same doesn't mean everything warms the same, we get some pretty crazy winds, one nostril freezes where the other doesn't type winds. I have ran in shorts for races that were freezing and I felt cold, maybe my glutes & quads were warmed up, but I still felt cold mostly on my thighs and butt. Maybe that's the difference here in what we are both saying, feeling cold versus warmed up muscles. So my muscles might be warmed up, but my skin sure isn't.

Ahhh, that makes perfect sense. I have finished runs in which I didn't feel cold at all because my core was hot, but my skin was very cold. I have even lost skin that got too cold for too long - never felt cold at all during the run. I did not realize that you guys were talking about a "surface" cold. Now I just feel stupid.

And thus ends (hopefully) the great "why is my butt cold in the winter?" debate of 2016!!

 

[run.minnie.miles]

The cold butt debate has been entertaining... but I'll add my 2c about the QOTD

I watch the weather pretty religiously. I am already looking at next Saturday's foretasted high of 17F and wondering if I should stay inside for my planned 8mi run that morning. Hopefully it changes by then! I really struggle with earaches when I run in any cold/wind (regardless of ear warmers), so I'm not in the camp of run in any temperature/conditions.