Baby is it cold outside?

Depending upon who you talk to the answer is probably yes.  Ohio has been covered by a cold mass of air thanks to our friends to the north....and I don't mean Michigan.

Overnight lows have been into the single digits and when the wind kicks up it starts to feel well below zero.  I've been spinning and swimming as normal but getting outside for a run is another story.  And I haven't broken down and used the treadmill yet.

So after work today I decided it was time to get outside for a run.  Temp reach a high of 15 and the wind was light.  I've ran in much worse conditions than this so I grabbed my cold weather gear and suited up for a nice 5 miler.

If you never thought you could over dress for 15 degree weather I am here to prove you wrong.  As I stood looking at my options I grabbed my Pearl Izumi winter wind breaker.  But as I looked outside again and the temp on the thermometer I put it back and grabbed my slightly heavier Nashbar cycling jacket.  Yes you read that correctly...Nashbar.  I haven't been to their website in years so I was surprised they are still around. 

I've had this jacket since around 1999 and the plush lining has kept me warm in some brutal conditions.  So I put on my jacket with a short sleeve base layer and a mid-weight long sleeve tech shirt providing some layers for the cold.

As soon as I stepped outside and closed the garage door I knew I was overdressed.  Usually I follow the 10 degree rule when dressing for a run....dress for weather 10 degrees warmer than it is.  Within the first 2 miles you should warmed up and comfortable for the remainder of the run.

As I said I was overdressed and I didn't feel like going back inside to get my other jacket.  My shoes were muddy and I didn't feel like taking them off.  So I headed out, overdressed.

The first 2.5 miles were comfortable and I couldn't feel the cold on my upper torso.  My legs could feel the biting cold a little and that's what I really wanted all over.  On my return trip home I did a couple of small pick-ups and then I could definitely feel the sweet forming on my body.  For a short run like this it's not a big deal but on a longer run I would want to avoid the sweating and subsequent chills from the cold. 

I made it back home satisfied with my outdoor run.  This weekend will be two hours on the trails and I'll dress more appropriately.

Have fun out there in the snow.....if you have any.