Today's Run
Today was another shirtless run - standard distance of 7Km with my running partner - a bit slower today (38m 20s) in windy and rainy conditions at an air temp of +2C.
Shirtless Running
I have been looking at the issue of running shirtless and have found a few interesting blogs and/or yahoo groups which discuss this subject. The following one, "Running Shirtless", has some relevant and good articles on the subject.
Thomas is the guy that puts that blog together from various sources. His bio says: "I'm an ordinary guy with an ordinary job and deathly ordinary achievements. Shirtlessness - in the right contexts - should be every bit as ordinary." I thoroughly agree with his stance on the subject and find the articles he posts quite thought provoking at times. There should be more shirtless runners - whatever the weather.
Another related blog is "Shirtless Freedom". This a more generic site about being shirtless in different situations.
The last one I want to refer to today is a new Yahoo Group I joined - "Shirtless Running". It needs new shirtless runners for membership and could do with some additional input too. It has some good ideas and should develop quite nicely if it keep on going the way it started off. Join and put your own opinions and experiences about shirtless running across.
That's all for today. Hope you have a great shirtless running weekend.
Friday 26 February 2010
Saturday 20 February 2010
Cold Runs
This going to be short 'cos its weekend and I'm time deprived (hope that's the PC way to say don't have a lot of time to spare!).
Last 2 days' runs:
Friday: 7km; Air Temp -1C; slight snow on the ground. Time: 37m40s
Saturday: New run 9.9km; -4C air temp; hard frost on ground. Time: 54m28s.
Both runs done in only shorts and trainers.
Comment from fellow runner on Saturday: Q: "How cold does it have to be for you to put a shirt on?" A: Probably a lot colder than this.
Priceless picture of a woman passenger in a passing car bringing her hands to her face in total disbelief at seeing someone running without a shirt (she was inside the car with heavy overcoat on and still looked cold!).
Last 2 days' runs:
Friday: 7km; Air Temp -1C; slight snow on the ground. Time: 37m40s
Saturday: New run 9.9km; -4C air temp; hard frost on ground. Time: 54m28s.
Both runs done in only shorts and trainers.
Comment from fellow runner on Saturday: Q: "How cold does it have to be for you to put a shirt on?" A: Probably a lot colder than this.
Priceless picture of a woman passenger in a passing car bringing her hands to her face in total disbelief at seeing someone running without a shirt (she was inside the car with heavy overcoat on and still looked cold!).
Wednesday 17 February 2010
10km and a Pond dip
Today was a good day. 2C air temp, the occasional drop of rain or drizzle and an early start for exploring different footpaths to stay off the roads. I started off on my normal route but then varied it by taking a different footpath at around the 3km mark that I have not taken before.
More exploring on various and different paths in the woods and after about 40 minutes from the start I come to the pond where I strip off and take a dip of around 4 minutes in the murky 2c to 3C water (I really do have to find a place where the water is less fetid - good job I shower as soon as I get home). Suitably cooled off I head into the more dense part of the wood naked to dry off as I run. Around 1km later I get to the edge of the woods where I put my shorts back on to cross the road and head home, about half of it on the road.
Including my time at the pond and stopping to get my bearings on occasion I took around 64 minutes for the entire 10km distance that I ran (a couple of steep >5% incline uphill sections I walked because I can walk them faster than jogging). I am happy that I effectively ran the 10k distance in less than 1 hour.
Hoping for colder weather tomorrow so that I can push the same distance again but maybe in more harsh conditions and in a better time now that I have the new route mapped out.
p.s. Anyone know the easiest way to keep your hands warm when running? I hate wearing gloves, especially when running without a shirt - it just looks plain odd!
More exploring on various and different paths in the woods and after about 40 minutes from the start I come to the pond where I strip off and take a dip of around 4 minutes in the murky 2c to 3C water (I really do have to find a place where the water is less fetid - good job I shower as soon as I get home). Suitably cooled off I head into the more dense part of the wood naked to dry off as I run. Around 1km later I get to the edge of the woods where I put my shorts back on to cross the road and head home, about half of it on the road.
Including my time at the pond and stopping to get my bearings on occasion I took around 64 minutes for the entire 10km distance that I ran (a couple of steep >5% incline uphill sections I walked because I can walk them faster than jogging). I am happy that I effectively ran the 10k distance in less than 1 hour.
Hoping for colder weather tomorrow so that I can push the same distance again but maybe in more harsh conditions and in a better time now that I have the new route mapped out.
p.s. Anyone know the easiest way to keep your hands warm when running? I hate wearing gloves, especially when running without a shirt - it just looks plain odd!
Tuesday 16 February 2010
Normal running
Monday turned out to be a normal pace run (shirtless of course) of around 37minutes for the 7.1km route. I would say it was a cool run with the air temp hovering around 0C. Nothing special though. Not even a pheasant fluttering out of the bushes along the way disturbed by footfall.
There was a thin layer of ice on a lot of the puddles on the route but I guess that was to be expected. A brisk cold shower after I got home and then on with the normal day-to-day routine of work. Today is an off day as usual, so no report for today. More tomorrow......
There was a thin layer of ice on a lot of the puddles on the route but I guess that was to be expected. A brisk cold shower after I got home and then on with the normal day-to-day routine of work. Today is an off day as usual, so no report for today. More tomorrow......
Saturday 13 February 2010
Weekend Update
As it turned out I didn't go for a run on Thursday. I felt lazy and stayed in bed till it was way too late to hit the pond run again. It was cold too, -2C. Coldest this week and I missed it! From the weather forecast I am going to have to wait till next weekend for similarly cold temperatures again.
I punished myself Friday for the laziness though. Air temp was hovering around 0C with the occasional snow flurry as I ran shirtless with my running partner pushing us hard to the fastest time we have done to date 35m24s for 7.1km. A full 40seconds plus off the best time so far. My reward was a cold shower of 5 minutes. My next goal for the standard route is to do it in less than 35 minutes.
Today, Saturday, I went off with some mates for a slightly longer (55minutes) shirtless mixed country track and road run in -1C air temp with quite a strong wind chill. All the other guys bar one were in full track suits with multiple clothing layers on! The run was quite hilly and slow (6m55s per km) compared to my normal pace (approx 5m30s per km) but adequate enough to keep warm and have a decent conversation along the way too which makes a change. I mapped the run on www.mapmyrun.com and it worked out at 8km.
I am considering entering my first 10k race soon in the UK. Problem is, I dont know whether race organisers allow you to run without a vest (which is what I want to do). Anyone know if UK athletics or race organisers of official races will let you run shirtless? Please let me know via the comments section.
I punished myself Friday for the laziness though. Air temp was hovering around 0C with the occasional snow flurry as I ran shirtless with my running partner pushing us hard to the fastest time we have done to date 35m24s for 7.1km. A full 40seconds plus off the best time so far. My reward was a cold shower of 5 minutes. My next goal for the standard route is to do it in less than 35 minutes.
Today, Saturday, I went off with some mates for a slightly longer (55minutes) shirtless mixed country track and road run in -1C air temp with quite a strong wind chill. All the other guys bar one were in full track suits with multiple clothing layers on! The run was quite hilly and slow (6m55s per km) compared to my normal pace (approx 5m30s per km) but adequate enough to keep warm and have a decent conversation along the way too which makes a change. I mapped the run on www.mapmyrun.com and it worked out at 8km.
I am considering entering my first 10k race soon in the UK. Problem is, I dont know whether race organisers allow you to run without a vest (which is what I want to do). Anyone know if UK athletics or race organisers of official races will let you run shirtless? Please let me know via the comments section.
Wednesday 10 February 2010
Run and Pond dip
I took a different route today to my normal run. It's one that is a bit shorter(6.4Km) and goes through woods but it does have its advantages. The first is that is a lot more secluded and much further away from houses; second it has a much denser undergrowth and thirdly there is a small pond at the halfway mark.
The first two advantages mean that I can (if I want to) run part of my route in just my trainers and much less likely to be caught out by other people running, cycling or walking their dogs and also less likely to be seen from other parts of the wood (especially as I take very unfrequented paths). The last advantage means that I can also do some cold water endurance at the halfway point.
Today I managed both the above. Running around 2km naked and able to take a 3 minute relax in the ice covered pond. Last time I was there I managed 2 minutes and felt OK. so I pushed the time up a bit today. It did not take me long to warm up on the return leg. The air temp was around -1C with a brisk wind chill, the water had ice on it so I guess the water temp was around +1C or+2C (I need to buy that watch with the thermometer built in). The pond is really only deep enough to sit in so the swimming will need to wait for a deeper pond, river or lake.
The forecast is for some snow and temps of -3C overnight so although its not a normal run day tomorrowfor me, I may just venture out and do the same run shirtless tomorrow too!
The first two advantages mean that I can (if I want to) run part of my route in just my trainers and much less likely to be caught out by other people running, cycling or walking their dogs and also less likely to be seen from other parts of the wood (especially as I take very unfrequented paths). The last advantage means that I can also do some cold water endurance at the halfway point.
Today I managed both the above. Running around 2km naked and able to take a 3 minute relax in the ice covered pond. Last time I was there I managed 2 minutes and felt OK. so I pushed the time up a bit today. It did not take me long to warm up on the return leg. The air temp was around -1C with a brisk wind chill, the water had ice on it so I guess the water temp was around +1C or+2C (I need to buy that watch with the thermometer built in). The pond is really only deep enough to sit in so the swimming will need to wait for a deeper pond, river or lake.
The forecast is for some snow and temps of -3C overnight so although its not a normal run day tomorrowfor me, I may just venture out and do the same run shirtless tomorrow too!
Tuesday 9 February 2010
Bahtime again
After a long break from taking cold baths I managed to eventually get into one today. I have no idea what the water temperature was but I reckon it must have been below 10C (based on past experience) as it came straight out the cold tap at the hotel and we have had some really cold weather in the UK recently. I stayed in the water for 10 full minutes with no shivering at all. I could have stayed longer but I was pressed for time and needed to get to a meeting - so it was just 10 minutes. There was a nice numbness to my skin when I got out that I have not felt for a while. It really needs to be close to zero to get the really numbing effects that I like the best though
No run today but with the temperatures starting to fall in general across the UK and with snow forecast for where I live I think the next few days could make for some interesting runs and comments from other walkers/runners (and motorists?). If i get to run on my own I may try a route that takes me past the local pond twice (one on the way out and once on the way back) for a 2 or 3 minute dip each time. Last time I went past the pond on a run there was ice on the top so I guess the water is close to zero underneath the ice too.
For those of you that are keen to see the type of thing I would really like to do in cold water, there have been a number of new videos posted by many different and new members on Youtube. Take a look at the cold water swimming playlists in my profile on the right to view them. The latest are in the "more cold water swimming video" section. Enjoy.
No run today but with the temperatures starting to fall in general across the UK and with snow forecast for where I live I think the next few days could make for some interesting runs and comments from other walkers/runners (and motorists?). If i get to run on my own I may try a route that takes me past the local pond twice (one on the way out and once on the way back) for a 2 or 3 minute dip each time. Last time I went past the pond on a run there was ice on the top so I guess the water is close to zero underneath the ice too.
For those of you that are keen to see the type of thing I would really like to do in cold water, there have been a number of new videos posted by many different and new members on Youtube. Take a look at the cold water swimming playlists in my profile on the right to view them. The latest are in the "more cold water swimming video" section. Enjoy.
Friday 5 February 2010
Weight Loss - a milestone!
I know that my blog is supposed to be about cold water and running and stuff like that. However, one of the side effects of all this cold and exercise is that I have lost weight. I know that it is not just the cold water and the exercise - having a balanced diet; eating less, but more often so you feel sated all the time; and not eating like a pig or snacking heavily between meals nor drinking excessively has also helped.
Over the course of the past year I have lost around 10Kg. It has been a very gradual process as you can see if you trudge back through my posts over the past year. It was one of the goals to lose weight and get fit - which has been proven now. I am definitely healthier and fitter than I was, you can even see my muscles under the skin and the body fat% is definitely a lot lower than it was a year ago. Even the semblance of a 6-pack that was lurking underneath my stomach is starting to show through!
I have a few theories as to why cold water training and running shirtless have helped:-
Quite a milestone!
Over the course of the past year I have lost around 10Kg. It has been a very gradual process as you can see if you trudge back through my posts over the past year. It was one of the goals to lose weight and get fit - which has been proven now. I am definitely healthier and fitter than I was, you can even see my muscles under the skin and the body fat% is definitely a lot lower than it was a year ago. Even the semblance of a 6-pack that was lurking underneath my stomach is starting to show through!
I have a few theories as to why cold water training and running shirtless have helped:-
- When you get cold your body works harder to generate heat. It gets the energy to do that from your fat reserves. So exercising, swimming or just plain cold bathing/showering helps the process.
- If you are cold your metabolism speeds up to compensate. So when you run shirtless in the cold your metabolism peaks for longer - and continues well after any exercise to bring your body back to its "normal" state. Just running elevates the metabolic rate even without the effects of cold. Again, this raised metabolic rate needs energy and so the fat gets burned. The colder you were at the end of whatever you were doing, the longer it takes your body to get back to normal.
Quite a milestone!
Tuesday 2 February 2010
How Cold is "Too Cold"?
My second day in Germany it was already -12C when I woke up (I put the thermometer outside my bedroom window!) and the wind was blowing too. I decided that this was a little too cold to venture out in just shorts and trainers (this was before I wrote my previous post and had decided that even in extreme cold I could do short “out & back” runs without putting myself at risk) so I stayed in bed. Call me a coward if you will. Next time I will run even if it is -20C and I only cover a 300m out and back run.
The third day in Germany it was quite a lot warmer (-2C) so I ventured out and did 3 sequential out and back runs. The first and longest was around 2.5km - I was still warm after that so headed off on another 2 shorter out and back runs with a short interval just lying on my back making a snow angel at the side of one of the fields. Total distance covered it turns out was about the same as the first day but I was not nearly as cold at the end of it. As it turns out I think I could have done the full circuit and more without a problem but I wanted to play it safe rather than being a little stupid like I was on the first day there when I totally underestimated the intensity of the cold and the effects of the wind.
Come the following day and I am back in the UK. A normal 7km run in around 40 minutes with my running partner. A break over the weekend and then another light flurry of snow overnight Sunday with cold temps meant a -3C start to my run on Monday morning. But what a great run. Just the right temperature so as not to get too cold and running with a partner in case of difficulty. A better time too of around 38 minutes. No run today but planning to do a longer 10k run tomorrow, hopefully with a short 2 or 3 minute dip into a local pond on the way back. Depending on how early I start running and on how many people I see out there, I may even try to run naked in the more secluded part of the wood. Wait for my next post to find out.
A couple of questions for any of you out there that are actually reading this:
1. What is the coldest temperature you have ever run in and for what period of time?
2. How were you dressed when you ran in the cold (naked; trainers only; trainers and shorts, trainers, top and shorts; trainers, full track suit hat and gloves)?
Please let me know your answers in the comments section.
The third day in Germany it was quite a lot warmer (-2C) so I ventured out and did 3 sequential out and back runs. The first and longest was around 2.5km - I was still warm after that so headed off on another 2 shorter out and back runs with a short interval just lying on my back making a snow angel at the side of one of the fields. Total distance covered it turns out was about the same as the first day but I was not nearly as cold at the end of it. As it turns out I think I could have done the full circuit and more without a problem but I wanted to play it safe rather than being a little stupid like I was on the first day there when I totally underestimated the intensity of the cold and the effects of the wind.
Come the following day and I am back in the UK. A normal 7km run in around 40 minutes with my running partner. A break over the weekend and then another light flurry of snow overnight Sunday with cold temps meant a -3C start to my run on Monday morning. But what a great run. Just the right temperature so as not to get too cold and running with a partner in case of difficulty. A better time too of around 38 minutes. No run today but planning to do a longer 10k run tomorrow, hopefully with a short 2 or 3 minute dip into a local pond on the way back. Depending on how early I start running and on how many people I see out there, I may even try to run naked in the more secluded part of the wood. Wait for my next post to find out.
A couple of questions for any of you out there that are actually reading this:
1. What is the coldest temperature you have ever run in and for what period of time?
2. How were you dressed when you ran in the cold (naked; trainers only; trainers and shorts, trainers, top and shorts; trainers, full track suit hat and gloves)?
Please let me know your answers in the comments section.
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