Searching for a little “JOY” 🏃🏽‍♀️.... with Jingle Bells on 🔔

[SaskAlliecat]

After 2 incredibly stressful days at work and a night of very little sleep, I knew I didn’t have a long run in me today. In reality, I didn’t feel like I had any run in me but I knew I would feel better if I just got out and did it. So I found some Jingle bells, tied them to my shoes, plotted a run on Garmin Connect, sent it to my watch, and off I went. Lo and behold, if I didn’t just find a little JOY in today’s run after all!

We had an Alberta Clipper blow in last night which brought some frigid weather again so I tried my neoprene ski mask today while running. It isn’t very festive but it worked great! It was nice not sucking my thin merino buff into my mouth as I huffed and puffed and my face was nice and warm. My ears were sore from the mask pushing on my ear buds when I took everything off so I’ll have to tweak that next time. And I only got one odd grin from a guy sitting in his truck as I ran by. Maybe it brought him some joy today too, to see this weird lady sporting a quilted skirt over her trousers, jingle bells on her shoe and sporting a frosted up skull face mask while running by in -19 °C 🤪.

It might be time to find a more conservative one for running .... or not 🤣.

[BaddieThePirate Graduate10]

Not! Fantastic. I can’t even imagine that much minus in a temperature. Well done.

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to BaddieThePirate]

Thanks. It makes my skunk helmet cover a little more bad ass to go with my son’s devil helmet cover and my husband’s skull and crossbones helmet cover. The last couple years we have skiied in -30 (hence the face masks and fleece helmet covers)- that’s not much fun. I don’t think I would run in that cold but I’ve run up to -24 °C before windchill.

[BaddieThePirate Graduate10 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

Like the sound of the skull and crossbones 🏴‍☠️

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to BaddieThePirate]

I'm sure you do 😂

[Lavender1962 Graduate10]

Well done! If you didn’t bring him joy you at least brought a smile to his face. And you did bring joy to yourself. It is great that you’re getting out there! 😊 ❄️

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Lavender1962]

Thanks Lav. Each run is a bit of a challenge to get out lately but I sure feel great afterwards. I just have to remember that feeling and force myself to get out.

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

Your Joy is spreading Allie! Sorry you've been under a lot of stress at work, this run sounds like the perfect way to let it go...and just be!

That mask is pretty scary, but totally practical and a must in those temperatures I should think. Your jingle bells and mask were probably what caused that guy to look bemused...

What's this....oh it's just a Joybringer!🏃‍♀️🎄. Very well done on that Strava art... I give you an A⭐🤗😊xxx

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thanks Jan 😊. Work has been so stressful lately but I asked for and received a couple days off after Christmas so that is something to look forward to. In the meantime I’m trying to focus on getting out for those runs, having fun getting the Christmas bingo squares and building my meditation practice. The Strava art is an added bonus lately 😊

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10]

With my ninja 🥷 like stride and a mask like that I could scare the hell out of locals in the woods...particularly as the light fades.....ok time to grow up!!! We’ll done for getting out there Allie; you are a warrior!!🙂

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

🤣. I had hoped to try it out on an isolated evening run but waking up to today’s temperatures, I couldn’t resist. I initially had my thin buff overtop covering the skull part but I got way too hot and off that came. Oh well. If you can’t laugh at yourself and have some fun, then what’s the point, right 🤣

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

Totally agree; never ever grow up ....too boring!🙂

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

Haha love it! And that mask is brilliant 😷👍

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks IP. I hope all is well with you, your Mum and brother💕

[Irishprincess Graduate10 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

Thanks Saska, it’s just a waiting game now for various results 🤞 🙏

[SkiMonday Graduate10]

Great to hear your run went well. Have you considered sunglasses to complete the setup?

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to SkiMonday]

I have ran with sunglasses in the past but find it awkward with this run toque and I worry about fogging up. In may need to give it a try again. I’ve actually considered pulling out my ski goggles and trying them on the colder windy days. That may happen yet this year because I find that little strip of skin around the eyes and the frozen eyelashes can get quite cold until my hot breath warms my face. My husband just thinks I’m nutty for considering it.

[SkiMonday Graduate10 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

When skiing, I tend to pull my hat down to make sure there's no space between hat and goggles. I don't use a face mask but I do have a "home grown" partial one. On chiller days, my top lip goes tight as my breath freezes in the 'tash.

[SlowLoris]

Brave stuff Allie.

Quick technical question. For that weather do you have bigger shoes to accommodate extra thick socks?

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to SlowLoris]

I just wear my normal trail shoes. They are a little bit wider in the toe box than my road runners so it hasn’t been an issue. I wear an outdoor activewear type sock and they aren’t much thicker than a normal sock (but are thicker than my thin summer running socks). If I tried to wear my summer road runners they would be way too tight with these socks, I suspect.

[Hidden]

Goodness Sask I'm sure that says -19°c chuffin ek that's some chill factor, thank goodness for quilted skirts and woolly pants 🥳 brilliant stuff 👍👍

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

I figured it was going to be cold this morning with how hard the wind was blowing last night but didn’t think quite this cold. Fortunately I checked the thermometer before I headed out(as I always do). Fortunately this isn’t supposed to stick around. We should be hovering around freezing tomorrow already with some fresh snow in the forecast next week ... finally 🙏🏻🤞

[Hidden in reply to SaskAlliecat]

I reckon hovering around freezing will feel like a heatwave 🙂

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Ya, I'm actually not a fan of that right now. It just makes everything too icy. -10 and no wind is the perfect temperature

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Joy to the world! Well done on your Strava art Allie. I don’t think I can plot a run on my basic Garmin but it sounds like something worth having. I don’t think we’ll need our full face masks this season but yours has definitely got attitude.

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

I imagine your ski trip won't be happening this year 😢. We won't be hitting the ski hill this year so I might as well use it running!

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

No, I cant see us skiing this season, although UTS has a yearning to return to Scotland where he first learnt how to ski . ☹️

[Cmoi Graduate10]

Fantastic SaskAlliecat ! I've skied in -24°, but unlike you I doubt I'd run in it. I've no snow or ice cleats, to start with.

The lowest I've known here is -15° back in 2012, and winters have been getting worryingly milder. Having tempted fate, I'll probably be snowed in at Christmas now!

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Cmoi]

A white Christmas is always so festive and nice! We've had a few brown Christmases over the years and I much prefer it snowy. There is a little bit of fresh snow in the forecast so fingers crossed it happens. We haven't had much since our huge snowfall last month. Of course, we're set up for snow though. My husband put my winter tires on my car in October this year!

[Forest_Run_Beginner Graduate10]

Oh my, - 19 but feels like - 22?! I can't even begin to imagine that level of cold ❄️🥶🥶 I am soooooooo impressed that you still get out in it, I hate the dreadmill but think I've had resorted to one a long time ago in your position 😯🥶👏👏

A great run when you weren't really in the mood and more fantastic Strava art, I get the impression you might be enjoying that one 😆 And another tick on the bingo card, brilliant.

I love the face mask too, definitely don't change it, unless you can find a festive one of course 😂🎅🤶🦌🎄⛄

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Forest_Run_Beginner]

I actually have a treadmill but I'm not a fan of running on it. I run for the joy of being outside and taking in my surroundings. I will watch tv when I am on the treadmill but it still isn't enough to keep me interested. My treadmill is so loud too, it grates on me after a while. Running is so therapeutic for me, I just need to be outside. But desperate times calls for,desperate measures and I have had to use it at times so it is nice to have a backup.

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

Now thats what I call running in cold temperatures. Lowest I've ran in was -4 so I've no idea how cold that felt. You are amazing. I hope the run did bring you JOY . Happy running SaskAlliecat 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️❄❄🎅🎅

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to Buddy34]

I suppose humidity has a lot to do with it. Once you get below -5°C or so for more than a few hours, there is much less humidity. This is the problem with the British winter. Cold and damp together are not pleasant.

At -10°C there's no wet slush. Snow stays as powder. I experienced that here ten years ago. It was actually pleasant weather to go out walking in, and did not feel as cold as the thermometer would have you believe. Dry air doesn't conduct heat away as quickly as damp air.

Of course, you do still have to dress appropriately.

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Yes, it really is about dressing appropriately. The key is not overdressing and getting too hot during the run because then you get very cold when you stop. I tend to start out cold, with my hands balled up inside the palm of my gloves, but am comfortable within 5-10 minutes. It helps when it is not windy either. Today was nice and calm with the sun shining so it really was enjoyable once my eyelashes got used of the icicles and my face warmed up enough to soften the ice crystals.

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Buddy34]

It really did Buddy. I only got 4 1/2 to 5 hours of sleep last night so it really helped keep me upright today and gave me a feeling of calmness that I really needed today 😊

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Well done to you Sask in getting out there for your run in such low temperatures - 19C compared to the +12C temperature we have had in the UK.

The Alberta Clipper is a extremely cold wind, usually blowing at gale force which as the name suggests originates in the Canadian Province of Alberta, the clipper part comes from the sailing ships that sailed swiftly in the 19th Century, so to run in those winds makes your runs more remarkable, well done.

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I had wondered where the name Clipper came from. Fortunately the wind had died down before I went out for my run. When it is that cold, the wind will prevent me from running outside. Of course the wind has picked up again today, so I’m glad I was able to run yesterday.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

I have just noticed that the temperature in Saskatoon is +1 C, that must feel like a nice Spring day and good for a run

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

Yes we’ve gone from one extreme to another today. Of course when we see those huge temperature fluctuations, it comes with big winds. Hopefully things settle down by tomorrow.

[Jell6 Graduate10]

I was getting ready for a run the other day, as I was putting on a couple of base layers I wondered how long it takes you to get ready 🥶🧊🥶Love the mask!

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Jell6]

It does take me a while to get ready in the winter, especially as I dig around in my drawers for a certain top or specific pair of socks, which tights am I wearing under my trousers, skirt or no skirt? Fortunately, I’ve got what I wear for certain temperatures figured out now so I just check the thermometer, check the notes in my phone, gather my stuff and off I go. By the end of winter I’m ready for summer running involving a lot less clothes but then it takes a while to put sunscreen on😆. There just is no way to get out quickly for me 🤷‍♀️

[CaptFrey 60minGraduate]

Wow any run in those conditions is amazing.

[Lifluf Graduate10]

Gosh you're so brave going out in -19c weather. I'd be worried I'd notcovered a bit and get frostbite. Great mask by the way - no point having a soft and fluffy one if you've got to keep up with the rest of the family 😊

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to Lifluf]

When we bought these, I almost bought the conservative black one but my son convinced me I had to get the skull one. Of course I’m glad I did. We’re quite the look when we ski as a family 😆. I also have the nice soft fluffy neck warmers too. That is what I was using last year. I’m finding for these really cold temperatures, this one is nice because it isn’t right up against your face and warms the air in the space that is there. I find the buffs get very iced up from the moisture of your breath and then if you pull it off your face it is an ice ball around your neck 🙄. I might have an excessive amount of gear between my ski stuff, running stuff, snowmobiling gear, snow shovelling gear........😂

[Lifluf Graduate10 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

Sounds like you need it all to me 😯😊

[dijep Graduate10]

I love your "JOY" it's brilliant 🎄🎅👏I bet the guy in the truck went home and told his friends about the incredible runner he saw 😊

Hope your work is less stressful that you get some better nights sleep x

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to dijep]

😂 perhaps. I can only hope he was so kind.

It is nice to have a couple days off of work now. I know my cases are still in hospital and not doing well but I’ve spoken with the vet taking them over. It is just so touch and go but I need to let go and try to not let it affect my few days off. They are in good hands.