Friday, 11/8

It's been two days. And I think I'm still cold.

I'm not talking about yesterday's blizzard. I'm not talking about the wicked wind still whipping off the lake. Let's flash back to Wednesday morning, after I figured out my clock had jumped 25 years into the future. I was fully awake way earlier than usual, so I decided to do something I do almost every Wednesday morning. I went running

Now, it was rather chilly Wednesday morning, and if I'm not mistaken it was the first time I’ve gone running in temperatures at or below freezing since the last time temperatures were at or below freezing—mid April, if I remember correctly. I didn’t think my body was quite ready for the shock, and I spent the entire day after running, shivering and wondering if there’s a way I can turn up the heat in the station without anyone noticing.

That’s how cold I was even before the snow!

Of course, part of the problem is self-inflicted. I went out to run wearing shorts Wednesday morning, and although the sting of frigid air hitting bare legs was, uhm, bracing at first, I thought they (my legs) would warm up as my body temperature itself warmed from the exercise. Shows what I know; my legs became frozen even as my core, draped in two shirts and a jacket, started to sweat.

Those of you who know me know that I often joke that as long as it’s above freezing it’s warm enough to wear shorts, and that’s especially true when you’re running in temperatures above freezing. But following my experience Wednesday morning, I’m guessing there has to be a DRASTIC drop off in comfort from running in shorts when it’s, say, 35 degrees, as opposed to running in shorts when it was 30 degrees, like it was Wednesday here in Marquette. I normally don’t notice the cold on my legs when it’s 35, but when it was 30 that was a whole ‘nother story. Maybe it was because my legs aren’t used to the cold yet; heck, when I go running in February and it’s 30 degrees I’ve often just run in shorts and a t-shirt. But Wednesday, when it was 30 degrees?

I probably couldn’t have been wearing enough layers of clothing, especially on my legs,

to stay warm.

Hopefully, my body will adapt to its new, colder, surroundings soon. I mean, I probably won’t be going out running in shorts any time in the near future, but it would still be nice if my body acclimates to the cold (and the dark, and the frigid wind) quickly. Either that, or the next time you come into the station you’ll see my sitting in the studio with 14 sweaters on, complaining that the campfire I’ve built in the corner isn’t big enough.

Ah, winter. You gotta (sarcasm alert) love it. Stay warm this weekend. Let's hope the rain actually melts some of this %^&*($%*$ snow!!

(jim@wmqt.com), lover of warmth.