WednesdayWordBrave
 

Brave – feeling or showing no fear, not afraid;
to face or endure with courage
~ Merriam-Webster

 

While heading out on a run one particularly rainy and windy Thanksgiving morning, I met our neighbor out walking his dog. Walter smiled, and through the howling wind shouted, “You’re just like the mailman; neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night can keep you from running!”

Walter was correct. We runners will do just about anything to avoid running on the treadmill, or as we sometimes not-so-affectionately call it, the dreadmill. With a little planning ahead, we can get out and run under most conditions as long as we remain smart when making our decisions.

Tips for braving the elements:

  1. Always check the weather in advance
  2. Avoid heading outside during electrical or high-wind storms
  3. Wear appropriate clothing
  4. Let someone know where you’re headed and when you’ll return
  5. Always be aware of your surrounding

 

Using the mailman’s creed that neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night can keep runners from running, here are those four elements broken down with suggestions on how to handle each.

Snow – Running on snow can be delightful when it’s light and fluffy, and creates a soft spongy surface. Running on snow that’s had a chance to melt and refreeze can be downright dangerous. Refrozen snow often becomes either icy or uneven due to melted footprints from the day before and wearing Yaktrax (affiliate link) might be in order. As snow starts to melt, be aware of black ice or icy patches in shaded areas.

Rain – Despite what many of my friends think, runners don’t melt. Chances are good that at least a few of your scheduled races are going to be in the rain, so you might as well train in it. Visors and caps are good at keeping pelting rain out of the eyes, and thin nylon shells work wonders at keeping in body heat as our bodies cool from the rain.

Heat – During the summer months of high heat, it’s best to run early in the morning or late in the evening when the temperature is lower. If you must run during the heat of the day, find a shaded area, wear light-weight wicking clothing, and stay well hydrated.

Night – When running at night, be sure to wear reflective clothing, a headlamp, a tail light, and carry pepper spray. Run with a friend, avoid running in unlit dangerous sections of town, and be aware of areas where animals might be congregate and easily become startled.

 

With a little planning ahead, runners can brave the elements just like the mailman!

How do you brave the elements?

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Welcome to Wednesday Word, a weekly linkup for everyone, not just health and fitness bloggers. Each Wednesday you will have a single word prompt to write about.  Let your imagination run free and share with your readers your interpretation of that word, or simply use it as inspiration for your post. Today’s word is brave…..  I’d love to have you link up, and if you do, please remember to follow my six simple rules.

Several months ago when picking out words through the end of April, it didn’t even dawn on me to pick a special word for this week – the week of our very first Wednesday Word anniversary. Appropriate words that come to mind now include: thanks, appreciative, gratitude, grateful, or salute. 

It’s hard to believe it’s been one whole years since I wrote my first Wednesday Word post, Learning To Love Solitude. I am grateful to Anne, Wendy, Erin, Jenn, and Meagan for linking to that very first post. Wouldn’t it have been embarrassing if no one had added their link? Instead, we’ve had a steady following throughout the year, and I don’t think that Meagan or Wendy have missed a single week. Holly, Coco, Tricia, Tamieka, Judy and Darlene all joined us soon after we started, and many others have become weekly regulars. There have been too many other great bloggers joining us for me to mention them all, but to anyone who has linked up even once, thank you! 

 

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Deb Runs










Next Wednesday’s Word: Judgmental