#3for31 Day 3 is over! The first sunny day in December was still a cold day. Winter is here, damn. Today was like any other running day, wake up, get going. As I mentioned yesterday, today was scheduled to be an easy day, nothing crazy, 3-4 miles. My body is still coming to grips with running on a daily basis after I stopped marathon training nearly a month ago. It’s easy to feel your age when a month ago, I was in marathon shape and now 3 miles is a challenge. The body doesn’t regenerate like it used to.
Today was a 3 mile day at an 8 minute pace. I ran to Astoria track and did some short sprints with my top mile being 7 minutes. Running in the winter is much different from the fall and summer, since you can’t get away with shorts and a shirt. I absolutely hate being cold, it’s the worst feeling when you’re running, so I overdress to make sure I’m not in jeopardy of losing too much heat. Gloves and a hat are key, along with a windbreaking jacket. The gear I’m starting to use is the following:
-Mizuno Wave shoes
-Brooks windbreaker jacket
-Under Armour long sleeve compression shirt
-Adidas Climacool pants
-Nike compression socks
-Manzella touchscreen gloves
-Sunpocket sunglasses
-Garmin Forerunner 25
I’m only in the third day of this 31 day challenge and I’m still getting over the hump of my body not loving this daily routine. It sounds easy for most runners to do this, but given we’re in the off-season and it’s fucking cold, it is tough and will get grueling. On the to-do list is longer runs to start to build my distance. If you’ve every felt fat or out of shape in December, this your chance for redemption!
As with all of my runs, the obligatory food stop was a must and I made my way to Brooklyn Bagel in Astoria (No typo, in Astoria). Everything bagel lightly toasted with cream cheese. Gangbusters. My preference for bagels is that it must be fresh, warm even without being toasted, but it also needs to be toasted a little, I need the crunch. Murray’s Bagels basically says “Fuck you” when you ask for it to be toasted. Snobs. The insides should feel like the insides of a down pillow, soft, pillowy, not chewy or does it stick to my teeth. The outside being fresh and toasted, needs a crunch. The cream cheese and/or lox cannot get everything soggy. Lastly, the cut, when bagels are cut, cut them evenly so you’re getting equal parts, don’t be lazy or get one of those cutters you see at hotel continental breakfasts. A good everything bagel will be salty, crunchy and you’re bound to get seeds in your teeth. A bagel is a treat, if you’re the asshole looking for a whole wheat bagel hollowed out, get the fuck outta of New York.
