It's freaking cold.

I ran 3 miles on the treadmill yesterday. Between the cold weather and the cold virus, I felt like doing minimal fighting; however, the cold virus is vastly improved. I still have mucus draining/clogging every orifice where mucus tends to reside, but the lethargy/malaise has gone away.

Today, I decided to see how brave I could really be. Weather channel said 18 degrees, feels like 6 with the wind chill. I wore two pairs of tights (yep, two), my generic brand tj maxx turtleneck base layer shirt that I am falling in love with, and a warmish adidas jacket, plus hat and gloves.

Verdict: I felt pretty comfortable, really. I was aware that it was cold when I stopped at traffic lights, but I didn't really ever FEEL cold after my first half mile or so.

EXCEPT.....my hands. The Target running gloves are obviously made for more comfy temperatures. Next time, I will try another pair of gloves over them. I hear a lot of people saying they run in cheap knit gloves, but those make my hands sweat so bad  - even when I'm NOT running - that I have a limited tolerance for them. But I bet I could layer them over the running gloves.

Also EXCEPT....my freaking face. My face HURT. It actually started to feel a little better, well enough that I upped my 3 mile run to 4 miles, but then every time the wind was in the wrong direction it would sting again. I was trying to remember my first-aid training and figured that if it was frostbitten, it wouldn't be hurting, so I was ok.

I asked on active.com's facebook page and I was told to try vaseline on my face. I think it's actually supposed to warm up a smidge, but I'll try that trick next time I run outside again. Come to think of it, I might as well vaseline my hands to see if that insulates them from the cold a bit. That is, if my clumsy self can figure out how to put vaseline on both hands without getting it everywhere. (You're talking to the adult who still can't color with crayola markers without making her hands half-rainbow colored.)

I also want one of those burqa-looking hoods. Totally not trying to be offensive, that is what it looks like. And I do live in sort of a redneck area, so the reaction to me running around the neighborhood in that may be interesting. :) I have discovered, btw, that it's actually called a balaclava.

I still got a deep inner sense of pride this morning when I caught someone looking at me and I wondered if they were thinking, "That girl must be insane!" (Or person, since between the sports bra and stocking cap, I look slightly gender-neutral when I run....)