A Chilly Run
Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep! I wake up early on a Saturday to the sound of my alarm, something very unusual, knowing today is the first day of many that will leave me physically and mentally exhausted. Training for the Duluth marathon begins today. Three short miles, I keep telling myself; the farthest I have run since running a half marathon in September.
Mentally, I don’t have the motivation to get out of bed. My mind battles with my body as I so badly wish to hit the snooze button on my alarm. My mind wins the battle as I remember I have a goal to accomplish. I slowly rise from my bed and wander sleepily to the kitchen; the rest of the house still sound asleep. I open my cabinet to get a protein bar. I finish my protein bar, down a banana, and head back to my room to change into my running clothes. I begin lacing up my running shoes and complete my outfit with long socks, a thick sweatshirt over my long-sleeved shirt, and a headband to cover my ears. I would normally complete my run on a treadmill, however, two miles is my limit for stationary running. My mind seems to bore as the gym contains bland, boring scenery of gray-painted walls, and the sound of people running on treadmills. Even though I have never run in cold weather and am prepared to crash and burn, I keep an optimistic mindset as this could be an effective experience in the sense that I become a stronger runner. I walk to the door. Twist, pull, slam. I’m off.
The sun is beaming off the fresh snow and is as bright as the light beaming from the headlights of a car. The 27-degree air stings my face as I walk along Huff street toward the lake. Goosebumps rise from the tips of my toes to the edges of my ears. I arrive at the imaginary starting line that paves the route of my run, and I begin to prepare myself mentally and physically. I start stretching my legs and feel the built-up muscle tension from running in the university gym last week. I shrug it off, telling myself it will wear off as I begin to run. The most important part of my run is my music; with a solid running playlist, I am capable of running for days. I open my Spotify and start scrolling through the library of playlists, all organized for different occasions. My favorite playlist, by far, is my running playlist. The playlist is labeled “Let’s run” and houses a variety of music, ranging from pop to hip-hop. All of the songs on the playlist radiate an up-beat rhythm and positive vibes. The music in the playlist helps my mind escape while my body is burning off stress. I press play, and the positivity starts flooding my ears and fueling my soul.
I begin running down the snow surrounded path. It is a gorgeous Saturday morning for a run in a winter wonderland. As I breathe in the fresh air, and examine the tranquility of the bluffs, ice, trees, and snow, I am reminded of why I run. An escape. I am only a quarter of a mile deep in my three-mile run, and I am already submerged in a world of peaceful bliss. In this moment, my worries are minimal.
Running is a sport that is hard to understand as a spectator. If you are not a runner, you may have difficulty understanding why people run. As Laurel Leicht states in her article Blaze Your Own Trail, “We run to be alone and we run to be one with the world.” I feel as though I am one with the world as my feet patter along the freshly salted pavement and enter the second half of my first mile. My water-filled eyes spy the locally famous Lakeview Drive Inn, and I realize my first mile is coming to an end. My thoughts suddenly drift as I can’t seem to surpass the thought of a fat, juicy, flavorful cheeseburger. A vanilla milkshake would hit the spot, too. For some reason, the thought of the cheeseburger and vanilla milkshake distracts from my pace. I realize I am sprinting and slow myself down, as I will exhaust fast if I keep up this pace. I pass another runner after my watch alarms me that I’ve completed my first mile and we exchange smiles. My legs are still fresh, but my breathing is becoming weak. In through your nose like smelling a rose, and out through your mouth like your blowing out a candle, I remind myself, remembering the tips my track coach taught me as a young runner.
Weather is something that greatly impacts a runner’s performance. This is something that all Minnesota runners encounter, as every season is drastically different. According to Dane Senol in his collaborative article, Prevalence of Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm in Long Distance Runners Trained in Cold Weather, distance running is not a cold weather sport, which became very apparent to me as I’m having difficulty breathing entering mile two of my run. Senol’s article explains the investigative experiment he and his colleagues conducted to explain the development of exercise-induced bronchospasms in long distance runners that ran in cold weather. Senol explains that exercise-induced bronchospasm otherwise known as EIB, is an obstruction of airflow that is associated with physical exertion due to heat and water loss from the airway. “Dry and cold air is the strongest triggering mechanism of bronchospasm…” explains Senol. In their extensive experiment, Senol and his colleagues examined twenty distance runners who had no history of asthma or breathing issues. Of the twenty male distance runners, seven of them developed exercise-induced bronchospasm after running long distance in cold weather. As Senol explains, “coughing, wheezing, dyspnea, and excessive mucus” are all clinical symbols of bronchospasm.
I am feeling physically exhausted as I finish mile two and enter mile three, due to the amount of energy I am exerting trying to maintain my steady breathing. Even though I do not feel any bronchospasm symptoms, I am feeling weary but am determined to finish my first training run with solidity. Though I am worn out physically, my mentality is still strong. I am still in admiration of the natural beauty and bliss that surrounds me, and my mind is still radiating positivity, which fuels my legs to continue running. Running is my preferred way of blowing off steam. Stress exits my body like steam rises from a hot cup of coffee.
Exercise is an important aspect of everyday life as it contributes to one’s overall health. Lynn Keiley explains in her article, The Secret to Stress Relief that by exercising for thirty minutes a day, five times per week, stress levels are decreased exponentially. Keiley’s research shows that “the most effective exercises are rhythmic activities that work the major muscle groups.” Mayo Clinic encourages people to get active to manage their stress through their online article Stress Management. Mayo Clinic research shows that exercise decreases stress levels for two reasons: 1) Release of endorphins, and 2) Meditation in motion. Endorphins are positive neurotransmitters that are released from the brain and can be associated with what many people called a “runners high.” Meditation in motion is powerful in stress relief because when you’re staying physically active, your brain is focused on the movement of your muscles in the activity you are performing, rather than the internal stress you are experiencing. As I run, I strive to achieve a runner’s high — a temporary mental vacation from my every day worries.
I round the bend of the pavement and locate the Winona Visitors Center. My three-mile run is coming to an end and I suddenly get a burst of energy; motivation to finish my run at a faster speed. No feeling compares to crossing a finish line or completing something that was a challenge. As I cross the three-mile marker, my watch alerts me that I have completed mile three. I feel a sense of accomplishment, as I mentally cross off the first training run of many that lead to the finish line. I begin walking back to my house and start to reflect on my run — something I do after every run.
As I explain my desire to complete a twenty-six-mile run for fun to my close friends and family, confusion floods their minds. “Why would you desire to run for twenty-six miles continuously?” seems to be the recurring question/response. And my answer is, why not? Working towards a goal has never been a waste of time, and again, there is no comparable feeling to crossing a finish line after running for an extended period of time and knowing you have accomplished a goal.
Running is a complex sport as there are several aspects that contribute to a successful run. Physically and mentally, you have to be in adequate shape. Even though the physical and mental aspects of running are very different, they are also very similar and correlate closely. It was very apparent to me during my first training run that your body and mind need to be synchronized in order to complete a long distance run in the middle of a Minnesota winter.
My first training run of the several I am bound to complete before June was a learning experience. Maintaining a steady breathing pattern for three miles in twenty-seven-degree winter weather while navigating through the physical and mental obstacles is a challenge. Even though my legs were as red as a ripe raspberry, running through the wicked Minnesota winter seems more appealing than stationary running on a treadmill. I feel accomplished, knowing I can cross the first day off of my training chart. The thought of not snoozing my alarm from this morning on no longer seems dreadful.
