Blogs > Second Wind

Jeff Wolfe has been an avid runner for years, including running cross country in high school and college, though he's not as fast now as he once was. This blog is designed for high school runners, and their coaches and parents in Delaware County.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

It's cold, but ...

Yes, we all know it's cold out there and when you add in the wind chill, that's a handy dandy excuse to stay in and not go on a run.
So, here's a few tips to help get you out the door.
First, and most importantly, wear appropriate clothing. Don't try to be a hero here, running in light clothing, or leaving big parts of skin, like legs, arms, hands and ears uncovered. You may end up with frostbite and that will certainly keep you from going out again in the cold weather.
Second, maybe you need to start what is called a CD. If you pledge to run at least one mile a day for a month, then you can have a Consecutive Days streak, and once it hits 30, you'll probably want to keep it going. It's a good way to get going each day.
Third, on these rather blustery days, if you run in housing development areas, that may help block the wind. It also may help you change direction frequently so you don't spend too much time running against the wind.
And, if you need a quote to inspire, here's one from former Oregon coaching great Bill Bowerman: "There's no such thing as bad weather, just soft people."

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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Winter workouts

Now that the cross country season has been finished for a while, that's still no excuse to not run, especially if you're not in another winter sport. A runner doesn't want to lose the fitness gained during the hard work of the cross country season.
It's cold you say, but that's no excuse. Just put on the sweats and mittens and you'll be fine. It takes about a mile for the body to get warmed up on these cold days, so just stay with it for a bit and you'll be fine.
With the All-Delco team being published earlier this week, congratulations to Runners of the Year Hannah Grossman, of Strath Haven, and Chris Garrity, of Cardinal O'Hara.
Grossman was good at the start of the season and gradually improved as the season went on. What was best about Grossman is she had her best race of the year at the state meet with that third-place finish. To run your best at the biggest meet is not an easy accomplishment.
Garrity was also very good all season and he led O'Hara to a third-place finish in the team standings at the state meet. Like Grossman, he ran very well in the most important race of the season.

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