Distance: 14.80mi
Temp: -4.0°f to -6.0°f and fluctuating between high and low ground
Gear
- Wool knit cap
- Fleece ear band
- Base layer, wool lightweight long-sleeve knit (I/O Bio-Compatibles)
- Mid layer, poly (North Face Flight Series)
- Top layer, Polartec (Arcteryx)
- Pants, Polartec (Arcteryx)
- Socks, wool mid-weight hikers
- Shoes, Saucony ProGrid Xodus
- Gloves (Outdoor Reasearch, PL 400 Liners)
- Gaiters (Outdoor Research)
Hydration/Food
- Water bottle (Nathan Labs)
- Platypus Hydration Bladder
- GU x2
- Cytomax
Observations
Overall, this was a great long run and the first day I’ve trained with a full load in my pack. Since I’m preparing to run the Little Su it seemed like it was time to put together a packing list of things I’ll be running with for that race. Including water, the pack was about 20lbs and way heavier to run with in the snow than I had counted on.
The water situation was much more successful than last week. I didn’t have a chance to put together a wide mouth bottle with some insulation this week, so I went out with the same hand held bottle as last week.This time I stuck some hot hands in the bottle carrier pocket and I didn’t have an issue with freezing. I still plan on finding a better bottle for the cold. I also had 2L in a bladder and routed the drinking tube along my neck and down my shirt which keep the nozzle from freezing.
I switched to a larger pack (Arcteryx RT25) so I could carry 2L water, a Primaloft jacket, and cold weather mittens. I’m also carrying a space blanket, a headlamp, and extra pair of glove liners and socks. I have run with this pack over the past few years and am used to wearing it, but this was definitely more weight than I have run with in the past (except running with my ruck in the Army, but that doesn’t count).
The combination of clothing I wore today was really great. It was warm, but not too warm and wicked well. I’m beginning to notice that wool and Polartec seem to be the fabrics that work best. The poly mid-layer I was wearing held too much water and my sleeves froze solid a few times while I was out. I was still warm, but I wonder what would have happened if it would have been just 5 degrees colder.
The same thing happened with the gloves I was wearing, but amazingly, my hands stayed toasty warm. I normally have problems with poor circulation all the way out at my fingertips, but these gloves did great – even when they got sweaty and froze. These are definitely keepers for running – soft, breathable, and warm.
The biggest revelation of the run was that I didn’t need the balaclava. I had it with me in case my face started to really freeze, but to my surprise it didn’t – not even in sub-zero(f) temps and a small breeze. Maintaining an elevated heart rate was enough to keep it warm, but I’ll still be carrying it with me to be safe.
For Next Time
- Wool and/or Polartec layers only
- Work on reducing weight of gear