I ran 14 miles this morning in 10 degrees weather. I met up with my friends the Sue(s) @ 7:30, all filled up with oatmeal, blueberries and coffee, as well as the excitement of having company for the first 10 miles of the run. To our surprise, the Arlington bikepath was filled with runners from the Dana Farber Boston Marathon charity group, and this got me excited about running the Boston course in March and April. We kept the pace pretty slow, which was fine with me, and chatted comfortably for the first couple of miles, and uncomfortably for the last miles due to the cold - I speak with a slight accent, and when you add slurring from the fact that my face is 1/2 frozen, well, it's pretty hard to understand what I am saying. About 5 miles into the run our water bottles were completely frozen, which meant no Nuun or water for the rest of the run! I think next time I am going to fill one of my bottles with hot water (seriously!). To top this off, when I got home I experienced the worst case of cold weather urticaria. I have been getting this on and off in really cold weather, since I was a kid. No, I am not willing to take drugs for it (I am as anti s as meds as one can be). The only thing that stopped me from scratching the soul out of my butt and thighs was the fact that I am planning on swimming tomorrow and I don't want to start any rumours at the neighbourhood YMCA!
14 miles @ 8:11; first 10 @ 8:30, last 4 @ 7:28.
On a different note I finally purchased a scale. I rarely weigh myself bc I can tell when I gain or lose weight (though interestingly my weight does not change based on training, but my body shape does). However, I just finished reading "Racing weight" by Matt Fitzgerald and became really curious about finding out my body fat %. Thanks to google shopping I found a scale with great reviews for little money (yay for me). I set it at the Athlete Mode based on the fact that I probably exercise for 9-10 hours/week (including stretching and strength training). The weight was accurate, but I got a body fat percentage of 11.7 the first day, 12.5 the next, and 12.00 the third day. I know these vary based on hydration, etc, and the variation is pretty small. Still, these numbers are v low and there is no way I have this little fat. My BMI is a healthy 19.4. DO any of you used these scales and have any idea about their accuracy? Am I doing something wrong using it? Should I not pick the athlete mode? I looked on line and found that the body fat range for women elite runners is 12-20%. However, I find it hard to believe that Paula or Kara have that much fat on their bodies or that I have that little.
Happy Running and stay warm! We are getting about 10 inches this afternoon or tomorrow, and I am super excited to go sledding! The only way to survive New England winters is to embrace it and enjoy it!
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11 comments:
holy cow that is impressive running that long in that cold
14 miles in 10 degree weather is no joke!!! Good for you. Never used the scale, I'd be really curious to know my body fat %.
What brand is it? I have a scale like that and have actually worked for Tanita demoing the scales at some expos. The readings shouldn't be that far off. I might be biased since I did work for Tanita, but I think their scales are far better than others. Tanita calculates your BF etc a different way than other brands (they are little bit more expensive, but worth it) I just got mine and it's always right at 16%, which is very logical for me given the amount of weight I've gained in the last month during the off season. I'd double check to make sure you put in the pre sets right (athlete mode). Then weigh yourself first thing in the AM after you go to the bathroom.
I never knew there was a name for that itching and scratching due to the cold weather. I used to get that when we went snowboarding.
On another note, I bought that scale two years ago and it has been pretty accurate as far as my % of body fat but mine isn't set as athlete. I try not to get too into since I had some issues in college with weight/running and body fat...so for now, I just check weight once a week in the a.m. Thanks for your sweet comment on my blog. I'm getting used to being a young grandma now...how could I not?!
Nice run!
I have a scale that does BF percentage, and god I hope it's wrong. It usually says I'm 28% BF. My BMI is 22.5, which is admittedly pretty heavy for a distance runner, but I find it hard to believe that I'm above the average 25% when it comes to BF. I've just always assumed it was wrong. ;)
I ran 7.5 miles this morning. It was chilly out there. I dressed well so it didn't bother me, but I did find ice underneath my hair when I was done. LOL. My sweat froze!
I'm the same way with body weight. I'm typically the same no matter what, but when I train specifically for a marathon, the shape of my body changes. And I do like that change!
My BMI is 19.5 too--and that's about what I measure for bf... so I think it's probably right for you. (not sure if my reasoning is reasonable--but...) I have no idea how accurate ANY method is for testing for it!
You are going to have a great marathon if you keep finishing with that kind of speed and strength, even in the cold!
I ran this a.m.--- yep. Froze my face off!!! The snow stung my face like you wouldn't believe!
We've actually discussed these at school, and in short, we were told not to rely on them. Basically, what the scale does is to send an electrical impulse up through your body and measure your body's density. A whole host of things affect what measurement shows up on the scale--gender, age, temperature, electrolyte levels, blood flow, hydration level, fitness level, body frame size, etc. The list goes on and on . . .
If you really want to know your body fat percentage, your best bet is probably to have a doctor take it for your with skin fold calipers. Again, there's a margin of error, but it's far less than with the body weight scales. There are other more precise ways to measure body fat, but they are generally expensive and/or impractical to have done.
Also, just something to keep in mind is that body fat below 17% in women is considered very low. If you DO get down into the 10-12% range, there can be some very serious health issues that arise. So hopefully, it's just an error on the scale's part . . .
Also, kudos to you for running in that cold. BRRR! It sends shivers up my spine just thinking about it! I'm going to be in for a rude awakening come February, when I have to return to winter!
WOW that is colllllld!!! great job on the run!
I have a scale that tells BF% but its usually a little bit high I have been told. I just use it as a basis to see the change. 12% is very low though for women, my scale usually tells 18-21ish.
Wow I can't believe your water bottles actually froze!! Brr!
Brrrr.... I can't even imagine running in weather that cold. That is some dedication!!
As far as body fat, that sounds very low. That is on the very low end of the spectrum for women. I have a BMI of 19.5 and my scale usually says that I am around 17 or 18% body fat.
Great job on your run!
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