This morning I landed back home in Europe after being in DC for a couple days. In doing so, I increased my environmental temperature by approximately 50°F….to approximately 50°F. Just think, if I did that again it’d be like being in the Caribbean.
And then I remembered that everyone else stateside is left in the cold. The windy, snowy, icy…generally miserable cold. For you in Australia, you don’t get to complain at this juncture about your warm temps.
Thus, in order to make the situation a tiny bit better, I figured a giveaway was in order. It’s been a little while since the last one. Actually, sorta way longer than I realized. Not exactly sure how that happened, but we need to get that fixed pronto!
The prize is simple: A $400 credit to to Clever Training to buy anything from the site you’d like. You can use it on anything they offer, from a Garmin watch to a PowerBeam trainer. If the item is over $400US, you’ll simply pay the difference, shipping is free either way. The giveaway is open to all readers – including international folks.
To enter yourself in, simply leave a comment below with the following:
To Enter: Give me the lowdown on the coldest swim/ride/run you’ve had this winter – simple as that!
Got it?
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Entries will be accepted through Sunday night, 11:59PM Eastern time (February 2nd, 2014). I’ll be you giving one device worth up to $400US from Clever Training. Winner will be chosen at random and announced on roughly Tuesday (my Mom’s Birthday) or Wednesday (if I’m still celebrating the Seahawks win on Sunday at the Super Bowl). One entry per person. The winner can decide on which device after they win. Devices/gadgets/gizmos over $400, the winner can pay the difference.
This giveaway is sponsored by Clever Training, which I’ve got a great partnership with. As you probably remember, by picking up sports technology gadgets from Clever Training you support the site. And on top of that, all DC Rainmaker readers get an exclusive 10% off all products they sell (basically every sports tech company/gadget/device) using coupon code DCR10BTF. Even cold weather gear. And most of all, you support the site in a big way – so I appreciate it!
Note, if you’re US Active Duty Military – you can submit your entry via e-mail [entry period closed] instead. No bunny rabbits or chocolatiers allowed via this method. Mmmkay? Thanks all!
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Water temp 56 and no wetsuit (air’s just not that cold here!)
My 29er for winter riding was stolen and the new one hasn’t arrive jet – so no frostbites for me jet this winter ;-)
It was only down to the mid 30s so there wasn’t too much bundling up. I better pair of gloves would have helped for the first half of the run. For the last 3 of the 7 miles I hit a nice balance between body heat warming me up and sweating too much that the wind would cool me down.
2h ride @ 37F in South Florida! Our idea of cold weather gear is compression sleeves. Needless to say me and my friend where the only ones on the road that day.
The coldest training I did so far has not been cold at all. Chirsmas day I ran. Must was only 28 degrees. I was in Renoe next to a mountain. I ran up a hide mountain to see he sunrise. It was insane! Snow every where I was ankle high in snow running up a mountain trying to beat the sun.
Not my coldest run this year but sat I did a 17 mile long run in 20f with snow and winds gusting in the 20mph range.
Chester Creek Trail, 6-mile run, Anchorage Alaska, minus 5 F., no wind, sunshine, hard packed snow, smooth and flat — a winter superhighway. Balaclava absolutely necessary. Dodging moose nuggets. Hoarfrosted landscape. Steam coming off open water on the creek. Beautiful.
Commute to work on my bike. It was about 35F and it started raining. I only had on a base layer and bike shorts.
-8*C but it wasn’t the worst thing. It was raining (not snowing!) and rain drops temperature was under 0*C and when rain drops hits something they froze in miliseconds. So everything was like covered by glass, including me ;)
Started out from my house in PDX: Clear, sunny, 43. 20 miles and 1,000 feet later I was enveloped in a nasty fog bank. 15 feet of visibility, no idea where the temp was, but it was wet and cold. I had a thick layer of sweat from the climb, and as the road I was on was narrow and windy I couldn’t go much more than 12 mph without fear of riding off the road. Found the first road I could descend on, road the brakes for 5 minutes then emerged to a beautiful view of the city!
And did I mention my birthday is also Tuesday the 4th? :)
28 km MTB ride 21st Jan. It was (only) -14 C and lightly snowing.
On my normal 16 mile Saturday morning mountain run here in northern New Jersey it started to get very foggy and colder than the 15 degrees I started at. Besides the 8 inches of snow I was already running in it began snowing heavily at the halfway point, so I was still abut 8 miles from the cart in either direction. It got really weird when it started to thunder and lightning during the snowstorm. One of the weirdest sensations, running through fog in a snowstorm, hearing thunder the whole time!
We’ve actually had a fairly mild winter in Denver. Plus, thanks to DCR and CT I have a terrific new indoor trainer (link to baseballandbikes.wordpress.com), so I don’t run when the weather outside is frightful. I once ran in Chicago on Superbowl Sunday when it was 27 below zero (Fahrenheit). That kinda stunk. But this winter not so much.
Thanks, Ray, for making DCR my one-and-only daily go-to blog.
It’s not too bad here this winter in Sweden. Just got loads of snow the last couple of days. But ran a 10km in -10C last week friday.
Normally, I do most of my winter training indoors on a treadmill. However, the gym where I normally go is being douchewaffles about enforcing the 20 minute maximum time limit…even when there is no-one else waiting and 3 other treadmills still empty. So, I decided to start running outside this winter. I live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, so winter is real winter, of the kind where halloween outfits are made to go over snowsuits.
So a couple of weeks ago, I went for my first run of 2014. No long out and back, but a couple of loops near my house because safety. Had my new Garmin 220 on my wrist, and a bunch of layers. It was nice, only about -10 Celcius (add in the windchill and it was about -20) but it was so peaceful. It was about 10pm in the evening on a cloudless night, and the moon on the skeletal trees and snowbanks gave it a very zen-like atmosphere.
We had a cold snap a little while back. Ran about 13K in -7C I wore about 3 layers of clothes. I was wishing I had covered my ears!
Last week I went for an early morning run before work – the temp was 8F, -5F with the windchill. Funny thing is less than 30 hours later (Saturday) I went for a run and it was 56F! Gotta love the weather in Wichita, KS!
In Ottawa, Canada last Sunday January 26, we had a few races, the Hypothermic Half Marathon, the Frost and Fire Triathlon and the Snowshoe run. It was −36 with the wind chill, there’s some mighty brave souls here! :)
6 mile run at 12 Deg F feels like 3deg. according to my Iphone that quit after 4.5 miles for being too cold.
6 mile run at 12F with below zero wind chill. First time I skipped the treadmill when it was below 20F, as that had always been my cut-off. Really wasn’t bad at all.
Two weeks ago went out for a ride and it started at -3C. Was about 3 hours and the feet got pretty chilly.
I did 14 miles on January 29 in Northern Virginia… 5:30 am and the temperature was reading 9 degrees… It was so cold that I ended with 2 blocks of ice instead of the two water bottles… My cliff get shot turned into cliff blocks by 1/2 run… It was horrible… The cold plus icy sidewalk and awful drivers!
well mine was a “cold” run in the Texas cold, 10K 50 F. Not so cold but it all depends from baselines….
Haven’t done much outside in the cold and using treadmill instead, coldest temp was around 32F
Rode up to the summit of my baldy. It had snowed just days before (one of the few times this yet so far). No ice or snow on the road but everything around was blanketed.
Chilly half marathon in over -20 windchill!
I never ride when it’s too cold.
The coldest ride I really remember is 0,1 C. in Denmark 2 hours on a roadbike in snow/rain.
Also I have been riding in dry weather in -7 C in Norway. That cant be compared to riding in the rain!
Cold and wet this winter in the UK. Running in my cycling top for warmth.
Coldest workout this winter was easily during last Sundays run on Belle Isle, Detroit. It is always a treat to make people shake their heads as they drive by!
Here in Phoenix it has been BEAUTIFUL!!! My coldest run was something like 55 degrees. Coldest swim was back in December, high of 55 but with wind making it super cold(relatively) when I got out of the pool. Yesterday the high was 80!! Had a nice long bike ride.
Went for a run in Raleigh, NC on Weds…it snowed the night before and was 9 degrees. Turned into a very short run
It’s been a while since winter here (Australia) and living in a sub tropical clinic it rarely drops below zero (celsius). But I do remember a run last winter where I had to break out the long skins and my gloves!
5 mile run in 18 degrees with a “feels like” temp of a whopping 8 degrees! I stuck to the treadmill when the temps dropped into the negatives.
link to connect.garmin.com
an early 10 miler 18 degrees was the high for the today , much colder at 7 am…
last saturday: 1:45 hours, snowy track and -10°C (14°F)…damn frostly :)
Coldest run of mine would be last January at around 18 degrees celsius! (Note: I’m from the Philippines!)
Certainly not my lowest temperature run for the year but very much the coldest.
I ran the winter Beast of Burden 100 for the second time. It was special for lots of reasons. It is held on a canal tow path in Western NY. The low was 17 degrees but the winds were what made the race. Minimum wind speed of 22 mph, high constant wind speed of 39 and gusts over 50 mph coming straight down the nice open canal area to blast us for much of our final 12.5 miles. I’ve never laughed so much at a race and definitely NOT at the end of a 100 miler. At one point I exclaimed, “who needs hills” after nearly being stopped in my tracks. I catch a lot of wind… :)
The winter in the UK has been pretty mild so far but very wet. My coldest ride has been a 2C start with thick frost on the fields and mist hanging close to the ground. Brrrr.
On the 8th of december I ran with my club in a snowstorm at about -7°C. That was a great experience.
15 mile run in 50 degree weather… LA never gets too cold.
It’s been pretty cold in DC but not quite as bad as the Midwest. I’ve been on a handful of 16+ mi runs in single digits with windchills in the -10 – -15 F range. Still managed to break a sweat though once I got moving!
Went for a 5 hr trail run. I was cold and wet. By the time I was done I had lost all feeling in my hands and felt like I was going to die. When I was runnning it was ok. but as soon as I stopped the clod took over.
Probably around 60º, last week. Life’s good here in sunny SoCal :)
Got out with 3 friends for a 4-mile run in -25 wind chills. Actual temp was -8. We were dressed up like we were about to climb Mount Everest!
During the “polar vortex” which is still the coolest name ever for a weather phenomenon and Polar should probably trademark that name. Either way I went for a run outside when it was 18F degrees. That is pretty darn cold for Arkansas!!!
16ºC Swim in the very hot summer of Rio de Janeiro! Refreshing!
biking in 29F and cloudy. Wind chill made it feel a LOT worse.
4°c (39.2F) for a early morning (5am) run in Paris a few days ago. not cold at all. I’m still waiting for winter /
I’m in Argentina so, here is HOOTTT. My coldest day running was 3 days ago with 72F…..
I have a bum knee and haven’t gotten the surgery, but had a really cold walk the other day to the store here in NYC. I forgot my gloves and, like, my hands almost froze on the way back. It was brutal.
The plan was to do a run outside (-14 degrees Celsius) but when I got home from work I realized that all my running gear was in the washer.
So I grabbed my running shorts and t-shirt and went out into the garage and fired up the treadmill. A “warm” +5 degrees Celsius felt terrible cold at first but I managed to pull off some nice threshold intervals and by the time I finished my session I had increased the temperature in the garage to a nice 9 degrees :)
Being in Arizona… I think my coldest ride this winter was an early morning high 40s that warmed up to a blistering mid 60s. We have had a very warm winter around here.
here in dc, rode in the low 30’s.
I am fortunate enough to live in Madrid and spent my Christmas vacation in Florida, so the weather has been not that cold. Coldest so far in Madrid was 4º C running 16K for training, and in Florida I ran the West Palm Beach half marathon with 18ºC , incredible for winter.
It doesn’t get that cold in my basement. :)
Coldest run this year, 16 km long run @ -31°C with windchill. It actually wasn’t that bad, other than some buttsicles by then end of the run.
Ran 10 miles in the freezing drizzle. No problems on the asphalt roads while running but took one step on to the concrete driveway after I was done and down I went. Well, I guess that supports the adage that most accidents take place close to home.
My coldest a ride this winter was 35 miles along the frozen Hudson River in New York City. real feel temperature in the single digits. The views were gorgeous, few other bikers or pedestrians on the path. However I needed a long hot shower to warm my males when I was done.
Last week 1.5 hrs of -10°F not including the wind chill. Managed to slip and slide my way thru 10.27 miles of sludge, ice and snow.
My coldest ride this year occurred when I was on my spin bike looking out at the snow and ice covered streets in my neighborhood in Calgary while watching a recorded stage of the TdF.
The run to my car carrying my bike to drive to a Kickr class (snow was falling).
4 X 800 on the track at 16F, and 5 miles at 21F (wind chill 13F). Not too bad compared to some.
About 4F the other day going through Super Bowl Blvd!
A ride at 19ºC in december on a very tough climb in Caeté, MG – Brazil
Fred Lebow half marathon in NY, Central Park on Jan 26t. 18F not including the windchill factor.
Brrrr. been doing runs all winter in 6-10 weather in NYC, often can’t feel my face…50 degrees sounds lovely!
January 6th and 7th were two days below zero in Chicago. January 6th (or 7th for that matter) was also way too early to already break from my 2014 training plans. Now I know that all the books, coaches, or even those precious free resources like Ray here will tell you that you don’t need to sweat a workout or two missed. I also know that I could have spent a couple extra days on the trainer streaming the past several years of Kona coverage on YouTube, but stubborn and determined I decided -8 degrees wasn’t going to hold me back from getting a few miles in. I’m calling this the year of the Half, with a half marathon and a couple half irons already out of the bank account, I thought not having a short training run might derail my entire calendar. That’s what cabin fever does.
Sparing the major details of my frigid trot, the real fun came when it was time to get in the shower. You know that painful tingling you get in your hands and toes when they start to warm up after an especially run…well imagine that sensation in the most personal of places. So please heed my advice guys, in that cold of weather, consider wearing three socks, not just the usual two.
A friend and I did a 30 mile mountain bike ride in the snow in December that never got above 7º F, with wind chills going below 0. I put a little bit of bourbon in my water bottle but it still froze solid within the first hour. (Fortunately, my Stanley bottle of coffee stayed warm all day.) Oh, and we had blizzard conditions for the entire second half of the ride.
I think the thermostat dipped down to 62F before one of my rides on the trainer a few weeks ago.
2 hour run in -18 o C, with 40 km wind, snowing so hard, it was hard to see more than 3 meters in front of you.
Perhaps not as cold as some but did do 12 miles in constant pouring seattle rain and 37 degrees :( – although mad props to the new nike flash jacket for keeping my torso and arms warm and dry!
Interval repeats in -20degC with crazy wind
On Jan 1st, I did the polar bear dip in Oakville Ontario. The air temperature here was about 14F without the wind-chill. Water temperature is measured at 28F. Normally, we nutty Canucks get in, and get out. I swam 20m around the buoy you can see in the background before getting out. I’m the clown in the front with the hat and beads.
link to lostswimming.com
Living in Qatar kind of excludes me from entering as it never really gets below 15 degrees centigrade, even in winter. However, if I can throw a curveball in, the hottest ride I ever did was in 50 degrees centigrade…that’s 122 degrees Farenheit. It was a killer 52km ride.
-8°F
It was too cold for ski practice, so I ran to the pool instead.
12 mile run with temps of 5 degrees and a windchill of -15 on Rock Creek trail. Froze my water bottles (literally, not figuratively). Even the deer were shivering…
Gotta love the Canadian winter! Did a FAST run in -24 Celsius. That’s like -357 or something in Fahrenheit right?
It’s been a warm winter in London. Probably the coldest workout was a 3C (37.4F) sprint and strength workout with the running club at work. The part that made it miserably cold was the constant drizzle (which never ceases in London) and the wind coming off of the water! Almost makes me start to miss the heat of Texas… almost…
3 hour run, don’t know exact temperature but my camelback frooze after less than 1 hour :)
on the trainer, 45 degrees in my basement
A blistering 50 F for a 5K. That’s cold in California!
St. Louis winter has been brutal this year. Morning run the other day when it was 2 degrees F with 20 mph winds.
My coldest MTB bike ride was in a 6°C winter morning. Solution: 10 min of rollers and long sleeves jersey. Mountain fog was fun.
Being from South California, I had to endure the awful low 60s temperatures. I even had to wear a long sleeve shirt. FML!!!
With all the ice/snow on the ground, I have done most of my running indoors so I don’t break my face. We have also had some heat issues with our house and it has gotten down into the 50’s. Besides some treadmill sessions in a cold house, I haven’t done much cold weather running.
A couple of weeks back, did a 6mi run in 5*F (-4*F Wind Chill) in probably one of the “warmer” days here in Minnesota.
My coldest run so far this season was actually on Thanksgiving. It was my first half-marathon and the weather forecasters said that it was the coldest Thanksgiving in over 100 years(22 degrees with a wind chill making it 13). Of course we are talking about Atlanta so our cold is nothing like the cold in the rest of the country. I had already put in all the hard work so I wasn’t giving in now. Finished with a smile then jumped in the car to get warm!
Here in Puerto Rico, I once ran while it was cloudy and it was probably 74 degrees. Brrrrrr!
First outdoor bike ride after several months off due to injury, early morning 20F here in the Catskills. Cold, but it felt so nice to be back on the road.
Living in the mountains of Canada, so lots of cold workout stories! Worst was a cross country ski in -28C plus wind chill. And there was a lot of wind. Wind proof long underwear under normal ski layers, buff, extra touque, lobster claw mitts, etc.; I had all my cold weather gear on. Still had to take a break half way through the workout to get feeling back into the extremities… Good times :)
Nothing too cold for me. I spend most of my off-season time in the gym swimming and on the trainer in the garage. Coldest for me is probably runs in the mid 30s.
I’ve been a wuss and have been sticking to the dreadmill & trainer! But I DO have a half mary coming up on Feb 22nd in Central Park… THAT’S gonna be cold!
My coldest run this year was with temperatures around 30 F.
There have been colder days, but I haven’t run during any of them.
Polar vortex…
In December I did a 5K Santa Shuffle that was so cold my feet were numb for 4.5KM of the run. I’ve never had that experience before.
I was in Indianapolis for work. Went out to try and run but with the -40 wind chill, I didn’t last long. Like 10 minutes. Coldest I have ever been.
My coldest outdoor swim this year so far has been at 0 degrees celsius, and coldest run at -1 degrees C. It hasn’t been too bad this year in the UK, more wet and windy!
Northern California has had a very dry winter so far, but for a few days back it Dec. it actually snowed. For the few morning where there was still snow and ice all over the running trail near my home. It was down right cold at 5:30 am, bundled in my warmest gear and with 4 layers on the top. I still managed to get out and get my cardio done.
It’s been a wierd winter in Dallas… I had a 10 miler in 20* on a Sunday. Followed that up with a nice little Tabata workout in around 70* two days later! To top that off, I started a group ride last weekend at around 35*, and enjoyed the 68* patio weather with a beer or two that afternoon.