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Bout Froze To Death

Posted in Stinky Story by Free Memberdooin

Ran a new route today.  It was windy @15, the temp was 38, and it was raining.  We were scheduled for a 14 mile so out my son and I went.  We did great on our very hilly route until about mile 8.  We started getting pretty cold.  At mile 9 we had planned to stop and drink a little.  I couldn't get my lid off the bottle at all and my son had trouble.  We didn't stop long but it was enough to sap the heat out of us.  We continued for another mile until I was numbing in my feet and my hands were useless (couldn't put my soaked gloves back on).  I had to call my husband and he picked us up at mile 11.  It took 20 minutes for my very painful hands to be useful and I was shivering so much we went home and got in a hot tub.  

In analyzing what went wrong, we learned that we need better protection i.e. wind-stop gear and water resistant socks and we learned a valuable lesson about stopping at all. We will carry a little glucose with us next time as well.  I've been running for many years, but long distance runs are still relatively new.


Comments (13)

branxc Free Memberbranxc wrote on 10/20/2009:
i am in cross country and we run in short shorts and tank top no matter what (well i do some wear underarmor) and i stay warm the whole time and we had snow on the ground with a very chilly wind so just as long as you keep a fast steady pace so that the blood circulates well, then you will have no problem with coldness.
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valleyfit Free Membervalleyfit wrote on 09/15/2009:
Hi there,

I live in a small new zealand town that for 7 months of the year i have to deal with an EXTREMELY cold cattabatic wind and fog every morning. The only way to deal with freezing temperatures is wear a good hat (polar fleece is best) polypropelene under layers on top half, skins and thermals on bottom haif and thermal socks. Polar fleece or micro fleece jacket. Cheap but very effective if you get wet and or sweaty you will stay warm and you wont have to spend hours in a hot bath afterwar

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foxmccloud Free Memberfoxmccloud wrote on 09/01/2009:
I was training last year in 1.5 ft of snow . It was -3 out with a -23 windchill and all i had was a hoodie, shorts, sweatpants, hat, 1pair of cotton socks, and my goodole asics. Still, my hands went numb at about the 2.5mi out of my 6 mile run. Nearly got frostbite and took 53minutes to regain feeling in my hands. Now i always carry extra clothes during winter. The wool socks with thin cotton over is a very good choice. Great story.
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dolbymashup Free Memberdolbymashup wrote on 07/18/2009:
One good answer for everyone. Gore-tex.
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ardydub Free Memberardydub wrote on 06/30/2009:
I am a barefoot runner. One winter I ran a 12 mile course. It was about 32 or 33 degrees out with dry roads. I was dressed warmly enough and my feet adjust to the cold so they are fine. At mile 6 I ran across a park that had standing water on the grass, a little over ankle deep. It was cold but very refreshing to run through. On my way back to my work, at about mile 9, it started snowing and hailing. It was pretty darn cold when that happened. I just kept on going, counting on my activity to keep me warm en
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michaelnamod Free Membermichaelnamod wrote on 04/20/2009:
hello!~??? of course you almost froze to death! next time, try this: wrap your feet in saran-wrap (or any commercial plastic wrap) and sprinkle garlic powder (NOT garlic salt) in your shoes. also: place a hardboiled under one arm and continue to switch from right to left pit throughout your run. this will also help immensely - and - bonus round: if you stray too far and begin feeling famished or hyperglysemic, you have an instant snack/eergy boost. have a great day!!
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pclements Free Memberpclements wrote on 04/19/2009:
"If your feet get cold, put on a hat."

I recommend Buff headgear.

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YehuditO Free MemberYehuditO wrote on 04/12/2009:
One of the best tips I've ever gotten! Keep feet warm, wear 1 pair wool socks, then ON TOP of the wool socks, wear thin cotton socks. Do it the other way around and your feet will freeze, do it right and it's nearly foolproof. Thanks to my Eagle Scout brother :)
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coppermezzo Free Membercoppermezzo wrote on 03/18/2009:
Reminds me of a half-marathon event many years ago in Wellington (NZ) in a howling southerly. It hailed during the last 5km (having been preceeded by sleet for a while first). I was so frozen when finished that my partner had to dress me - immediately. Gear is a real issue, finding something that won't weigh you down (or flap around), esp if its an event rather than just training. Weather can change so much in those distances & you can be peeling stuff on and off 2 or 3 times. I find polypropelene
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Blom Free MemberBlom wrote on 03/16/2009:
I highly recommend The North Face FlightSeries of gear. I've been running through the Chinese winter over the last few months and have found this line of gear to be fabulous. Did a 36km run in -3 degrees with icy rain two weeks ago. It sucked, but I was pretty dry and the right temp (by zipping and unzipping the shell). Don't forget to hydrate and munch a few gels along the way too! Enjoy.
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tinydr Free Membertinydr wrote on 03/11/2009:
Depending on how warm your body (or your son's body) runs you may also want to consider at least some wool... unlike Goretex it won't keep you dry but it can keep you from getting completely frozen.
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samuelfye Free Membersamuelfye wrote on 03/10/2009:
I used to live in Maine, and I would run never less than 15 miles per outing, and up to 40 miles at times. Not saying that to boast, but I am pointing out that the right gear is everything. I ran in temps as low as -5 and frequently in the single digits. What is key is that I was never uncomfortable, so it can be done. Look for Gortex stuff--good for cold, wind, and water. The down side is that 1. the stuff can be very expensive (though it is really a one time expense), and 2. getting ready to go out c
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