The Weather Elephant in the Room

Ever since I hit my stride with exercise in June and July, it's been in the back of my mind that winter will one day come and put an end to my outdoor frolicking. I tried to make as much progress by the end of August because September can be unpredictable in these parts. Snow is even possible.

Fall has always seemed inhospitable to cycling for me. I would not have expected to have done all the cycling I did in the last two months. I embraced every chance I could, often in the evenings post-dusk. And tonight, I cycled for the first time in my life in November. It was also a first for my family who tagged along.

I'm getting used to knowing what to wear for what activity in very specific weather conditions. 0 C with a light wind is different than 0 C with a wind. Dressing in layers really does work the best. It keeps you warmer but you can also make slight adjustments if you get too hot or too cold. The old me would put on a light winter coat and sweat in it far past the point of being comfortable. I would have been hot and wet. Being wet would have made me cold even though I was hot.

The new me has invested in a few pieces of winter athletic gear and utilizes a pair of fleece jackets, size 5XL, that I got for five bucks a piece on clearance (I like to live beyond my means.) I no longer sweat to the point of discomfort. You can stay warm and relatively dry if you know what you're doing.

However, I'm still intimidated by winter and how it can put the kibosh on being active. (My neighbourhood has tonnes of walkers in the summer but you can't find a single one on November evenings even though the weather has been pleasant.) I had a goal of losing enough overall weight so that I would be under the limit of my treadmill that I bought a couple of years ago when we moved to our current home. I failed in that goal. I built up a great deal of muscle mass in the late summer and fall but neglected pushing my calorie restrictions. I lost some fat mass but not as much as I could have if I worked harder at it.

It's got mesh over the mouth and a nose flap that
directs breath away from your glasses (or goggles.)

I can still probably use my treadmill if it turns cold (I'm fairly close to the weight limit) and I have access to the gym at my medical clinic which I currently use twice per week. But I also spent some money on winter gear including a deluxe balaclava, a skull cap, and some light gloves that can be used for liners when it gets colder. From what I've read and heard, very active people like runners need surprisingly little to keep them warm because their bodies heat up so much, including their extremities because of increased circulation and blood flow.

Even when the streets are too icy and snow-covered for walking, I can use this gear to stay warm while tobogganing with my kids (a winter goal I'm looking forward to achieving for the first time.)

As winter comes, I'm going to try and face it head on, one challenge at a time. If I can beat winter, I can beat anything!