Wool Socks

One thing swowmageddon 2021 has proved to me is that wool socks work. They really do maintain their ability to insulate even when wet. Once I read that cotton loses 90% of it's insulation ability when wet and wool keeps 90% of its when wet. Yesterday's run was a test of the Smartwool socks I bought at Conerly's a few months back.

I did not try to get out until about 2:00 p.m. The bright sun had the ice melting off roofs as early at 8:00 a.m. while the temp was still in the low 20s. But I knew the rutted streets would have frozen hard in the overnight 14 degree low and would be slick and dangerous. I waited until I was sure the ice would have softened some giving some footing.

The roads were better and worse at the same time. Where the traffic had made deep ruts in the ice, the space between was filled with cold water. Dodging cars, I hit puddles, deep soft snow, and all sorts of hazards as I did what I hoped to be my last ice run of the year, the decade, maybe my life. It has been since the late 1980s that I experienced anything like this.

My feet got wet, and I was thinking this might be another one-miler. But I kept sloshing onward and eventually made my way to Money Road. My wet feet were only cold for seconds. The wool fabric did its job. Then I forgot about calling the run short.

The vast ocean of ice off Money Road.

The ice show out Money Road was awesome and I had pavement between deep ruts of ice. Occasionally, the water would be puddled deep. That is always when cars passed. I would run off road as far as I would, but it would be like someone tossing a five gallon bucket of water my way. 

Fun.

I kept going for four plus miles out before I turned around. I got home with 8.73 miles. Nice run. The socks worked like a charm.

The inside wall of Plate City Gym.

At the gym, it was cold. But I really have not been minding the cold at all. I keep reminding myself of the oppressive heat that is coming our way. I remember how tough doing sets can be in 95 degree heat. I worked the bench press:

23 X 38

20 X 88

16 X 108

13 X 113

11 X 118

11 X 88 narrow grip

11 X 88 narrow grip

I then did some leg work, not a lot, but some. I did leg curls for four sets, one set of extensions, and then mostly running stuff. My focus from now until May will be for running performance and sports specific strength. I will get back to training for pure strength after the Geezer Run.

Also, I did some trap bar deadlifts, some calf work, and then I called it a night. It was dark, it was cold, and I was tired.