More running than blogging -- not much of either

Hmm, there has been a tiny bit more running than blogging around here, but nothing to trumpet about. Weather, Theater, Work - I have let many things push their way to the front of the priority list. One of the messiest of these was a carbon Yeti-print of a day last weekend. Kid Kate needed to head back at the end of her 5-week winter break from college, which is a 12-hour drive from home. To keep her from having to tackle such a long trip alone, we drove together, leaving shortly after 5 am Sunday. We arrived at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport in Baltimore at just about 6 pm, where I boarded the 8:10 Southwest flight back to Nashville. Long day, and of course no run.

I did get out on 1/23 for 5 miles, 1/26 with QMH for 3 and 1/28 for 5.5, and today with snow and ice on the ground, a treadmill session of 6 miles.

Meanwhile, here are a couple of interesting blogs I have encountered, both by North Carolina runners: Runner Dude, from Greensboro, a guy who's very busy and connected with many other runners and running sites; and Charlotte-area (I think) Old-Runner, whom I admire for trimming 40 lbs as he got serious about running in his mid-50s. I am still battling my winter urge to overeat, and mostly losing this week.

Now must begin a month of dedication and discipline, or the Tom King will be an ordeal.

The Countdown to Tom King 1/2 Marathon March 13

Days until TK	Miles logged today	Comments
40	6	an hour on the treadmill

The Mammal in Winter

On a holiday visit with NJ family, we grab what time we can to run, but weather and holiday circumstance are always in the way. Today is the third very cold day in a row, and also the third without a run. It's been too icy, or too bitter cold and windy since Wednesday. QMH is down with a stomach ailment, and I'm losing the battle with my appetite.

For several years now, I have noticed my winter-time urge to eat more, especially more sweet and fatty foods. Peanut butter sandwich? Yes, please! Have some cookies? You bet! Why bother putting away that little bit of leftover spaghetti? It'll just be another dish to wash later!

I joke that, being a mammal, I must obey the biological imperative to add an extra layer of fat for the cold months. Kid Kate says it's just an excuse to indulge myself.

Dr. Michael Smolensky, who studies chronobiology at University of Texas Houston, says, “Adults typically consume 6 to 7 per cent more calories in the winter,”  in a London Times Online article headlined Are we hardwired to feel hungry in winter and put on weight?

A piece by Donna Watmough at Suite101.com discusses Why we eat more in Autumn and Winter and how not to, explaining that the appetite spike could be linked to a shorter-days deficiency in Vitamin D. The article goes on to suggest increasing exercise, eating smaller amounts more frequently, and getting more Vitamin D either from more sun exposure or dietary supplements.

I know I won't be able to get back to running before Monday, because tomorrow we drive back home, and I hope I can keep from overeating until then.

Do you find yourself packing in more food and packing on the pounds in colder weather? What do you do about it?

Leave a comment and let me know!