Really cold-weather running for dummies

I've always mentally chastised runners who I think are a bit over the top. You know the people who show no respect for bitter cold and unrelenting heat. As I returned to running after a long absence (8 years), I promised myself I would never be like that. I never mind running in heat so that wouldn't be a problem and I hate the cold, so I certainly would never venture out when it got "too cold."

Today, the windchill was in the single digits. My husband said, "Don't go." My dad -- who my husband encouraged -- said "Don't go." The two inner runners who sit on each of my shoulders, of course, had differing opinions. "Don't go," said the angel runner. "At least go to the indoor track." "The sun is out for heaven's sake," said the devil runner. "How bad can it be?"

I waited until the temperature reached its peak of 14 with 11 mph winds for a wind chill of 7 or so and headed out. Now, I haven't run in this kind of cold, so I wasn't quite sure what to wear. I ended up with a short-sleeve wicking shirt, a long-sleeve wicking shirt, a breath thermo running shirt (these things are amazing. The material warms up when it gets wet.) a pullover and a Pearl izumi jacket. On the bottom, I had a pair of tights and some windpants. Topped off by a hat, mittens with peel-back top to expose the fingerrtips and a balakava-type thing.

I had so many layers on, I left the house with a flashback to childhood and the 8 layers my mom bundled me in to play in the snow -- for 15 minutes -- before I had to go to the bathroom.

I was comfortable for about a half-mile and then realized, like my mother, I had overdressed myself. So off came the top layer. I was surprised how comfortable I was. I spent a little time learning how long I needed to cover my mouth and nose to warm up and then lower it for some fresh air.

Here are a few other lessons I learned along the way:
1. Apparently fat freezes before muscle. I have no real research to back this up other than personal experience. Even with the jacket, I experienced first-degree freezer burn on my butt and outer thighs. OK, now I am grateful for that jacket I wrapped around my waist. The freezer burn could have been worse.

2. Always, always lay out ALL your gear before you dress for cold-weather running. I realized I forgot my heart rate monitor about 2 minutes into my workout. There was no way I was going home for it.

3. Relax, relax, relax. Muscles tense in the cold. Tense muscles use more energy than relaxed muscles.

4. Maybe those over-the-top runners aren't so crazy after all. Or maybe I'm becoming one of "them."

5. Apply some of the same rules from hot-weather running to cold-weather running -- like slowing down or cutting back on the length of the workout. I ran about 60 percent of what I'd planned but it felt right.

6. I read an article/post by an long-experienced runner who said anything below 10 degrees -- stay home. He's right.

I'm sure these are just a few of many "really cold weather lessons" I should know, so please let me know of others you have learned along the way.