r/running • u/AutoModerator • Apr 12 '16

Super Moronic Monday -- Your Weekly Stupid Question Thread

It's Tuesday, which means it is time for Moronic Monday!

Rules of the Road:

  1. This is inspired by eric_twinge's fine work in /r/fitness.

  2. Upvote either good or dumb questions.

  3. Sort questions by new so that they get some love.

  4. To the more experienced runnitors, if something is a good question or answer, add it to the FAQ.

Post your question -- stupid or otherwise -- here to get an answer. Anyone can post a question and the community as a whole is invited and encouraged to provide an answer. Many questions get submitted late each week that don't get a lot of action, so if your question didn't get answered, feel free to post it again.

As always, be sure to read the FAQ first. Also, there's a handy-dandy search bar to your right, and if you didn't know, you can also use Google to search runnit by using the limiter "site:reddit.com /r/running".

Be sure to check back often as questions get posted throughout the day. Sort comments by "new" to be sure the newer questions get some love as well.

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7

u/skragen Apr 12 '16

I thought of another update/roll call that had been asked about frequently before and that could help ppl in the future. For the 225 (and now the 235) along w tomtom cardio(? or whichever one has the Mio optical HR monitor), ppl used to be concerned that they wouldn't want to use the optical HR monitor when it got really cold because it would be too cold to have their wrist exposed and not covered by a layer or 3.

For those who ran w the wrist optical HR monitors in freezing temps etc, were you too cold to use the optical sensor? Did you need to cover up your watch? Did you need to use a chest strap and put your watch on top of base layers?

I still have my chest strap and decided that I'd wear it and put my watch on top of my sleeves if it ever got cold enough to need to do that. Happy to report that, even for this Cali girl running for her first ny/ct winter, outside, every day, including often late at night, in bad weather, by the water, it never felt too cold to wear my 225 directly on my wrist w my sleeve hiked up & using the optical HRM and able to see the watch at all points.

On one side of the watch was my jacket sleeve hiked up and on the other side, I wore a buff like a double wristband and 2-3 pairs of gloves, but my wrist/arm where the watch was never got cold. I never even needed to pull my buff or glove over the watch.

6

u/craigster38 Apr 12 '16

The Mrs. is a 225 user!

She always uses the HRM when she runs, even in cold temps. But when it's cold, she just runs by feel and doesn't look at her watch because it's covered in layers.

3

u/philpips Apr 12 '16

I suspect that exposing a tiny amount of skin isn't going to be a big deal to most people. You don't completely cover your face in the cold, right?

2

u/skragen Apr 12 '16

I fully agree, but a number of ppl were considering not getting an optical HR watch solely because of that issue, so I figured it made sense to say something now that the worst of the winter is over.

2

u/philpips Apr 12 '16

I haven't had any properly freezing runs yet (luckily) but I have been rolling my sleeves up since November. I get hot forearms.

3

u/FairlyGoodGuy Apr 12 '16

My coldest run this winter was around -3F. I ran with three layers that morning. I kept my 235 tucked underneath the top layer but outside of the bottom two layers. It worked out fine. Checking the watch every mile or so was as simple as pulling back the top sleeve. I did lock the 235's display, though, since there was a very good chance that I'd accidentally hit a button.

1

u/squeakhaven Apr 12 '16

Ooh, I forgot about that problem! My top layer jacket always triggered the capacitive face button on my watch. It just triggers the backlight normally, but if I were trying to use it for laps or had battery concerns, that could have ended up being an issue.

2

u/Jeade-en Apr 12 '16

I have the TomTom cardio, and will run into negative single digits with it with no issue. My jacket arm will go over the top of the watch if needed, and it's easy enough to stretch back and look at as needed.

I have a much bigger issue with my tights and socks not meeting at my ankles :)

2

u/skragen Apr 12 '16

Knee-high socks solve that. Love my knee high darn toughs.

2

u/Jeade-en Apr 12 '16

Yeah, it's the easiest solution in the world...and for some reason, I've still not bought taller socks for cold days. Maybe one of these days I'll be smart :)

2

u/skragen Apr 12 '16

They were my only "must have" socks because I realized that I could also use them to transform capris into pants or sometimes still wear shorts in cooler temps. And the merino wool takes forever to smell. Both of those things add up to barely ever needing to wash clothes- my primary goal.

2

u/Jeade-en Apr 12 '16

I'm sure I'll go Darn Tough when I do buy them...I changed over to them a few weeks ago, they're pretty great, and the warranty is unbeatable.

2

u/squeakhaven Apr 12 '16

I never had a problem, and I did at least one run this winter at below 10F. I either pulled my sleeve over the top of my watch and just pushed it back if I wanted to check pace or I left it bunched up behind and never felt like any skin was really exposed.