Wind Chills and Snow Flakes: Must Be Spring in Scandinavia
I might have been the only person in Copenhagen who was excited to see snow last night. It was just my fourth day of winter. The natives were easily going on their sixth month. I live in Texas so I'm allowed to love the cold. My sister who lives in Las Vegas thinks I'm insane as does my sister in Minnesota. And let's face it, they're probably right. Who could possibly love running through slushy snow and over the occasional random icy patch if not an insane person? Likewise, who could honestly like a bracing 18mph headwind that plummets the already chilly ambient temperature into the upper teens? An insane person. Or a woman from Texas who hates the heat and relishes a nice (apparently) late winter (rather than early spring) Scandinavian vacation.
I was here a year ago and the temperature was a good fifteen degrees warmer. I'm not sure what's considered normal for this time of year. All I know is that when I looked at the extended forecast for this year's vacation, I packed extra warm clothes. Last year I didn't even bring a winter jacket. This year I brought gloves and a hat for running and gloves and a hat for being out and about. I also managed to fit a turtleneck sweater into my suitcase, something I didn't even consider trying last year. Let me tell you, I'm glad I did. I'm wearing it right now. And the compression socks I invested in originally just for the long flight? Yeah, way warmer than the short socks I usually wear. I'm wearing a pair right now.
And the running tights. I usually pride myself on running in all kinds of weather in shorts. Of course I live in Austin where "all kinds of weather" has a very different definition than in Denmark. As a fortuitous near after thought, I tossed one pair of running shorts back in the drawer and searched around for my running tights, the one and only pair I own (I used to have more, but back then I ran more and lived in Kansas). Into the suitcase they went. The pair of running shorts I brought? Yeah, they haven't seen the light of day as yet. And I'm skeptical they will this trip. I'm allowing myself one souvenir from each country I visit. Denmark's might be a new pair of running tights. They could come in handy over the next ten plus days.
Why not just skip the running? It's Spring anyway and half marathon season ended Monday, didn't it? Yes, but this is the kind of weather I can run in. When I get back to Austin it'll be in the 80's and the humidity will be creeping upwards - Weather I cannot run in; weather I will not run in. For whatever reason, I run well in the cold. I'm certain there's a point of diminishing return on that deal, but on this morning's run it was 32F with a stiff wind and felt like 20F and ran pretty well. I was handicapped by some icy spots and slushy snow which slowed me down occasionally. It's been more than twenty years since I've run in anything remotely resembling snow and ice so I figured a modicum of prudence was recommended. Especially since the really slippery places were right along the lake (I ran in an area they call The Lakes in Copenhagen. Apparently, it's pick up place for athletic 30-somethings who tend to wear their finest running attire. The things you can learn on a running tour...). I could see myself losing my footing and slipping right into the lake's superlatively cold water. So, yeah, I was willing to sacrifice a few seconds per mile to ensure I didn't catch my death in a frozen lake.
Such are the joys of Scandinavia in the Spring. I leave for Gothenburg tomorrow where the temps won't be much higher than in Copenhagen. Oslo and Bergen could be interesting. The forecast for both cities includes a lot of rain and "wintry mix". Granted that could change, as the forecast for Gothenburg did, but I need to be ready for it. Mentally, I mean. The one thing I didn't pack was a rain jacket or anything seriously water resistant. That's because I don't own anything like that. It rains like ten days a year (I'm aware that's a slight understatement) in Austin, why would I spend money on rain gear? I'll deal or buy an umbrella. Jesus, I hate umbrellas. Probably the result of living in arid climates most of my life. But as I like to say, when in Rome... In this case, rainy Rome.
I'm not complaining. I love this weather. Just now on my way to the coffee shop where I'm writing, I didn't put on my gloves. I'm a wanna-be Scandinavian (you'd be shocked at the number of people out and about without a hat or gloves or both) and there's only one way to toughen up. You gotta toughen up. Ok, so my hands didn't leave my pockets. Baby steps.
As soon as I finish this, I'll be back out in it. It's my last day in Copenhagen and I need to be on the streets in the thick of things. I'm planning a walk to the Royal Library that should take me about a half hour. If I huddle all day in the warmth of a coffee shop, like a sane person from a warm climate might, the world will pass me by, and I don't come on vacation watch it through a window. I truly wouldn't trade one degree of wind chill or one snow flake to be someplace warmer. There is no place I would rather be.
I was here a year ago and the temperature was a good fifteen degrees warmer. I'm not sure what's considered normal for this time of year. All I know is that when I looked at the extended forecast for this year's vacation, I packed extra warm clothes. Last year I didn't even bring a winter jacket. This year I brought gloves and a hat for running and gloves and a hat for being out and about. I also managed to fit a turtleneck sweater into my suitcase, something I didn't even consider trying last year. Let me tell you, I'm glad I did. I'm wearing it right now. And the compression socks I invested in originally just for the long flight? Yeah, way warmer than the short socks I usually wear. I'm wearing a pair right now.
And the running tights. I usually pride myself on running in all kinds of weather in shorts. Of course I live in Austin where "all kinds of weather" has a very different definition than in Denmark. As a fortuitous near after thought, I tossed one pair of running shorts back in the drawer and searched around for my running tights, the one and only pair I own (I used to have more, but back then I ran more and lived in Kansas). Into the suitcase they went. The pair of running shorts I brought? Yeah, they haven't seen the light of day as yet. And I'm skeptical they will this trip. I'm allowing myself one souvenir from each country I visit. Denmark's might be a new pair of running tights. They could come in handy over the next ten plus days.
Why not just skip the running? It's Spring anyway and half marathon season ended Monday, didn't it? Yes, but this is the kind of weather I can run in. When I get back to Austin it'll be in the 80's and the humidity will be creeping upwards - Weather I cannot run in; weather I will not run in. For whatever reason, I run well in the cold. I'm certain there's a point of diminishing return on that deal, but on this morning's run it was 32F with a stiff wind and felt like 20F and ran pretty well. I was handicapped by some icy spots and slushy snow which slowed me down occasionally. It's been more than twenty years since I've run in anything remotely resembling snow and ice so I figured a modicum of prudence was recommended. Especially since the really slippery places were right along the lake (I ran in an area they call The Lakes in Copenhagen. Apparently, it's pick up place for athletic 30-somethings who tend to wear their finest running attire. The things you can learn on a running tour...). I could see myself losing my footing and slipping right into the lake's superlatively cold water. So, yeah, I was willing to sacrifice a few seconds per mile to ensure I didn't catch my death in a frozen lake.
Such are the joys of Scandinavia in the Spring. I leave for Gothenburg tomorrow where the temps won't be much higher than in Copenhagen. Oslo and Bergen could be interesting. The forecast for both cities includes a lot of rain and "wintry mix". Granted that could change, as the forecast for Gothenburg did, but I need to be ready for it. Mentally, I mean. The one thing I didn't pack was a rain jacket or anything seriously water resistant. That's because I don't own anything like that. It rains like ten days a year (I'm aware that's a slight understatement) in Austin, why would I spend money on rain gear? I'll deal or buy an umbrella. Jesus, I hate umbrellas. Probably the result of living in arid climates most of my life. But as I like to say, when in Rome... In this case, rainy Rome.
I'm not complaining. I love this weather. Just now on my way to the coffee shop where I'm writing, I didn't put on my gloves. I'm a wanna-be Scandinavian (you'd be shocked at the number of people out and about without a hat or gloves or both) and there's only one way to toughen up. You gotta toughen up. Ok, so my hands didn't leave my pockets. Baby steps.
As soon as I finish this, I'll be back out in it. It's my last day in Copenhagen and I need to be on the streets in the thick of things. I'm planning a walk to the Royal Library that should take me about a half hour. If I huddle all day in the warmth of a coffee shop, like a sane person from a warm climate might, the world will pass me by, and I don't come on vacation watch it through a window. I truly wouldn't trade one degree of wind chill or one snow flake to be someplace warmer. There is no place I would rather be.
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