I'm just not a fan of the winter when it involves below freezing temperatures, and I always thought that people who ran outside during the winter were crazy when they could have taken advantage of the wonderful treadmills that live inside, surrounded by heat and some form of entertainment. However, something happened to me over my winter break in PA that has changed my views on running outside in the cold forever...my treadmill broke.

Now I know this was not a major crisis, as I could have easily gotten a monthly membership at my local gym. But on this particular day, the sun was unusually bright and it inspired me to attempt running in the cold.

As I stretched, the numbing process took place, I adjusted my breathing to allow the intake of frigid air, placed my headphones neatly under my earmuffs, and I was ready to go. I initially thought that I would have to cut my run in half because I was so cold, but I was so wrong. I ended up running twice as far and felt a million times better afterward than I did running in place in my basement. It was so nice to just be outside for a change and I honestly believe that getting sun and fresh air put me in a better mood (since normally when it's cold I am only outside for as long as it takes me to get from one place to another).

Since I've been back in New York, I started running outside here as well and I have so much more energy than I did before. Now I'm not saying that I'm turning my back on treadmills because I still love them and their many functions, but sometimes even a personal television cannot cure a minor case of seasonal depression.

So in conclusion, like a plant, I too need a decent amount of sunlight to survive, and running outside in the cold is the perfect way to achieve it during the winter months!

~Ashley Johncola