Rich on Running: Watch out for wind and mud

This past weekend’s warm temperatures were well reflected in the clothing of runners in Greater Boston. Shorts ? T-shirts ? shorts and T-shirts ? all it took was a respite from snow for people to dress like they were in Miami and not Cambridge or Somerville.As for myself, I didn’t go so far as to put on a T-shirt or shorts for Sunday’s 2.2-mile run from North Cambridge to Dilboy Field in Somerville and back. I wore a light long-sleeved shirt, sweat pants and a winter hat.There are, of course, plenty of benefits to running in warmer weather (though it doesn’t look like what we enjoyed this weekend has lasted too long). You don’t have to put on layer after layer, you don’t have to strain to see through the snowflakes, you don’t have to tiptoe through snowdrifts. It’s more convenient all-around.You also get the sense that nature is waking up from its winter dormancy. Bodies of water are starting to un-freeze themselves. The Alewife Brook flowed gently beside me as I headed up Route 16. And as nature wakes up, more people seem to be getting outdoors – not just the fellow runners out there, but also the guy shooting baskets at a nearby park.That said, this being New England, I wouldn’t count the “challenging” weather out just yet. It manifested its presence on two occasions during Sunday’s run.First, if you run on a trail, the surfaces can be muddy at times, as I found out while running along the brook. Not just a little muddy, but thick, clayey stuff that threatens to swallow your shoes. I would suggest testing dirt surfaces gently before trying to run across them.Second, while the snow and rain may abate at times, the winds haven’t let up much ? especially if you’re running by a body of water such as the brook ? and especially if you make the misfortune, as I did, of running against the wind on the way back. Bob Seger’s song “Against the Wind” sounds a lot less appetizing in this context.And I wouldn’t be too quick to wish winter goodbye just yet. The snow on the ground was a perfect solution to get the mud off my shoes.Recovery Run deadline approachesThere is just under two weeks remaining to register for the Hibernian 5K St. Patrick’s Day Recovery Run in Lynn. The registration closing date is Friday, March 18 (cost is $25) and you can register at http://www.active.com/running/lynn-ma/hibernian-5k-st-patricks-day-recovery-run-2011 ? the race itself is on Sunday, March 20, at Hibernian Hall (105 Federal St.) at 11 a.m.Rich Tenorio writes a weekly column on running for The Item. You can email him at [email protected].