A cold front’s been moving through Colorado the past few days, bringing temps down to single digits and teens.

I had a run scheduled on my training program for my 50K trail race on a low temp day, and I didn’t know if I should do the run. Could I run when it was 11 degrees outside? Would my lungs be okay? Was it safe?

After a few Google searches, I felt I could attempt the run. I’d never run in temps this cold, and I really didn’t want to miss a run. I figured, at least this way, I’d know if runs at this temp in Colorado are doable for me.

Turns out, they are! I was plenty warm, and though my pace was slower than usual, it felt so good to be outside and to also not miss a run. Now I know. I can do it. I also learned how to do it, i.e. what gear I need, what I don’t need, and how to be safe.

The only way to find your edge is to test it.

There’s wisdom in not throwing yourself into something without any thought or preparation, but if you keep wondering if you can pull something off, it might be worth giving it a try. No matter what, you’ll learn something in the process.