“Running Column: With Nike sunglasses, perception is better than reality”

Running Column: With Nike sunglasses, perception is better than reality

Posted: 18 Dec 2010 09:57 AM PST

I'm generally an optimistic, glass-half-full type of guy. But I've never been accused of looking at the world through rose-colored glasses.

However when the weather gets as chilly as it's been the past couple of weeks, I'll make an exception to that rule. And I'm warmer (at least psychologically) for doing so.

A couple of years ago I got some sample pairs of sunglasses from Nike. One of them had orange-tinted lenses, which, while cool to play around with, didn't seem to be particularly functional.

After all, they didn't block much of the strong sunlight often encountered during the summer, or even nowadays when the sun is low on the horizon.

However, I discovered they do have one hidden benefit that I discovered more or less by accident.

When you wear them, the light coming to your eyes looks warmer by about five to 10 degrees (a photographer or physicist could probably calculate exactly how much).

Regardless, while this isn't much use the rest of the year, when the mercury dips below freezing, they can make the difference between a miserable and bearable on a run.

Psychologically, the tangerine-shaded light just makes you feel like you're running through a June sunset instead of a January icebox.

More than once I've been amazed to finish a run feeling fairly comfortable, maybe even toasty, then taken off the glasses and discovered it was really a grey, cold winter's day.

The effect can be used during the evening as well to extend your running window, although you have to be careful here. The warm light makes it seem as though sunset and dusk are 15 to 20 minutes farther away than they really are.

I've gotten fooled on more than one occasion that way, thinking it was still plenty light only to discover that passing motorists probably didn't see me until they were right behind me.

So, if the deep freeze we've been in for much of December continues, head out to your local sports store and pick up a pair of orange, yellow or even rose-colored sunglasses.

You'll be a lot more optimistic when you head out for a run in single-digit temperatures if you do.

Jim Gerweck is Editor-at-Large at Running Times magazine and organizes many area races

ON THE RUN

Today

HOLIDAY RUN FOR TOYS, 5 km, 9 a.m., Fairfield.

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