The Beijing tourism authorities like to tout October as the best time of year to visit the city, dubbing it the 'Golden Month'.
In fact, March, April, May, and September are much better. In October the nights draw in quickly, and the air gets bloody nippy. It is significant that the wait staff at all the restaurants change into their 'winter uniform' (often just tracksuits for the cheaper places) on October 1st. September 30th is usually warm. Sometimes October 1st is too; but it has on occasions been absolutely arse-freezing. And you can pretty much guarantee that by a week or two into the month, the temperatures will have plummeted.
To me, it always feels like the coldest month of the year - partly, perhaps, because it is also the windiest; and partly because of the abrupt contrast (two or three weeks ago the temperatures were still mostly in the low 80s or high 70s F; now, they're down in the 50s).
It's a difficult month to dress for, a particularly uncomfortable month, because, when the sun shines, it can still be pretty warm. At times, you can be walking (or, yes, running) along feeling quite hot and sweaty; and then, the breeze will pick up, or the sun will drift behind a cloud, or you'll pass through a long patch of shade, and the temperature will drop 10 or 20 degrees in an instant and it will feel like the sweat is freezing on your back. This is a prime time of year for catching colds.
Ah yes, when the sun shines, it can indeed be a beautiful - if somewhat chilly - month. However, for at least half of October we are assailed by ultra-damp air, leaden grey overcasts, thick white mist. It tends to be the month with the heaviest air pollution of the year.
It's one of those days today. And the run that I really ought to, need to go on just doesn't seem very enticing in these conditions.
Well, to be fair, it's probably more to do with my general state of exhaustion than the weather. If' I'd bounced out of bed at 6am (as I usually do), 3 laps around the lakes might have been a realistic prospect. But I've had two successive nights of not turning in till nearly 3am.... and I'm knackered.
I really can't allow myself too many more of these 'days off', though. My 'training schedule' is way behind.
1 comment:
agreed - the air is awful. the sudden temp drop makes it feel way cooler than it actually is. and you should try to get to bed a little earlier - it'll do your body good.
yesterday I decided to walk home from my late breakfast. bad bad idea. the scratch at the back of my throat that had been trying to grab my attention all morning threw a hissy fit during my walk and inflicted me with a fever, head cold and lost voice... it didn't help that it was rush hour and i was stuck at a cross walk over the 4th ring road forever, waiting for the lights to change, enveloped in car fumes.
I had intended to have fun with cooking a celebratory dinner at home to enjoy with friends and family. I still managed the dinner (sms invites already sent out, rsvps already received), but i certainly wasn't feeling so celebratory!
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