When New York Times reporter Vivian Yee spotted two children running from a cab into JFK airport with no jackets during a weekend of record low temperatures, she figured she was on to something.

The reporter was working on a colour piece about the near-freezing conditions in the States and guessed that the lightly clad children must have been heading on a plane to warmer climes.

Indeed, the children’s parents turned out to be Bermuda’s running pros Christopher and Ashley Estwanik — who were returning to the Island after a family ski trip out west.

Mr Estwanik told The Royal Gazette: “We got out of the cab and my wife noticed there was a photographer with a camera positioned on the ground and he was snapping pictures of the kids.

“We didn’t think much of it. I was unloading bags and by the time I got back into the airport a reporter was doing an interview with my wife.

“From what I gathered the reason they picked on us was because they were trying to find someone who was going somewhere warm.

“They had a good chuckle and we told them not only were we going somewhere warm but we actually live somewhere warm — it was pretty funny.”

Ashley Estwanik was quoted in the New York Times piece saying: “My kids have never experienced weather like this.

“They were a little excited, but after a while, it was like, ‘Can we go back inside now?’”

During their couple of days in New York, the ever-dedicated athletes decided to hit Central Park for a rather refreshing run.

Mr Estwanik ran 19 miles in his shorts and he described the experience as “bone-chilling”.

“There were no races but I did do some runs in the cold in Central Park. It was pretty bone-chilling.

“Ashley was there as well but she didn’t run as much as she has an injury. I did a 19- mile run and it was nice and chilly.

“Your body does sort of adjust as long as you cover your head, as you will lose a lot of body heat.

“My hands got pretty cold, but luckily I had gloves. I was one of the few people who was running in shorts funnily enough and I did get a few looks.

“It was a good experience — if you can call it good — to remind the body what truly cold weather feels.”

Despite his extreme bravery, Mr Estwanik, who has lived in Bermuda for eight years, is not quick to berate his fellow Island people for complaining about the high fifties temperatures here.

“You can’t blame people. This is about as cold as it gets here, so people are breaking out the sweaters and the winter gear which is totally understandable.

“But New York is a good reminder of how fortunate we are not to have to endure that kind of climate.”