I had such high hopes for this holiday weekend mileage-wise. Modern Caveman is off, kids are out of school, the world is my oyster. The roads await. Not so fast. First we were shellacked with ice. Then came the monsoon that relegated me to a sentence on the treadmill. Balmy temps coupled with sudden shocks of wind and rain turned my planned Christmas 10 miler into a soaking wet 6. After all this weather nonsense, and I know many of you have it far more challenging that I, I simply needed to get 11 miles in today. Had to. Mother Nature dear, need I remind you Boston training starts Monday?? Like she cares.
Today I woke to at least 3″ of fresh snow and more coming fast. So what do I do? Ok now I get it. Fine. This is one of life’s many character-builder tests. A little kink in the plan if you will. You want to see tough? I can do tough. A little snow never stopped me and it won’t today either. But it was windy too and the snow was going down my neck somehow. No big deal, I circled back for my glasses and balaclava. Take that. My fogless glasses were instantly fogged. Tough…not turning back.
I forged on, praying a broken hip was not in my near future.
I chose a route with minimal roadside running and vowed to stay in car tracks for better any traction. Air Pegasus trail shoes have I told you lately how much I love you? No more car tracks, that’s ok, I’ll blaze my own trail. Just me and the wildlife…not that I see any…nary a deer or a coyote or fox, not even a squirrel. Do they know something I don’t? Oh right they’re not going to Boston.
My point in all this is that in running as in life, things seldom, if ever, go perfectly according to plan.
If you’ve been with me here for any length of time you well know I can whine with the best of them. But sometimes all it takes is a shift in perspective and things that before were seemingly implausible are quite possible. Here are some good things about running in a blizzard:
The snow acts as a cushion, less wear and tear on the joints.
My water stays refreshingly cool
I never got too hot
Little to no traffic, and in my experience most snow plow drivers are very kind
Stunningly beautiful and serene
It’s a great balance challenge. No lie I can run in the snow/ice much more easily than I can walk on it
Obstacles are temporary–Wind/snow slapping me in the face is no fun. But my run will feel that much sweeter when I turn and it’s at my back and I will be stronger for having fought through it
Let’s not forget that endorphin boost
and finally I will feel like a total bad ass when I am finished
Haha, wayyy to be optimistic running in a blizzard! I ran the day after it snowed, and I was the ONLY living thing on the roads too! MERRY (late) XMAS 🙂
What an awesome post; I love that bad ass feeling when I've just finished something significant,under less than perfect conditions.
I also love that the weather makes us pause and reflect.
You're going to rock Boston!
great post! you are hardcore for going out there. and youre right: mother nature doesn't really care at all about our training plans haha 🙂
Great post. The rain has kicked my bootie lately. However, you just inspired me to do my pushups for the day!
Yes, you can do "tough!" You are amazing! I want to borrow your Boston Marathon countdown widget, hope you don't mind!!!! Nice visiting your blog again, it's been a while!
STEP UP!
Great post!
Okay, you are WAY more BA than I – I am so wimpy about slipping and killing an ankle or worse in this messy white stuff. You are incredible!!!
Not sure if I have it in me to run while it's still snowing! That's why you are running Boston- again! You are fearless!
Those animals ain't going to Boston. In their face. They have no clue what it is like to run on just two legs. They could never do it.
Great post! I was thinking the same thing as I was slipping and sliding this morning… "this snow sure is cushiony!"
Look at your and your sunny disposition in the not so sunny weather! My car was completely stuck in our big snow storm, so I couldn't even make it to the gym and there's NO way I'm running in a foot and a half of snow. :p Thanks for the comment on my blog. I'm excited to follow your training for BOSTON! 🙂