10 miles long

Saturday brought a 10-mile run in my training schedule.  It also brought snow, treacherous roads, and cold temps.  Normally, my long run day is Friday.  However, this past Friday had temperatures below zero.  While I have mustered it up to do my runs below zero before, I knew that if I waited one day, the temperatures would rise to a more comfortable (read:  safer) level for the long distance.

Not wanting to sacrifice weekend family time to run for over an hour and a half, I got up at 5:00 a.m., ate a fuel-laden breakfast, and waited for light.  It was a longer wait than expected.  Luckily (?), Aidan had decided at around 5:40 a.m. that sleeping in on Saturdays is for suckers, so I had some company.  I sat with him and knitted while he played Leggos until it was time for me to go.

I left the house at 6:40 as the sky lightened before sunrise, scraped all the snow off the car, and carefully made my way along the unplowed roads.  It was slow going, and I almost ended up in the ditch.  I actually laughed out loud a few times about the insanity of going to run, outdoors (around the lake next to my warm gym) in weather that was basically undrivable.  Once parked, I momentarily considered running the indoor track indoors instead.  Too bad for me, though, I had only brought extra warm running-wear.  At that moment, a fellow insane runner passed in front of me on his trek around the lake.  I was in.  I may be crazy, but at least I wouldn't be alone.  Onward.

Still getting light outside and following the tracks of the other lone runner

The snow was fluffy and a few inches deep.  Deep enough that I couldn't tell if it was slippery beneath it or not.  That tentative type of running changes my gait and makes my hips get sore.  Wind around one-third of the lake bit at my left ear and covered my tracks with snow so that they were faint or invisible on each, consecutive passing.  My hands were cold and fingers painful at first, but my Kool Foo Mittens (on their maiden run!) warmed them up within the first two miles.

After the first two times around the lake, my phantom running partner's tracks disappeared.  The only time I had actually laid eyes on him was that first time from my car.  The only other person I encountered was a snowshoer.  The plow drivers were out by my third round, and I made sure to wave at them so that they might remember me if I went missing.  (Well, it didn't hurt to consider this scenario.)  The snow had begun to fall heavier, and the wind had picked up.  It was fully light outside by now, though, so I was encouraged about my chances of finishing.

The day before, I had finally broken down and gotten a runner's water bottle.  (I have noticed that staying hydrated really does have it's perks.)  By my third lap o' the lake, the spout on my bottle had frozen.  By the fourth, the cap was frozen on also.  It's weird how thirsty one can get surrounded by snow and too cold to really get a good sweat going.  At any rate (and this time, the rate we are talking was very slow), I finished my ten miles and headed home.  The streets were plowed and the snow had stopped.  All told, it was a good morning.

Frozen Water One Hour Post Run

I'm feeling pretty good recovery-wise this Monday morning.  Not too sore and ready to run again.  Unfortunately, I have a cold now.  I would have maybe admitted this cruddy feeling was from the cold long run.  However, Aidan is home sick too.....so HA to the winter running haters!  it's a virus.  I am free to continue the outdoor winter running without fear that it will bring on certain pneumonia-induced death.  Too bad I'm home with a sicky kid, because it is a lovely morning for a run:  snowy and not too cold.  That's ok.  Cuddle time with a drippy nosed 6-year old doesn't happen very often and is fleeting fast.  I'm content to wait until tomorrow to continue my winter running.