Frozen Snowbird

Monday I finally got to go running again with my friend, Anne Marie. We had been talking about these hills at the park near her house for months. I love to run hills, and Anne Marie had been telling me how tough they were, and how I had to see them. So I get there Monday, and we drive to the park, only to find that it's closed!! What a bummer. We didn't risk running the park anyway, because they said it was closed due to "Deer Management." So we did a nice 5.5 mile run around her subdivisions. It was fun to chat, and enjoy her company like old times.
Afterward we went to lunch and shopping. It's a darned good thing that I carbo-loaded up at lunch because I needed all the energy I had to keep up with that girl in the Mall. Whew! I was exhausted by the time we were done. But I sure got a good lesson in Marathon Bargain Shopping (MBS 101!) It was such a fun day, and then for a recovery we went home and recarbo-loaded on pasta before heading out one more time to Meijer. We don't have Meijer in Minnesota, so we had to hit that before really calling it a day.
After shopping and running on Monday, I needed Tuesday as a recovery day. Well, maybe not really, but I didn't make time for a workout, and before long it was 9:30 at night, and I was sound asleep.
Today was another story though. There aren't many runs that I have where I can say that I froze my eyelashes, but today was one of those days! Michigan got hit with a winter storm this morning, and I was desperate to get a run in. I headed out this morning with temps in the 20s and the wind blowing so hard it was snowing horizontally. I put on my layers - 2 layers on the bottom, 3 on top, 2 pairs of gloves and ear warmers. For some, that may seem like overkill, but I was nice and toasty.
I did an out and back, starting into the wind with just over 6 miles total (Probably 6.2 or.3). The first half mile was the hardest, getting used to the snow in your face and howling wind in your ears. But as I got warmer, and the road got more protected, it wasn't so bad. I was actually enjoying myself.
There's not much that is more peaceful than making fresh tracks on a quiet country road in the snow. I ran down by the river, where the road snakes through the woods, so I was protected from the winds, and it was so beautiful. Then I turned for home, and with the wind at my back I was almost too warm.
I didn't set any speed records with that wind, but I know I got a good workout in. It is still snowing, and it supposed to all night. Tomorrow I'd like to do a long run to help rationalize the Thanksgiving feast. I'll be anxious to get out there tomorrow and make another set of fresh tracks in the morning. Until next time...