Winter Running

Rick in the 20 degree weather with icy beard

This past week has been filled with the most snow we in Huntsville, Alabama have seen in a long time. On Sunday night, Mother Nature delivered almost 8 inches of snow to us. I woke up to a picture-perfect white landscape outside my window and a surprising day off for my husband, Rick. But. The snow was everywhere, roads and sidewalks included, and this was not the usual dusting that melts in a few hours. On the first day, I worked up a sweat by trying to push my daughter in the jogging stroller down the street to our neighborhood sledding hill. The stroller was very heavy as it barreled though those 8 inches! Going up hills was next to impossible, much harder than pushing both children on a regular day. Some of my running friends did brave the snow for a run that first day, but I opted for the elliptical instead. It felt very unusual to start out my week without my morning run with the group. (By the way, plastic bags wrapped around your feet and under your shoes is the way to go for the snow running). Jane and Julia definitely made some good memories on their snowy run Tuesday morning and proved how die-hard they both are!

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Staying inside and missing my Wednesday and Friday runs is taking its toll on me. Tuesday my concern was having enough of a path to run on (the roads were not well plowed at all). Wednesday through today (Friday) the concern for us all has been the ice on the streets and sidewalks and now the bitter cold (lows in upper teens). That is bitter cold for us! Schools were out all week...meaning most of us moms are stuck inside with our little ones who are climbing the walls! I have had now 6 straight days of the elliptical machine. With my swollen ankle from the trails last week, I am looking at the snow as a blessing in disguise for keeping me off the roads and hopefully letting it heal. But getting an unexpected break in my routine is a hard way to feel ready for a 50K next weekend.

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The pictures above and below are of my husband, Rick. Right after Christmas we were able to get up and run together since we had family staying the night. After a frosty run, I looked over and saw his frozen beard. I had never seen such a thing, so I ran to get my camera. I love how the sunrise is in the background, highlighting his rosy cheeks. This is winter running at its best!