Instead, I chose to sign up for several half marathons. Me....half marathons in the the winter. In Ohio. Why? I keep asking myself.
I'm not a cold-weather runner. I used to stay indoors on my treadmill if the temperature got below about 40 degrees F. There's just something about hacking up a lung as I try to suck in air to keep running....
Anyway, I decided that this year I would learn to love it. I have purposely signed up for the Churchill's half on November 8th and the Cedar Point Santa Hustle on December 14th. CP is known for being windy and cold in the winter. To prepare for these, I've been running my long runs on the weekend and I've been making plans with my running friends so I HAVE to go.
Last weekend, our run was interrupted by wild turkeys. Only in Ohio.... Only in Ohio....
This weekend I chose to meet a tri-friend at a poplar park where I usually run the blacktop trail. She decided we would run the trails. It was 24 degrees when we started. I was freezing, the frost on the leaves was slippery, and she was running a full mph faster than I can usually go. I kept up with her for about 1/2 of the run and then I slowly started slipping behind.
The leaves were beautiful and the trail was nice and all, but I honestly don't remember it much because I was blacking out from pushing too hard....
Not really, but, I was struggling to keep up and focused on not dying. She really tested my limits and pushed me.... or pulled me, whatever way you want to look at it.
I guess what I am saying is that I think I am finally getting used to this cold weather running and I might actually like it. Might.
I don't know about the trails in the snow, but at least for now I can shuffle through the leaves.
