ERMAGERD SNER

I've been running for about six weeks at this point on the treadmill, and while it's been convenient and kept me running this winter (as well as provided an opportunity for me to dig into a whole bunch of streaming TV that I never would have gotten around to), it's just not the same as getting outside and putting miles in.  Road miles are harder and have more variables, and even a basement dwelling music and tech geek like me knows that fresh air is a good thing.  In previous years, I would only run outside when the temperature was in 40's, and the sidewalks were completely clear.  I decided this year that I simply needed to get out there regardless of the conditions, and reminded myself of the Scandinavian saying "There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing".

With that in mind, I've been waiting for the perfect day to get out and do my first snow run.  As luck would have it, we got about 6" of snow last night, and it was a marvelous 25 degrees this afternoon, so I put on my new running tights, calf socks, and waterproof trail shoes for a snowy little 5K.  The roads were cleared, and the sidewalks had about an inch of compacted snow on them after getting cleared by the city this morning.  The mile or so trail through a local park was a different story, having not been touched other than by an earlier dog walker.  My shoes worked great, although had I known I'd be trodding through that much snow I would have worn gaiters to keep my ankles dry.  

It turns out that plowing through snow is tough work; my heart rate was at my 5K race pace when I was moving at a leisurely 13:00 minute mile, so I took it easy once I made it through the deep parts.  I ran about half of the run today without listening to anything, just wanting to hear the quiet crunch of my shoes against the snow.  Once I got on the sidewalk near a busy road, I switched to listening to "Traveling Music" by Neil Peart, and was at a fantastic section talking about his love of the outdoors, which was fitting.  Over the past few years, working with non-Minnesotans at work, I've told them the key to learning to love winter in Minnesota is to get out there and enjoy it.  While I certainly spend time out in the snow, I don't do it nearly as much as I did when I was younger, and I've decided I should really practice what I preach.

Today was a relatively easy running day in my half marathon training plan, a "5K race".  Next Sunday, and every Sunday going forward, is going to be an increasingly longer run.