Another cold day in... errrr, on the trails...

Sunrise - Looks so much warmer than it really is

Well, I had grand plans to be out way before anyone else and run a bunch of extra miles... ok, only 2 extra miles, but in this weather, you might could count extra just for being there. Starting temps were 13 degrees Fahrenheit, with winds steady at 15 miles per hour gusting to 25. That made the wind chill average about 0 to -4. Ahhh, reminds me of my days in the Arctic.

Anyway, I had grand plans, but they were interrupted by a couple of problems. First, apparently, someone hit a telephone last night which caused the electricity to go out. The other problem I faced was that I could not find the route and send it to my phone as I normally do. So, between those two problems, I arrived at the Amphitheater just before 7am and got started almost immediately.

The Pedestrian Bridge - Note the flag flapping in the stiff wind

The route ended up being a simple out and back, starting off due south on the river trail. So for the first 2 miles, I had the wind at my back. I had really layered up, but even then, I could feel it biting through my clothes. Still, onward I went. I continued to use my phone and alarm to run the 4 and 1 walk to run ratio and things were going real good. The morning sun was behind the clouds with the red glow just breaking through at the horizon as I started. I hoped there wouldn't be anything more than wind and cold to contend with.

The 4 and 1 pace moved me quickly along and before i knew it, I was coming up on the Pedestrian Bridge. I bid my new 'friend', the bridge adieu as I passed it, continuing south. I was again on a part of the trails that I had never been on. Running down by the Power Plant was an interesting experience. I stopped off and watched the river run for a minute or so while I had part of my nutrition and enjoyed the roar, a roar I've not often had opportunity to listen to.

The Soccer Field at the Turn Around

Getting started again, I found that the place where I had stopped was not very far from the turnaround point. Cresting the hill, I saw a familiar sight. A place that I had started runs from with someone else. It made me feel a bit warmer inside to see the familiar place. I went down and stopped at the water stop and noted just how cold it was from the ice on the water cooler.



Yes, that's ice on the outside

 Having only started about an hour before, while I was at the water stop and the quick run over to the turnaround 50 meters further south and back, people were starting to catch up to me. So after a few minutes of running my mouth, I decided to get moving again. Before long, I was passing familiar people... I can't say faces, because many of the faces were shrouded by various kerchiefs and masks. a couple of people looked like fugitives from a ninja convention or the latest GI Joe movie with only their eyes visible through the black mask.



I doubled up on almost everything



I guess I was moving pretty good despite the wind in my face. I only stopped twice on the way back before the bench within sight of the finish. Neither stop was very long, but just enough to stretch out my legs, which had tried to cramp up at the water stop. I had some gatorade, so I finished it off between the two stops. I even got a good job after coming over the last big hill. Still running the 4 and 1. Finally, I pass under the 23rd street bridge and past the boat house. I stop at the bench and catch my breath. Up and at it, the last stretch and my alarm goes off, right on cue. I finish my run and check my time. I've finished in 2 hours and 19 minutes! It was a very good run for such cold temps.  Later, I found out that it was only a 4 mile run, cut short due to the cold weather.  But that doesn't take away from the great run.



Derek's Monster Cinnamon Roll at Tally's

 Finally, had breakfast with some of my crazy running family!  It was a blast, but the adventure of the day cut it short for me.  I left feeling tired and yet very accomplished.  I have proven to myself beyond a shadow of a doubt that I can still work and play in the near Arctic temperatures that I once lived in and today, along with the runs of the last 6 weeks have allowed me to count what happened at the Rt66 as an anomaly and put it behind me once and for all.