It's officially 16 days until the Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon in Phoenix. The weather in Saskatoon continues to test my resolve when it comes to training. This Sunday was supposed to be my long run, but as you can see from the forecast, it's gonna be brutal out there. So instead I coerced my friend Deb into coming with me for an 11 mile run. Today was supposed to be the pick of the litter (weather wise) for the week. Which really just shows how low the standards are for good weather this time of year! The temperature itself wasn't too bad but the wind. The wind! By the time we were nearing the end of our run it was gusting mightily. We planned our route so that we would minimize how much we were running into the wind but it still was a hard go to get it done.
Adding to the challenges - it snowed overnight making it slippery every step of the way. It felt like we were moving backwards. This was some good old-fashioned ankle-snapping weather. Some people had their sidewalks shoveled (bless 'em) but for the most part we had to run on the road. Some drivers were courteous (again, bless 'em) while others seemed intent on gently clipping us to teach us a lesson about attempting outdoor fitness. (By the end we weren't convinced ourselves of the merits of outdoor running in winter.)
But we did it! The goal was 11 miles and we feel a bit short of that (we were just over 10 miles). But in those snowy conditions, I like to think that every mile equals 2 regular (i.e. dry pavement) miles. In which case we did way more than needed. And if I can run 10 miles in this kind of weather, I should be able to squeak out 13 while basking in the warm Phoenix sun. Besides, it's the Rock-n-Roll run - why would I want to run fast?! I'm going to take my time, soak in the sights, and savour the music.
Speaking of soaking in the sights...no run is complete for me without at least one stop to say "hi" to a dog. Today it was the most beautiful Great Dane. He was a young pup and already the size of a miniature horse. He was quite natty in his sweater coat. Although Deb was a bit daunted he really was a sweet guy who seemed to enjoy the compliments and attention we lavished upon him. Day made!
Adding to the challenges - it snowed overnight making it slippery every step of the way. It felt like we were moving backwards. This was some good old-fashioned ankle-snapping weather. Some people had their sidewalks shoveled (bless 'em) but for the most part we had to run on the road. Some drivers were courteous (again, bless 'em) while others seemed intent on gently clipping us to teach us a lesson about attempting outdoor fitness. (By the end we weren't convinced ourselves of the merits of outdoor running in winter.)
But we did it! The goal was 11 miles and we feel a bit short of that (we were just over 10 miles). But in those snowy conditions, I like to think that every mile equals 2 regular (i.e. dry pavement) miles. In which case we did way more than needed. And if I can run 10 miles in this kind of weather, I should be able to squeak out 13 while basking in the warm Phoenix sun. Besides, it's the Rock-n-Roll run - why would I want to run fast?! I'm going to take my time, soak in the sights, and savour the music.
Speaking of soaking in the sights...no run is complete for me without at least one stop to say "hi" to a dog. Today it was the most beautiful Great Dane. He was a young pup and already the size of a miniature horse. He was quite natty in his sweater coat. Although Deb was a bit daunted he really was a sweet guy who seemed to enjoy the compliments and attention we lavished upon him. Day made!