5 in 1

1 degree, that is. Yup. That's cold!

I didn't run yesterday, and it's supposed to snow another 6" on us tomorrow starting after midnight tonight, so tomorrow is out. Therefore, the run had to be today if it was going to happen this week (my version of week being from Sunday through Saturday, mostly because that's how my running log calendar is laid out but also because Sunday starts my "weekend").

So, looking at the thermometer at 6:45, it read 0.6. Hmmm... Better put more clothes on! I layered up and headed to the bike path, arriving at 7:30 after Snowman had finally gotten out the door to work. (When he is headed up to Great Glen, he is always loaded down for what seems like a week-long trip... work bag; overnight bag; wax box; ski bag; cooler; breakfast... it takes three trips to get everything into the car!) Anyway, there were no other cars in the lot, surprise, surprise, as the car thermometer read 1 degree.

Luckily, there was no wind, so after a fast first mile to warm myself up, it wasn't so bad. Cold and crisp, yes, but sunny too, which was nice. If it had been windy, it would have been another story, but... The 5 miles went by pretty easily, and I ended the run in 42:30 and with a frost covered face and a fair amount of frozen snot! Sorry, not a very attractive picture, but it's true!

All in all, I was pretty happy with my run and glad I didn't let the temperature deter me. Perhaps it's the warrior in me... (take the runner's quiz to find out what kind of runner you are) :-)

Flora and fauna notes for the morning include a big flock (30+) robins in the trees overhead. These robins, which according to my readings, have come south from Canada and are more richly colored, with a beautifully deep red belly, than the robins we tend to see here in the summer. Neat. Also saw a bald eagle flying over Route 1 on my way to work, and half a dozen hooded mergansers in their "usual" spot by the wetlands water drainage in Woolwich.