Weird January weather this week. Felt like spring for several days, and poured like mad on Saturday. Sigh. So much for the snow! I'm not complaining about the more moderate temps, but I do feel like winter and especially January and February should include decent snowpack. These weather patterns are an indicator of a greater issue with the environment for sure. Sigh, there's another thing to be depressed about. Still feeling in a bit of a funk this week. I know I'll snap out of it eventually, and I recognize that there is a lot of good to look towards. Just trying not to get weighed down by all the rest.
Monday, Sam and I got out for a walk around the block after lunch. I have come to really enjoy these weekday walks, which are definitely a perk of our 'new normal' and having us all be home several days together during the week. (1.7 miles walked)
Speaking of perks, and trying to see the good in the world, the perk of not getting up to run in the darkness on Tuesday morning 😉 is that I had the chance to enjoy the trails on a balmy afternoon in the daylight. Ran the powerlines. Conditions were variable, with some nice packed sections along with some stretches of mud, ice and bare ground. Pretty late afternoon sky in the final few miles. (7.0 miles)
The dreariness weighed on me Wednesday and I did not get out for a run. Ryan finally dragged me out the door for a late afternoon walk while Sam was out playing with Emma on the sledding hill. It was nice to get some fresh air and spend some time with Ryan. (2.0 miles walked)
Amazingly, Thursday I actually I did get up and out the door in the darkness. Ran roads with 10 x 60/90 thrown in the middle 3 miles. (6.0 miles)
Friday, I chose to run from home, thinking I'd attempt to get in a run out in the Cathance and along the river before the rains came on Saturday and either washed all the snow away or turned it to ice - or both... beautiful morning, truly felt more like spring than mid-January. A decent amount of traffic out on the trails which meant things were relatively packed down, if rather uneven. (8.0 miles)
Rain was forecast all day on Saturday but it appeared I might have a short window early in the morning to get in a run without getting soaked. I don't mind running in the rain, but do prefer not to start in the rain if at all possible. Somehow having the rain start mid-way through a run is not as bad as stepping out the door into it! Decided I'd head out on the powelines, and managed to get in 5 miles before the rain started. It was a balmy and blustery run, with a fair amount of bare ground, but enough ice and packed snow that I was glad to have on my Hillsounds so I didn't fall on my butt! 😉 (7.0 miles)
Got a few things done around the house and baked up some chocolate chip cookie bars, but the vast majority of the rest of the day was spent on the couching relaxing, watching TV and reading Obama's "A Promised Land," which I have out from the library and need to finish up before it's due, as there are so many holds there's no way I'll be able to renew it. It was the perfect day for lounging as it rained and the wind howled all day long.
Awoke to a whole lot of bare ground, pretty much all the snow gone, leave for a few stray piles and some icy patches. Ugh. I felt seriously unenthused to get out there and procrastinated mightily. I was still sitting on the couch when Sam came downstairs, and she was like "Why are you here?" Ha! Finally put on my shoes and headed out around 8:45. Figuring the trails would be a mess, I thought I'd stick to the roads but found a whole lot of black ice and ended up turning around after less than half a mile to come back and put on trail shoes. There was no way I was going to slip and slide out there on the pavement for 2 hours! So, a change of shoes, stuck the Hillsounds in the pocket, and set out without a plan. Cart paths were icy but once I got out on the Heath, I was able to take off the spikes and move reasonably well without traction. River was roaring out in the Cathance proper and the trails were fairly clear of ice. Then once I got closer to Head of Tides, the trail was very compacted ice, so back on the traction went... decided to come back via the road and powerlines. Managed to keep the spikes off for the final trail portion and tiptoe around the icy stretches. All in all, a slow and rather random trail and road meander, but glad I pushed myself out the door and got in the miles. One deer seen. (12.0 miles)
Then it was back to their house for pie making, football watching and dinner. Yum!
Triple berry pie - so good!😋
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