Spoke too soon...

"The Gods have a temper, and they've been drinking all day"

- Groundskeeper Willie, "The Simpsons"





I spoke too soon about the weather being cooperative, and helpful, or at least 'not that bad'. Because ever since then, it's been on a mission to convince me to sit on my butt.



It's not that it's gotten any colder. It's mostly the wind. I really dislike the wind. Even in warm weather, I dislike the wind. But this past Saturday, when I was supposed to be running 11 miles, there was 25 mph winds with gusts up to 40 mph... plus it had already snowed a couple inches, plus it was still snowing, and it was under 20 degrees.



Basically, it was crappy. Snow had fallen and blown and drifted until you couldn't even see the sidewalks. There was very little visibility, and the blowing snow felt like little needles hitting your skin. I only managed 4 miles before I couldn't take it. It wasn't 'pain' or 'cold' as much as a Chinese water torture of little ice pellets hitting me directly in the eyeballs.


Sunday is a rest day, which was too bad, as it actually got warm (by Buffalo standards). Might've even gotten in the 30's.

Monday morning I truly planned on running... I had 5 miles on the calendar. But I was woken up multiple times by the howling wind. It was the kind of wind you can feel shaking the house. When I hear and feel wind like that, I don't even pretend I'm going to try and run... I just stay in bed the extra hour or so.

Turns out, I should've braved the wind. Yes, there were gusts up to 55 mph... but it was above freezing. ALMOST 40 degrees. I wouldn't have liked the wind, but that would've been the warmest run I've been on in months. Plus, it meant that there was actually some bare pavement and sidewalks... which is a bonus this time of year.

So this means, out of the last 16 miles I was 'supposed' to run, I ran 4. Because of travel plans, it means I will not have another 'long run' (or that I'm going to taper really hard!). I did get out this morning (9 degrees outside) and knocked out 5 miles. I suppose it was a tempo run since the middle portion was paced faster than the rest (and faster than I've been running for the last month. Exposed pavement will do that for you). But I'm admittingly feeling undertrained all of a sudden.

Plus, in an effort to overthink everything and sabotage myself, I am considering running in essentially brand new shoes for the upcoming half marathon. Stupid? Insane? Idiotic? Yes, yes, and yes. But, I'm 'logicifying' it by saying I can break in the shoes with a week of Disney fun and frolicking before the race. It'll probably be a game time decision... but it's about a 50-50 chance right now.

(Words not recognized by spell check: might've, should've (did spell check not take contraction class?), admittingly, undertrained, overthink. And 'logicifying', but that one was expected)