Restless

It seems like a miracle, but for once, there is nothing I'm training for. I feel lost. It's like there's no purpose for working out, but I just do it anyway. I think it hasn't helped that I've been home for 3 weeks, and let me tell you - it's hard to run at home. It is soooo cold. It's mostly the wind though. The wind is the biggest problem. I proved in Memphis I could do cold, but I can't seem to put on enough socks to fight the wind. I tell ya - these running shoes aren't very warm with all their fancy mesh.

The running at home is lonely at times. I kind of like being out in the country with just my tunes and the dirt road, but after training with Marc and the Boardtown group, the long runs seem a little lonely.

Country running has been nice at times though. I had an amazing run before Christmas. A feeling I've tried hard to recapture on the same route, but I guess it was just one of those days. A runner knows about "those days". The day when it feels like you could run forever and never get tired and you have to force yourself to stop because at some point your rational part (the part that tells you it's -1 with the wind chill and you have the flu, so maybe just 3 miles today) tells you to stop or you'll shatter a knee.

I was treated to a "warm" 45 degrees the other afternoon, so I went for a gloveless run, and it would have been great if not for the freshly plowed roads. I may not be able to rub a ribbon with my hands, but I can tell with fine accuracy if the soil beneath my sneaks is more silt than sand, and this road is almost pure silt. Like running in cocoa was all I good think as I plodded along (into the wind of course, because in Oklahoma you're always going in to the wind regardless of which way you're going).

I know I do it because I love it. There is no other explanation for why someone would put on two layers of everything (even the ear muffs) and venture out into 30 mph winds and freezing temps for a slow easy run. But it snowed 2 inches tonight. I think I'll draw the line there. It's not good to love too much.