Maybe we shoulda....

This mornings run greeted us with freezing fog which created some rather treacherous conditions on the roads and sidewalks. Maybe we should have just run on the treadmills at the Y.

I met Rob and Lisa at the Y at 6:30 AM and we ran a 5.5 mile loop through the local neighborhoods. In some areas it seemed like it was snowing with ice crystals forming on our eyebrows, gloves, hats, and sleeves. It was still dark when we started out so Lisa and I both wore headlamps. We needed fog lamps too because the icy fog limited the lights efficiency. We managed to make the entire distance without falling down however we did have some slips and slides, especially on any painted surfaces such as cross walks for yellow curbs.

At 7:30 we ran back to the Y to meet the regular Saturday morning running group for another loop. It seemed that the ice on the roads and sidewalks was less severe in the lower sections so we chose to run to a local High School and run some trails that connect to a wooded park and some soccer fields. There were 9 of us that ventured out on the second loop including Steve, Monica, Barb, Gay, Patch, Dan, Rob, Lisa, and myself. We hadn't made it half a mile when Steve decided to show off to all of us by having his foot zing out from underneath and head to the ground. His recovery was nothing short of miraculous as he tucked, rolled, and came right back up to his feet. Apparently his years of Martial Arts and boxing did him some good. I think it probably goes further back to his days in college when he would get so drunk that he couldn't walk but to be cool he perfected the tuck and roll every time he fell down. Don't look where you fall, but where you slipped. ~African Proverb

Everyone managed to keep their feet for the rest of the 5.5 miles we ran although at times we found ourselves shuffling along like XC Skiers doing the kick and slide to move ourselves along.

This was Rob's first run in 10 days. His legs were strong but he said he could feel his conditioning had taken a hit. He's been very busy with school lesson plans and some other issues much more important than running. He joked about just skipping runs during the week and getting his miles in on the weekends with marathons and ultras. I'm afraid he would soon become just another weekend warrior casualty taking an early dirt nap if he attempted such foolishness. He did well with our 11.5 mile run today.

Michelle, Melissa, Jenny, Michelle (Army Nurse), and Rick all ventured out to Pt. Defiance Park for a 10 mile run. Their running conditions were much better with no fog and even a splash of sunshine. Everyone from both groups met at Starbucks after our runs for some warmth by the fireplace, coffee, and fun discussions.

Happy Trails!