Ok, so we finally got hit big time with a lot of snow. It was predicted days ago, but this time it actually came through. Just last weekend we got the same scare but my area missed out completely without even seeing a flake.
So, today was a work at home day and when I woke this morning the snow was already coming down and sticking. I decided to get out early (8:00 am) and get about 8 miles out of the way while the weather was still bearable. This would be about 16 laps around my development which conveniently measures out to .49 miles per lap.
I actually looked forward to running in this. You might find this surprising because we all know snow really sucks for running, but this was the kind of snow that was fresh, dry, clean, not too deep, and not too slippery. Very enjoyable. Give it a day or two and it will turn to slush or ice and will be a sh*t show for running.
Before starting out, the Garmin turned on with a low battery warning. At first I decided to hold off for 30 minutes to recharge it, but then realized I’m on a measured course and I don’t care about pace in this weather. So I just took it off and intended to count out 16 laps while running.
After 8 laps, I knew I was going to start losing count. So when completing a lap, I dragged my foot across the snow to mark the number of laps I’ve done. When I had about three laps left the snow plow came by and erased all log entries I made. I knew I had only three left, but while running the last three, I actually kept forgetting if I was on lap x or x+1. Weird how the longer I go the more my mind wanders and I begin to forget until I realize and then ask myself “where am I now?”
So with the recent weather and the recent bouts of strep throat, my confidence for Boston is slipping a bit. I really contributed a lot of the success I had in NYC to the hard and fast long runs I did at target marathon pace. By this time, I was hoping to have gotten a few in. I still have March left so we’ll see how it goes. But if things don’t quickly turn around in terms of training opportunities, Boston is going to be a fun run with no goal. I’m fine with that.
So the snow is still going at the moment and the local news channel seems to insist on covering nothing else but the snow. It’s almost embarrassing how the newscaster keeps repeating at every opportunity how the Yonkers school system is going to be closed tomorrow. And I repeat, the Yonkers school system will be closed for Thursday, tomorrow. By her tone you would think there’s nothing more important in the world than that. Meanwhile, the reporter out “in the field” is busy turning an umbrella upside-down on camera so we can see how much snow she’s catching with the ongoing precipitation. Well, yesterday was worse. Reporting on the readiness of snow plows, salt piles, and the contents of shopping carts belonging to people buying milk eggs, and bread was far less interesting.
Maybe tomorrow will be another snow day.
