Flashback Friday: Get the Drift

Another snow storm tucked Northeast Ohio under a blanket of fresh snow yesterday. After shoveling the sidewalk and driveway after work, I headed out for a cold and blustery three-miler.

I was lucky in that I ran into the wind on my way out, fighting through heavy wind gusts pushing me back and drifting snow biting my ankles, and stopping by a friend's house so he could call me "crazy" for being out there while he cleared his driveway with a snowblower. It must have been the shorts I was wearing.

As I made the turn from Exchange to Market, hugging close to the Einstein Bros. Bagels and Robeks building on the corner, the wind seemed to cease. All I had to deal with was the climb back up the slowrising hill to home.

This was the first real snow action my Altras have endured, and I was very happy with the footing on such precarious terrain. With the zero-dropped sole, my feet landed securely each step, allowing me to employ my preternatural sense of balance.

I was surprised to find my socks completely drenched when I returned home, as my feet never felt cold. I was also surprised to see that my pace wasn't all that slow, clocking in at 10:22 per mile, and that includes my little detour to say hello to my friend.

Afterward, I conducted a short strength workout, with dumbbell curls, crunches, dips, planks, push-ups, and bicycle sit-ups.

So far, a good week, but I have two more runs yet to complete this weekend, and I don't want to miss again like I did last weekend.

Back Talk
Wherein we make excuses and talk about the weather.

Carolina John gives me the business about missing that run: "No time for three miles? c'mon."

Answer: Agreed, pretty lame. I could have run that evening, but I decided to drink beer instead.

Nitmos thinks the weather blows more in Ohio and wonders about my feet: "Sometimes it sounds worse there than it does up here. How many barefoot runs so far? Stay true to the cause."

Answer: Our proximity to Lake Erie makes the weather schizophrenic. And I'm on barefoot hiatus until Spring.

Look who's still alive! Razz blows some hot air: "[T]he wind sucks. See what I did there? I could've said that it blows, but I went the other way."

Answer: You are very clever.

Happy Hour is nearly upon us, teammates! Have a finely brewed weekend. Run well and drink well. Cheers!