I walked out into the fresh Colorado air yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to be met with a warm 45 degree temperature and a strange sensation I felt through my sleeves…what was that…warmth? From the sun??
I raced back into my apartment and quickly found my lime green running shorts. I threw them on, eager to take advantage of those Vitamin D enriching rays from the sun gods, and almost giddy with excitement as I envisioned coming home my run without having to wait 20 minutes for my face to thaw out before I tried to use my facial muscles to speak again coherently.
I hopped down the stairs and began running. I felt that warming sun absorbed by my black shirt, warming my whole body, and just smiled. What a simple sensation I so often take for granted. Having lived in below-freezing temperatures for the past month or so, it felt like heaven. I rolled up my long sleeves and skipped happily along, basking in the simple glory of nature’s miracles.
For about 20 minutes. I then happened to look up right as these thick, dark grey clouds suddenly overshadowed my sun. Ugh! Well, at least I’d gotten in 20 minutes of sunshine.
I kept on running in the cooling air, very aware of the rapid change of temperature—I’m used to running in cold weather, no big deal.
But 20 minutes later, I couldn’t do anything but begrudgingly laugh as I saw these tiny bits of styrofoam being tossed down all around me from those ugly, grey clouds. Yep, it was snowing.
So I ran my last 20 minutes home in the steadily falling snow. In my shorts. And waited 10 minutes to talk until my face had successfully thawed. Thank you, Colorado.
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When we were training for our last marathon, on my long runs I would experience all 4 seasons as I was going. It would start off warm and I would be in a tshirt and have sunglasses, but I always brought extra layers because it would always end up snowing before I got home. Who knew so much could change in 2 or 3 hours :)
ReplyDeleteLori, I can totally relate to this. (Yes, I just stumbled across your blog 10, almost 11, months later. While I'm not a runner, I get home from my winter bike rides and can't talk, then need 30 minutes to warm up (to the inside air) and cool down ('cause of riding in the 25 degree temps), and then I hop into the shower ultimately to take away the shivers (and perhaps a little bit of the sweat too). It's such an irony this state we live in called Colorado. (Ben Echols)
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