12/31: Crunch

I've quoted James Carvelle's "I don't to ice or lightening." many times over my past 5 years running. This morning, Denise's aversion to the treadmill led us out in heavy predawn sleet despite my misgivings. The inch thick crumbly ice was fresh, having fallen only during the past 3 hours. We ran alone mostly in silence, our attentions focus on out foot steps. Treading was remarkably easy. I noticed our foot turnover was identical, as so many other nuances we share after 32 years' living together. The crunching underfoot was louder than a conversation would have been. This helped our mutual silence, broken by an occasional alert to a patch of slipperiness or approaching car. At the end of her run, Denise gleefully pointed out that the bills of our caps were encrusted with ice from the falling sleet.

I ran 3 miles with Denise, then, not wanting to lose time transitioning to the treadmill, I ran another 3 alone outdoors. We were late this morning. I have been rearranging our running gear storage to ready for Dyana and Phil's arrival and spent an unusually long time just finding gear. Nonetheless, Denise got her run done, made breakfast for four, packed the "kids" off to truck unloading at their storage facility, packed me off to work, and prepared to receive the contractor who is putting the finishing touches on a remodel of both the upstairs bathrooms.

Its been a busy morning, prefaced with a run who's silence was broken only by the sound of running shoes crushing ice.

12/30/09: Back in the Saddle

After weeks of interruptions while we prepare for the arrival of Dyana and Phil, the big event occurred last night. This morning I did my first run and workout in a week. While I'm struggling with a bit of a cold, the workout produced a tremendous increase in my sense of personal well-being. This, also despite a late night last night following their arrival.

I see the next 52 weeks laid out ahead of me, again. Fifty-two weeks of total accountability for the condition I will be in at the end of 2010. I am pondering Wineglass for the fall, maybe Washington's Birthday for the spring. I have never run a flat marathon and only one in good weather. I am hoping Wineglass could offer both. WB is just for training and the satisfaction that I ran my challenging backyard marathon once again.

End of December, End of Year

Our daughter and son-in-law are moving to the Washington DC area over the holidays. In order to offer them space with us until they find a new home, Denise and I have been massively cleaning up the basement and going through the lifetimes of collected odds and ends to throw away. This has laid waste to my running program.

On the up side, I have moved the gym out of the finished room in the basement and into the larger unfinished space. This will result in a larger gym which will enable both of use to exercise at the same time without risk of my accidentally hitting her in the head with a swinging Olympic barbell.

Athletically, a somewhat desultory end to a year of mixed results. Nonetheless, the primacy of being the enabling parent, even of a 31 year old, takes temporary precedence over athletic ambitions. Next year, the quest for marathon performance continues. Its ironic that I started this year in the same frame of mind.

12/24/09: 10

I crawled out of be at my usual 4:30 and stumbled down to a computer to check the weather. The 10 F current temperature completely daunted me, despite my frequent assertions that running outdoors in all conditions is best for training. I announced that I was running on the treadmill and proceeded to prepare despite Denise's protests that she would not run if we did not do it together outdoors. My retort that she had all day to run in the sun and when it was 25 degrees warmer had no effect on her. So, conscience got the better of me; we went for 3 frosty miles. Rather, it was 3 icey, snowy miles.

After finishing with her, I went to the basement gym, put in Dean Karnazes' 'Marathon Man' in the DVD player and ran another 4 miles on the treadmill. Denise joined me to stretch.

I find that I invariably find the anticipation of inclement weather more daunting than its experience. The phrase "Just do it." is fine advice.

12/06/09: Ice

A runner I know has a euphemism, "I don't do lightening and I don't do ice." I understand the wisdom in his dictum.

Today, Denise threaded our way over the patches of ice from the melt of yesterday's snow. It wasn't real ice, I rationalized. As the sun climbed the sky, it ensured our passage back would be easier than the way out. After our travels to Florida, we needed to re-establish our Sundays along the Anacostia, despite the minor challenges.

12/2/09: Fence Sitting

Its warmer this morning, 37F. The nearly full moon is shrouded by the first clouds of a weather front coming up from the south. The air is utterly calm. Its a sky worthy of Shelley or Poe. Mornings when Denise is not running, I tend to run on the treadmill, to encourage her to the basement to stretch or do a light workout. But this morning is so enticing. Will it be Maryland hills under a moody moon or iPod, BBC, and treadmill?