Frozen

Last time there were sub zero temperatures, I bailed on my early am run. I was doing a workout and had no desire to freeze while trying to in fast. Not today. I'm in a taper week and the run today was more fun with a few accelerations thrown in. So when I woke up to fresh snow and -4 on my thermometer, I decided to head out anyway. I rarely get a chance for fresh tracks and the fun of running in powder down in Bear Creek. I couldn't resist it, even if it meant really bundling up. Besides, Nick had ridden in to work. If he could muster to face the cold, so can I! Bundle up I did - with nice cozy layers and jacket. Having good clothes makes even the coldest weather tolerable. I'm getting better at figuring out the right layers and we've invested plenty of time, research and money in nice clothes. So despite the temperature, I was warm during the entire run. Frost formed on my hat, nose and eyelashes, but I was comfortable.

Kinda fuzzy crescent moon over the eastern horizon

It was worth it, getting out in the early morning. There weren't too many cars on the road yet and I was able to choose between the fresh snow or packed down tracks. The eastern horizon was still dark when I left the house, with the Crescent Moon and Venus gleaming brightly. My Joystick light brightened up the snow, each individual flake glittering into a field of diamonds. While I was on the road, the air was filled with the sounds of snow plows and snow shovels scrapping against the blacktop. But once I got into Bear Creek, the trees and snow absorbed the noises of the city. With the horizon lightening and the snow reflecting the faint light it was calm and peaceful. I was the first human out on the trails - but plenty of foxes, coyotes, rabbits and other animals had already been out and about. As I was leaving Bear Creek the mountains were glowing white under the fresh snow, faint against the increasingly blue sky. Some things cameras (at least iPhone cameras) can't capture, then intensity of such pale colors. I tried!

Fresh tracks on the trail - at least here

Then back to the road and reality. Few cars out and about, but more tracks in the snow. It wasn't a fast run, but it was a fun run. And sometimes that's more important then fast. Especially with a race coming up!

Yep, it was a little cold out there!