Bringing my own sunshine

Truer words were never spoken, my friend.

So once again, I'm complaining about the weather. I know complaining doesn't change anything, but it makes me feel better, so bear with me.

For the past week, we've been stuck in a cold, damp, windy weather cycle. Springtime in Chicago is not for the weak. Much of our weather is controlled by that big lake, Lake Michigan. Winds blow out of the east and with those winds come clouds and cool temps over the area. I live 25 miles from the lake, and we still feel the effects of this big body of water. Before I head out for a run, I always check the temperature, yes, but also the wind direction, so that I know how my run is going to feel.  An easterly or northeasterly wind is going to feel much colder than one out of the west. It's always good to mentally prepare oneself for a blast of cold air as you head out the door.

Brought my own sunshine. BYOS. That's how I roll.

When I went out this morning, I knew it was going to be cold. I was so tempted to either skip my run (gasp!) or take it to the treadmill. Seriously. I'm so over this weather! But I reminded myself of the brutal conditions I ran in this past winter, slipped on a bright yellow shirt to cheer myself up, and headed out the door. Even my Garmin was complaining, taking its own sweet time finding a signal. Was it the heavy cloud cover? Or was it channeling my ambivalence about this run? Finally after about 5 minutes, the signal locked in, and I headed onto the road. I always head out running east and oh my gosh! was that wind cold!

And now you've got this image in your head..

Shake it off, I kept telling myself. Isn't that a Taylor Swift song? Ewwww.  How that got in my head, I'll never know. Not a fan. If you are, apologies. To each his own. Truthfully, I'll never understand the phenomenon of Taylor Swift, except that she's young, blonde, and really pretty. She can't sing to save her life. Dances as well as I do. Which isn't saying much. Before she was famous, I saw her on a TV show--she was 16--singing a cappella with her guitar, and I almost felt sorry for her, she was that bad. Who knew that it didn't matter? Talent doesn't sell. It's all about image. And catchy songs, written by a crack team of songwriters. With Taylor's input, of course.

Such are the thoughts that distract me on a run that I really don't want to do. Did I mention how cold it was? Trying to clear my head and get back into the run, I decided to mix up my route a bit, but kept heading east, so that on the way home, the wind would be at my back. I thought about all those runs I did outside this past winter. I kept reminding myself how lucky I was not to be racing today. Last week's race was on the lakefront path in Chicago, which borders Lake Michigan. When the wind shifted off the lake in the middle of the race, it was like like stepping into a deep freeze, with wind. Since it's so raw, I could only imagine the conditions along the lake shore had to be worse today. It could always be worse. Glad I was only running 5 miles today, I kept moving forward through my neighborhood.

Take that Mother Nature! But she always has the upper hand...

A reminder of what the weather was like a short 3 months ago. I thought longingly about my Thermoball this morning. I think it would have been too warm, though.

I kept thinking to myself that today's conditions felt so much colder than anything I ran in last winter. How can that be? The temperature on one of those winter runs, I believe, was -12F when I headed out. My butt froze, or became, as Beth at Shut Up and Run calls it, "popsicle butt". Truly, my butt was numb. I couldn't feel the hot water in the shower back there. It was really weird. I never had that happen before. No popsicle butt today, not even close. But the cold feels different today than in January. Does it feel colder now because it's April 25, and my expectations are higher? Is it because it was warmer a couple of weeks ago? Or is it, because, as we say, it's not the heat, it's the humidity? Certainly, it's damp today. It was drizzling during my run. Even though I'm miserable, I just keep running, because that's what we do. We run.

I'm like the post office:  

 "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." - Herodotus, 503 B.C. (Inscribed on the General Post Office facility on 33rd Street and 8th Avenue in New York City.) 

Sort of.

Although, as I learned today, this isn't the official motto of the post office. No surprise there, since the only thing I seem to get in the mail these days is junk mail and bills. Speaking of the post office, I hate going there. I don't know what your post office is like, but the one in my town always has a long line outside the door. I love how even though there are a ton of people in line, there's usually only 2 windows open, and how even though there's really long line of customers, postal employees close their window to take a break. When you finally get to the counter, the workers move ohhhhh soooooo sloooooowwwwww. God forbid you have a package to pick up. Better bring snacks, because it's going to take a while to walk back there and get it. I've never ever in my life seen people walk as slow as the post office employees. Seriously. I bet if you lit a fire under their butts, they'd still walk like they're wearing cement shoes.

This is my post office. Every. damn. time. Watching my life pass before my eyes.

Actually, I'm not like the post office at all. Inefficiency=USPS. Not me. Can you imagine if I worked like that in my clinic? Patients and parents would be complaining like crazy! And I'd never get through all my appointments! I'd never get to go home. Speaking of that, what happens when it's closing time at the post office and there's still people in line? Are they taken care of? Or told too bad, so sad, come back tomorrow?

I've digressed again. I keep distracting myself from feeling cold. I just can't get my head in the game today.

Back to the run. When I finished, I checked my Garmin. The time and splits were respectable, considering how I really just phoned this one in. When I got home, I was chilled to the bone. My fingers were numb. I showered in the hottest water I could stand. Put on a hoody with hand warmers, and put my feet on a heating pad. And checked the forecast for tomorrow, when I have an 8 miler to run. 55F and sunny. Ok. I can do that.

I stalked ahead to next weekend, when I have a half marathon. High of 78. Sunshine.

Would you trust his forecast? He's the weatherman on the local news that I watch.

Say what?

Mother Nature keeps us on our toes. Weather teaches us to roll with the punches she throws our way. Got plans? So does she. Only she knows what they are. Weathermen try to predict, but even that's a crap shoot. It's really the only job you can have where you can be wrong and still stay employed. Except maybe at the post office. You'd get better odds predicting weather in Vegas. Control freaks have to let it go. And just when we think we've had enough of the bad weather, Mama Nature rewards us with some pretty nice conditions.

Of course, my race is a week away, and a lot can change before then. But fingers and toes crossed. Positive thoughts.

No matter what conditions she has planned for next weekend, Mother Nature is not going stop me. I'm packing my own sunshine. Just in case.

Do you run outside no matter what the conditions? Are there any conditions that are deal breakers for you? Are you anxiously awaiting warmer weather?

I'm linking this post with Tara's Weekend Update! Head over to see what everyone else has to say.