We got blessed with a bit over 2 inches of fine white stuff today, courtesy of the Clipper front. I went out for my third run of the year in nearly virgin snow at about 20F and almost no wind.. It was just lovely, mostly...until about the end...and then after...,well that wasn't real nice...
The running was easy to start. I had to re-learn about how strictly I had to hold form and balance, especially downhill. It took a couple miles for my hands to warm up and longer for my feet to, not exactly warm up, but to stop feeling the cold. Then it was all peachy. Mostly. Until I hit a patch of black ice, just a puddle quick frozen, under the snow. Whupa! / bam! I was down with my butt and right elbow taking the majority of the force. Up and running immediately to see if everything worked, which it did. That happened about 1/10 of a mile from home, so I dispensed with my usual 5 or 6 minute cool down walk and took my steaming body in to disrobe by the wood stove. Fortunately, it was fired up and kicking out lots of lovely BTU's. (Good lad, Emmett my son!) He got extra points for helping peel off my wet Vibrams.
I took my time there by the heat but did eventually migrate up to the bathtub to run a moderately warm bath. That's when I discovered that if toes have gotten really cold, half an hour is not long enough to let them come back to temp. I nearly hit my head on the ceiling jumping out of that tub!
Be warned! Learn from my mistakes, friends.
The running was easy to start. I had to re-learn about how strictly I had to hold form and balance, especially downhill. It took a couple miles for my hands to warm up and longer for my feet to, not exactly warm up, but to stop feeling the cold. Then it was all peachy. Mostly. Until I hit a patch of black ice, just a puddle quick frozen, under the snow. Whupa! / bam! I was down with my butt and right elbow taking the majority of the force. Up and running immediately to see if everything worked, which it did. That happened about 1/10 of a mile from home, so I dispensed with my usual 5 or 6 minute cool down walk and took my steaming body in to disrobe by the wood stove. Fortunately, it was fired up and kicking out lots of lovely BTU's. (Good lad, Emmett my son!) He got extra points for helping peel off my wet Vibrams.
I took my time there by the heat but did eventually migrate up to the bathtub to run a moderately warm bath. That's when I discovered that if toes have gotten really cold, half an hour is not long enough to let them come back to temp. I nearly hit my head on the ceiling jumping out of that tub!
Be warned! Learn from my mistakes, friends.
