I Haven’t Been This Cold and Wet Since the 2003 Spring Run-Off 8K in Toronto

Like, brr.

It is cold and wet out there. Absolutely miserable. Snow would be much preferable, and this is coming from a chick who despises the white stuff.

This morning I dragged myself out of bed at 6am, took a warm shower, bundled up, then took a cab down to West Potomac Park to run the Jingle All the Way 10K.  A friend had asked me to run with her, and as I like having friends and making some effort to keep them, I agreed. West Potomac Park is  not the most convenient place to get to, Sunday or not, but I thought that a brisk run in the December cold and brunch (and lots of coffee!) afterward was a good idea.

I did decently on the run for someone who hasn’t done more than 20-minute interval sessions for the past couple of months. According to my Forerunner, the last time I did six miles was September 14. For a runner, that’s pretty crappy. So I was secretly happy that I could muster a 10 minute average during a race. Sure, looking at my results from the 2003 Spring Run-Off was a bit depressing (a nice ~8:30/mile average), but as IP pointed out: I couldn’t do a push up back then to save my life. Now I can do 10 in a row. Booyah!

And the Spring Run-Off wasn’t followed up by a nice brunch with friend. After the Spring Run-Off, I went back to my dorm room, showered, moped about the fact that I was stuck in Toronto, then probably had pasta for lunch. Sure, I was thinner and faster, but I was 500 miles away from my boyfriend with no friends around me because I absolutely hated living in T.O.  Today, after the race, my friend (who finished slightly ahead of me), gave me a high-five as I finished, bitched with me over the fact that they hadn’t placed our bags under a tent (so our backup clothes were all wet), and then took a cab with me to brunch, where we ate all the calories we had just burned while drinking coffee and talking about a multitude of things. After that, I hopped the Metro back home, where my now-husband (if you  haven’t guessed, he was the boyfriend I was missing in 2003) picked me up from the station so that I wouldn’t have to walk in the rain anymore. And tomorrow? The husband and I are meeting up with my running friend and a few others to have a few beers and exchange gifts. Life is good, and it was worth being wet and cold for a little while.

I will give the 2003 Spring Run-Off this: it had snowed the night before and it was slushy as hell the day of the race. Pounding through the slush wasn’t pleasant, but it was still fun. My toes were frozen and I shivered while waiting for some classmates (who had kindly given me a ride, but didn’t invite me to their brunch plans), but there was something exhilarating about tearing through a slush puddle. I wouldn’t want to do it today, but I might be up for it one of these years.

Anyway, crazy as it may seem to get up at 6am for a race, it can be very rewarding. I’m happy I did it even if I am a bit slower than I used to be.