Goodness Gracious "Snowballs" A Fury

(Post run beard - good thing I
basically wear a hat on my face!  It
was cold out there)

Admittedly there is clearly much to report from a running point of view in the Baddrunner community since we have not posted in quite some time, but why bore anyone with the mundane of everyday running topics...

Especially when there is snow on the ground!  I love the fantastic experiences that come from running in the many varied options dealt out by Mother Nature.  Snow running is high up there!

Just as I was finishing my run this morning, which is one of a few I've completed in the past month due to being careful with an injury and overall laziness, a neighbor waived and proclaimed, "Now that's dedication."  Looking up and seeing the broad smile on his face and the enthusiasm which was clearly communicated in his voice I felt bad for my lack of dedication over the past few weeks.  "I never miss a chance to run in the snow," I said back, feeling as though I needed to deflate his being impressed by my lackluster running dedication.

The weather certainly can play a determining factor in our ability to make it out the door in the mornings, and I have definitely missed my own share of runs due to feeling it's too cold/raining too hard/or whatever lame excuse I can come up with (especially at six in the morning).

(just a nice look at the roads - didn't
 take my camera on the run
 and it unfortunately looked much
more nice and untouched.
But I walked the roads later)

As I sit and write this Bryan sits across from me pretending to work on some of his Mizuno accounts or something.  While he did not make it out on this particular run (supposedly due to "Charlie complications" - his one month old son who is becoming quite a good excuse these days), that did not stop him from giving me a comment on running out on cold snowy roads.

He smirked a little bit and then I think his beard took over as he said, "Tell them it takes great big snow balls to get out there and do what needs to be done."  Chuckles were had, coffee sipped approvingly, and I decided while cheesy, it is 100% accurate.

(Love the snow covered roads. Can
you see all the kids and parents
in the background sledding and
playing?)

At the end of the day we run because it's who we are and what we are made of deep inside.  Some runners are born with a need to run and others of us, myself included, build this intrinsic desire, oddly enough, through running.  Today was a good day and the "running demons", as Bryan calls them, were satisfied.  I can already feel myself wanting to run tomorrow more because I ran today!

So get out there and enjoy whatever conditions have been dealt out to you.  Muster up some big ole' snowballs and do what needs to be done, what deep down you know you want to do anyway.  Have a great run and enjoy it.  We never know when something will come along to claim our running from us.

**Coming soon - a post about the ridiculously crushing four mile trail race we did recently**

(Wanted to add this pic I took on the walk.  Wearing my dad's old army jacket with my monkey hat made in Nepal by women who have been trained to make these so they can make a living, thus giving them an option out of forced prostitution.  So that's cool - the job part, not their previous circumstances)