Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Going Solo

My runs with other people have become few and far between. Since starting to run with "the guys" after running for a couple of years with "the ladies" I am now running more by myself. It's not that I have don't like "the guys," it's just that things have changed for my training.

First off the weather has changed - it is fucking cold! (There is no other way to describe it.) And it's dark. So, dark and fucking cold are not working for me this year. I have been doing my runs more in the middle of the day so it's not quite as fucking cold and there is some daylight so I can see where I am running so I don't break my ankle on un-shoveled sidewalks and icy snowbanks.

Secondly, now that I have a coach my runs have become longer and more intense because we are on a plan. So for now I run alone.

It's not all bad. I get to run in daylight. I get to see other
lone runners, like the woman I saw on Wednesday with mascara running down her cheeks. What woman puts makeup on to go for a run, especially eye makeup when it's single digit temps and your eyes are bound to water? And she was fairly speedy so it didn't seem like she was a novice runner. There are the over-dressed and under-dressed and then there are the people I can't even see because I have icicles on my hat, eyebrows and eyelashes. (As I write this I realize I really hate this time of year - why do I stay? Because I like to talk about the weather.)

Oh, look. It's time for another run. Now where is that snowmobile suit? It looks so good with running shoes.

6 comments:

D said...

I went solo tonight. I think we're talking about different things though.

Maggs said...

A lot of women put on makeup to run. I am not one of them. I rarely put on makeup anyway.

ADC said...

Maybe the mascara was on from earlier in the day.

NJ said...

Maybe she already had her make-up on. It's also not likely from watering eyes but because the mascara actually liquefies when it gets so cold and starts to run. I learned this from experience just walking into work once in this same sort of bitter cold we have now.

Don't you have any indoor tracks near you? All the new schools are building fancy indoor tracks and some of the health clubs even have them (I think Shoreview and/or Maplewood community centers might). Even the dreadmill is better than freezing you ass off and risking a twisted ankle or worse...IMO.

Teresa said...

Really??? Its 2010, has she not heard of waterproof mascara?

Run on!

tn

JC said...

I am with you on the cold F&^king dislike it! You should come to some of the gyms here...women get all dolled up. I bet she had it on from earlier in the day though but like Teresa said "has she not heard of waterproof mascara?"