I know some of you know about my competitive nature, but if you didn't you will after reading this.
My friend Orah and I are training for the half marathon coming up January 31. We have pretty much been at the same place as far as running goes. Every sunday, I ran a certain number of miles in the morning, posted it on facebook. And every sunday afternoon she would run the same (well usually .1 more..... admit it Orah, you do it on purpose!!!! :) and she would post it on facebook. Anyway, last week was really cold. I tried to run the 9 miles I mapped out, but it was way too slippery out and could not. Orah had already bought the yaktrax I had been meaning to buy, and ran her 9 miles sunday afternoon. I was sooooo jealous. I hate feeling behind. I did not want her to be a mile ahead of me! I had only run 8 miles the week before.
Well this past sunday I decided that it was my day. I bought the yaktrax in the morning. Not sure why, but I decided to run kinda late in the day. It was 3:00 when I left the house. I don't count the walking warm up and cool down as part of my distance, so I mapped out a little over 9 miles. I started running in the freezing cold temperature of 25 degrees (I forgot to check the temperature before I left). It was really cold at first, but after 2 miles I didn't really feel it anymore. The problem was that I didn't anticipate the fact that there were so many people who didn't shovel their sidewalk. It was a little difficult, but manageable. I was not sure I'd make it all the way to Golf street like I planned because I was struggling a little, but before I knew it I was there. I turned down golf where there apparently isn't really a sidewalk, and had to run partially in the street and partially on the snowy grass. Finally, a few blocks before the bike path (which would start my way home), there was a sidewalk. Soo much safer and easier!
As I turned onto the bike path I almost had a heart attack. Um... hello untouched unshovelled snow! I couldn't even find the bike path. I decided to just follow the footprints that were there. I ran a mile in the snow (about 2-3 inches but still!) and was like, "I am doing awesome. I can probably go a little further than my house and be ahead of Orah if I do 10 miles today." But soon my knee started to hurt I'm guessing from running in the snow. Then it started to really hurt. I had to walk a little. It started to feel really really cold while I was walking. And I noticed that it was starting to get dark out too. I ran another mile and then had to stop again because my knee was just totally killing me. While I was walking I noticed that I could barely feel my own skin. I wished I had a cell phone so I could ask Jon to pick me up. It had only been an hour and a half so he probably wasn't worried yet. I started to run again, forgetting my pain, knowing I had to get home. I started looking at the cars driving past me wondering if anyone I knew was driving by.
I was in a lot of pain. I felt dizzy. And I was really cold too, so I ran all the way home. Literally. Up my front steps to the door that Jon was opening for me. I started crying when I got inside, ran up the stairs, made myself a hot bath, and stayed in it till my skin was finally a normal color again.
The lowest moment of my life.
I have retired from running in the freezing cold. I am gonna be a treadmill girl until the weather warms up again. I never want to go through that again.
*Of course, when I was feeling better I had to map my run..... 9.46 miles with about a half mile or so of walking.... 2 hours. Not too bad for almost turning into a snowman.
