In trying to think of a word to describe those that headed out on the road this morning Popsicles were the only thing to come to mind. And in trying to think of how to make that into a title for this post I researched Popsicles and found that “If it’s Popsicle, it’s possible” is their slogan (Note to Popsicle marketing department, I’ve never heard this phrase before in my life!). Today it wasPopsicley, and a few showed that it was in fact possible to run in this weather.
Ok, back to business… If you’re reading this you probably ran on Saturday when the weather was 20 degrees warmer, or you just heard about this blog this morning when I explained to you how everyone else shifted their run to Saturday. Today’s small group was Jose, Christina, John Kelley, John Mulroy, and Whitney. First let me apologize to Whitney who was there mainly to help with the water stop, something I asked her to do two weeks ago, and in the flurry of reorganizing runs over the weekend and trying to make sure people had some support out there on their long runs I forgot to e-mail her back. She woke up early and headed out in the freezing morning air just to keep her commitment of helping with the water stop. Thank you so much Whitney, sorry I dropped the ball on that.
With the word that she wasn’t needed for the water stop Whitney packed up and headed home content to get back to her studies and avoid a run in the 10 degree air (smart move!). JohnK, Christina, and Jose started their run up the frozen tundra of Main St towards Wakefield while JohnM took a ride to Wakefield to join in the run at mile 3 and run the last 7.7 miles with the group. My daughter Lizzie (yup, she assisted me again today) and I got a hot chocolate and a coffee, absorbed as much of Brueggers heat as we could, and drove along the route with John to the Dunkin Donuts parking lot in Wakefield. We spotted the frozen gang of three right after the Greenwood area chugging along at a nice clip.
In Wakefield, John poured a few cups of water out of the water stop bucket in my trunk as Lizzie and I put on layer after layer to help get us through the few minutes in the cold. Earlier Christina asked how I would recap a run I wasn’t going to be running and I assured her I would gleen some stroy out of the few minutes at the water stop… here it is: One of the plastic cups John poured water in had been squished and a split had opened up on the side. We didn’t know this until Christina tried to drink from it and it leaked like some prank cup all over her. We quickly dried her up so she didn’t get frozen in place, which was a real possibility since the tiny puddle on the asphalt where she spilled instantly turned into a thick sheet of ice, it was that cold this morning!
Seeing the red blotches forming on my face from my allergic reaction to the cold, the group decided one water stop was enough for the day. They headed up to the loop around the lake while Lizzie and I headed to Dunkins for a loop around a donut. We drove back to Melrose along Main St where the four would soon be headed to finish up their run. I hope you had a good one, now go find somewhere warm to thaw out!
For those that ran today, be it our little band of long runners or those who headed to Derry for a cold challenging 16 miler, kudos to you for braving the elements. When feeling comes back to your finger tips, fill us in on the details of your run!
Just reading this makes me feel cold. So glad I got the run in yesterday, only battling the wind, icy sidewalks and sore Quads, because it was -1 F when I got up this morning. Yikes! Good job everyone, especially those running in Derry. Now you can check another one off the list!
Congrats to all who ran today. And I have to admit I am so glad I ran yesterday! Thanks especially to Jim and Lizzy for working so hard to help everyone out.
I got up, was very close to bailing, then realized that I would be kicking myself in April if I did not get it done. So, I ran the lake an hour later so that the temp could at least make double digits. I saw the hearty crew heading back in downtown Wakefield as I was headed to the lake. I did two loops. the wind was not so bad on the east side….pretty miserable on the access road headed to North Ave. left my water bottle by the church where the loop begins…had a pretty good block of ice to carry back to Melrose. Great job to all who went out both yesterday and today. All of us are earning our spots in spring marathons and halfs this January.
Guys and Gals,
you are really crazy (in a sense to be admired). Hope you all stay healthy and will be all smiles for the races that you will fly through, because you endoured this winter cold.
I tip my hat to you.
Kaj
I made three outer loops at Breakheart, hiding a bottle in the snow. I got stopped several times be people that saw me pass once, twice but on the next pass wanted to know what my traction gear is. “Kahtoola Microspikes”, amazing product – I have no fear running down hill on ice – always well footed. Today was actually less tiresome for footing than yesterday because the snow was much colder, stitched together more. Given the hills at Big Sur, I expect to spend a lot of time inside Breakheart before April, especially if the snow persists. Note, also – I duct-taped two heat packs to my toe fabric on my shoes and found that my toes didn’t really get warmer, but they didn’t get cold at all.
Hope to run together soon!
Damn, sorry i missed it.
I was fighting with the sun and 70 degree temps in Miami. 🙂
I would like to thank Jim, Lizzie, and Whitney for coming out to brave the cold, and provide the water and gatorade. As Jim mentioned I joined the run in progress at the 3 mile water stop. Still not up for a super long run yet, I joined John K, Christina, and Jose to do the last 7.6 miles. John K runs like a thoroughbred, and ran patiently with the three of us for all but the last 3 miles. Christina and Jose ran a little faster than expected, and probably planned, but it really was a beautiful day without much wind. My friend Meg Michaels called me while resting at Bruegger’s, and invited me to a pancake breakfast in her house. She also asked, ‘How many are with you?, invite them too’. Well, I did, and though Meg had not yet met Christina and Jose, the four of us invaded Meg’s for a sinfully delicious round of limitless blueberry pancakes, oranges, Tea, and juice. Meg assured us that she uses only fresh, healthy ingredients, so I didn’t feel too guilty about the 12 or so pancakes I inhaled. I meant to do a marathon after that feast, but somehow forgot, and went home for a nap instead. By the way, Meg is an active member of our neighbor club the Mystic Runners (where John Kelly and I are also members). I can’t promise that Meg will feed all of us in the future, but I hope some of us can repeat that joy again, sometime soon.
I’ve been at Brueggers after every run for the past 3 or 4 years and the first one I miss ends up becomes a pancake party?!?! Well, you guys deserved it, great effort out there on Sunday. Crazy, but great.
I substituted a 10-mile local course for Lake Q, thinking it would be more shaded from the wind. What I always underestimate is the number of hills out here in Central MA! As a fellow MRC member once said “there’s lots of downhills out here.”
The first half of the course was relatively flat and warm and I made the first water stop with no problem. It wasn’t until I turned south that I picked up the wind, and what a difference! Felt like the temperature dropped another 20 degrees. Of course, this section had all the hills too, nothing like a little punishment to add to the run.
Despite the wind and the hills, I finished back at my house in under two hours with no strange events or sightings or findings to report.
Hope to see you back in Melrose next sunday!