Spring??

It has been well-established that I am a running wimp.  I like everything to be just right.  And while I will run through (some) heat and (light) rain, and on occasion (often), the feeling of just not wanting to get out, I draw the line at running in the cold. Especially the bone-deep, wet chill that has been this Rhode Island winter.  So, I haven't run in a long time.  The treadmill is unappealing and outside is freezing.  And I am a wimp.

Keeping all of that in mind, but knowing that I both want and need to run, many months ago I signed up for the Shamrock Shuffle 5K.  Last year, it was sixty degrees on March 17th.  This sounded like a good time to restart the running plan.  But it has still been cold.  I didn't run.  This past Sunday, it was twenty-two degrees out.  I got up and went to the race start with some friends and our daughters.  We huddled in the mini-van until right before the race start.  And then we ran, sort of.  I planned to stay with one of my half-marathon buddies.  She wanted to walk.  And all I could think was "Oh, thank you!"  While I probably could have run the 5K, I really enjoyed walking it more.  

(Darcy finished 20 minutes ahead of me.)

So, the "race" behind me, this was the week to get out and run.  No.  This morning we had about three inches of snow on the ground and now it is raining a cold, cold rain.

Still, I know that spring, and running weather, is coming.  I have seen the daffodils start to push out of the ground.  Every now and then we get temperatures that don't require the full-length down coat.  And I have signed up for the Jamestown Bridge 10K on April 7th.  I hope the weather cooperates and I get some running in before then. Maybe next week.