My Version Of a Snow Route

Once I realized yesterday that my weekend long run was today (and not tomorrow like I thought before flipping the calendar page), and once I made a very specific plan for not only what time to start treadmilling but also for what I was going to watch on the tv (written just then in reverse order of importance, of course), I was convicted to accomplish said plan in a way I could be proud.

Spoiler alert: I succeeded!

Before even beginning the run, though, I needed very important Aaron's assistance. He'd left the headphones we use with the tv at work, so, he had to go get them. And, check it out ... he went in very early this morning to get them and came home reporting he'd fallen on what iced up overnight!! YOWZA!! He's totally fine aside from the soreness resulting in such a splat -- whew! -- but, that sure erased any question I might have had about my stay-inside decision!

By the way, a safe long run would have been extremely difficult to map even without the ice capades. Check these out:

There's a sidewalk under that snow that I
use all the time ... but, probably not any
time real soon ...

The bottom of the picture is the street.
Somewhere in there is -- you guessed it --
sidewalk.

I might be seeing this route again toward
the end of the month! Yikes!

I have to note that I was very intentional in noting a "safe" route would be difficult to find. There are actually some people out running right now in the streets, and most of those streets really are okay to use and work with the traffic. There are, however, other corners that are not only blind, but there is *no*where*to*go* whether you are car or runner, and some runners are rolling the dice on them. Not. Cool.

Not wanting to tempt fate, and with earphones back in the house, I set sail on the treadmill for this weekend's 9 miles while diving in to the Deception series we've recorded. I am very happy to report I was sucked right on in to the show to the point that I watched the entire time while running! And, that was no small stint on the treadmill. In fact, it took me as long to run 9 on the treadmill as I could have run almost 12 outside. True story. I'm that slow on the treadmill long distance, but it works for me both in balance and also in the beating my legs seem to take inside vs. running outside. My bottom line is that I've found a way to make the treadmill more successful than punishing, so I'll stick with what works.

By the way, Deception -- really good if you're a fan of mystery drama. Tate Donovan is fabulous in the do-we-love-him-or-do-we-hate-him role (which is very different from when he guest starred on Friends as Rachel's boyfriend and was kind of a dork). It keeps twisting and turning and keeping you guessing which is probably what made my very long time fly!

I was also enticed knowing a Diet Coke was waiting for me at the end because Aaron and PC#3 went to get me one while I was cranking out the miles! And, that leads me to today's shout out ... it goes to Aaron! Here's why today:

• setting up the treadmill for me
• retrieving the headphones for me even though his beeeehind paid a bit of a price for it
• getting off of the exercise bike to retrieve the tv remote for me when I dropped it
• rooting me on for doing these miles no matter how long they took
• having a Diet Coke waiting for me when I was finished
• putting the treadmill back in its spot

He claimed all of those things in the name of being a great Pit Crew. I claim them in the name of him being that awesome!

So, now it's time to look forward to tomorrow's Rest Day at which time I will have something to say about this:

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday, and I'll see you then!