The taste of winter couldn't have waited a few more hours

I know not every training run can be fantastic. I know that. But this morning's run? I swear that was the hardest 9 miles I've ever run.

Seriously.

Between feeling like I was going to puke as I was driving to the park, a headache, a somewhat cranky IT band and the 2 to 3 inches of freshly fallen snow that made footing a bit tricky, it had all the makings of a less than stellar run from the get go.

Oh, I forgot to mention the wind. For the love of all things sacred Mother Nature. Did you really have to give us 30 mile per hour winds this morning? Thankfully it was from the west so by the time we hit Mile 2 we were done running into the wind. At least until we turned a corner somewhere around Mile 6.5 and we were heading straight back into it.

Brutal. I just wanted to be done. My Brooks Cascadias were covered in snow. It was cold. And windy.

Thankfully I had Peggy and Krystal with me to pull me through to the end. Otherwise there was a possibility I would have found some sheltered spot off in a snowbank and cried. And then froze.

But I finished. In a not so stellar time. But the 9.15 miles got done. And waiting for me when I got back to my parents' house? A driveway big enough to fit 3 cars that needed to be shoveled. So I traded my running jacket for my mom's winter jacket, went through three different pairs of gloves/mittens before I finally found a pair that kept my fingers somewhat warm and shoveled.

Over an hour later - told you it was a big driveway - I couldn't feel my toes, my face was numb and I was cursing my Dad for never teaching me how to use the snow blower. But the snow was shoveled, the run was done and a hot shower was calling my name. Oh, and my legs are screaming at me way too much for 9 miles. I blame the snow.

I think I've earned the right to be completely lazy the rest of the day.