Cold AND Wet

As it turns out...I guess I WILL run when it's raining and cold. I said in the previous post that I wouldn't. Well, tonight was speed sessions and it poured down. It was raining on and off all night, but the temp was around 57 which is decent if it rains. Tolerable. So....I decided to go ahead. When I got there, the rain had stopped so I went to the track and started my warm-up, and of course it started back...HARD! By the time I made it back around I was soaked to the bone. I dressed in layers even though it was hot because I figured I could take stuff off if I got wet., but it didn't take long to be drenched all way through. I went a stood under an overhang and thought about leaving. It was ridiculous to try and run in that kind of rain, but then it let up again so I headed back to the track. By this time the wind was starting to pick up and I was getting cold. By the time I made my mind up to leave, I saw Mary Thom, and I figured if she's man enough to be there, then I'll stay and be a man, too. As it turns out, we were only 2 of seven men who were crazy enough to show up. Jeff was also there, but Melissa was smart and stayed home.

So, the work-out tonight was a one mile warm-up, and 4 mile repeats with a minute rest between them. The first miles was good, but felt really super fast. We only had to run it in 8:40, but I swear it felt like an all out sprint. I don't know if it was the cold, or if I was just tired, but it was hard. It did it, though. The second mile was really bad. I started getting the chills and I had to walk about 100 meters because I started feeling like I might throw-up. I caught up with Mary Thom again though and got really hot for some reason, so I stripped down to the last layer. The third mile was decent, although the rain started back and was really pouring hard. Since I had stripped down, I got so cold my teeth were chattering and I was ready to quit. After the third lap, I got confused and started walking because I thought we had completed the mile, but Mary Thom informed me we had one lap left. I dug in and ran it. I was seriously done after that one, but somehow I managed to complete one more mile. I am not sure where I found the strength or courage to do it because the rain and wind was BAD. I could feel the temp dropping with every cold, miserable lap, and we started talking to each other to get through it. Stuff like.."Well, if we had been out in the middle of nowhere running and it started raining like this...we'd just be stuck and have to run and finish. This is no different". Mind games to get us through. We finished it though. I am so proud of myself. The trip home was rough, and I got in the shower and ran all the hot water out trying to get warm, then I had hot tea..then I ate like a pig. But...I DID IT!!! Thank-You Mary Thom. I would have just left if you hadn't been there!