The benefits of slightly crazy running buddies

Connie & Anita at the bottom of NCAR hill already fighting the wind

Wednesdays are hill workout days this winter.  Today's Wednesday workout happens to have fallen after a balmy Sunday followed by a frigid, snow-filled Monday (meaning a layer of ice topped with 4 inches of fine snow which packed to more ice) and a very chilly, then warming, then very chilly Tuesday (resulting in packed snow/ice, melting, then refreezing).

At the top, thoroughly windblown but with a great view

So!  Today's plan.  Given that the temperatures are predicted to reach the 50s today, we (running buddies Connie, Anita, and I) decided to delay our start time an hour to give the sun a chance to work its magic.  And given that the neighborhood streets are all packed snow and ice, we decided to move our workout from our .7-mile neighborhood hill loop to the 2k NCAR hill since that is usually very well plowed.  As I started my run to the base of NCAR I thought we had a great plan given still miserable conditions of the neighborhood streets and the temperatures moving above freezing.  However, as I climbed further west, I began to have my doubts.  Apparently, today was going to be one of Boulder's infamous gusty wind days.  By the time I got the to base of NCAR and met up with Connie and Anita, barely able to make forward progress through some of the gusts, I was questioning our sanity.  But, given that the only reason I had continued my run was because I had two running buddies waiting for me, I figured we should complete the workout.

And what a workout it was!  Uphill into the wind, gusts knocking the breath right out of us and our legs out from under us.  And going downhill barely able to maintain contact with the ground as the wind furiously pushed us forward at break-neck speed (almost 9 minutes faster downhill than up!).  Perhaps you think I exaggerate.  And perhaps I thought I was overreacting.  But a check of the NCAR weather station provides the facts: 44 miles per hour sustained wind speed with gusts up to 77.8 mph during the time we were on the hill!

After the workout, I told Connie those numbers proved we were crazy.  She says it proves we are tough!  Methinks that's a pretty awesome combo!

Fighting a gust at the top

Reason 117 for why it's great to run with a dog

Last week the Monster Cold caught me and knocked me flat on my derriere.  I ran through it, but they were measly runs at best.  During the course of that same week, Boulder's weather improved considerably and I simply could no longer restrain myself. By Friday, cabin fever and bright sunshine threw me out the door with Taz pup at my side.  Westward ho we went climbing hills, wending our way through neighborhoods and trails until my energy was pretty well sapped from my body. 

At that point, I thought it best to head home via the most direct route - which happened to take me through NIST's property, which happened to include crossing an irrigation ditch, which happened to have lost its bridge in September's flood, and which happened to not have yet been replaced.  Oops.  It's a fairly narrow ditch, about four feet deep, with sides of loose dirt and rocks.  I looked at it, I considered how much further it would be to retrace my steps and go around, and down into the ditch I went with now wobbly legs.  Of course, once in the bottom of the ditch, 'tis best to climb back out again.  Easier said than done... That energy that was sapped, had not yet reappeared.  Those legs that were wobbly, still wobbly.  I just wasn't getting enough purchase on the ditch bank and sure didn't have enough oomph to hurl my body upward.  What to do, what to do???

Aha!  Mister Taz, spark plug that he is, had plenty of energy; energy enough for two as a matter of fact.  And, although small, he does have a bit of a linebacker build...nice and solid.  So! I sez "Go on Taz" and he hops up the bank.  I sez "Sit Taz" and he sits.  I sez "Wait Taz" and he waits there sitting like the prettiest anchor you ever saw.  And thus I hold my end of the leash and pull myself right up out of that ditch
.  All the while with Taz grinning away, happy as a lark to be out running with his human...no matter how wobbly that human might be.

Always great to run with a dog!

What's a bit of ice among friends?

Today, Wednesday, is hill run day.  

Yesterday, Boulder was one of the balmier towns in the USA with temps in the 40s.  The day before, and the day before that, and the day before that we had snow (about 10" total) and frigid temps.  What with the snow and cold followed by warm followed by 20s today, most of Boulder's surfaces vary between chunk ice and skating rinks.  But, as I said, today is hill run day.  The key was to find a plowed road...a plowed road with no traffic.  Huh. 

The solution: tip toe over the ice out of my neighborhood and onto the western bit of well-plowed Table Mesa drive (a major east-west street in the south part of town), battle my fears and run west with (vs. facing) traffic (because that is the side of the road with the bike lane, also well-plowed) up to the base of NCAR hill where I met up with running buddies Connie & Anita.  From there, we took on the challenge of NCAR's 2k uphill climb, a fantastic hill for measuring one's mettle.  When I'm very very fit, I can run three repeats of the hill (starting from the branch library, 1 mile downhill from the NCAR base).  Today, I was quite pleased to run the hill once in the company of good friends, stellar scenery, sunshine, and a gorgeous buck keeping an eye on these two-legged creatures out enjoying the day.