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