Snow's a Comin'

Another Sunday run on beautifully clear roads - yet with an ever-present reminder of our changeable weather. Our route included broad views of the Flatirons and west where snow clouds were wafting up over and through the hills and canyons. We enjoyed the smooth running while we had it!

Connie, Taz, and Anita all smiles on our smooth running day

Ice *and* wind - but balmy!

February's weather whirlwind continues - today with actual wind...as in gusts strong enough to toss an unsuspecting runner across a street. But with the wind came warmth! 46 degrees when I left the house, 50 degrees when I ran past the time and temperature clock at the Middle School on the east edge of Boulder along a very frozen Baseline Lake. Quite the juxtaposition between the air temperature and the view from the lake out toward the frosty Flatirons.

Further east, at Teller Farm where the gang met up for our run, we found ourselves once again on icy trails. But with such a glorious view it was hard to complain. It is good to be out! It is good to be running!

On ice

8 degrees, a light fluffy four inches of new snow, icy coating everywhere, and no option but to go out in it since I needed to retrieve my phone that I had forgetfully left at my son's house last night. (I blame the debates - everybody talking over everybody undoubtedly addled my brain.)
What with the chill, the snow and the ice, it was a perfect day for my screw shoes.

And it ended up being a beautiful day to be out! Even the tree buds were thinking of bursting forth and birds were merrily chirping from on high under the brilliant blue sky.

Ah February

February - the month my folks made their first visit to Boulder a few decades ago. The very month when, during that visit, my father declared he did not know why anyone would ever want to leave Boulder - said after playing a round of golf on a balmy 70 degree February day (with Rob de Castella as part of his cobbled-together foursome!).

There has been many a February when Kendall has been surprised by how warm the day is - at which point I remind him of my dad's reaction to February weather. But not this February. Nope. Most of this February has been snow and ice-covered here in Boulder. I had high hopes (tho' not high temps) with yesterday's sunshine, but winter reasserted itself today. Our morning run, dancing from street to sidewalk depending on which was clear, was in the shadows of yet another curtain of snow drawing close over the Flatirons. Ah well, spring is just a month away...  In the meantime, there is at least one cattle dog who is quite happy with his snow frolicking days!

Clear sailing!

Today we met at a trailhead along a quiet road. The trail was packed snow and ice. The road was clear. The road won! The first run in a full two weeks with no / nada / zip / zero slipping and sliding. It was grand! It was real running! And to top it off, Taz The Amazing Cattle Dog set a new PR: a 1 hour 55 minute run. Tho' he did give a few longing looks at his favorite (snow-covered) off-leash playground as we passed it by, he seemed pretty darned pleased to be spending the morning running with his two-legged herd.

Crusty

 Today's rendezvous locale was, perhaps, not the best choice of running venues given our multiple-snow-squall week. The Meadowlark trail has a lot going for it: hills, flats, views, width, and sun exposure. We were counting on those last two qualities to offer up a fairly clear trail. Oops. What we got instead was crusty snow cover - or - ice. Take your pick.  We picked...back and forth between the two options...and we opted for a rather short run for a Saturday. However, Meadowlark being Meadowlark, it did deliver on the hills, flat and spectacular views!

 

The geese seemed to appreciate Meadowlark's offerings

Anita smiles through it all

Slipping & sliding & hamming it up for the camera

Maybe a better way

Oooh! Oooh! Skiers!  Let's go get them!

The snow is doing a very fine job of sticking around. There is enough of it on the trails and enough ice on the roads that it makes one wonder if, perhaps, there might be a mode of self-propelled transportation that would be a bit more pleasurable than running. This ponderable came to the forefront of my brain when Taz and I ran to and though CU South today which seems to have become an in-town cross-country skiing mini-mecca.  Skiers everywhere - all those skinny sticks flashing by Taz much to his amazement.  

Hmmm.  I just looked out the window. It is snowing again. I wonder if those old skis of mine are up for another outing? ...what color wax should I use?...

Snow Sneaux Whatcha got against snow?

Yup. More snow.

...and here I thought February was our driest month.  Six-ish more inches overnight. Running was a challenge - but Taz sure had a good time out there!

Well now. This creature smells intriguing!

Enough with the camera already. Let's get a move on!

Can we run all the way to the moon, mom?!

Calm respite

Running home from my volunteer gig was not a whole lot of fun today: navigating through packed ice, chopped ice, black ice and dodging cars all the while. That is, until I got to the trail around the field along my route and close to home.  Whew! Packed runnable snow, a fox resting atop its den, birds singing in the sunshine. The tension drained from my body and peace returned. Slowing to a stop, looking up at the blue sky, smiling. All is good.

Hot and Cold Hot and Cold

Heading up Boomerang

Yesterday's bright sunshiney day was followed today with blustery cold and snow.  We decided on a run through NIST and up Boomerang Hill hoping that the NIST roads  would be plowed and the hill would have been traveled enough and exposed to the sun enough prior to today's snow that the surface would be fairly runnable. Well, not much was runnable - but it was a fun outing nonetheless. There's nothing quite like being right in the thick of the elements to make a human feel alive!

Up top

The Weekend Begins

In "life according to pjv", there is no better way to start the weekend than with an early morning trail run with friends, sunshine, and sparkling views. And that's just what we got today. Ahhhhhhh

Errand Run

Typically, when I run errands, I literally run errands. Today's errand run took place during another snowstorm which meant choosing my route carefully. Main streets are plowed but too busy to run on. Sidewalks along the main streets get all the snow that the plows kick up and are only sporadically shoveled. So off to the quieter neighborhood streets I went, taking a winding route to my errands.  Since I've run a mile or 2 or 20,000 in Boulder, and since I love exploring, I'm pretty familiar with the side streets around town. I have a favorite when I'm avoiding one particular busy north/south street - it has a bit of a curve and goes past a tucked away park with a creek running through it. Every time I go past that park I think how nifty it would be if there were to be a bridge over the creek with a path that would take you along the opposite bank. Lo and behold! Today I discovered a bridge and path were there!  A day with a new trail! My favorite kind of day!

Multi-"Sport"

 
Today consisted of a pjv version of a multi-sport event. Run. Run to exercise class. Spend an hour doing Total Body Fitness (cardio and weights - working out all those bits and pieces of the body not touched by running). Run home. Bus/walk to campus. Work. Walk home. 

I must say, the campus part of my life has been a treat. A good thing, too, since the bulk of my life has involved campus life - as a student, as an entry-level hourly employee, and as a full-time professional staff member. I love variety and working at a university most certainly offers variety: students studying everything under the sun, faculty with a passion for teaching and genius for research, and staff taking care of everything from cleaning toilets, to handling finances, planting trees, heating buildings, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, to developing the computer systems that keep the digital world spinning.

And amid all those busy humans we've got waddling geese and buffalo statuary! 

Campus life: something for everyone!

The Life of a (semi) Retiree

I did retire in 2006. But then I went and un-retired in 2014 for a supposedly short-term part-time project helping to set up an Accessibility and Usability testing lab for my former department (IT at CU-Boulder). Somehow I am still working there - with the title of Accessibility Testing Coordinator. Fortunately, it is on a part-time basis with very understanding managers who let me take off whenever I like. Thus I can spend a month at a time in Michigan or complete a quest to run a trail in each of the 50 states. And thus, I keep returning to work.

Also, as a retiree, I seem to take full advantage of the leisurely casual retiree lifestyle and occasionally show up at work in full running gear - with the office as my end-of-run location. Today I had just one short meeting I needed to attend. Originally I thought I would run early then shower and change and go to the meeting. My first reading of this morning's thermometer (3 degrees) and hearing of the forecast (temps climbing to 30) made me re-think my plan. A 9 a.m. run to the meeting, which would likely bring the degrees count up into double digits, seemed to me to be a much more reasonable course of action. It turned out to be an excellent plan. Temperature of 19 degrees and sun peeking out, sparkling off the newly-fallen snow. Oooh lah lah! What a lovely commute to work!

Snow SNOW!

It was pretty darned cold this morning (15-ish) and pretty darned snowy (10-ish) - but it was oh so fun running out there - after the shoveling chores were completed first of course!  (I actually kind of like shoveling, but today's efforts reminded me that I have been neglecting my upper body weight work for the past few months - another item for the gumption resumption list!)
 

Taz and I went over to a field where I can let him run off leash - which he fully approves of. Something about snow gets his jet engines roaring - stopping only long enough to stick his snout deep into a snowbank for thorough investigation before he runs some more.








 

When we were almost done with our loopy-de-loop, we spotted the fox that has been hanging out at the property lately.  I quick got Taz back on leash and pulled out my antiquated flip phone camera for an attempt at a photo. It was a treat just to gaze at the lovely creature.

What a morning - chilly but very bearable, light snow falling, the quiet hush so unique to a snow-covered world. It was a delight to be out there in the midst of it all.

2020 Is Upon Us!

2019 was far from a stellar year of running for me, with many interruptions due to a variety of reasons. If looking only at numbers, one sees a total of 1,685.5 miles for the year - the fewest miles I've run in a year since 1988, the last year I was pregnant. But never being one to focus solely on numbers - or the negative - when I think back on 2019 I tend to land on the highlights that were generously sprinkled throughout the year: invigorating snow runs, wildlife sightings, Bolder Boulder frivolity with son Paul and friend Mort, a new (to me) trail in northern Michigan, a surprise post-run running buddy birthday tailgate party...the list goes on and includes many a smile amongst the miles.

But the sun and moon have set on 2019 and we have a new year well underway. Hopefully also well underway is my return to consistent running - for consistency, above all else, I believe, is the key to strong and happy running. It also helps to have a goal to complement that desired consistency. For me, the goal is no longer a Boston qualifier marathon or a top 10 Bolder Boulder age group placement. I do enjoy speed work with running buddies, hill repeats, and negative split hard runs - and hope to continue to do all that but more for the love of sweat and the joy of strengthening muscles than for racing rewards. No, my goal is to be able to spot a trail and run the length of it on the spur of the moment or to hop out of the car during a back-country road trip and tell Kendall to meet me at the next town - and to know that my legs, lungs and heart are up to the task. Yes, my goal is to be a prolific running tourist for as long as my body can stand it.

Kendall and I haven't had a chance at a road trip for quite some time, but meanwhile, I have managed some very enjoyable local running tourism.

Taz along Coal Creek Trail - long runs are short enough he gets to come with!

Sneaking a peek at the ducks in Boulder Creek

Taz cozied up to a sculpture we found during a meandering run through Chautauqua

Barr Lake with hundreds of birds and stellar views of the Continental Divide

The view I most often see of my running buddies - but I continue to strive to catch up!

Another goal, as this post may have led you to guess, is to keep this blog up, documenting my progress along the way. Going public provides such great incentive. Onward!