Breaking Point

I enjoy winter running.  I don't actually enjoy it while I'm in the act of running, but I love battling through difficult runs when few others are out there.  I love the mental challenge of it.  However, I look forward to spring eventually coming and some perfect running weather.

The calendar has reached April and I've finally reached the breaking point with this weather.  Although the sun is out and it is about 10 degrees warmer than most of the winter, it is still super windy and frustratingly cold.  After months of this weather, I can't take it any more.

I tried to resume my running like I have ever week throughout the winter.  After taking Monday off, it was going to be a Trexler run on Tuesday and speedwork today.  However, neither of those happened.  I actually drove over to Trexler yesterday, got changed and drove to the zoo area.  I figured it would be less windy there and a good place to start from.  Right as I was about to begin, a few strong gusts of wind came through. 

I got so frustrated that I didn't even start the run.  I had finally had enough.  I was mad during the whole car ride home.  Of course I could've gone out and ran some of the trail, but I really want to try to complete the entire loop.  I can't do that without some decent conditions though.  I haven't had those once all winter (now spring) at Trexler.

I was bothered for the rest of the day yesterday.  I really hate to just miss a run day if I'm healthy.  It eats at me.  I already had the day before off and didn't need another rest day.  I thought about running later in the day or at night, but in the end I just figured that I would skip a run.

Today, wasn't as bad, but it was still frustrating.  I knew it would be windy again.  I thought about a morning run, because it would be less windy, but it was still cold.  Instead, I headed out in the afternoon to battle some wind.  I was still hoping to do some speedwork.

I wasn't very eager to run (thanks to the weather), so I headed to nearby Mill Race Park.  I figured that I could run on the paved trail there.  I was hoping that I could at least get 4x800 repeats completely.

I wore a lightweight long sleeve shirt and shorts, since it was warm in terms of temperature.  A jacket would've been too much.  I headed south towards Easton.  Of course it was right into the cold wind.

This is a nice path along the Bushkill Creek, but I couldn't even enjoy it.  The wind was so annoying.  It actually wasn't as bad as yesterday.  Sometimes the wind was kind of mild.  When I got to very open sections of the trail, it was freezing.

At first, I was only going to run 1 mile out and then turn around and head back.  Since I was feeling a little better at the 1 mile point, I headed out another half mile.  That turned into a full mile.  I crossed the busy road by Penn Pump Park.

I was actually just under 2 miles into the run when I turned around.  There was a dog walker coming the other way and I didn't want to pass them and turn back around right after that, so I turned around just before them.

I passed a cute, young girl near Penn Pump Park.  There were some walkers out here and there.  Plenty of people are still fishing along the creek too.  Other than that, the run was mostly uneventful.

I thought going back would be better, but it still sucked.  It was an improvement, but not by much.  My legs weren't enjoying the hard pavement.  When I got near mile 3, I came to a windy section.  I figured there was no point in running the extra mile back to the car, so I just stopped there at 3 miles.

At least I got some running done today.  That's better than nothing.  It was still a hugely disappointing day.  I really want to start getting in some quality sessions.  I can't do that if this wind never ends.

Since I took 2 days off, I'll be running 5 straight days.  I probably need a cut back week anyway, so this isn't the worst thing in the world.  Tomorrow is my LVRR Group Run.  We are going to run part of the St. Luke's Half Marathon course.  It is supposed to be nice then.  Friday and the weekend should be nice too.  I'd love to try Trexler again on Friday and maybe a speed workout on Saturday.  Sunday will be a long run.

3 miles - 26:09 (8:43 pace)