I've gotten soft

I used to be tough.  My first winter running, I would run in any weather.  I sucked it up, went outside and got it done.  The idea of running on a treadmill was totally unappealing.  Running on a track, I could do, but would rather avoid all those circles.  I had yak trax, so even slippery surfaces didn't slow me down much.  (You still have to step carefully, but they really did help when it was slippery.  Too bad they broke!)

Those are little globules of ice on my eyelashes.

I remember one run where Jen and I used vaseline on any exposed skin to prevent frost bite.  According to my blog post at the time, it was -31c (-24f).  We ran 18 km (11.2mi) that day.

Then last winter, I got a treadmill.  My yak trax hadn't even finished out my first season and another grip aid I tried also broke after two runs.  I wanted the treadmill for when it was slippery out.  It was also for when I'm on my own with the kids and need to squeeze a run in.

Then a few weeks ago, I started a job at a sports complex, which gives me free and convenient access to a track.

And, when the mercury drops, I find I just don't have it in me to go outside...

This weekend, Keith had invited a bunch of us over for a run and bison burgers.  It would have been him, Sophia, Leana, and myself.  And, the temperature dropped to -24c (-11f).  Leana was the first to bail, but I followed shortly after.  Sophia and Keith are the tough ones.  They still ran outside.