A postal carrier goes by “Neither rain, sleet or snow…the mail must go!”

For a runner, it’s pretty much the same thing!  We’ll head out the door if it’s sub-zero or 100!  Rain, snow, winds it really doesn’t matter…the run must be done!  It sounds crazy to some but it’s really a way of life for me.  I do have the option of going to the gym, in a controlled environment and running on a treadmill, but I choose to be in the elements.  When race day comes, you take what mother nature throws at you!  If you’ve trained in everything, there’ll be no surprises.  I tell people all the time that I believe it makes me a better and yes, stronger runner when I go out into adverse conditions.

Today it was 21 degrees with a SSW 15 mph wind and snowing.  I sat and studied my weather channel app and checked to see if it would improve at all or if I should just hit it.  So hit it I did!  6 miles put down on the trails of the local metropark.  There was only one other car in the park and it was so amazingly quiet.  It turned into one of the most peaceful runs ever.  I thought to myself, look at what all those people on treadmills are missing!  Cool winds, snow coming at you from all directions, snow-covered trails and field areas, critters running about looking for snacks, it was just wonderful!

I have a saying saved in my phone.  “If you wait for the perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.”  I think that sums it up perfect!  Nothing in our lives is going to go perfect all the time.  Lord knows I have challenges all around me day and night!  I can’t sit and wait for things to improve, I have to face them, head on!  No matter what the adversity.

Next time you look out the window and see that it’s raining, snowing or some kind of silly funk.  Think of what I said here.  Put on some gear, walk out that door and hit it!  I’ll be out there too!

Zombie