Truth is, it’s a choice.  One can prioritize running, or not.

We’ve been legitimately busy, but it’s time to get back to regular training (and, one hopes, blogging).  This week I’ve managed to get out for a 5 miler on Sunday, Tues, and again this afternoon. I got somewhere between 7-8 on Monday. I’d planned to use the gray sky and ever possible rain as an excuse to avoid running. But something within me craved the road, the kind of pleasant pain that accompanies a good post-run stretch. The calm of miles.

I need it, badly. And so I’m back at it, regularly. An additional incentive is running by our community garden plot to water our radishes and all things green. While many of our friends have delightful gardens divided by prosperous rows, we’re growing concentric crop circles. The outer rings are plants that we’d like to have more frequent access to, lettuces and the like. Jen is more eloquent on this point. I just think it’s cool.

And cool is May in Chicago. It’s the best month for running.

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Post-run:

It’s less that I beat the rain, more that I  matched it stride for stride. I’ll admit that thunder tends to hasten my pace. Took a loop around Ping Tom for fun before heading on to the lake and back. I’m becoming a more confident runner. It used to be that I’d plan to run from point A to Point B and back. Now I have a loose plan and throw in more here and there as I feel like it. This in turn feels like progress, despite being all wet.

Eventually, the lure of the run compels us. We’re up, alive, and warming up.  It’s the same old run, but made brand-new today.  There’s something sweet in being so familiar with our path, now rediscovered with you.

We run directly into a sun, now intensely bright, making us squint. I can’t tell if we’re running fast or slow today, but we’re consistent. My tender hip is feeling strong today, so I push on a little harder.

Greetings to a thousand crossing guards.

I try and catch a glimpse of your kind face while we run. Sly and out of the corner of my eye. You’re smiling and it makes me smile too.

Over the bridge and we reach Ping Tom park. A sudden barrage of green fills our vision, and I’m grateful we ran a little farther today. One loop around the sun, a sweet halfway surprise, and suddenly we’re headed back. As always, retracing our footsteps, undoing the run one step at a time.

Our shadows run together, bobbing up and down, fishing bobbers on a sea and we’re just waiting to see what we’ll catch. We’re long and lean, with massive legs and tiny heads. I like to watch our bodies moving in near unison. Your stride is always a tad longer than mine.

What if we could just do this forever, just run and run and run…

at point swept by feet.

you sign to a robin

and i’m like, neat!

smash all of the cars

canal and 18th

obstructing our view–

–all on retreat.

i’ll have no more chryslers, no

mercurial mercedes.

my foot they’ll be seeing — the

way south to hades.

we run like all hell,

and this is my cry:

feel free to sponsor us.

give it a try.

the sun peaks out, brilliantly neon against a sullen cityscape.  suddenly my warm bed seems from another life, another world.  i can’t recall my dreams the night before.  the alarm clock and the need to run have shattered any remnants.

without a thought my feet begin to move.  it comes naturally now, off to the races.

in  in  in

out

in  in  in

out

as the muscles in our legs warm up, i feel my stride open, and my feet slowly eat up the mileage between the beginning and the end of the run.

it’s not a race today.  instead, we are methodical.  it’s more of a dance really.  we are not watching our time.  no sense of competition.  we do this thing, this daily task, together.  his energy sometimes pulls me.  mine sometimes pulling him.

unintended and intended movements.  we are fluid.  we glide down the street, watching kids slowly wander towards school.  workers await the bus headed downtown.   coffee and tamales take over the air.  each footstep lands firm and sure, placing us definitively in this place and in this moment.

in  in

out

in  in

out

we touch the lakefront.  toes nearly in.  it’s hard to hold back the urge to dive in and see just how far we could get.

the sun rises just a bit higher and we turn back.  retracing footsteps like so many breadcrumbs.

we turn familiar corners and see familiar things.  we know this place like no other.  the man selling tamales waves back, and it becomes clear that this place also knows us.

we run and run and run.  day in and day out.  no end in sight, and none needed.  it’s the continuity we crave.  how many miles have i run in my life… at least 2,000 miles. but it doesn’t even matter.

it’s not how far we’ve gone, but the simple act of going.

in  in

out

in  in

out

this movement is ours.

and we are free.

We’ve taken to practicing our German on runs. (Das ist ein Pferd? Nein, er heißt Harvey.) Today we ran 8 miles to the lake and part of the path east of Lake Shore Drive known as the longest mile. That’s plenty of time to brush up on colors and assorted vocabulary. Not to mention during an impromptu gatorade and pretzel picnic near Ortuca’s lair. The sky was grau, and we had an occasional snow flury–but it was a good first long run.

Plans are forming for the spring campaign. In particular, we’re thinking about a 1-2-3 strategy for distance. We’ll start with a 5k, run a half-marathon on or around April, and maybe do a marathon in June. For now, tschüss!

I meant to run more this winter. Managed an occasional short run. My training has suffered though. I’ve gained a little bit of weight. On Sunday we’re headed for an 8 miler. A distance neither of us would have thought much of just a few short months ago now looks potentially challenging.

This afternoon I’m writing city council to turn the water fountains on by the lake…

• 2 layers of socks
• long running pants
• 2 long sleeved t-shirts
• high-tech Brooks hoodie
• hat
• gloves

I turned up the beats on my phone’s mp3 player, and headed for the lakefront on 18th. This is a common route for Harvey and I.  From my house, 3 miles of easy streets to the beautiful lakefront. Even in the winter, she doesn’t let me down:

Then I turned north and aimed for Navy Pier. And that’s when things turned sour. I was now running into the wind. I could feel the cold. Also, I really wanted to use the bathroom, and all my usual warm-weather stops were closed for the season. And then I began to feel hungry. I think that’s what really did me in. I ran the 3 miles North to Navy Pier, totaling 6 miles. Used the facilities there and ate a seriously over-priced snack. It was while sitting at a McDonald’s table, eating dried fruit and nuts, that I realized I was done. I was not going to make it all the way to Belmont. I was cold, tired and honestly a little bored.

I picked myself up and took the bus home.

What was it? Was it that I hadn’t planned my food well? I only had cereal and some toast. And I started the run at 3pm. Or was it that I was under dressed? Perhaps I needed a heavier outer layer? Or was I just bored with my music?

I never get bored with the run. Tired, yes, on those long ones where I lose track of how many hours I’ve been out there. But not bored.

I wonder if I’m not taking myself seriously out there. I’m not just messing around. I’m training. And why do I run? Because I love the fresh air and the feeling of freedom. So my goal for the next run is to loosen up, have fun with it, but also to take myself seriously- if I set out to finish a certain distance, then I’ll do that.

20 degrees is not all that cold.

• regular running shoes
• two pairs of socks
• winter leggings
• long sleeve t-shirt
• brooks cold weather running hoodie
• light-weight gloves (next time I might add the heavier gloves)
• ear warmers

4 miles of looping around a park in my neighborhood. I am lucky that they shovel the snow on the path for the most part. I went out at 4:30pm, so the first half of my run was in daylight. I only had so deal with some darkness and dropping temps, but by then, I was warm. Seems my biggest struggle is finding daylight to run in. With winter’s obscenely brief sunlight hours, this is difficult. I will treasure our long run on Sunday, where I hope most, if not all, of the run will be in the light of day.

Today I’m hoping to tackle a brief 3-miler out in the suburbs while I visit family. Looking forward to enjoying the plowed bike-path along the river. It’s a beautiful run, I can tell already.

Hot and sweaty? Nope. Dehydration? Nope. Sunburn? Nope. Crowded lakefront path? Nope.

However, winter does present a few obstacles. So I present to you, my method of approaching this strange beast of winter running:

Post-marathon it has been hard to motivate myself to get out there. Where previously I had been running 4 times a week for 20-35 miles per week, now I am lucky if I make it out there 2 times a week for a total of 10-15 miles. I love running, and once I’m outside I am fine. It’s a matter of motivation. So I tried to peg down exactly what was keeping me from getting out there and pounding some pavement.

The Cold

Layer it up. Today was about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. I wore my stretch running pants that are similar to running tights, a long sleeved t-shirt, my high-tech Brooks hoodie, and earwarmers. (Note, the earwarmers were used mostly to keep my earbuds in my ears. Not for warmth.) My hands got chilly along the lakefront, and next time I will wear light gloves.

As it gets colder, I’ll add more layers. Layers trap in heat, insulating you from the cold, with the added advantage that you can remove them if you get too warm. I do recommend warm winter running socks, especially if your running shoes have a lot of mesh. If you’ve got dough to throw around, get a pair of winter shoes with a gortex upper. I don’t have that option, so I’m focusing on socks. Later in the winter, when the air is very cold, I add a scarf to the mix. I cover my nose and mouth with it. so that I breath in warm, moist air, instead of cold, dry air.

I would also recommend warming up inside before you head out. A few jumping jacks will get the blood flowing. Start warm, and it will be easier to stay warm.

Also, watch out for the wind. Running into the wind will drop your body temp very fast. Start off running into the wind, and come back with it at your back. Why? Because if you do it the other way, you will warm up and sweat, then turn around and freeze the sweat, making you even colder. If it’s very windy, do more smaller loops so that you are not continually exposed to the wind for too long.

Dark Mornings

Morning runners, I feel your pain. It is not easy to pull myself out of bed when it is dark outside to go for a run. My tricks? Turn on the light immediately after turning off that alarm clock. Wear something bright. I am a hypocrit right now, as I have been wearing black and dark purple mostly, however if you want the drivers to see you, then wear something they can’t ignore. Luckily neon is in fashion right now, so it’s fairly easy to find.

Slippery surfaces

This is a tricky one. You can’t shovel the whole world. I try to get to know my neighborhood. Try different routes and pay attention to where people shovel/ salt the sidewalks and where it is left icy. When there is no better option, I run in the street. Run on the left, facing traffic. That way they can see you, and you can see them. Added benefit- the road is a softer surface than the sidewalk, so it is better for your joints.

The best part about winter running, is that I can really relax and have fun with it. I can’t try and PR when the sidewalks are slick, so I don’t pay attention to that stopwatch on my wrist, and I don’t track the distance using the GPS on my phone. I just run. These days, while my running partner is away for the holidays, I am re-learning to run on my own. I’m listening to music and letting the world roll by as if I’m in a movie with a great soundtrack, or perhaps some kick-ass music video. I notice all the little details in my neighborhood. I say hi to the tamale guy, who braves the cold no matter what. Strangers stop me for directions, making me feel proud to know this city from the perspective of my feet. Today I called 311, to report a water main break, as I watched water gush out of the middle of the street. Check out these little snippets of today’s long run (8 miles).

Empty harbor.

Many levels of construction, slowly eroding.

That water fountain will not give me a drop of water until Memorial Day. It taunts me until then.

Geese do this and cows do this in the cold- face into the wind.

Things get frozen to the ground. This newspaper is like a sculpture now.

My favorite thing about winter running is the friendly winter runners. Today nearly every runner I passed said hello. In the summer, no one says hi. There are too many people, especially on the Lakefront Path. In the winter, we are few, and suddenly much more allied. Also, coming inside after the run is thoroughly rewarding. That hot cup of coffee satisfies in a much deeper way than usual, warming me from the inside out. And today really felt like the weekend, when I cooked up walnut banana pancakes for breakfast and eggs. Yum! Fuel for the furnace.