Such a beautiful thing

There is something surreal about running in a snowstorm.

I was never an avid runner growing up here in Calgary. During my youth I never woke up and thought, "I'm going for a run today"!. It wasn't until I moved to Victoria and attended UVic where I developed the mindset "to run". Even then, I was just a fair weather runner. It was fair skies and a warm temperature all the way.

Now, just as my swimming and cycling, I haven't run in years. This was due in part to some serious health problems that I've had to over come and some other factors. I've only been running again for about 5 weeks and thus far my longest run has only been about 50 min (almost 5 km).

During this period I've ran outside a few times, mostly in the sunny warm "winter" Calgarians have enjoyed during January and early February.

Today was my run day. 30 min I needed to log. I could easily have ran on the treadmill at the Y and called it a day but for some reason I felt compelled to don my layers and run outside in the ice and snow. Not just snow on the ground, but snow flying though the air. We had a pretty intense weather system move though the city this morning.

There was the intense sound of the snow crunching under my feet, offset by the calm serenity of the air around me and the snowflakes falling silently from the sky. I've never ran outside in actual "winter conditions" before and for a first timer I can say it was unlike any run I've ever experienced before.

I can only hope I feel this invigorated after my 5 km race on St. Patty's Day!