Running in the snow and wind. A (running) commentary

Yesterday started off with a very loud alarm at 5am. I usually wake up a few minutes before my alarm and shut it off, but I guess my body needed those extra moments of deep sleep. Looking outside to see how much snow had fallen, I also saw that it was only -6C and that the wind was howling thru the cedars in my backyard. Well at least we hadn't gotten all that snow that we were promised. But it was coming.

All 'Vaselined' up and out the door by 5:45. The roads were fine and the parking lot was plowed enough that I could see the lines. Suited up, strapped on the water belt, and tightened up the hood, we were off by 6:02ish.

Running north was okay through the houses with some brief crosswind blasts on the hydro fields. It was still pretty dark when we reached the end of the street lights on Dixie, so it was time to don the headlamps (which are now becoming a fixture of our runs). We didn't really have anyone pass us until we were running north on Whites. We still had quite a crosswind but it wasn't too much to worry about. When we turned on to Taunton Rd and started heading East into the wind was when we felt the full force of the 40km gusts. They were enough to stand you up in your tracks. Still, it was only a wind, the temperature was -10C with the windchill and I joked that this was a beautiful spring day in Winnipeg and that we had nothing really to complain about. We got quite a few looks from cars passing by on Taunton because we were in the middle of nowhere and heading out.

As soon as we turned on to sideline 26 we warmed back up again and enjoyed making the first tracks down an untouched blanket of snow. Turning onto Con #5 was nice because we had the full wind at our backs and the road to ourselves. By the time we reached Whitevale, people were already out shoveling their driveways and we were able to say our hellos.

After we stopped for a gel break at the top of 11th sideroad, we looked down the road that was before us. The wind had picked up and it was blowing directly across the road. It was really heavy snow and the wind was enough to blow us out of our shoes. We bundled up and used our hoods to shield the left side of our faces. Wouldn't it be useful if you could turn your hood to cover the whole side of your head? After 2 km of that there was a long stretch of trees to run in and it was great to have a respite from the howling wind. We really didn't get a break from the wind again until we were heading down into the valley along Plug Hat rd. It was at this point that the snow falling had become the size of quarters and actually splatted when they hit you. It really was a winter wonderland point of the run.

The road was easy to run on past the zoo with only a few cars with waving drivers. We saw a few buses and then we finally saw some other pedestrians when we reached the Gas Station at Sheppard Ave. After filling up our water bottles we turned our run back into the wind for the final 9.5km of the run.

Dropping into the Rouge Valley was quite a lesson in traction. With little or no chance of stopping or changing direction coming down "the Hill" (you know the one I am talking about), I was glad to see that there were no cars along this stretch of road. The only vehicles we saw were 4X4's and snowplows through the Twyn Rivers. We got to the first bridge and had to stop to look down at the ice flows weaving their way down the river. The next section of the road was the part that made the whole ordeal worth while. Large flakes floated in the air while everywhere you looked were snow covered branches and trees. The scene would have rivaled any calendar photo you have ever seen. Coming out of the valley is always tough but it was especially tough this time with the snow and lack of traction. That is when the wind hit us.

For the last 7 km stretch along Strouds back to home, we were running straight into the wind and heavy snow. The snow was now coming down pretty hard and the wind had really picked up. At points you couldn't see because the snow was blowing into your eyes. Also, the road was becoming more and more snow covered so it was hard to find easy purchase.

In the end we weren't too far off pace of what we had done last weekend in perfect conditions. I believe that these kind of runs not only build the physical endurance and strength to complete a distance event, but they also build your mental toughness and the ability to overcome the mental barriers that we put on ourselves. After all, we have run in colder, we have run further, it has been windier, and it has been icier. It builds character and it makes you realize that running is just putting one foot in front of the other and then repeating this action. So as long as you are prepared for the elements and the hazards that they represent, you can run in any type of weather or conditions. These type of runs are the ones that you look back on in the final kms of your marathon or race, where you are telling yourself that you can't possibly go on, you are spent and sore, it is too windy or too cold, or it just isn't your day...and then you tell yourself that it is just one foot in front of the other and that sometimes it is supposed to be hard.

Would it have been better to head to the dome and do laps? Maybe next time.