Memories

I sit here by the warm fire thinking back...

To this morning's run.

Yes, I remember. The snow falling in fat flakes piling up in huge sticky clumps. Clumps on the car, clumps in the road, clumps on my head. A running clump of snow.

I remember the slippery road. I remember thinking, "Thank goodness today's an easy day." A short easy stride. I remember feeling a little overdressed, a little too warm.

I remember around mile three realizing a wind has picked up. It's behind me. At mile four I remember the wind whipping up in a fury, the snow changing over to rain and back again. Back and forth. Back and forth.

I remember the snow getting so thick my glasses are getting caked. The inside of my glasses.

I remember taking off my glasses because I can't see. I still can't see. I turn into the wind. The snow isn't snow, it's sleet. It's stinging my face. I can't open my eyes.

I remember the 18 wheeler roaring around the corner. I swerve to the left into the deep snow. I fall.

I remember being one big slush ball. I put my glasses back on. I pull my hat low over my eyes. I stumble into the hard wind, the hard sleet, the hard going.

I remember counting down the mileage by half miles. "Three and one half miles to go. Three miles to go. Two and one half..."

I remember the friendly "Hey, there's Andy! He's crazy!" honks of the horn as cars creep by trying not to slide into me. I remember raising my hand in tired acknowledgment.

I remember arriving back at the house, so glad to be done. I sat by the fire, dripping, dripping, dripping.

Ah... memories.

11 miles @ 8:58 pace. HR 130.