Spring (Winter) Blues

I have never begun training for the Maine Marathon this early in the season.  I am excited about the longer plan, a more gradual lead up to the currently inconceivable 26 miles.  I also like that it includes a couple of long runs that are further than the end goal, as the psychological aspect of hitting that point that is 'the furthest I've ever run this year' really messes with me.  Everything about it is good- it will help me to trim a few pounds (courtesy of Bissell Brothers Substance Ale and vegan donuts from The Holy Donut) before it is time for the hardest work. 

But the problem with all of this is that it has me running long distances in March.  More precisely, it has me running long distances this ridiculous March!  I ran through ridiculous conditions, slapping my yack tracks to the bottom of my sneakers and chalking it up to being a bad ass that didn't care that it was sleeting.  I wore ridiculous amounts of clothing.  In previous years, my cut off temperature was 20 degrees.  This year I ran as long as it was 5 degrees with wind chill factored in.  I even bought

a pair of running snow shoes to try to channel the childlike wonder of being in the middle of a winter storm.  All of this worked for a while...

But now I am done!  I want sun.  I want to be able to expose my skin without fear of frostbite.  I want the path to give under me feet- for mud to squish out everywhere.  I want to think about sunscreen instead of layers and I want to see something other than snow and ice.  I want to put my yak tracks and snowshoes into the very back of the closet where they will sit until I need sanity next winter.  Please, Mother Nature, show a girl some mercy!