When I prepared to run this morning, I had to decide where to go. It was just starting to snow, and the temperature was 27 (F). I expected the Jordan River Parkway would have a lot of ice, due to the warm temps yesterday that melted snow and caused water to run on the Parkway path and cold temps last night. I figured that if I got out quite soon, I could complete my run before the snow started to collect on the path. This was important, because I wanted to be able to see the patches of ice and navigate around them. When I got to the Parkway, a 15 mph wind was blowing, and snow was drifting onto the path. I decided not to run on the Parkway, because I didn't want to risk having ice under the drifting snow. I drove back to my house and ran in neighborhood streets.
I had my ice cleats on, and I wanted to find a street that was all packed snow/ice, or a street that was all clear asphalt that I could run without the cleats. I ran a couple of miles checking out the streets and finally found a street that had strips of ice/snow the whole length (1/4 mile) that I could run with my cleats. So, I ran up and down that street for 4 miles. People seeing me through their window probably thought I was crazy. Even though I ran against a stiff headwind, I felt pretty good. In the reverse direction I had a tailwind that tried to push me, but I resisted going faster because I wanted to do a slow pace on the ice. During my run, the temperature got up to 36 (F), and I could tell the snow/ice was getting soft. I enjoyed my run even though it was a "different" run. I didn't get bored because I focused on completing each 1/4 mile leg of the run. All in all, I had a nice run.
After I returned home, I ate breakfast (I always do morning runs on an empty stomach) and then went for a 0.6 mile walk with my 5-year-old grandson. During the first half of the walk he enjoyed stomping on clumps of snow and breaking apart pieces of ice on the sidewalk by using a pencil as a "pick". However, he evidently got cold, because he walked the last half without stopping to stomp snow.
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