We Do What We Have to Do

When the weather is as cold as it has been, and there is still snow on the ground, we do what we have to do.  We use a treadmill or elliptical.  And for those of us who have yet to find a treadmill that will accommodate us, we run back and forth and round and round.  Desperate for exercise, I went down to the small exercise room here at the condos on Monday, and while Martha used the treadmill, I ran up and down the short interior hallway just outside, back and forth, a hundred times, which I estimated to be about a mile.  It was not the most enjoyable workout but it was running.

By Wednesday, conditions had improved sufficiently outside that I was able to do the same thing under the covered parking area.  It was nearly as tedious as hall-running, but at least I was outside in the cold, fresh air, recording my progress on my Garmin (which had not worked in the hallway).  

Today – finally! – the sun was bright, and the snow had melted enough that we were both able to get outside in the bright sunshine.  Martha walked about four miles, and I ran two, round and round in the parking lot, then out on the road into the adjoining subdivision.  It felt wonderful. 

I cannot imagine spending a winter in northern climates where indoor tracks and treadmills are the only option for a runner.  I suppose they adapt, wearing cleats on their shoes (something that I actually tried several years ago in the winter without much success) and bundling up against frostbite.  And I remember that one young woman from Alaska even qualified for the marathon Olympic Trials one year by training entirely on a treadmill.  But for me it is so much better to be out of doors, on roads and sidewalks, even when the temperatures are cold. 

Next week, the weather is predicted to change back into more seasonable temperatures, and we are both looking forward to that.  We might even be able to run on the beach, something I have not done for two weeks.  Meanwhile, we do what we have to do.

Winter Weather III

This weekend, all of the predictions of snow here in Atlantic Beach proved to be accurate.  According to Facebook posts, at least 15 inches of snow accumulated, blowing all day in wild gusts of wind as high as 50 mph, and obscuring the view of the ocean from the condo.  There were credible reports of four- to six-foot "drifts,” which to my amusement the local weatherman had to define for coastal residents who had likely never seen more than a two- or three-inch snow in their lives.  I wondered idly this morning if the young “prophetesses” I wrote about yesterday had predicted this snow?  Or knew what a drift was?  

We awoke to the deepest snow we have seen here, piled perhaps eight inches on our outside table on the balcony, but with knee-high or even waist-high drifts out below the building where I did not venture.  I managed to make my way down the outside stairs yesterday – the elevators were not operational – and into the small exercise room on the ground floor, where I worked out on the elliptical machine and managed to do a set of squats and curls and 100 pushups.  My muscles are still sore today!  But I did not venture down there today, opting to do my Tai Chi here in the condo. 

Our time in Atlantic Beach started off promisingly enough, with a hike at Fort Macon and three-mile runs on Wednesday and Friday.  But I have not run a step in nine days due to the weather, not just because of the snow, but because of the brutal cold and wind chill, which this morning was five below zero. 

So we spent this Sunday morning listening to our Pastor, Randy Lucas, on Facebook, broadcasting from his home on Cherokee Drive - guitar in hand, fireplace in background.  Another excellent sermon on the Beatitudes.  Martha baked biscuits and made a delicious omelet.  We checked on friends back in Highlands, and they checked on us here, having learned from the news that we received more snow than many of they did.  We are thankful that the power is still on, and we are warm and well-provisioned.  I think we will enjoy being snowbound for the day!  We have plenty of books.  And it may be time for a game of Scrabble!