Defying the Radar

Hurricane Delta made landfall in Louisiana today, the 30th named storm of the hurricane season.  With global climate change, these storms are becoming more numerous and more powerful; there were so many this year that they ran out of letters in the alphabet and had to begin again with the Greek alphabet.  Looking ahead at the forecast, most of the rain was expected to arrive in Western North Carolina on Saturday and Sunday, so I decided to re-schedule my Saturday long run for today.  So I was surprised when I awoke to light rain on the roof this morning.  The radar showed something I have rarely seen - a long, thin arm stretching out ahead of the approaching system, directly over Highlands, as if deliberately trying to intimidate a runner like myself who no longer enjoys getting drenched in "character-building" runs.

 

I decided to defy the radar and drive to Town anyway.  It was warm, and the rain was the type that would grow in intensity and then in a few minutes almost cease entirely.  I had several errands to do - post office, bank, grocery store - and I went ahead with them, conscious that usually the radar does not lie and that arm extending out over Highlands was not likely to disappear.  It seemed to be moving due east, with even more intense rain to come.  But as I sat in my car, it seemed as if the rain was diminishing more and more, and finally there was nothing but a light mist on the windshield.  I headed out for my "long" run, thinking that at least I might be able to complete a mile, maybe two, staying close to shelter in case it began to pour.  Martha had asked me to report on conditions so I texted her:

 

"Light rain.  I've done all my errands.  Seems to be letting up although radar shows more coming.  Think I'll try a couple of miles."  She immediately replied:  "You're not right in the head."

After a mile, it had stopped completely, replaced by fog.  And after another mile it was still clear.  So I tried another, and another.  It was so warm that I changed into a sleeveless shirt.  Still another mile.  And the autumn colors seemed to be even more brilliant in the fog!  The burning bushes near the Highlands School track were absolutely gorgeous.

Finally, my watch showed six miles completed, just as I returned on another loop to the car.  And just at that moment the rain began again, as if on cue.  I called it a day, and gave thanks for finding a window of opportunity despite the radar.  Sometimes we are rewarded by defying what seems inevitable.  I've experienced the opposite often enough!