Rainy Friends and Crazy Miles

After the Thanksgiving holidays and Black Friday's crazy sleep schedule, I got out of my routine.  This usually happens around the holidays since I don't have to get up so early to run when I'm not working.  It doesn't take much and I am back to my old ways of staying up late and sleeping in (although I don't think my sleeping in now can hold a candle to what I used to do back in my high school and college years). 

Friday and Saturday were gorgeous days filled with all kinds of shopping and errands.  So when a rainy Sunday morning showed up, the lazies took hold with a vengeance.  I didn't do a thing.  Not one single thing.  And it was lovely.  But by the end of the day, I knew I was going to need a jolt to get me back into my routine, and with work starting back Monday so would my early morning runs.

I e-mailed my running crew about a morning run, but the weather did not look promising.  The forecast predicted 100% chance of rain for 5am Monday morning and I groaned in annoyance.  I don't get off work until 5pm and by then it is dark.  I'm not a big treadmill fan, but I will run on one if there are no other options.  I was trying to make a plan for the next day when I picked up my phone and noticed a text from Katie.  She wanted to know if I would run even if it was raining.  She wanted 12 miles and she wanted to start at 4:40am.  I said yes.  She probably knew I would, and that was the jolt I needed.

I checked the weather again, this time for the temperature.  If I was going to be wet, I needed to know how much more to wear to compensate.  For a rainy 44 degree morning, I chose calf tights, a long sleeved Nike shirt, a vest, a toboggan, and light gloves.  This turned out to be just right. 

There was a light but steady rain when I pulled up to our meeting place this morning.  Katie was already there and as I parked we shared a glance that said, "Are we really doing this?"  At least that's what I was thinking.  As soon as we got out of our cars, we started running.

It really was not so bad and we had a good time.  The rain came and went as we ran and chatted.  The miles seemed to go by quickly as they always do when I run with Katie.  We finished our 12 miles and we were both so glad to have gotten out there and done it.  It is hard for both of us to run any other time of the day, so even with the rain we knew this was our best shot.  Even being wet, I was warm and comfortable until I stopped running and then the cold set in quickly. 

We said a quick good-bye, still smiling after our rainy morning run.  I cranked up the heat in my car and rushed home to a hot shower and coffee.  As I drove to work I thought about the morning run and how I probably would not have gotten out there alone in the dark rain without Katie.  Sometimes, if you really want the miles, you have to get a little crazy to get them and I am so glad I have a running friend who will start at crazy early hours, run in crazy weather and help me get in those miles.