Sunday, December 20, 2009

Yak Traks and gaiters

Are essential pieces of gear for running in the deep snow. Down here on Long Island yesterday's storm dumped more than a foot of snow. Not to be stopped from my long run by a mere dusting
I lined my shoes with plastic bags, velcroed up my knee-high gaiters and cinched on my new Yak Traks.   Off I went into the unexpectadely bright day and began to run.

I was forced to weave between the street and the sidewalk as I kept encountering unshoveled areas.  Parts of the road were very clear and I began to worry that I would damage the Traks so I tried to run on the packed snow and ice. Footing was only an issue in the loose snow.

I got to the park and took a moment to watch all the kids sledding down the hill. Fun times.  Them I headed out down the trail and into the deep snow. For awhile I followed in the skiiers and snowshoers' tracks but soon enough there was nothing but virgin snow ahead of me. All alone in the woods I fought to keep my pace and to keep gliding though the snow. Looking back all I could seen were my footprints, a steady row of indents in the otherwise unblemished ground cover.

As I ran I thought about how, when I tell stories such as this, the most common reaction from others is to ask why would I run in 2 feet of snow. The only answer I could think of was that I do it because I can.  And that really is reason enough.

1 comment:

  1. wait, who asks you that?
    and why are you down there?
    and the storm hit there yesterday? I ran in Maine this a.m.
    -5 with the wind chill and snow pelting my face. Are you going to ask why I ran in that? Just kidding...

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