Freezing Eyeballs

Well, hour run today. Got home from work and I was sooooo not excited about this run. Running's usually my thing--got started in the tri stuff by first doing lots of road racing--but not today. It was sunny and pretty out. And 12 degrees. Hmmm...decisions, decisions. Do I brave it or head to the gym?

God, I hate the treadmill.

Okay. I can do this. Layered up like crazy. Headed out.

DEAR LORD it's cold. And I LIKE cold. But this was almost too much for even ME.

The first ten minutes were brutal. I felt my chin go numb, and then my nose. My cheeks stung. The speedwork was outta the question today--too much ice and the sun was already setting when I headed out a little before 5. All I could think about was how much my face hurt. Is it possible to have cold eyeballs? I swear I felt it. The scarf thing around my mouth made condensation collect on my eyelids and I could literally SEE mini-icicles forming over each eyelash. I could only imagine this morning's mascara everywhere....good thing I don't care! :)

Then I started to just focus on my breathing, kinda like I do at yoga. It makes those wack poses we do seem not as painful. Before I knew it, my face accepted its fate of an hour of numbness and I was able to move. Hit 30 minutes and turned around. The heart rate moniter beeped whenever I went over 157, so that kept me in line.

People started turning on their Christmas lights. It was fun to see them and also to see the strange looks on people's faces as I ran by their cars. You could almost hear them say, "Nutjob!"

Finally made it home. I win. Cold loses.

Walked in to see my husband had made cookies. (Okay, so they were the pull apart kind but still yummy) "Honey, I'm hooooome!" Kind of a reverse 1950s thing. I dig it.

Now onto a nice hot bath....ahhh....