Love/Hate & Sock Swap Details

I'm having a big love/hate thing with my running right now.  Ok, not so much the actually running, but the conditions that I'm out about in.  I do a large percentage of my running outdoors.  I just can't stand to be inside that much.  Since I live in the midwest we experience all 4 seasons to the max.  This year it seems more than usual the weather conditions we are having.  I'm used to all the cold, ice & snow in January or February.  And it's not even officially winter yet & I've had enough.  To add to the conditions it keeps changing in drastic ways.  10 days ago I was putting on 4 layers & running in sub 0 degrees.  Today I had on a light layer and that was almost too much.  MAKE UP YOUR MIND!!!!

I'm not complaining.  Really!  It does keep things interesting.  And just when I think I can't take another sub 0 run it warms up to 29 and it feels like I'm lounging on a beach.  So I'm thankful for the variety, it's just so silly, crazy & unpredictable.

The one thing I really struggle with is the snow.  It comes in as a close #2 thing I hate about running outside, right behind wind.  I can handle all the heat and/or extreme cold in the world & still run happy as a clam.  But add some wind and I'm about to die.  And snow......UGH!  We are just not friends.  In theory I like the idea of snow, but there seems to be no happy medium with it.  It's either really soft & fluffy, which looks amazing & so pretty, but all I do is slip & slide around in it.  Or it's slushy & wet & all I do is slip & slide around in it.  The only kind of snow I seems to like to run in/on is the hard packed kind, but then that gets tricky because we can easily slip (ha, ha....get it) into icy conditions.  So no matter how I look at it snow & I are not getting along.  Yet what do I do most of the time.....I head out the door & run in it.

Running at 4:30 or 5:30 a.m. has it's many advantages.  Yes, I know some of you can't think of one, but for me it's rather delightful & ideal.  One of them being there is little to no traffic out at that time.  So while so many sidewalks or the side of roads are still filled with snow I can avoid them & run in the street & not worry about it.   But sometimes I get tired & want to "sleep in" (meaning I don't up until 5:30 - 6 a.m.) so I miss that opportunity to run.  On days like today I did just that, but on the positive side I get to head out in the daylight.  Some days, in addition to being tired, I just crave the sunlight.  My body just responds better & I'm just a hair more rested.  The downside is all the traffic I battle & being forced up on the sidewalks where I lament over my love/hate of the snow.  It's a never ending battle, one that I push through every single day.

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I participated in Third Time's a Charm Runner sock swap.  I was super excited & ripped open my package from Andrea over at Age Groups Rock.  It came to me all the way from Vermont.  I don't think I've ever known anyone from Vermont.  How exciting!!!!  Here is what she sent me:

I love the socks, not only the Santa ones, but the Darn Tough one's are made in Vermont.  I love getting treats too and Luna is my maiden name so I love those bars as well!  Thank you so much Andrea for everything you sent me.  I loved it so much!!

Do you like running in the snow?

Did you participate in a secret santa or gift exchange of some kind?