OK.....so it's snowing and tempatures have dropped down to around zero, lately. Think we have it bad (I actually like winter!), I spoke with Kris Hartner at Naperville Running Company, near Chicago and he said tempatures there were "-17 degrees with no wind chill". John Clark, from Skinny Raven Sports in Anchorage said Temps there haven't been above 0 degrees for days and they just had a warm spell at 11 degrees (at least we get sunlight!) and Scott Dvorak, owner of Charlotte Running in NC was whining because he had to run in 17 degree weather one morning. Needless to say, runner's will adapt and run through the elements. Thursday night, with Temps near 0, 15 brave souls showed up at MRC to do their weekly hill workout. Blaine Moore brings his drill and folks just put screws in their shoes, layer up, put a reflective vest on and off they go.

Talk about role reversal, how about Jan Gagnier and Kathy Bowe, just completing the Disney 1/2 Marathon and already back at it, to brave the elements....Let's see, 75 degrees down to sub-zero....that's a conundrum if I've ever seen one.

I, for one, would much rather have 20 degree temps vs. 95 degrees and 90% humidity in July and August. Having spent my college years at the University of Florida, I can attest that you can only take off so many clothes, but here in New England, at least you can put on more layers. Also, there is nothing exciting about having your feet soaked with sweat and having your shoes eaten alive by your bodies salt, etc..... even tech socks don't help in those conditions. That's not to say I didn't enjoy those 60 degree January days, cause I did!

OK..so the Mid Winter Classic is in two weeks and pitchers and catchers report in four...there is hope on the horizon. Usually 800 runners look forward to this classic race, with some using as a litmus test for their winter conditioning or Boston Marathon Training. Even with Winter....runners run and most Run Happy!