"And This Here's Our Pride And Joy, Snots."

This morning's earlybird forecast was 15 and light snow flurries in the city of Boston.  Sounded pretty good to me as it was either that or the gym tonight.  I'll take the cold please.  Plain and simple.  I got up at my usual 4:30 AM to get ready and catch the first train into the city.  The same cast of characters greeted me on the train. They were all bundled up in their warm winter woollies while I was in my minimalist running gear along with an accent of random goosebumps. They may have the upper hand now I thought, but wait until mid-run.  I'll be hot and sweaty.  Who will have the upper hand then?  Ha!

I got to South Station and started on my run. My goodness it was COLD. Cold enough for the proverbial, thingy mabopper to kick in.  You know, the wet um...  OK, snots!  There, I said it. The inevitable faucet that runs from your schnoz like Niagara Falls.  All I could think of was Eddie from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  "Snots, you roll over and let Uncle Clark scratch your belly".  "Snots", I giggle like a six year old every time I hear that word.  It gets me every time. 

There is the non-glamorous side of running that all runners experience.  The chafing.  Ouch. The sore muscles.  Where's my foam roller?  Runner's toe. [Disclaimer: Those who are squeamish please skip ahead a bit... For those who are not familiar, it is where the nail bed turns black and then a couple of days later you get to peel your toenail off.  It is actually kind of funky weird- that's for another post though].  The snots.  Gross.  Not really if you have a good pair of absorbent running gloves. OK, it is kinda gross but you do what you have to with what you have.  In the end, it is all worth it. Turning a perfectly clean and dry set of running gear into a not so clean and wet set of running gear with a few side effects is pure joy. 

Eddie: "That's something, ain't it? You pet him, Clark, on the belly and, he'll love you till the day you die." Clark: "I really shouldn't. My hands are all chapped."  I forgot all about things being chapped!  Oh, snots!

Until next time, keep on runnin'!