Dreaming of Sunshine and Ocean Breezes...

Twenty miles at Horsetooth on Centennial Drive this morning. Going north, the wind was howling with gusts that blew me backward, I was struggling to stand up a few times. Then the wind started spitting cold white snowflakes at me. There were whitecaps on the reservoir.

There was a bike race going on, the collegiate national championships. It was cool to watch the cyclists, but I can't imagine worse conditions for riding. I hope most of the race was done before the wind got bad.

Will it EVER be spring in Ft. Collins?

I wore two winter jackets over my black thick hooded sweatshirt over my shirt and a black ski hat with my sun hat on top. Black fleece-lined tights under my double layer black windpants. I did 45 minutes in the sauna after my run. It was hard to move my arms and legs, they were stiff with all the layers. When I was done my clothes felt like they weighed an extra 20 pounds.

Sometimes I get the feeling the weather gods are challenging me. I had to work too hard to be warm! When you're so bundled up, you can't bend your knees or elbows, it's hard to run! I wasn't going to let a little wind discourage me. I stayed out there and pushed into it. It's only going to make me tougher for Badwater. I gave the proverbial finger back to the wind, BRING IT ON!

Today I talked to my dad and stepmom on the phone, they are down in Arizona where it's warm, and tomorrow they are going to Las Vegas for a business trade show all next week. I wish I could go meet them and run in the heat. They mailed a donation to the Foundation for the Cancer Care Fund. They also sent something to me, to contribute to my Badwater budget, which will help cover some of the added costs now that gas prices are so high.

I started saving money a year ago and the only thing that has changed is the price of gas. When we go out there in two weeks, I'll see what gas costs now. It could be six dollars a gallon in Death Valley National Park.

Then I got an early Mother's Day gift from the Buffaloes when Dennis came home from work. They got me flowers. Thank you, Buffaloes.

After I finish Badwater I just want to go somewhere and expose my skin to the air. Maybe I can go someplace where I can feel the sun and the ocean breeze before this fall. I envy all those girls I see out running in jogbras and shorts lately. Only two more months of dressing for the North Pole!