Baby, It's Cold Outside

I left the house this morning at 7 a.m., and the temperature was 38 degrees.  By the time I finished my meeting at 8:15, it was 30.  By the time we ran at 1:30, the temperature had dropped was at 25.  Twenty-five, with a strong wind, and a wind-chill of 11, running on the lake.  Even the ducks were shivering.  We discussed making it a shorter run, especially when the cold weather triggered my asthma.  However, I am 19 days from the marathon, and I need to run/walk/move as much as I possibly can, so we ran from MoPac to Congress Ave, with a few short walks along the way so I could take a hit on the inhaler and catch my breath.  The first leg, other then asthma, was not all that bad.  I had a good level of energy, the wind at my back, and a very warm fleece jacket.  OK, my ears burned from the wind, but other then that, I was making it.  However, once we crossed the river on Congress Avenue, we came to a stark and scary realization:  running into the wind with an 11 degree wind-chill is just, well, insane.  It reminded me of my days in Upstate New York and the reason that I left!  It is now 3 hours after the run, and I am still feeling cold.  I am just now able to type, as my fingers are now thawing out.

After the run, I attended my Club's J.K. Livin' program, a fitness program sponsored by Matthew McConaughey's J.K. Livin' Foundation.  I worked out with the students, and for the first time since my accident, completed the entire workout, including 60 push-ups.  This is the first time I've done push-ups since breaking my elbow in November.  I felt very good afterward, and it gave me a renewed sense  of self, and while I feel the workout in my arms and abs, I am once again reassured in my ability to complete the marathon.

If you would like to support me in running, here are two opportunities.  The first is that you can make a donation through my marathon fundraiser page at http://bgcaustin.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=453053&lis=1&kntae453053=9CD2B0C8FA3648A29564247BDB045012&supId=286365985.  My goal is to raise $7,500 for the Club, and I am currently at  $5,664.  The second way you can support me if you are in Austin, is to join me for a Be Grape Wine Tasting and Marathon Kick-Off at Water 2 Wine in North Austin.  Details about this event can be found at https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=179796632059571.  This will be a fun event, with all the wine you can drink for only $25!  And if you are unable to support me with these, then simply a note of encouragement will work wonders and carry me miles!

So, until next time, Run, Live, Sleep, Repeat!