First Snow of the Year

Training Log 11/18 - 11/25
M - 6 miles on Sailing Hawks
T - 6 miles on Sailing Hawks
W - 6 miles on Sailing Hawks
T - 6 miles on Sailing Hawks
F - 8 miles on Animas City Mountain in about 6 inches of snow
S - 9 miles on the Colorado Trail, Junction Creek Trailhead, slick with snow and ice
S - 8 miles on Animas City Mountain
Week = 49 miles ( with the last three days in the snow, I'll count it as 50)

After what seemed like months of mild temperatures, abundant sunshine, and blue skies, winter finally arrived here in the sunny South West. Thanksgiving was cool and crisp, and one of the first frosts of the year graced my windshield. Though I'd planned on doing the Turkey Trot, cooking duties forced me to reconsider me obligations - probably a wide decision on my part to choose Thansgiving dinner over racing. The next morning was quiet and white, the first snowfall of the year blanketing streets, trees, and all of the surrounding mountains. My trail runs on Animas and the Colorado Trail were profoundly different experiences, the snow forcing me to work much harder to maintain my balance, traction, and momentum while also bathing the canyons and forests with serenity and stillness. Every trail and every step, though I'd passed over them countless times before, was a new experience for me, the snow and winter changing everything. The snow certainly makes trail running both more challenging and more exciting. With several feet of snow in the mountains, it looks as though I will be relegated to the lower elevation trails for the next couple months. However, if the constant sun that has greeted us for the last four days continues to make its presence felt, the trails may soon be snow free once again. Anyways, miles in the snow are harder and worth more in physical effort than normal miles. Yesterday the dogs and I took a somewhat easy 6 miles on sailing hawks hopping around in snow, ice, and of course, ample mud.