roadrunner blues

I'm a lover of winter. Usually, I complain about the lack of snow in Connecticut, and hoard the pleasure of each snowfall by spending as much time as possible in the fluffy stuff. The reason I have never invested in a pair of running snowshoes is because, prior to this year, there has not been a winter during which the trails were rendered un-runable by more traditional methods (trail shoes and a pair of Yaktrax). Sure, there was some post-holing once in a while, but in general, a snowy path simply meant a colder, more intense workout.

Today, though, I’m saying “Uncle.” While the roof-raking, ice-chopping and shoveling have added some variety to the cross-training routine (not to mention an excuse to use my long-neglected ice axe), I am missing the trail. Our Tuesday trail runs have been snowed out for at least three weeks. My snowshoes are too clunky for running. I’m losing sleep because I can feel the roof getting heavier and heavier.

Consequently, I have neglected the blog. I just haven’t been inspired by my workouts.

One exception: our second annual winter ascent of Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire. This year, there were seven of us (Anne, Mirela, Joshi, Steffi, Lisa, Fran and this writer), and though we packed a lot of gear (snowshoes, crampons, mountaineering boots, ice axe), the conditions were such that all we really had to do was hike. We took the Spellman-Pumpelly route, which is a bit dicey in certain spots, but appealing because it is more technical and therefore less travelled. Last year, the exposed section was a blanket of ice, and crampons were mandatory. This year, though the footing was a somewhat uncertain at times, we managed to ascend in just boots.

The descent was quick and slippery: we were able to slide down a good portion of the trail on our bottoms (those of us who opted for rain pants had an especially fast ride).

We capped the “cross training” trip off with a trip to the People’s Pint in Greenfield (see photo, below).

Since then, I’ve been back on the road. Today, I managed a hilly 13 miles from my house, and though I had to stop every couple of minutes to let cars pass (yes, the roads are that narrow), I was elated to be out in the sunshine after days of being cooped up with the kids. The glare was a little intense for my generic sunglasses, but the trees glistened and sparkled. The most picturesque portion of the run was Blue Hills Orchards in Wallingford (I snapped two photos on my phone, but don’t have the equipment to upload them to my p.c.). I love this section in every season, but rarely do I have the opportunity to see the hills covered in so much powder.

Heading back toward home, I stopped by the DeDominicis Trail on Old Lane Road (one of our favorites) to investigate the conditions. The trailhead was completely blocked by about 6-feet of ice-encrusted snow, and the trail itself was untrodden. For two or three steps, it almost seemed as though the ice would hold my weight, and I was almost giddy. I considered running home, grabbing my Yaktrax, and coming right back. But before the idea had even registered, I sank, and my shins crashed up against shards of ice. Sigh. Back to the roads.