A Winter Runner.

Running is not a seasonal sport. Runners go out in the heat and in the cold. Good weather or bad runners can be found pounding the miles along the road. Shortly after we had started running together seven years ago, I asked my friend Carrie if she would still run if it was raining. She looked at me as if I had insulted her, and said, "I am not made of sugar." We headed out into a torrent of blinding downpours, thunder and lightening cracking near by. We have since run in ice storms, rain, cold, extreme heat and long into the evening through to the next day. As the that first summer of running came to an end she warned me that she is not a winter runner and would be retreating into the gym with the cold, and loss of day light savings time. We ran that winter, and every winter since. Every year she warns me that she will be retreating to the gym for the winter and yet every year we run through the winter. Winter returned about a week ago and the temperatures around here are getting scary. I warned her that Thursday the high temperature is only supposed to reach 18. I gave her an out to our weekly run. She emailed me back saying let's plan on running. Last night in an IM she said she had run that evening in 12 degree weather. She can no longer pretend to be a seasonal runner.