Somewhere in February, the arctic air took over Maryland. With temperatures in single digits and winds that put the “real feel” even colder, my exercise wardrobe morphed from running tights and windbreaker jackets to ski parkas, ski pants, sheep lined boots, and goggles. And no, I wasn’t skiing.
I “get it” that my neighbors north of Maryland – are faring much worse. I can’t even begin to feel their frozen pain. Yet for 2015, Maryland has become ‘one’ with Canada. Can’t we just start an early spring? But no. That little groundhog from Pennsylvania (Phil) had other plans…
Today, I will run the Charleston Half Marathon – which is a charity running event that supports the Arts in Charleston SC. We left our campground in Mount Pleasant by 6AM – for a 30 minute drive into downtown Charleston. At 36 degrees, I was expecting to be cold, bone cold while waiting outdoors 1.5 hours for the 8AM start. I was thrilled to find that the Burke Middle School was open to the runners, and all 4300 of us piled inside to stay warm.
This is where I met Rosanne – a lovely lady in her early 50’s who is a cancer survivor and has run over 30 marathons and a few Iron-Man triathlons. She was quite inspiring and engaging and I nearly forgot that I was preparing to run a half marathon. With 10 minutes before the race starts, I said goodbye to my new friend – and stepped outdoors. Brrr. I was wearing too many clothes for running – but I really need to stay warm at the start. Aaah, the runner’s dilemma boils down to how much clothing to wear. Continue reading Taking in Charleston via the Charleston Half Marathon and 5K→
