First winter run

Winter was a long time coming this year but, when it arrived, it came with a vengeance.  The scene above awaited me as I stepped off the ferry last night.  By morning, things had improved considerably but roads and sidewalks remained treacherous. Fortunately, warmer temperatures cleaned up the worst of the mess by this afternoon so I looked forward to joining my friend Sue for a mellow 10km run home this evening.

As it turned out, it was a lovely first run of the winter season.  Temperatures dropped quickly as darkness fell but the skies were clear and there was little wind. We ran a long loop into the south end of the city before turning to head towards Dartmouth and across the old MacDonald Bridge - swapping stories, laughing and offering advice and support the whole way.

I'm very grateful to have Sue in my life. She's a wonderfully kind and gentle person, full of good humour, wisdom and common sense. Born and raised in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, she's worked incredibly hard her whole life and raised two great kids pretty much on her own. Best of all, she's at least as passionate about running as I am - passionate enough to run no matter how tired she feels or how bad the weather.

Over the years, we've completed some tough training runs together - through sleet and freezing rain, on ice-covered sidewalks, over waist-high snowbanks, and against miserable northeast winds that threatened to blow us off our feet. Fortunately, tonight's run wasn't one of those.

Tonight was crisp and starry-skied. The roads and sidewalks were mostly clear and dry. And the fresh snow shone brightly making the world feel new and everything seem possible.

 

Sue is headed for Las Vegas next week to run another marathon which she hopes to complete in a "personal best" time of just under 4:30. I feel sure she's up to the challenge. After training hard all year and completing several half marathons, she tackled the many hills on our route home tonight with ease and was still fresh and energetic as we said goodnight.

Thank you, Sue - for sharing the first run of this winter season with me, and for being such a terrific friend and running companion over the years.  And good luck in Vegas! I look forward to hearing all about it when you get back.