The steam rising from the pond taunted me as I began my run in the sub-freezing temperatures. At 14 degrees Fahrenheit, any steam escaping my nose was immediately crystallized to (delicately, I’m sure) encircle my nostrils. The sun was just barely coming over the horizon at 8 AM.
It was my day to increase my run to seven miles. The basically one mile loop around the Wilson Springs fishing ponds is less than five minutes from my house. I don’t have to deal with traffic while running there; plus, others can come along with me and run or walk at their own paces, but we still see each other frequently.
I wore my Soft Star Moc3 running moccasins this morning. I had been running completely barefoot most of the summer during my training, reaching a five mile distance without any footwear, working up to participating in a barefoot 5K in October. When the winter weather came, I found my feet got both numb and painful if the temperature went below 32 degrees. Advice from Maple Grove Barefoot Guy was greatly appreciated and I donned my winter running shoes with less guilt. Barefoot Bob gave me hope about spring transitions.
At first, I REALLY didn’t like the loss of barefoot feedback while running, but the comfort of warmth has compensated for much of that. AND I was pleased to find that even with ski socks from smartwool.com, the Moc3’s were allowing for good ground feel. My tootsies were not too hot and not at all chilled, yet the soles of the shoes were thin enough that I still had to watch carefully where I put my foot, enforcing good barefoot running habits.
The path starts off as asphalt next to the parking lot, but there is a constant scattering of gravel, along with proof of duck traffic. I wished I had brought something to cover my face, although every other inch of me was covered or double covered. My average 9:12 minute mile pace warmed up my legs and fingers after two miles, but I couldn’t tell if my face was warmer or just lacking feeling. I reached up to rub it once in a while to verify it was still there. I have lost nearly 20 pounds since last April and get colder more easily now. I briefly wondered if I could borrow the weight back for insulation during the winter…
My running was fairly silent. As I rounded various corners, the ducks found my sudden presence startling. They would rise en mass with a rush of wings that resonated deeply over the open water. I offered my reassurances, but they remained unconvinced. Observing the effort it took for their heavy, boat like bodies to take to the air, I felt comparatively light and aerodynamic as a runner.
The path winds by a field with horses on the right, then about 3/4 of the way around a dirt road branches off to the right, skirting some of the less heated ponds and making the loop a solid one mile, if not slightly more. This frozen tundra runs along behind a few houses. The ground is uneven and hides some larger stones. When I tried to run in the flatter ruts, the tall grasses whipped in my face, giving me the full safari experience. No, wait, there weren’t any lions or elephants. But there are scraggly trees in front of the glowing orange globe of the sun.
After banking around a large outer pond that is partly iced over, the path joins the asphalt again and turns over a bridge. The fallen trees criss-crossing the deep, splashing brook appear impenetrable. If I didn’t know better, I would have no idea of the parking lot and well traveled roads just a couple hundred feet beyond.
As the circle is completed, morning breaks out in full glory over the water.
If one must run in 14 degrees, this is a nice place to do it.