Long, Freezing Cold Run! ~~~~~

I've never felt so cold as I was for the entire distance this morning!  If I've ever been as cold, well I simply can't remember when or where or why!  I wore a warm beanie, long sleeve top and long tights ... and never warmed up from start to finish. I was so cold!

I ran on Diamond Fields Road, usually a pretty shade lovers dirt road but today it was a bleak, sunless wind tunnel; no one silly enough to be out except cows lying contentedly in their paddocks.  Alright for the cows who were lying in the tall grass chewing and munching whatever it is they chew and munch when resting, looking warm and cosy huddled together.

D.F. Road is tough at any time, manoeuvring rocks and ditches; lots of short steep hills and long inclines, one of which is 2km from bottom to top.  In spite of the atrociously cold conditions, the turnaround point is worth getting to, not just because it means I'm soon on the way back, but because of the sheer beauty of the setting :  the Nepean River reduced to a trickle flowing over branches, rocks and the spillway where I stood in the freezing water (didn't cover my shoes) to listen to the silence, think about how good it was to be alive and well, take a few deep breaths of scented gumtrees... and some photos ... and begin the trek back in a calmer, but still cold, state of mind!

Back home : I was so cold I felt like crying!  (For Pete's sake, toughen up! This is only Week 4 of Half Marathon Training Program); turned the heater on high and just stood there hoping to thaw out; into a hot shower and stood there hoping for the same miracle; back in front of the heater wrapped in heated towel, thawing process beginning at last; dressed at speed of light into warm clothes and ready for something to eat (but first, put on CD of Simon Tedeschi playing "Gershwin and Me" at high volume!) : 2 poached eggs, straight from the nest, on 2 slices of toast, followed by a large mug of steaming milk coffee and slowly but surely the blood starts to flow and all's well and warm again! By this time, Simon Tedeschi with full orchestra has begun the last track which is "Rhapsody in Blue"  and when this wonderful music soars up to heaven, I go with it and forget all about the discomfort of a long, cold run.

Long Run :  15km
2 hours 10 minutes
Heart Rate 66%-75% of Max.
TE (Training Effect) 1.5 > Minor!!  You're joking!

15km on Diamond Fields Road. You can just see the Nepean River in bottom right corner where I took pics.