A run... in parts. I was all courage this morning, when I decided to tackle the winds and the rain on the beach. Even the 16 minute pace (caused by running into a seemingly gale force wind) didn't bother me too much, knowing I would get the payoff coming back the other way. But -- what I couldn't take was the painful pelting of the rain drops on my face. It felt like hail. After just about a half mile, I was back at the hotel, settling for a pool run. I spent about 30 min. with the Aquabelt, then another 30 just swimming around. I guessed I wouldn't be running today. But by about 4 PM I thought maybe the wind had died down a bit, so I decided to try the beach again. Fortunately it was fairly warm out (nearly 60 F), because I do not think I have ever been as wet on a run as I was today. Though the tide was out, the beach was so covered with rainwater and crossed by little streams from the shore lands that it was impossible to keep water out of my shoes. The wind blew rain into my jacket vents, down my collar and under the brim of my hat. Now, I am not complaining. Really. Except for the brief and painful "facial" of my morning attempt, I had a wonderful time. November is a great time for paradigm shifts. The question of how wet is wet, how much wind is too much, etc., can be established now while we are still in a fairly good humor and then the storms of winter won't bother us so much. And about those threshold miles... I'm on vacation. But there is just no other word for the last two miles, heading into the wind, carrying a couple of extra pounds of water in my shoes and trying to get back to the hotel on a deadline. My house sitter tells me there is quite a bit of wet weather back home as well. We'll be back to it soon enough, and I'll have a whole new perspective on stormy weather. :)
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