On Saturday morning my friend Kathleen and I planned a 10-mile run. The forecast had predicted snow for noon or later, so we met at 9:45 assuming we’d finish well before it started. Right?
Wrong.
The run started out fine. We met in Georgetown and planned an out-and-back on the canal, but because the canal was covered in snow we switched to the Capital Crescent Trail. It was bitterly cold (single digits with wind chill), but once we started moving we warmed up and felt okay.
How cool—people were playing ice hockey on the canal!
The first sign that this would be an extreme run came when both our hydration packs froze—the drink tubes were solid. We shoved the tubes inside our jackets, which thankfully fixed the issue. I hadn’t experienced that before. (I use the Nathan Intensity Vest hydration pack and really like it.)
We decided to do an out-and-back, and around mile four the snow began. That was earlier than forecasted, but we pushed on, assuming it wouldn’t get too bad. At mile five we stopped for a quick snack and some water before turning back. Kathleen had brought Bonk Breakers—I tried a couple and they were solid fuel. By then the snow was coming down steadily.
The second five miles were intense. The wind shifted so the snow hit us directly in the face, turning the run into a full-on blizzard. Not fun, but manageable. By the time we finished there were probably two inches of snow on the ground, but thankfully it wasn’t slippery—mostly soft, fluffy snow with only a few icy patches from previous storms.
We had no option but to run back to our cars, so we kept going. We took a snowy selfie and laughed at Kathleen’s white hair and eyebrows from the snow. My eyelashes even had icicles on them. We weren’t cold thanks to the effort, but our faces and eyes definitely wished for ski goggles.
I also want to give a shout-out to the Brooks jacket I wore—a gift from last fall. The hood was fantastic and the jacket kept me dry underneath. I grabbed it out of the laundry at the last minute and it was a lifesaver. Without a hood or a water-wicking layer, the run would have been much less comfortable.
We finished—10 miles complete. Given the blizzard conditions on the return, I think we earned it. Our pace was solid considering the snow slowed us down.
Kathleen, we are officially hardcore. Also, spring—please arrive soon.
What’s the most extreme weather you’ve ever run in? This definitely takes the cake for me.
p.s. A note for local readers: I had planned an event at the Whole Foods in Glover Park to promote my Nutrition for Runners Program, where I would discuss common nutrition mistakes runners make and demo a homemade sports drink and easy long-run energy bites. That event was postponed until spring in hopes of better weather and attendance. Stay tuned for the rescheduled date.