The D-word.

Going to college in Maine had its perks--a beautiful fall, great terrain, lonely roads and trails--but it also had its drawbacks. And one of the biggest challenges that we runners faced at Colby was the end of Daylight Savings. Way up north, in the thick of the winter, it would often be dark by 4 pm. And I don't mean sun setting, dusky dark. I mean pitch black, cars can't see you, headlamp dark. We took the necessary precautions: reflector vests, running early, sticking to sidewalks and running in packs. At the very least, I always had teammates with whom to run and their company made the runs fly by. I always watched the calendar anxiously for December 21st: a good friend's birthday that will always also remind me of the winter solstice. On this day, we celebrate the day of Debbie's birth and the return to the lengthening of the days. Once past this day, we can at least look forward to the days getting longer little by little. (Conversely, I always mourn the occurrence of June 21st).

I supposed, though somewhat naively, that moving so far south so Connecticut would mean longer days and the sun setting later in the winter. And yet nothing much has changed. Let's be real here, CT is not that far from ME. New England is not that big. When classes get out at 3:30 and practice starts at 4:00, it's a race against the sun to get in our runs. With my team, we donned our reflector vests and got right to work. I overestimated how fast (read: slow) we would go on a 7 mile run last week, and ended up running the last two miles in complete darkness. And this is just the first week after Daylight Savings! The kicker of all of this is the complete and utter lack of sidewalks (let alone shoulders) or street lights. You're shooting completely in the dark around these parts.

As cross country winds down and the days get darker, I struggle to find ways to stay motivated--and safe. I can run 3 miles every day and then hop on the treadmill or bike, but that's complacency right there. And while I may not be training for a big race for another 5 or 6 months, I always need something to work towards. A few ideas: fitting into my winter pants (I'm currently sitting in a cafe with my pants unbuttoned. No shame), seriously lifting multiple times a week, reclaiming my abs, focusing on speed work, getting my yoga flow on, or relying on weekends for that clutch long run. I will not be confined to the treadmill, nor will I be hit by a car due to poor visibility. For me, it's definitely worth it to get outside, reflective gear on, and log some miles. I just need to make good choices and accept weather-defeat occasionally. But if I've made it through 4 years of cold, cold Maine winters, another Connecticut winter can't shake me.

Stay warm,
Rachel "I hate winter yet I went to college in Maine" Runner

P.S. I'm thinking of running a full marathon this spring. Am I crazy?