It's really the perfect storm of precipitation (so to speak) and a series freeze-thaw cycles that have contributed to the worst layer of ice over Minnesota paths, fields, and roadways that I have seen in my time here. Worthy of Iowa, really.
The condition of things was evident over the week and a half preceding Christmas, which saw the largest number of consecutive terrible commute times I can remember. There was a particular two-day stretch in which we got about three inches of rain, followed by temperatures that dropped to about minus-11. So, obviously, we have a thick layer of ice covering all open, previously melted areas. Then it was followed by a greasy layer of frozen exhaust ("black ice," they call it). Followed by another couple of snows and drizzles, a fog, and another freeze.
The amount of salt Minneapolis uses on its roadways is crazy - crazy-bad for cars and nearby flora. Although I gotta say, under normal conditions, it ends up clearing out the roads and paths; these are not normal conditions, and there's been just no keeping up. And once you get outside the boundaries of Minneapolis, proper (say, for a run from work), things really get dicey. And likely won't clear up till March. Worse, are trails through the woods, which remain snowy and slippery through March under normal conditions. But again, these are not normal conditions. I could be doing snowy trail runs in mid-April, which is when the snow-breast hung around til.
I've made the decision to use a recently-purchased pair of trail running shoes that were intended to be used as my everyday-shoes for only running in snow/ice and/or on trails. Armed with those and a new pair of running gloves I got for Christmas, I did a noontime run from work today. It's sunny and 33 - which made a slippery situation even more slippery. I spent much more time high-stepping it through the slushy snow than I did on roads & paths, but - on the bright side - that makes for a tremendous, if quite different, workout.
That's about all I have to say about that.
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7 comments:
wow - that is a whole lot of ice
makes the whole thing quite an adventure
you have to be agile
like in ST
You also have to run not all tensed up. If your body is all tense and you suddenly slip, that's a great way to pull a muscle. You have to run loosey-goosey; lithe, like a cat. Also, like your ST reference, esepcially if you're considering Kirk's run across no-man's land to the foxhole in 'Arena.'
or some of his stellar moves from the Man Trap.
How many times can you run around your living room before you go mad?
Hell, if you are living in Iowa you might as well live in CF. We could slip, fall, and catch each other.
Good luck!
Well, thank God I put my bike up on a magnetic trainer and can do thirty minute power biking sessions while watching BBC's The Office: Season 2.
But I did go out for a run just today. Treacherous!
Stay loose - stay whole.
Word verification - trons
That's the answer. The question: What can be killed with deadly discs?
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