Month: February 2020

May I just say: it would be all right with me if the weather turned warmer? I know, it’s not even halfway through February, and it wouldn’t bother me so much if I weren’t determined to go out running in the early morning chill, but honestly.

2°, very gentle breezes (not enough to slow one down, just enough to dial up the cold a notch or two), 10:30. I felt pretty good, set an ambitious pace for my current condition, and was rewarded. If it were warmer, I’d have gained a step or two, I’m sure.

4°, strong, variable breezes which always seemed to be pushing me back, 10:40. I felt better, though — better breathing, stronger running.

I didn’t run yesterday morning because of 50 mph winds, falling limbs, and intermittent downpours, but I returned to action this morning in 5°, strong breezes, and a return to 10:40 form.

For some reason, just couldn’t get loose at all — no kick, no push, so I just jogged through it. 6°, breezes, 11:00.

-2° and breezy, muscles tight, 10:44. Really cold.

3°, breezy, 10:41.

I skipped yesterday morning — slept a little late, and enjoyed a slow pace getting ready for the day — and ran this morning, 3° but with gusty breezes that blows the cold into your bones. My muscles felt as though they were curling up and hugging my back and thighs, but I did manage to run a 10:23 for the first time in ages.

I should be making my morning run now (to be precise, I should already have done so), but I’m preaching this morning at the college Mass and the sermon was not fully fledged when I woke up this morning. One of the problems of teaching homiletics, as I am currently doing in the absence of a Vice Principal/Director of Pastoral Studies, is that ordinands whose critical awareness has been heightened by participating in disciplined discussion of the composition and delivery of sermons are thereby better equipped to identify the weaknesses of one’s own efforts. I will try to remember that this counts as pædagogical success, even if it demonstrates homiletical shortcomings.

I did run yesterday, to a 10:43 time (9° but gusty breezes), so I have not fallen short of my current don’t-miss-two-days-in-a-row standard. Still, I’d have liked to have finished sooner and taken a run… well, maybe I’ll do that now. (No warm-ups, breezy headwinds, 10:58 — but I did it.)