As is common in Utah during the winter, sometimes the weather reports frightened the freckles right off me. A few weeks ago, for example, from the sounds of it, we had a snowstorm of East-Coast proportions headed our way. I was nearly convinced I needed to pull out the food storage and batten down the hatches.
My real concern wasn’t whether or not we had enough food and water to sustain life if we were snowed in, rather it was where I was going to run my scheduled 20-mile run that weekend.
“Why not just skip it?” some might ask. “The weather will surely get better.”
Yeah, right. That thought never once crossed my stubborn mind. Besides, for the first time in a long time I was really looking forward to a date with my running shoes and some fresh podcasts on the iPod. It had been a long couple of weeks and I really needed some hours alone to beat my legs into submission and empty my mind.
I had three options: I could risk life and limb outside, hop on the treadmill or take myself to the Olympic Oval indoor track. Not completely secure in my own decision-making, I polled my Facebook friends. Most agreed that running in the great outdoors was a poor option. Vehicular traffic is tricky enough, but add some ice into the mix, and you are sure to be diving into a snow bank or two before the run is over.
The overwhelming response was to pop in a movie and settle in on the treadmill. After all, wasn’t I the one to profess my love for the treadmill only a couple of weeks before? Well, I love cupcakes, too, but after eating 20 of them, I am sure the end result would involve a lot of throwing up put me off cupcakes forever. OK, for a week, at least.
So, with that thought in mind, I armed myself with my iPod, a water bottle, some Cliff Shot Blocks and some heavy resolve and made my way through the ice and snow to the Olympic Oval.
I had to do some serious math to figure out just how many laps I would need to run to make an even 20 miles. It came out to a whopping 73 turns around what seems like a track on steroids. See, the oval track is actually 442 meters long rather than the typical 400 meters. Standing by the bleachers looking out at the track, 73 laps seemed ridiculous. Let the rationalizing begin!
If I run on the outside lanes, I’d be adding a little mileage to each lap. Over 20 miles, that’s a lot of added mileage. Plus, if I need to run to the bathroom, that’s extra mileage, too, right? And let’s not forget the walk from the parking lot. Yes! So I decided that an even 70 laps would be just fine. Let the good times roll!
Much to my amazement, I had the most fantastic 20-mile run I’ve had in a very long time. I know. I’m shaking my head in disbelief, too. Here’s what I learned.
1. When you run on the track, the bathroom is never more than a quarter-mile away. This is crucial for those of us who suffer from GI distress. Ask my 2010 Ragnar team. I am the queen of makeshift bathrooms, but I prefer something a little more sanitary. To not have to duck behind a bush or have teammates make a blanket shield for me on the side of the road is a bonus. To be able to wash my hands is even better.
2. There’s a lot of action to keep you entertained on the track. It’s a virtual parade of race shirts running in circles and it’s fun to try to read them as you pass each other. The more obscure the better. I’m sure with a little thought I could come up with a road-trip type game involving race shirts and Bingo, and wouldn’t that be fun!
That’s not all. The morning I was there, speed skating competitions were in full swing. I distracted myself watching skaters fly by me with the grace of an eagle. It’s mesmerizing to watch them glide over the ice. And to add to the good times, Derek Parra was there to cheer me on. OK, he really was there, but the other part was all in my mind.
3. You can run free: Free of heavy fleece, ear warmers, gloves and mounds of tissue shoved down my shirt for my inevitable cold-running snotty nose. To feel the air on my arms was almost as exhilarating as a cool swim after a sweaty cycle class. Climate control is the greatest invention ever. Well, anesthesia is pretty awesome, too, but for running, nothing beats a steady 60-degrees.
4. The only vehicles you have to dodge are strollers. Now, if I have one complaint it’s the fact that there are strollers on the track. On this particular day, there were two women running together and each was pushing a double stroller. It monopolized almost the entire width of the track. I respect moms who have to get their runs in pushing 60 pounds of children along the way, but at the very least, keep it single file. However, to be run over by a distracted parent at the helm of a stroller is much less life threatening than being run over by a distracted parent manning a mini-van.
5. Being surrounded by fellow runners always makes me run better. I still prefer to complete my runs in blissful solitude, but to have to play Frogger, dodging in and out of running traffic, surging past other runners just brings out the competitive side of me. Not only is a great distraction but also it’s good race-day simulation to fartlek around the track. It’s also fun to legitimately use the word “fartlek” whenever possible.
So bring on the snow. Bring on the ice. Bring on the gale force winds. I laugh in the face of bad weather because we Utahns are fortunate enough to have an indoor track.
Kim Cowart is a wife, mom, marathoner and 24-Hour Fitness instructor who has come to realize that sometimes running in circles is not a sign of insanity.