9

"I have to go run nine miles now. It has started snowing here and I forgot my ipod, so it is shaping up to be the worst run ever." - text I sent my sister before setting off to run 9 miles at City Park.

I had indeed forgotten my Ipod and it was snowing. It snowed for the first six miles of the run, and was pretty damn cold for all of it! I wore two pairs of pants, two tops and my green stripey hat (which thank god I had, thanks Sandy!). I was thinking that I would be the only crazy one out there running in that weather, but I was far from it. There was a 10K going on at the park, as well as numerous runners, some of them in shorts, just going out for their daily runs. At first I was amazed, but then I realized this is Denver, and it is training season. I have yet to see a little crappy snow keep anyone from exercising here.

Which made me think about how much moving here has done for my running and I pondered where my running would be if we didn't live here. (I pondered many things, since I didn't have my Ipod.) Culture is huge, and moving here from where I was, it has always been downright striking to me how much exercise is encouraged in the culture here. Everyone does something. They walk, they run, they ride bikes. The city and suburbs are set up to encourage this, there are very few places that do not have safe sidewalks and bike lanes and many places have other open space with hiking trails that are maintained.

Anyway, three weeks to Vegas! I don't think it is going to be my greatest race, but I'm looking forward to it all the same.