Training Log Archive: Orunner

Event: OCIN Apocalypse O
 

C • We await your story 1

OCIN_Seven_Hills_Dec_2012_Green - Splits

I went to bed without checking the morning forecast. It's funny how thoughts will percolate through the mind, conscious or not, to the forefront. I awoke in a panic, not knowing what was in store; would it be cold or comfortable; wet or dry; windy or calm?

No problem, there was time, I could check the weather now. But wait, I think I remember Tuesday morning getting up and finding my Sunday running clothes still lying in a soiled heap on the laundry room floor (aka the basement). I scrambled to scrounge up suitable dry digs two days ago. I had needlessly anticipated some precipitation that day, and having a limited supply of appropriate rags for wet and chilly weather, left my self with no reserves. Did I ever wash them or the, now aging and past ripe, set from Sunday? Darn. There they are, on the floor, next to the bur encrusted orienteering pant and top. (need to get that set deburred before Saturday morning.)

Looking outside I saw a dark but calm and pleasant setting. Checking my personal radar site (http://orunner.net/ebv/weather.html) showed a wall of rain currently at the IN-OH state line and heading East. It was a green band from Canada to the Gulf. What's more, it contained large patches of yellow and red. That's not fun to get caught in. I needed my gear. But the temperature was nearing 50° so I wanted to keep it light. I tossed a few things in the dryer for few minutes and dug out my duck bill ball cap.

Wasn't sure whether Rueban would be running with us this morning or not. Meaning: Steve would drive us to the park instead of risking running on the highway. I grabbed a towel and stood in the foyer, dressed in knitted polymer garments warm from the dryer. Still no sign of rain outside the door, but I knew it was coming. I saw Steve ghosting down the walk in the deary black predawn morn. So I tossed the unneeded towel and headed out for an inevitable wet time in the town today.

It turns out Rueban had not been running for the past few months. So the 6 miles he did with Steve and I two days ago was sending him a message. Thus he chose to consider a carefully-phrased personal response and not to take any further abuse with us. I don't blame him.

The rain came. A half mile down the road large heavy drops fell like wet bombs. 60 seconds later it stopped. Then the winds kicked up. And without any specific awareness, dampness began penetrating my outer layer. It may have been a combination of mist & rain, falling & blowing. But by the time we reached downtown, 10 minutes after it started, we were running in a gentle winter shower.

Thankfully my orange Brunton cap is up to the job. It kept my glasses dry and head warm. My thin shirts, although saturated through, held in enough heat , and held out enough wind to allow the run remain a pleasure. I am sure many of those frantically driving to work in such miserable conditions thought we were at best unfortunate or just insane. I do truly enjoy a nice run in the rain.

Steve has family coming into town for the holidays. His stepson, Rueban Garrow, joined us this morning, for a nice leisurely jog. It had rained earlier and remained overcast at 7:15 A.M. leaving us in a state of darkness blacker than normal at that hour. With three of us running, we would just be a bigger target on the highway on this dark gloomy morning, the trucks and cars wizzing by at 55+ and seeing nothing but the road ahead. So we drove down to the Sewage treatment plant (aka Riverside Nature Preserve) to be safer and give us a change of view.

We chose to run south on the bike path through Joyce Park and on down to Fairfield's Waterworks Park (aka their sewage treatment plant.) The river was up and flowing. It's nice to see it filled and busy. It looks so much more like a wilderness river along this route under wet conditions, less hungry or dieing as it often does.

I enjoy my morning runs with Steve. But it is nice to mix it up and have a change in the standard conversation routine we have with each other at every meeting. So having Rueban there was a treat. He lives in North Carolina where he works for Ecolab at a soap making facility. As their Production Manager in Greensboro he keeps busy but he harbors other interests which align with mine. Not that I am against soap.

He is a craft beer brewer and has been brewing for nigh onto two years now. Similar to my #2 daughter, Vickie, this is his passion. I hope he comes to his senses and gives up that silly job for a meaningful career in brewing, one that lends to a more hoppy life. What is more, he and Vickie both share the odd attraction to Mudatholons, a form of running that to me looks fun, but I dare not risk the actual partaking.

Pathetically slow, but at least able, we finished the run. And hope to repeat the experience two days hence.

We may have to end the TROL season earlier this year. I was just checking the weather.



Sadly, we will miss out on the new SHP map.

C • SHP... 2