Obligatory Intro

Indeed, this Boston winter was one of the worst that we've seen in quite some time.  Ask any New Englander and you'll probably receive any combination of an eye roll, an exasperated sigh, a groan, head shaking, or some story involving massive iceberg-like snowbanks, subzero temperatures, massive parking challenges and/or the description of something elusively called "Snowmageddon".  Even the most hearty of Bostonians had their wits tested by the amount of darkness, ice and snowfall.  Those who typically just furrow their brow and attribute "just a cold snap" to our yearly winters somehow found themselves running out of patio furniture while the ends of their cigarettes froze on their outside steps while shivering in housecoats.  However, to a long time distance runner who primarily runs outside?  This winter was nothing short of brutal. 

I have been a distance runner for 16 years and have only ran on the treadmill during the dead of winter *maybe* 25 times or so in my entire running history.  I hate the treadmill.  The dreadmill.  I'd much rather fill my lungs with icy cold temperatures any day than the germy stew of my local petri-dish athletic club while watching the meat market parade en flambe.  I think what helped me through this winter while stiffly navigating treacherous sidewalks and snowdrifts was my own promise to myself - a vision that I forced to conjure up in my mind to ignore the utter cold:  memories of running in shorts in the sea breeze and sun and sand and singlet.  Visions of my maddening grin while throwing back my elbows to hammer around my favorite two-mile loop by the harbor during speed work.  Dreams of watching the airplanes flying overhead to prepare for landing at Logan Airport just across the harbor; the army of boats bobbing as if to wave hello, welcoming them to Boston proper.  And then there's the sky.  There's nothing like that sapphire sky contrasting against the water and boats and sun and sand; sea air being heaved and shoved directly into the bronchi of my lungs, thirsty for every last molecule.  Upon exhale there is that sweet-tasting catharsis.  Rinse, repeat, breathe, pause.......smile.  This my friends, is what I coined a long time ago as "BlueSkyRunning".  It's running in it's finest, strongest, happiest.  I don't run for any other primary reason other than sheer love.  BlueSkyRunning is power, energy, sunshine-sweat under the canopy of beautiful gleaming azure.

I'm not really a blogger, although I do enjoy writing immensely.  I am a goal setter however, and this year have set some big goals.  This year's goals are to run six marathons and complete my first Half Ironman.  Sure, this is a big goal, but I have bigger ones still which I haven't yet made public.  Typically I set my goals year by year, but this year is different.  There was something about this winter that changed me.  It was so cold, lonely, barren, desolate, and on both physical and emotional levels.  This winter made me truly question and consider what is important and what I must discard.  The promise of BlueSkyRunning again only made me continue to ruminate on these goals and today, well, I snapped.  Today was 65 degrees and I went running at 5:30pm in shorts and a T-shirt under a stunning blue sky set behind the backdrop of one of my favorite cities.  It was magic.  It sealed the deal.  The sunset lit the city in gleaming red; the blood dripping and pumping from my very own taxed heart.  More on these goals later, but I hope to write about this training journey on which I'm about to embark to change my life with the only constant that I've ever had with the only friend who has ever remained loyal without question - running.