The Snow Globe

I love snow globes. I always thought they were very cool and tried to imagine what the world inside the snow globe would be like. You shake it up and snow starts flying all over the place filling in the globe and landing everywhere. I will not have to imagine what it's like after today. I am living in the Chicago Snow Globe.

As I enjoy my morning brew with Chico curled on my lap I peek over my glasses to a peaceful winter scene. The sky is a bluish gray and producing the smallest of snowflakes, falling straight down. Wind is non-existent. The snow is so fine it is almost like someone is shaking salt on Chicago. As I type this, the snowfall is picking up and covering the earth around me at a faster pace, accumulating. A peaceful scene it is, calming, almost enjoyable. I am finally in my own snow globe and enjoying the scene created by the one who shook my world.

As I ran yesterday on my typical lakefront and Lincoln Park route I had a funny thought as I passed another runner. I was heading north and she was heading south. We were each on our own paths separated by about 30 yards. I watched her approach and noticed her swift pace. I also notice her cute figure, perfect posture and her brunette pony tail bobbing up and down behind her. I just watched, transfixed, as she ran by, admiring that pony tail. Then the thought occured to me that her pony tail reminded me of fishing for Large Mouth Bass. Her pony tail was the bait jigging with each stride. Except, this was a human lure. I did not take the bait!! Fun thoughts along the way though. The mind is a wonderful thing. Another strange thought I had yesterday was that I wondered what a person would be like if they were a combination of Richard Simons and Pee Wee Herman.

My run was a general aerobic 10.5 miler with an average pace of 8:38 mi. I am amazed at how consistent these mile splits are. Details are below.

Split Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Speed Max Speed Calories
1 0:09:30 1 321 278 9:30 8:02 130
2 0:08:35 1 192 193 8:35 7:01 131
3 0:08:33 1 244 221 8:34 7:06 132
4 0:08:34 1 650 644 8:34 5:23 135
5 0:08:11 1 63 136 8:11 6:28 132
6 0:08:32 1 154 102 8:32 7:40 132
7 0:08:35 1 471 410 8:35 5:55 134
8 0:08:35 1 271 311 8:35 6:41 133
9 0:08:34 1 364 400 8:34 6:44 133
10 0:08:39 1 238 362 8:39 6:52 131
11 0:04:58 0.58 253 236 8:37 7:30 76
Summary 1:31:20 10.58 3,220 3,293 8:38 5:23 1,399





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" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction