first snow is the deepest

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Nothing mixes things up like the first snow of the season. After the intensity of winter training earlier this year, I am versed in running in the snow and cold and navigating the terrible ground conditions. But there is a big difference between running in the snow when training and a day like today when there is no milage or pace goals. It would have been a frustrating day indeed if my aim was to hit 5k or 10k paces. A workout like that would have been abandoned before it began. 

It won't be fun in March, but it was a little fun today. 

This morning I served as trail blazer. Apart from some deer prints the snow was undisturbed. I changed that. I know by tomorrow there will be a patchwork of shoveled and unshoveled sidewalks, but this morning I could keep a rhythm, not a fast rhythm, but steady. 

A few people got up earlier to shovel their driveways. A hand full of snow plows did the same with the roads and parking lots. Otherwise it felt still and quiet. Peaceful and insulated in a way. Just a crunch crunch crunch under foot. 

Only 60 more miles to 2000 miles on the year. That's 2 miles a day. Things look pretty promising. 

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