Thunder, Lightning and March Totals

Yesterday I had an amazing run. I left the house at 4:00 PM and it was 53 F with a light wind. I could see some dark clouds on the way, but they looked to be a way off (I guessed 20 minutes away). As I loped along the trail to the north, I could feel that the tailwind was getting a bit stronger. I took a turn off the trail in order to do a short hill on dirt (I'm trying to work in some hills every week now), and on the way down I noticed the dark clouds were a lot closer. When I got back to the paved trail, which is in a valley and has no trees to block the wind, I was hit with a strong headwind. My hands immediately got cold - I had left the house properly dressed for 50+ degrees with a t-shirt and shorts - now the temp felt at least 10 degrees colder, and the wind was intense. However, in running, as in riding, I love the challenge of a headwind (I know, I'm sick in the head), and almost always attempt to match the pace I would run/ride if there were no wind. Yesterday was no exception, but it was harder than usual, and within a couple of minutes I started getting pounded by hail and sleet. I gritted my teeth, knowing that I only had to suffer through it for 10 minutes or fewer (especially if I ran faster). Just at the point when I turned off the trail for the final two blocks to our place my hands went numb and my cheeks were burning from the wind. After I got inside, we were all shocked to hear the boom of thunder - that never happens around here, unlike in Minnesota. I'm sure there was lightning, but we never saw it. The temperature, 25 minutes after I left the house, was now 40.9 F. I was expecting it to read below freezing!

Today was the opposite - foggy and cold in the morning, and then sunny, 50 F and awesome in the afternoon. I got in a great 35 mile spin after work.

March Total Training Log

Bicycle
Time: 40:02:00
Distance: 733.4 miles
Longest Ride: 58.0 miles, 2:30:00 (Market Street RR plus warm up and cool down)
Rest days: 4

Running
Time: 1:35:00
Distance: 16.5 miles
Longest Run: 3.0 miles, with hill repeats

Three Month Total (Jan 1 - Mar 31, 2008)
Time: 113:23:00
Distance: 2000.2 miles