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beige_alertIt might possibly still be slightly early to reflect on winter, but it is looking like spring.
Winter was good for me. The winter itself here was good, lots of time for skiing and snow shoeing. I was on the snow shoes at the beginning of December, skiing at -15°C in early December, did some very nice walking in the winter darkness at -18°C.
I got out to Pike Lake to ski, which is a pretty place though not the most fun skiing around. That day the trees were covered with very pretty ice crystals from some sort of freezing fog effect. I got out to the Nordic Trail in the Southern Kettle Moraine, another pretty place on a pretty snowy day. I made some nice fast runs down the hills at Lapham Peak, and did some laps around the lighted loop at my fastest speeds ever.
Running isn't exactly a winter-specific activity, but in fall once the weather got worse and I did less cycling I started running more, and signed up for the indoor half marathon held at the end of January, and did a lot of running in December and January indoors at the Pettit Center. The indoor running turned out to be more fun than I expected. It's much more social in there. Outdoors I'm alone and maybe sometimes see someone out doing yard work or walking a dog, but indoors on the running track I'm surrounded by the other runners, and it's just more fun.
Hanging around the Pettit a lot finally motivated me to take the speed skating class, and I've been enjoying that sport a lot. I've always liked going fast on the ice and it's great to really go fast properly. I find myself drawn to that sport in part because it's hard. One can work endlessly on the technique, and it is huge exercise.
I've only had 8km on the bike now this season, but I felt very strong. I've had much more winter exercise than ever before, which should help. Looking at the weather forecast, the bicycle commuting season is beginning now. I'll be looking at those times with interest this week.
Winter was good for me. The winter itself here was good, lots of time for skiing and snow shoeing. I was on the snow shoes at the beginning of December, skiing at -15°C in early December, did some very nice walking in the winter darkness at -18°C.
I got out to Pike Lake to ski, which is a pretty place though not the most fun skiing around. That day the trees were covered with very pretty ice crystals from some sort of freezing fog effect. I got out to the Nordic Trail in the Southern Kettle Moraine, another pretty place on a pretty snowy day. I made some nice fast runs down the hills at Lapham Peak, and did some laps around the lighted loop at my fastest speeds ever.
Running isn't exactly a winter-specific activity, but in fall once the weather got worse and I did less cycling I started running more, and signed up for the indoor half marathon held at the end of January, and did a lot of running in December and January indoors at the Pettit Center. The indoor running turned out to be more fun than I expected. It's much more social in there. Outdoors I'm alone and maybe sometimes see someone out doing yard work or walking a dog, but indoors on the running track I'm surrounded by the other runners, and it's just more fun.
Hanging around the Pettit a lot finally motivated me to take the speed skating class, and I've been enjoying that sport a lot. I've always liked going fast on the ice and it's great to really go fast properly. I find myself drawn to that sport in part because it's hard. One can work endlessly on the technique, and it is huge exercise.
I've only had 8km on the bike now this season, but I felt very strong. I've had much more winter exercise than ever before, which should help. Looking at the weather forecast, the bicycle commuting season is beginning now. I'll be looking at those times with interest this week.
