Day 3,995: A rare snow day in Atlanta

A bit of snow remained on my hat after today's 10.5-mile run

It's funny just two days ago I was running a 7-mile tempo workout in a t-shirt and shorts.

Today I had an easy 10-mile run on the schedule but it was cold (maybe 34 degrees or so) and a little rainy. With the kids schedules, I didn't have any other choice but to dress for the elements and get out there.

I made my way to the park and it was sleeting pretty heavily. I didn't really feel it because of the waterproof shell I had on but at about 2.5 miles I had a choice -- return home and change my shirts (I felt like maybe sleet had fallen in my jacket behind my neck) or keep going. I decided to keep going at the last moment, making my way out to Ponce de Leon Avenue and up to North Highland Avenue to the PATH trail.

On the PATH trail there was a younger guy really blazing it to the North Avenue intersection and then back up to Boulevard and around. Dude was only wearing sweats with no gloves. I was glad to have worn what I decided to wear for the workout. That started with long- and short-sleeved technical T-shirts, my North Face waterproof shell, a hat as you see above, gloves and shorts. I debated wearing my running pants but thought it would be warm enough.

For shoes, I went with a pair of Saucony Zealot 3s, the ones that the running shoe company sent to me after I sent them my pair of Zealot 2s that had the outsole peeling away from both shoes. Saucony uses rubber on the outsole and this provides excellent traction on wet surfaces.

I looped back down the PATH from Boulevard and out to the Atlanta Eastside Beltline trail. It was nice to have the trail almost to myself, with the exception of a few dog walkers and one or two runners during the entire length from Irwin Street to Monroe Avenue.

It seemed surreal to see the snow falling down pretty heavily among trees that still were full of yellow fall leaves as I approached Irwin Street. It almost looked like something I'd see a computer trying to generate in a video game. After turning around at Irwin and heading back, a woman in her 20s who was sitting with two girlfriends outside one of the buildings alongside the Beltline said, "I'm so proud of you!" I said thanks and waved, not sure if it was sincere or in jest.

The snow was really falling pretty heavily and my shell and my face and my hat were encrusted in snow. Near the Monroe intersection some guy on his bike filmed me running down the trail and later on another guy with a wrapped up professional camera did the same. I just focused on having a good pace and getting back home.

In the end, I ran 10.53 miles. It was nice to have a relaxing, almost leisurely pace. I could have changed my workout and run much shorter for the run streak but snow comes so infrequently to Atlanta that I'm glad I had a chance to enjoy it this time around.

Time: 9:39 a.m.
Temp: 34 degrees
Gear: Technical T-shirt, long (JG 13.1), Technical T-shirt, short (Atlanta Braves navy), North Face windbreaker, technical hat, Brooks shorts, cep compression socks, technical gloves, Saucony ISO Zealot 3.