Three Things Thursday

"Bless your heart. You look SO cold."

Thanks, lady in the hallway at the campus student center for the blessing. I always like and appreciate nice people.

And, yes, I am cold. It's -11 outside and I have sweat pouring down my face from a mediocre 3-mile run on the treadmill. I bet my eyelashes are going to freeze, and I'm going to have to pry open my eyelids so I can drive home.

I love winter. I love winter. I love winter.

NO. I. DON'T.

1. This morning, I woke up and got dressed for my run. I made myself get dressed so that when I saw the temperature I wouldn't talk myself out of going to the campus fitness center for a run. So in my RnR Chicago shirt, which fits much better now that I've got an extra 12 pounds in the middle, and capris, I ate my oatmeal and drank a cup of coffee. I was going to run.

2. And then I turned on the TV. The local news ticker said it was -11 outside. I couldn't go out in -11. I couldn't. It would be wrong. I told Mark who, at that time, was on a 2-hour delay that I was staying home. I would work out at home. Jackie Warner - You. Me. Sweat session.

3. But as I ate my oatmeal, I knew that by punking out, I would disappoint myself. I made myself - and you - a promise to run this week. And by gosh, I was going to go. So I threw on my coat, grabbed a scarf and left. And, surprisingly, I didn't freeze upon contact with the frigid air and I was still able to run. It was a slow 3 miles on the treadmill but it was 3 miles more than I had planned just 20 minutes before. Go me!

Would you stay inside if it was -11 outside?