Bump on a Log

It's hard not to be a bump on a log during the winter in Wisconsin. This year, in particular, I have had to drastically shift some of my routines in an effort to stay in some semblance of shape.

In November of last year, my wife and I moved into a new house north of Milwaukee.

New house! I accidentally posted this picture on last week's entry (but removed it later)

It's wonderful, peaceful, and quiet but there are a few drawbacks when it comes to running.

First, there are no sidewalks. While running on the road has never bothered me, some of the roads are a bit narrow with little if any shoulder. Also, I'm not sure how many runners there are in the area, therefore, I'm not sure how aware drivers are about runners, especially early morning runners.

Second, the neighborhood lacks street lights. The best lighting comes from smaller lamp posts at the end of driveways that are hardly enough. Back in December, I ran once with a headlamp. Of this experience, I can only say that it was better than nothing but the light was either too low or too high and I eventually ripped it off my head and ran with it in my hand. I have another headlamp that I will try before investing in another one.

Third, the roads in our division are not a high priority when the weather turns, so they they are a bit dodgy when covered with snow and ice. They barely salt the roads and when they do, it is a combination of sand and salt, so it hardly clears the road. Add this to their narrowness and darkness and the risk level is pretty high when conditions are less than ideal.

Fourth, I'm simply not familiar with the area. We moved the week of Thanksgiving and between the holidays, short days, and the weather, there simply has not been a lot of time to familiarize myself with the roads and their turns, and be confident in my routes. As Spring approaches, the days grow longer, and the conditions improve I am sure my confidence in the roads will also improve.

Despite these limitations to running outside, I have not been a complete bump on a log.

There were many appealing features about the house we bought, but one of them was that it had a finished basement. I believe this room may become my man cave (if the wife allows it) but for now it is the workout room.

For the past several weeks, I have used the space to do a few cardio routines, yoga, core and strength training exercises. The goal as been to do something as I start to prepare for Cincinnati. Sure, I'd rather be outside pounding pavement with my feet, but this space suffices and I prefer it to going to the gym. But as I will explain next week, in a way, I did buy a gym membership.