Ode to the Afternoon Run

Wow, where did December go? Hope the holidays were awesome for everybody. "What's up with the post title" you ask, well let me tell you.
Today's run was one of those "this is why I love running" runs. It wasn't because I ran a PR, or covered some insane distance, but because the it was an exhilarating experience. Call it endorphins or insanity, but let me try to explain.
A picture is worth a thousand words, but I don't have either so you'll have to use your imagination a bit. It was a windey (you know bends in the road, not windy) hilly forest road that was covered in packed snow. There were 4 foot banks of soft snow on either side of the road from the recent plow. The road makes its way through a pristine ponderosa pine forest. The sky was totally clear and perfectly blue. In the background there are the snow capped San Fransico Peaks. The only colors you can see are the white snow, brownish green trees, and blue sky. The temperature was in the low 40's and the sun was out in full force. I am alone. I breathe the cold, clear, dry, oxygen depleted air. My body is reluctant to run because of the recent 5 mile weeks and post marathon 8 lbs but my mind is saying "This is amazing".

We're moving from Flagstaff in a few weeks and this is one of the things I'll miss about living here (sorry Paige, there are some reasons to like Flagstaff). I do look forward to my running adventures in the Phoenix area but will always look back with fondness to these "lunchtime" Flagstaff winter runs.