Spring? January Thaw in February?

Has spring sprung? Or are we just getting a January thaw very late in the year? Whichever it is, after today's run, I found myself mesmerized by the tiny stream flowing from beneath a mound of snow and across the entrance of the apartment parking lot. Moving water. Tiny bubbles of ice crystals floating on top. Visibly smaller mounds of snow turned into weird-shaped sculptures depending on how the sun has hit the mounds. Sun on my exposed face as I ran without my face mask or my sweatshirt, sans security blanket.

Earlier, even though weather.com said the temperature would be in the mid-40s today, I still dressed for my run in that sweatshirt placed over a cotton tee over technical long sleeved tee. And I wore wind pants over running tights. When Butch came to the door dressed in shorts and cotton tee, I knew I was overdressed. But I've been wearing that sweatshirt for so long.

"I don't know what to do," I said. "Do I need my sweatshirt?"

I stepped outside. The sun felt warm, but the breeze was just a bit biting. I took a deep breath, summoned up a bit of courage, pulled off my security blanket against the cold and headed out. Surprisingly, after three weeks of ice-dancing, two-mile hill runs, and snow shoveling in record cold, I still felt strong and finished today's 5K only 30 seconds shy of this year's course record. Obviously I have lost a little of the gain I had made earlier this winter, but not nearly so much as I had feared. Anything really has proven better than nothing. Nonetheless I am itching for some speed work and some long runs in good weather.