Today's run, in a word, sucked. It was windy and it was brutally cold... There were ankle deep snow drifts, and I'd managed to forget my gaiters. There was plenty of ice, too, and I've never been so happy to have MicroSpikes attached to my feet in my entire life. My face was numb. I mindlessly wondered what it would take to get frostbite on the end of my nose. My hands were so cold it took a long time in a hot shower before I could regain dexterity. 

-BUT-

I was having the time of my life. I was out with my (relatively) new running buddy, Lydia, and it was all giggles. We were miserable. It was so bad, all we could do was just laugh, and then laugh harder. Neither of us wished we were anywhere else. I guess that just goes to show how resilient the human spirit is. Or maybe it really just has to do with attitude. We were shouting, leaning into the wind, watching the snow blow around and whip up into little mini snow-nadoes just down the hills.  All I could think was, "Wow. THIS is what it means to live." I hadn't felt quite that alive in a long time. High stepping through the snow, half getting blown over by the gusts.  The cold air in my lungs, the wind whipping my ponytail around my face and straight into my eyes... (WHY didn't I braid it today like I normally do?) The tears streaming from behind my sunglasses, freezing to my face...

These are the moments I live for. These are the experiences that make life worth living. These feelings are what set you free. And, to be totally cheesy, this is why I run.