Some Days Are Just Cold--A Paragraph a Day

I can't tell you how many times I've been planning on going running when I've looked out the window and seen a terribly cold and windy day.  There are few things that make me less inclined to run than a very cold wind, but the fact of the matter is that some of the nicest runs I've ever done have been on days that look completely unsuited for running.  I've run in rainstorms that have been simply wonderful, wind that has been harsh but rewarding, cold that has been bitter but fulfilling.  All of the so-called "bad" weather simply seems to add a challenge to the running; it's a test of character, it seems, as well as a test of my physical ability to run in adverse conditions.  There are some days that are so bitter, of course, that I'm glad to stay inside tucked comfortably beneath a blanket, reading a book and listening to music instead of being outside fighting the elements.  But all is all, my experience tells me that what the weather looks like is rarely the full story--often the cold wind is invigorating rather than debilitating, and the rain is wonderfully wet rather than miserably wet.  I always try to keep this lesson in mind when I face decisions in life, too--often the choice that looks to be extremely negative can turn out to be the most positive thing for me, and I try to balance my tendency to want to be safe and warm with my need to take a risk every once in a while and try something that looks to be rather difficult or unpleasant.  Often, I find that I'm surprised at how positive things turn out.