Magnolia Road in December.

It looks sunny, but it was cold. Very cold. [click on image]

This was a run that stretched my sense of proportion. It was cold and it was windy, with a stiff breeze blowing down off the Indian Peaks and continental divide.

For all of its challenges, it was also a beautiful run. I've driven Magnolia Rd so many times now I've come to take it for granted, but seeing it on this run, slowly and in different weather, really reminded me of the splendor in my neighborhood.

As I ran today, bundled against the elements, I had memories of times I've skied in much worse conditions. The key for me in making this venture out in December was letting go of my image of running as something I do only in shorts and a light shirt--summertime. The long sleeve shirts required in spring and autumn hardly count as protections against the elements, but winter running--now we're talking survival.

Accordingly, I shielded myself pretty well. Instead of my light-weight top, I used a full thickness polypropelene long-sleeve shirt, covered with my windshell coat. You'll see here I also wore a full baclava, and never felt over-dressed. On a long run like this, however, I should have worn NipGuards.

For the image here, I set the camera on the ground.

The great surprise of the run was that Magnolia actually goes downhill as it goes east. Driving it for years now I've been under the continuing illusion that it was uphill from the Peak to Peak Highway, I suppose because the first mile or so does go uphill. But from there it's decidely downhill, as the elevation profile map here shows. And going home required some real scratching, clawing my way back to my truck.

As my friend Douglas says from his miles on a road bike, you can never tell the slope of a road from inside a car.

The first road to the mountains from Boulder, Magnolia crosses broad terrain.

I didn't really discover this until I got home and mapped it with my Garmin. I'd been feeling a bit smug that I could handle all the uphill on the way east. Then discouraged on the return. No wonder the trip back was tough. I thought I was wimping out because of the distances and the wind. (I did wonder why the lone bicyclist out today got off his bike and walked after passing me, at about mile 8 of my journey.)

I was tired when I got home.

ps. Claudia and Conor O'Neill met me at the end of my run. Here's the Boy and his stick.














Notice the wagging tail. On Conor.