Wind and Weather Whiplash

My run yesterday started on a mild spring day, and finished in the heart of winter, with rain pounding so hard and so cold that I didn't think I would ever get warm.  No, it wasn't an ultra distance, or even  a double digit distance - this run was a relatively short 6 mile tempo run.  I left the house in shorts and a tee shirt, and noticed it progressively getting colder and darker, until about a mile from home, the wind kicked up, the sky opened up, and it poured.

 I have only run in that much rain one other time, (last year's A-10) and just like then, I had stretches where I ran with my eyes closed to keep from being pelted with the concrete raindrops.  I was so relieved to be home, and certainly wasn't giving much thought to today's 15 miler. And then last night I woke to the wind slamming something on my roof, and I knew I was in for another epic run.  I tried to get an early start, before the temperature dropped to the predicted 30 degrees, but that didn't save me from the ferocious wind, or the leftover flooding from last night.  I flew up hills when the wind gave me a shove and then cursed the wind when it stopped me like a brick wall.  My brain was telling my legs to run, my arms were pumping and I was breathing hard, but I don't think I was moving.  And this is how it went, all 15 miles.  But I finished, always a good thing, and then sucked down a very dark, very thick cup of coffee so I could stay awake through work meetings this afternoon.  I think I will sleep very well tonight.