Icy Arctic Wind

Boy, today was one tough workout.  I had planned to run the treadmill but one is broken and there was someone using the other one and a guy waiting in line to use it.  So I decided that if I wanted to run I really had no choice but to head outdoors and brave the conditions.  It really wasn't that cold, only 41, but the wind was blowing around 25 knots and that brought the wind chill down into the 30's.  More than the cold it was the extra effort needed when running directly into the wind.  It was too muddy to run around Colleen Lake, my favorite spot, so I drove down the Haul Road to a little 1/4 mile long river access road. I leave my car in the middle then just run back and forth.  It was my first time to use my new heart monitor watch and I noticed I reached my target heart rate whenever I was running into the wind.  My face was freezing so I grabbed my camp towel and wrapped it around my neck and pulled it up over my face when I was running into the wind.  I only ran 4 miles and that was enough.  Especially because just before I reached the 4 mile point it started to rain to add insult to injury. But I'm glad I did it.  I do think running outdoors is more realistic than the treadmill. I hope the weather improves soon. My left knee was bothering me before and during the run.  But after I stopped running it felt fine.  Maybe the run is what it needed.  I sure hope so because it is annoying and worrisome because the last thing I need right now is a knee injury. While I was running I kept reminding myself that now I am a Marathon Maniac, so it's ok to be out in this miserable weather like a real maniac!