Very Cold!

It was so cold yesterday that I am half a day late writing this!  It was 40 below zero most of the day, although now it is minus 41, Celsius, or Fahrenheit doesn't much matter, it's the same!  I did run for 3 miles but of course on the treadmill.  I got up early and drove around town a bit with a friend who was up here visiting her boyfriend.  I showed her a real Arctic Alaskan experience. in these cold temperatures.  Did a little shopping at the Prudhoe Bay Store, and drove around the lake.  Took a few photos too.  Got a nice one of the one of the oil rigs.

Now it's -42!

Merry Christmas Run

I just had a nice 5 mile run on the treadmill at the Prudhoe Bay Hotel.  I was listening to Christmas music on my iPhone, and watching the Amelia Earhart movie on the TV.  Double inspiration!  It was a nice thing to do for Christmas since I am up here in Deadhorse away from my family, friends, home, and kitty.  My friend Kym is up here to visit her boyfriend so we got to chat a bit while I was running and I will most likely see them at dinner here in the hotel.

It's now -35 with a wind chill of almost -60.  A lovely Christmas day in Prudhoe Bay!

Plodding Along

I came so close to just staying in bed today.  I seem to have a nasty ear infection. My face hurts!  I feel out of shape so just had to at least run a little.  Only did my short 3 miles, and even that was a supreme effort.  But at least it was something - better than nothing. 

It's a chilly one outside today, -20 degrees and a wind chill colder than 40 below zero.  Thank goodness for the treadmill.

Blowing Snow

Not a day for running outdoors, that's for sure.  The wind is blowing about 40 miles an hour and it is snowing hard.  I did do a short 3 miles on the treadmill though.  I ended up sleeping too late again because of phone calls waking me up. I finally decided that even if my house is on fire, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it from up here in Prudhoe Bay. So, why answer phone calls in the middle of my sleep time?  Once I wake up, I can never get back to sleep and it throws off my whole schedule for a couple of days.  So, I found the OFF button on my iPhone and changed my voice mail message to say that if you are calling between 7 am and 3 pm Alaska time, leave a message because I work nights and am asleep.  I found a couple of voice mail messages when I woke up too, so it was a GREAT idea.  None of it was important enough to destroy any more of my sleep.

On the way to work tonight the snow had been drifting so badly that I got the company care hopelessly stuck in a gigantic drift.  It took me 20 minutes of inching forward and back, but I finally got out and made it to work on time.  This is what the car looked like this morning when I got off work.  Lots of snow for deadhorse.

Finally Ran Another 5 Miles

I have been very tired the last few days.  I ran 3 miles yesterday but was really sluggish.  Today I finally had a good run again.  5 miles on the treadmill.  I'm looking forward to seeing the sun again.  I think the darkness is making me sleep too long every day.  The -25 temperature is not helping me to jump up and get going either.  It sure felt good to have a good workout today though. I think I will search for a marathon that I can run sometime in January or February.  I don't feel motivated enough lately.

5 Miles today on the Treadmill

Not moving very fast but at least I did get in 5 miles today on the treadmill.  Feeling really bored with indoor running lately.  I just can't seem to find the motivation that I need.  Maybe there is something to this negative effect of constant darkness.  I won't see the sun until January 1st when I get back home.  It went down November 23rd and won't come back up again until January 17th around here.  But normally that never seems to bother me.  I can't quite get motivated to go outdoors and run in the snow with the current wind chill of -35, in the dark!  Feeling extremely lazy!

Ran a Little

I must have been super tired today because it was almost 4 pm when I finally woke up this afternoon.  I am usually up by 2.  I didn't have enough time to get in a super good workout but at least did my minimal 3 mile treadmill run.  I am really looking forward to getting home where I can ski ski ski and ski.  Maybe do a little skating too.  The treadmill can get a bit boring at times.  But at least I have that here. Not much chance of running around outdoors right now in the Arctic darkness and cold.

6 Miles on the Treadmill

Had to give myself a few kicks in the pants to get moving, but I made it through my goal of 6 miles today.  I need more ambition!  Maybe the treadmill is a bit boring, but outdoors is not an option here in Deadhorse in December.  I woke up around noon and had a beautiful display of the sun pretending to be either rising or setting.  It was just teasing us though.

Just 3

Did another short 3 mile run on the treadmill today.  I am kind of alternating between 3 miles and somewhat longer runs.  Still dragging from stress and inactivity over the last few months.  But I know that as the next few weeks go by here in Deadhorse, I will gradually get back to my old routine.  Looking out at the darkness isn't too helpful either.  Maybe there is something to the perpetual darkness having a negative influence on our moods.  Sounds like a good excuse anyway!  I'm going to try not to let it do that to me though.  Hoping for more ambition tomorrow.

Gotta perk up!

DId 5 Miles Today

I am slowly getting back into running.  The two month vacation from training is really showing.  Having trouble drumming up motivation.  I miss running outdoors, but that would be close to impossible at -25 in the dark.  Thank goodness for that treadmill though, or I would turn into a slug! I did get out and look around Deadhorse a little today though during the lightest part of the day.
Watched Alaska Airlines come in for a landing

Got a good look at one of the oil rigs too.

3 More Miles

Another short run today, mostly short because I got tied up doing other things.  Laziness perhaps.  It was really hot on that treadmill, but not hot enough to go outdoors where it was 10 degrees below zero.  I can tell that I am a bit out of shape because my training was really deficient for the last two months, since the Nike Women's Marathon in October.  Just so much work to do and not enough time for anything.  Here in Deadhorse, I don't have much excuse, so should be able to run every day on the treadmill at least.

Only 3

I had planned to do 6 miles today but things happen that get in the way.  Sadly today I lost a good friend.  So sad.  I worked my way through a ground blizzard, to the Prudhoe Bay General Store to find some sympathy cards for her family.  Life is so short, so fragile.  Makes me appreciate life and the many blessings that I have.  What a blessing, to have the strength and energy in my mid 60s to be able to run marathons.  I'm sure glad we have that treadmill here in the hotel though, because I don't think I am quite tough enough to run around outdoors up here right now.

Interesting cloud formation today at noon, taken from my window at the Prudhoe Bay Hotel.  The sun sets on November 23rd and won't come back up again until January 17th.  But it does get a bit light at midday.

Running Again

The last two months have been extremely busy because I have been busy moving my mother and her entire household from California to Alaska.  I was too busy and too tired to get any time for running.  But now I am back up in Prudhoe Bay working for the month of December.  So, now that I am in a place where the temperatures are well below zero and the sun never comes up, I have time to run again!  Of course, now I am only running on the treadmill inside the Prudhoe Bay Hotel, but at least I have time to run.  Funny how I have more time for things I love to do, when I am working, but no time when I am not working.  Something seems wrong with that picture. 

I have done a little cross country skiing in the last couple of weeks, and ran 3 miles yesterday and 4 miles today on the treadmill.  I am training for my next marathon but have not decided when or where that will be.  I feel so out of shape right now and hope that I can get back to my old self during my month of December working up here in the far north.