Men In Tights

Off to the cabin on Big Elbow Lake Friday night. Kristy and the girls stayed at home so I drove up by myself. Meeting me there was my brother John and his sons Christopher and Andrew. John was there to do some cabin chores, which in the Wagar family usually involves burning something, and the boys to do some snowmobiling and fishing. I was there to share some company and get out on the trails with my sled for a training run. I slept out on the deck of the cabin in my sleeping bag. Once I bedded down, I would have liked to been awake longer and gazed at the stars though I was really tired. Being one who is early to bed, there is not much left of me at 12:30 a.m. and if I am laying in a comfortable, warm sleeping bag, I am out like a light. I got up at 5 and started my morning routine. 2 weeks out from the Arrowhead 135 I wanted to simulate my race day routine as close as possible. I was on the trail a little past 7 hoping to beat the snowmobilers for the majority of my run. The temps were warm for January. As a rule, I use 30 degrees with wind chill as a threshold to wear shorts or not. I didn't even think about shorts as I prepared my bag Friday before I left town or when I was dressing Saturday morning. I didn't wear a jacket to start being it was already 25 degrees. On the trail, the gloves came off first. Then I put on a thinner hat. I wished I had worn shorts under my thin running pants but I had Under Armour running tights on. Hey, it's the middle of January. I don't have the physique or the guts to run in just my tights though some guys do. They make me a little uneasy though I guess if you got it, flaunt it. More power to ya. Even with the only audience being a deer, timber wolf or bobcat, I just couldn't do it. I rounded South Twin Lake and headed back towards Big Elbow. It was 37 degrees when I got back to the cabin and I had been out for just over 6 hours. 4 of which I was lamenting that I hadn't worn shorts. Oh well, lesson learned. It's all about choices. I kept my pants on and my tights covered up. Good choice? I'm sure the animals were glad I did.