Running against the wind and snow and cold

"Hey Amy ... saw you running the other morning when it was really cold, down around 8th and Main."
(This is code for: Are you freakin' nuts?")
Is it odd that people around town approach me this way?
I mean, first of all, in a small town, you go for a run and people see you. Second, winter running is not as bad as it sounds. And third, what seems crazy on the surface actually is the best way to counter months of being cooped up inside.
Oh sure, www.weather.com greets me first thing every morning. And, I cringe like everyone else when the forecast says 3 degrees, feels like -11.
But, if you dress right, most days are perfectly suitable for running. It's not craziness. It's just a matter of translating degrees and wind mph into layers — a fairly accurate and personal formula that improves every season.
The initial plunge out on the frozen tundra can be daunting and send the mind racing for excuses. Somehow, though, you put one foot in front of the other and within a half a mile, you're thinking to yourself or saying to your running buddy, "Not so bad, huh?"
Of course, wrapped in layers of fleece, it sounds more like, "Nn uh bld, uh?"
In this outdoor world of muffled silence, the trees spread their branches in icy glory and the snow reflects the sun's sparkle in a brilliance unmatched by any other season.
Soon, the negative thoughts and discomfort dissipate. You feel all-powerful and conquering.
Or, maybe not.
You spend the entire run cursing the cold, feeling your extremities grow increasingly numb and your shoes turn into frozen boards. Every little hair on your face frosts over and ice forms on your eyelashes.
In the end, though, it doesn't matter. The best part about winter running is being done.