Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun!

...Did anyone else ever sing that song as a kid? No? Just me? OK then. Sorry if I scared you all away with my last anger-centered post. Let's just say there was a particular incident fueling my thoughts and workouts, and it's since been...well, not eradicated, but reduced. So, to lure all my readers back, I'm doing a 180 and writing about something optimistic!

It's almost mid-March, and like the saying goes, spring is just around the corner! This weekend's weather teased us with a little bit of what we can hopefully expect next month...abundant sunshine and temperatures upwards of 50 degrees (for those of you who live south of me, that may not seem warm at all, but compared to the single digit temps of our winters, it feels like heaven!) There is a diagnosable mood disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder, in which people experience mild depression during the cold, gray months, and while I don't personally suffer from SAD, I think everyone has a bit of the blues when the weather is gloomy. 

In particular, it's hard to get out the door to run when it's cold/snowy/rainy/slushy/icy/windy, or all of the above (which happens sometimes) outside. Lots of days, that weather makes it hard just to get out of bed! Of course, it's physically impossible to bike on the roads in those conditions...OK, probably not strictly impossible, but definitely dangerous and downright stupid. And can I just say thank goodness for heated indoor pools!?!?

But then a weekend like this one comes along and suddenly everything seems to improve. The sun shines from dawn till dusk, the air is mild, and the wind isn't biting. It's almost impossible not to feel more optimistic about life. Running outside no longer requires so many layers that I feel like the Michelin Man, and I can actually start to think about taking the bike off the indoor trainer. I want to spend time outside, as opposed to staying out there for only as long as I absolutely have to.

Of course, I'm not obtuse enough to believe that we're out of the winter woods just yet...there is usually at least one nasty snow storm in March or April that catches everyone off-guard, even though it happens every year. But, one can't help but hope, right? 

I'll leave you with a picture of someone who enjoys the first warm rays of sunshine more than even I do...