A Break From Winter

54 and sunny?! That's what I'm talkin' about!!

Don't get me wrong, I love the winter months (especially now that I live in Colorado and have easy access to the mountains), but today was quite a treat. I even decided to take a break from the mundane-ness that is running on a treadmill to go for a jog outside. And a funny thing happened. As I ran past a school near the hospital where I work, I was almost tricked into thinking it was early March. The children were outside, most of them in shorts and t-shirts, playing on the jungle gym and running around the blacktop squealing with happiness and excitement. The sight and sounds of them seemed to instantly transport me a few months ahead. You know what I mean? It's like when you see a familiar sight or smell something you recognize, your mind takes you to that time or place with which you associate it. It's crazy how our brains work.

As much as I enjoyed the weather today and my jog outside, I almost feel guilty for enjoying it. This is only because back in Illinois, where most of my friends and family live, it was (and still is) super cold. Last night I hear it was in the negative degrees and today no more than 10. I guess I shouldn't feel guilty though; this weather is definitely not here to stay, and my jog reminded me of that. Even with the sun beating down on my neck, my fingers stung from the cool air, and I occasionally slipped as I ran over patches of leftover snow and ice. And quite honestly, I don't want winter to be over. I am one of those people who thoroughly enjoys all seasons, and I'm disappointed when one is cut short. Not too mention I'm not ready for snowboarding season to be over.

On another note, one of my many subjective thoughts was confirmed the other day by an article in a men's health magazine. Now I know what you're probably thinking; why are you reading a men's health magazine? Well here's the answer: I wasn't. But nonetheless, I was told by two different people of some pretty interesting recent findings -- Colorado Springs is the 2nd thinnest city in the nation. That's where I live folks! As exciting as this news was to me, I wasn't really surprised. Since the day I got here I have noticed that the majority of people I see out and about are definitely thinner than in other parts of the country. So what was at first just an observation became confirmed by this article, and today was reinforced during my jog. See, there is a lovely little park and trail just west of my apartment building that I often enjoy in the afternoons. And today, just like every other day, it was bustling with activity. Runners, cyclists, walkers, couples strolling with their dogs, mothers running with their babies in strollers, kids, young adults, older adults, even flat out old people can be found on this trail every day, no matter the weather. The people in this city are some of the fittest people I have ever seen. And with the mountains in their backyard it's no wonder they stay in shape. I'd want to be able to play in this place into my 80's as well. What's really astounding though, is that even named the 2nd thinnest city in the nation, there is still an overwhelming number of overweight and obese people. It really speaks to the significance of the obesity epidemic this country is facing. Anyway, I could go on about that for a while, and I probably will some other time. But it's getting late, and I'm getting tired, so it's off to bed for me. I have a long day of researching ahead of me tomorrow...