No, not that March madness. This is about the madness of the month of March! March is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. How appropriate! The month of March is a war between winter and spring, just look at the weather in March! Cold, warm, windy, overcast, sunny, snow, sleet, rain, we see it all. We know spring will ultimately win out but, oh, what we have to deal with until then!
For runners, it’s an especially difficult time because we never know what clothes to set out for tomorrows run. If I put out shorts, a T-shirt and a windbreaker I’m just as likely to need long pants, a winter coat, winter hat and gloves. If I prepare for the worst and don’t need it then I’m over dressed and overheated 1 mile into my run. If it’s raining cats and dogs and I needed a raincoat and only wore a windbreaker then I’m soaked.
If I’m doing an out and back run then I’m pretty much guaranteed that that howling wind will be blowing in my face all the way out and then will switch direction as soon as I turn around and head back.
Daylight Savings Time occurs in March. If you are a morning runner then you are just now getting used to the daylight at 6 AM and then you are thrust back into the darkness within the short span of one day. Saturday morning, all is well, Sunday morning you wake up at your usual time and it’s DARK again. Dang.
Of course, if your name is Julius Caesar then you want to stay inside on the Ides of March (15th) and don’t even think about going for a run with your buddies!
Of course, there are some good things this month.
We know that Spring is just around the corner if we can just find that elusive corner so we can abandon the dreaded treadmill for another season.
St. Patrick’s Day is coming and there are bound to be a plethora of 5K runs in your neighborhood so you can get dressed up in silly green costumes with silly green hats and drink a pint or two (or more) of green beer when the run is over. (I’ve never drunk green beer, what does it look like after it’s transited the digestive system?)
And finally, since all runners love peanut butter, Peanut Butter Lovers day occurs in March.
(I can’t wait till April !!!!)
