We've been having a bit of cold weather here in Seattle. The weather hasn't been above freezing for a few days, and the ground is still covered with ice in many places. The weather folks say it will snow again tonight, then we'll revert to your basic rain, which people are looking forward to, strange as that may seem. The city in ice and snow is truly transformed, and forces both a fresh perspective and a slower pace, at least if you want to emerge with all bones intact and no big auto repair bills :). It's a good reminder of the value of stopping every once in a while and looking at the world with a fresh set of eyes.
Today, I was running with my brother across the I-90 bridge from Bellevue to Seattle. One of the best parts of moving here is the chance to run in new places, and running across a major freeway counts as a new run for me. It was a clear, very cold morning, and when we reached the top of Mercer Island we had an astounding view across Lake Washington, and could see both the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges, all topped with snow and ice. I could also see the tunnel that marked the turnoff point for the final 3 mile run home, seemingly just a bit away. Good thing I was running with my bro, since he told me the tunnel was two miles from where we stood, saving me a large amount of heartbreak. Still, the perspective was worth the pain of the extra miles, and a good reminder that even when you can see a long way, it often takes a lot of effort to get there.