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it was snowing, lightning and thundering

That is kind of awesome....like a mythical battle between summer and winter. Here in South Carolina leaves are just giving up their bright green for a tinge of yellow. If I get even one picture similar to yours this year, it will be in another 4-5 months.

On the journey for the opportunity to make the USA Olympic team in 2008 a typical runner encounters all kinds of weather. It toughens the mind and for people like me I go from an emotional well-being of 9.5 out of 10 to a 10 out of 10. It's an endorphin rush that can't be explained, only experienced.

Running in unexpected weather reminds me of a story a running friend told me a while back.

In New Jersey there was this runner who logged 6 to 10 miles every single morning. A neighbor moved in who was also into running and asked if he could tag along a few times a week. They never said a word to each other during those early runs together.

Then came a cool rainy morning. The neighbor new to the area showed up on time to begin that morning run. That proved to the other runner that this guy is for real and will not make an excuse for not showing up and that he could be counted on. From that day on they talked about every subject under the sun during their subsequent training runs together and became great friends.

As I train here in Boulder, and Boulder County, during the fall, winter and spring (the time of weather conditions that can be really extreme here) I'm always thinking of the other athletes indoors running on their treadmills all cozy and comfortable, while I'm out doing the real 'dirty' work that will give me a better opportunity of achieving success.