DID YOU ISSUE THE CODE RED? I WANT THE TRUTH!

A code red was issued today at the Marine Corps Base here at Quantico.  The red level meant the base was closed to only essential emergency personnel.  A snowstorm with an expected drop of 8-12 inches was forecast, meaning the end of the world for those in DC.  Classes were cancelled today, which thus meant the 5 mile run in our challenge series, called the“Journey to OZ”, also the last run prior to the Yellow Brick Road next week, would not be run.  It was probably a good call on the base closing as a good heavy snowfall from around 0500 to noon today hit the area.  While DC itself got mostly rain, everyone else got snow and wind gusts. About six inches fell here. 

Not to be denied, however, some classmates still were going to run the 5-miler in the snow and wind.  I was not one of those.  My roommate and I were on the way to the cardio room to run the 5 miles in the confines of a climate controlled cardio room. Ah but the best laid plans…being the cop that he is, the lobster from Maine referred to me in derogatory terms, and I then guilted my roommate so off we went into the winter wonderland. Surprisingly, the air temp was around 35 degrees, but the wind wasn’t so kind.  Our group of about 30 finished the run in under an hour.  The run sucked; however, knowing it was done and no “makeup” work was needed made it worth the while. (Several other groups also ran throughout the day…no doubt peer pressure plays a part!). I went into the gym afterward and a group of 10 had been playing basketball for about an hour. Seizing the opportunity, I was able to get a couple games in with a group of analysts that are here for a month of training. They range in age from 23-27, which means the run a lot faster. Advil is the drink of the day.

Television weather stations were all geared up for the end of the world and the blizzard of ’13, “Superstorm Saturn”, was a bust. The weather coverage is just as bad here as in Omaha…it wasn’t this way when I was a kid.  It borders on ridiculous.