March: The Month That Will Break You

I live in New England.  I grew up in Virginia just outside D.C.  I have come to accept that……….wait, no.  I haven’t come to accept that spring doesn’t really start until the end of April. Every single year,  this month nearly breaks me.

I am sure my neighbors and coworkers want to shut me up with how much I complain about the snow and the cold.  Even though every February or March we get a teaser stretch where one would think that we could put away the boots, heavy coats, hats, gloves and scarves.  Then, Old Man Winter comes and gets us real good.  This winter was definitely not an exception.

See, at first, it’s beautiful.  It’s gorgeous.  It’s serene and peaceful.  A run in newly fallen snow is tops. It’s the best!  Pretty!!! I can hear the Charlie Brown Christmas Skating song now by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.

But….then the 5th snow storm comes.  Your snow blower breaks. The power goes out.  Your pushing 40 plus inches for the season.  Now it is everything but pretty.  It’s just SAD!

This March we were hit with a couple of good storms, which caused us to lose power, which in turn helped the flu bug really hit the family.  Running falls down on the list of priorities when you are trying to keep people healthy and warm.   Then there is that word again…sad.  And I am not just talking about tears, which by the way, were shed after the third hour of shoveling our last two footer storm without a snow blower.  I am talking SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder .  It has gotten a lot of hype in the last few years and for good reason.  Unlike generations before us, we don’t have as much reason to get outside during any part of the year, really, but especially when it is freezing cold and dark.  I mean really?? wouldn’t you rather stay in next to a warm fire or under a bunch of blankets?:-) . Seriously though, March bites not only because it seems winter will never end, but we have been inside, away from vitamin D, away from fresh air and away from exercise. Some of us are really good about staying on top of our emotional and physical health, but some others of us let it slide.  While we may not all have a true case of SAD, many of us could benefit from what helps those with SAD.  Here is a list of things one can do, top among them being exercise.   Time to go get running!

So, this happens every year and it doesn’t look like we are moving any time soon.  What to do?  Next year, I would LOVE to visit my brother, sister-in-law and nephew in San Diego during March.  That would have to help, right?  Maybe plan a race for February to keep motivated so my “wells” aren’t as empty?  Maybe I’ll be better about reading the Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday (I find the passages keep things in perspective).  Well, there’s a start to the plan.  You won’t get me next year March!!!