By Michael Selman

Transformation.

Winter finds it around every corner. If your eyes are open to what is happening around you, it will be apparent to you too. Winter running is running to be cherished. The colder the better. After all, isn't running all about overcoming the elements? What better elements to overcome than temps in the teens and a howling wind in your face?

The first signs of winter start going up right after Thanksgiving. They illuminate the houses which they adorn, adding color and brightness to the neighborhoods. They capture the creativity of their owners. Subdivisions which were quiet and dull, are suddenly bright and alive with the Christmas spirit, and it is wonderful to see as you quietly judge them for originality on your run.

Transformation.

Christmas slowly gives way to New Year, and the sights definitely start changing. The decorations come down, and now the streets, parks, and trails are suddenly full of people of all shapes and sizes. New Year always brings about resolutions, and a most common vow for non-recreational people is to whip themselves into shape. The question remains, will these resolutions become commitments as time goes on? It is sad to see the numbers dwindle by the end of March, but they invariably do. This year, make a resolution for yourself. Smile when you see them, and offer encouragement, and friendship. If they continue, keep on smiling and encouraging. If they disappear, get in touch with them and encourage them to get back into it. It is the least you can do.

Transformation.

And the feelings of a winter's run. There is nothing that can compare. It starts before you even walk out the door. The feel of the tights hugging your skin, the wool hat pulled over your head and the gloves to keep your hands warm are all reminders that you are dealing with more than just a run. You are dealing with, and responding to nature. And the response is amazing. Within a mile, you feel that special tingling that only takes place during a winter's run. A feeling that is emitted through every pore of your body, telling you that your machine is warming up, and the needle is moving away from the C, and working its way towards the H.

Transformation.

As you continue your run, you start to sweat a little more, and try to remember why you even needed your hat and gloves to begin with. They soon come off, and you tuck them in the pocket of your jacket, which, at this point, is also extra weight. This is no longer a winter's run. It is a special run, and you are so glad you are doing it. As you breathe the cool winter's air, in the background, you smell the aroma of fireplaces, and are pleased that you chose the mode you did for warmth this morning.

Transformation.

Now, you are looking around, absorbing everything. The predawn sky is ablaze with constellations that grace the winter skies. The familiar row of stars that marks Orion's belt buckle are there for company. Of all the designs in the sky, this is the one you can actually make sense of. But, as the night stars give way to the star of the day, the show is just starting. The wispy- tailed cirrus clouds start to appear from the night sky. First they are a dreary grey but, as the sun peeks over the horizon, they slowly paint the heavens with hues of pink and orange before finally settling in as the white colour we have grown accustomed to. This is unique to the winter sky.

Transformation.

And as you look around, you are so warm and toasty that it takes you by surprise that the fields you run by are still covered with a thick layer of frost. As you are freely sweating, you can't understand why the pond you just ran by is still topped with a thick layer of ice. When the penned dogs are barking at you when you pass, the smoke coming out of their mouths so thick, you can hardly see them behind it. Why doesn't nature know what you know?

Transformation.

Finally, the run is over. The day has dawned brightly. You inhale the clean winter air deeply and know that you have done well this morning. You go back in the house, wondering how anyone can have a negative thing to say about winter running. While you were out there, you created your own climate, and it was very warm and comfortable. As you walk into the kitchen, you take a peek at the thermometer sitting outside the window. It is sitting on 28 degrees, and again, you are taken by surprise. You know something the icy pond, the frosty grass and the barking dog didn't have a clue of. . The heart of a runner is warmer than that. Much warmer.

Transformation.

And now, alas, it is time to let go of old man winter. Many people will be happy to have it out of the way. After all, spring offers its own unique brand of changes. Georgia's springs are especially spectacular. But that is another essay. For now, it is with a touch of sadness that you release winter from your clutches, but with open arms, that you greet a new season.

You sit back, and reflect on old man winter, and know that life is good.

Transformation.

(from Runners' Niche, an electronic magazine for runners produced by Woody Green.)