The Mist
Something in the mist took John Lee!
Today I ran around Lake of the Isles. According to intrepid meteorologists serving the Twin Cities, we are scheduled for up to six inches of snow today. The temperature during the day is warm, though, so we can expect rain in the afternoon before the snowfall.
I ran fast enough to beat the most of rain. For a minute or two, the lake is pockmarked by little droplets, but running at speed, they are barely noticeable. A fog lies over Lake of the Isles, thick enough that you cannot see to the other bank, but not so thick as to obscure the eponymous islands, nor obstruct visibility. Minneapolis is decidedly in the “brown” part of the fall, so the islands in fog appear with a certain air of dread mystery, barren trees adorned with the occasional foreboding crow. With a little imagination, a person can pretend the islands are an urban Isla Nublar.
Other curiosities on display are the usual waterfowl. The season for boating is over and the wind is calm, so once the rain subsides the lake is placid. The little wakes of the swimming birds as they dive are particularly noticeable. The sky is a uniform gray, like an off-white canvas…I have a friend that once had a project to paint the various streetlamps of the Cities, taking down their particular latitudes and longitudes with each one. On a day like today, I can see the appeal of such a project; they cast a striking image.
There are not many people out on the lake today. A couple out of earshot stands by a weeping willow; a woman in a long jacket and a scarf walks alone; a group of friends chats in the grass with some pastries. I spy a few of them stopping to take pictures of the lake…it seems I’m not the only one who finds the view moving today. The fog all around gives everyone a certain wistful and fantastic aura, like we all characters in some dusty Gothic novel. No eagles seen today to complete the seaside fantasy, though. Regardless, the shutterbugs have me thinking I’m not the only one waxing poetic about the weather.
As a final amusement, part of the dock has been towed into the lake and is serving as a barge with two benches on it. It is far enough from shore there would be no illusions of jumping out to it. What a funny scene it would make to see people sitting out there, especially if they were dry with no boat. Now that might have me thinking of the ghosts and specters of Poe and Jackson, eh?
- Mileage Today: 3.4
- Mileage This Week: 11.1
- Mileage on Lake Patrol: 11.1
- Mileage To Date: A lot.
About Me
Hey everyone! I’m John Christensen, the top-ranked non-finisher at the 2025 Never Summer 60k. I’ll be running the 2026 Grandma’s Marathon in support of the American Cancer Society, a nationwide non-profit in operation since 1913 dedicated to eliminating cancer.
The “Lake Patrol” blog will catalog my training and some of my pontifications and bloviations. I intend to use this as a form of self-coaching, as well as a record of my state of mind that I might appreciate re-reading one day.
If you enjoy the blog, consider making a donation to the ACS on my personal page, directly to the ACS, or to a charity of your choice.