Three and a half. 

The temperature last night was -12.  So when I arose this morning, excited at the prospects of our predicted rise in temperature up above zero at some point today, I was disheartened to see that the morning sunlight ushered in a temperature at -17 with windchills in around -34. 

So after warming the car up for 30 minutes (whirrr whirrr--"c'mon! turn over, turn over, turn over"--purrrrrrrrrrrr.), the girls and I ventured out into the Chicago Tundra.  Because Chicago Public Schools never close.  I joked the other day that it could be the apocalypse and CPS would not call off school.

So Jada and I dropped Zoe off at daycare and proceeded to my beloved Lakeshore Drive to make the 110-block trip to her northside school.  We noticed only a few ducks perched on the ice today.  Approaching 63rd Street Beach:  WHAT'S THIS?!?!  SOMEONE EXERCISE-WALKING ALONG THE PATH?  Are you nuts.  Then I noticed a car pulling out from the parking lot...WHAT?

Later we saw two more avid runners (read: fools) out there.  I just can't for the life of me figure out why someone wouldn't wake up on a day like today and say, "ya know, maybe I oughtta skip that run this morning."

Weird thing is, a few days ago when it was hovering in the single digits ABOVE zero, we didn't see a soul out there.

So three and a half runners/walkers.  The half, we reason, is the person leaving the parking lot.

p.s.  I got a Chicago Tribune email alert when the temperature flirted with zero.  Only to read that shortly after breaking the surface, we have since slipped back down into subzero temps. 

Yeah, I am done with the cold weather.  I'm ready for our 120 degree summer days.  I want to go running, but I just can't make myself do it.  And it's not even quite as cold here as it is there.  UGH! 

anyway, just wanted to stop by and say hi!

Clearly those 3.5 people are not as wise as we are! Obviously we intend to leave this world with the 20 fingers & toes God gave us. No losing appendages from frost bite here!

 Hey Lindy! I heard that you were back! :) Sorry you're freezing your rear off over there. I cannot even imagine.

I watched Spirit of the Marathon last night and of course thought of you.

I'm registered for 3 races this year: a 10.6 miler in April, a half in July, and a half in December. I think that should be plenty.

Anyway, welcome back! I missed you. Try to keep warm!

I saw on the news where they threw some hot water up in the air and it froze before it hit the ground in Chicago.  Y'all can have that cold weather.  It was 18 here  yesterday and I didn't even want to go get the mail.  :o)

You've confirmed that some runners are totally crazy/nuts.  I saw one runner yesterday.  I walk to work almost every day (in Pittsburgh) and even I drove yesterday.  We had -5 with -23 windchill which is nothing like you experienced (my boss is in Chicago).

Stay warm!