I haven’t been out for a hike in weeks. Whine.

January and February have been filled with long hours of work and stress and lousy weather. Whine.

My clothes are too snug, I’m out of breath after three flights of stairs, and I hate icy roads. Whine, whine, whine.

When the weather was inviting the other day (and please, no scolding me for being unprepared for all conditions), I forced myself to shake off my winter torpor for little while. I headed to Mine Falls Park in Nashua for a loop around the cove near the Millyard.

Hard to believe what a difference that made. After a couple of miles, my jeans were still snug and I still had a pile of work waiting for me. But gradually, as I walked along the canal path in crunchy snow, the whines went away. Fresh air and near-silence worked wonders.

I’ll still need a push to get out the door this season, but Mine Falls Park will remind me that the effort pays off.