The Holiday Season and Winter Running

The Holiday season brings people together from all over the place, to see each other, exchange holiday cheer, and of course...eat. I have eaten so much over the last few weeks, it is amazing. I had parties at work (2 just for the same 10 people in my office, because one wasn't enough!). Parties with people I used to work with at Brown. Parties with friends and meals with family, and because we are so spread out, multiple meals with different people, which will probably continue for the next month. Not to mention the Anniversary Extravaganza (5 years strong this year), which also entailed a great deal of eating. So of course I gained the inevitable holiday weight, 7 lbs. However, unlike previous years, I lost 5 of it over the last week, just from running! Winter running however. I am not a big fan of winter running. Since Mother Nature blessed us with a foot of snow a few weeks ago, it has been slow melt. And every time it melts, it freezes again, creating ice. This doesn't create the most ideal running conditions, but the attached photo is from a 9 mile run from this morning, which really was a beautiful except for the ice and snow that we had to run over once and a while!

I am still running

Sarah and I have some pretty ambitious goals for our running. Sarah has received the training plan for the next 9 weeks. Let's just say that seeing it all written down can be pretty overwhelming. One of the weeks we have to run 45 miles! However, these are not the things that currently blow my mind when it comes to running. It is the fact that I have stuck with it. I was up until 2:00 AM Saturday having fun being a twenty something (while it still lasts). Sunday morning, we got up at 7:00, and I ran 10 miles. Tuesday morning it was 15 degrees outside, we got up and went running at 5:30, and ran 5 miles. Tonight, it was flurrying outside as I drove to meet the running group, and I still ran, 6 miles. I thought for sure the cold would have halted my progress, but if you get the right clothes, it really isn't that bad out side. Except my lips are super chapped!

Thanksgiving

You know thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. I know that most holidays revolve around a meal, and eating. But no holiday celebrates the meal like Thanksgiving. The day revolves around the ceremonial bird or beast that is cooked and carved as the main course. Different families have their special dish that is sacred and their members all look forward to that dish on that one day of the year. Sweet potatoes or special stuffing recipes. Pies and cookies and the secret gravy recipes. It is a spectacular time, especially when you like eating as much as I do. The best part this year. i will run in the morning and burn off the excess calories, before I even eat them!

Yeah right, it would take me two marathons to burn off the amount of food I will most likely eat!

10 Miles

The longest race we have done yet. Sarah and I ran a 10 mile road race yesterday, and we both finished! As Sarah has liked to say, this is what seperates a runner from a jogger. Lots of people can run5k races, but less then 200 people ran in this 10 mile race, which by the way was right on the water on a chilly 39 degree November afternoon. We are extremely excited, and are looking forward to the next big step, half a marathon!

Ah yes, so you are all probably well aware that the Red Sox won the World Series. This is of course a very exciting event. With all of the anticipation of watching them come back and defeat the Indians, and then win game after game against the Rockies, alas I fell asleep about two batters before the end of the last game! Why does this happen, because they start the damn games too late!!!! Start them at 7:00!

3 Oliver

The space on the web known as 3 Oliver is now becoming more interactive. What does this all mean? It means that you can tell me what you think, about my thoughts! For now I will focus on the Red Sox in the World Series. Go Sox!!!!