After the traditional Christmas Eve dinner of shrimp and cinnamon rolls with our friends the Painters, my family and I headed to midnight Mass (which used to actually be at midnight). In an unexpected turn of events, I ran into some old friends from high school whom I look up to. Literally.
They're much taller than I am. Get it?
|
According to Death (one of Mike's many nicknames, and one particularly appropriate considering what he put me through yesterday), the key to running is smiling. A lot. He told me most of the time we were running that I just wasn't smiling enough. Apparently I also need to find some woods to run through and trails to run on, where there are no people and lots of nature. Not surprising coming from a kid who once told me of an ambition to run a bunch of people over with a lawnmower after spending 5 hours walking through crowds after World Youth Day. Long story.
The aforementioned "Death" aka Mike Fend.
|
After our run, I squeezed in a quick lunch with another high school friend and hurried off to the airport and caught a plane to Nashville via Salt Lake City. I planned to wake up and go running again this morning where it was colder, but when I got up it was almost 50 degrees so I had to postpone. I spent the day with one of my old roommates from college since the friend I'm actually here to visit has not yet returned from Christmas with her family (you'll see and hear more about her soon, I'm certain, as I will force her to run with me while I'm here) and then, once I got home, it was finally cold!
I figured I could either try to get myself to wake up early enough for it to still be cold enough in the morning or I could go for a little nighttime jog... so I chose the latter. The neighborhood seemed pretty safe and I hadn't really done anything healthy all day (guac & tacos for lunch, then mini corn dogs and popcorn and Junior Mints for dinner at the movie - not good choices for running), so I geared up in my UnderArmour cold gear and got ready to head out.
Love me my cold running gear!! |
Can't wait for some more running in the cold with Stephie, and maybe her former-Army boyfriend who has apparently decided it's his new mission to whip me into shape. In 5 days. Good luck, my friend...