The silly side of running.

Since my marathon I have not been over exerting myself!  I've run a few races and a fun run.  I ran a 5K on halloween morning wearing no watch or Garmin!!  I also ran dressed as a bee!  The Tuesday morning group decided to go as a swarm of bees!  The race was in Hell, Michigan and I can say for sure that Hell froze over that morning!!  It was FREEZING! 

A few of the bees!

Yep, I ran a 5K like this!

November 16th I ran in the Wayne County Lightfest Run Thru the Lights 8K which is just a fun run.  It is the opening night of a drive through Christmas light show.  I was decked out in Christmas lights!!  We got very cool long sleeve tshirts that GLOW in the dark!!!!!  This is the 3rd year I've run this.  The first year it was unseasonably warm for mid-November.  Last year it was cold.  This year it was cold and raining and I got soaked.  The route for this is a small portion of the organized 20 mile training run I did on September 25th.  As I was running along this section of Hines Drive in Sept. I was thinking that in about 7 weeks I'd be back on that stretch running at night in the light of the displays.  Anyone who would be reading this most likely knows how your mind can wander on a 3.5 hour run.  I was thinking about the fact that the marathon would be a month behind me at that time and how it would be nearing Thanksgiving and the Holiday season.  As I was running along during the Lightfest run I was amazed at how quickly that time had passed. 

 I know this is B&W but you can see the Christmas lights and glow bracelets on  my wrists! The reason for the big ole umbrella behind me???  Yep, it was raining!

 I am in the middle of two Thursday running group friends.

 I am on the right. We are in front of the display that marks the entrance to the drive through. We have glow bands on our ankles too!

What do soaked runners do after running? EAT, of course!!!!

Friday night I ran in a relay race at EMU.  It was the Candy Cane Relays!  4 person teams each person runs a mile loop around the campus.  I ran 7:56!! There were 2 hills in the course!  It was fun and our team, The Grinches, came in 2nd place!!  We got goody bags as prizes!  Our team leader got us Grinch tshirts!

The Grinches relay team.  We were 2nd place!

Saturday afternoon I ran the Holiday Hustle 5K.  In addition to a long sleeve t-shirt runners get either a Santa hat or reindeer antlers and a jingle bell bracelet!  When the race first starts and everyone is still close together it's quite a sound to hear all the jingle bells!  As I said earlier I'm not over-exerting myself these days, I sure didn't in this race!  I just trotted along at an easy pace until toward the end when I did pick up the pace.  I had 26:38 and wasn't even tired!!  I feel like such a slacker but I also don't feel like putting myself through what it feels like to really race these days.  I will again someday but not right now. 

With a few crazy friends!

Next Saturday I am running an all womens 5K called Jingle Belle run.  Instead of a t-shirt they are giving headbands!! (The type that you wear to keep your ears warm in cold weather.) 

Then after that the next event is the event I've been waiting for all year!!!  The New Years Eve Midnight Run in Central Park in New York City!!!!!!  I am sooooooo excited!  I've always wanted to do it and this year my sister and I are going to do it!!  My daughter and I have our tickets to fly to my sister's on the 30th.  We will take a train to NYC the morning of the 31st.  I cannot wait!!  I can't wait to get back home and wear my t-shirt from that around my friends here!!!!!!

I am also registered for a spring half marathon.  I'm running the half in Traverse City this year.  It filled up in 1 day.  The whole marathon filled up yesterday so that took 6 days.  Last year it filled in mid-January.  (I know because that's when I registered.) 

I don't know yet when I will start training.  I think most half marathon plans are 12 weeks which is March 5th.  I should be able to train for a half while in college full time.  I want to run a decent half marathon, under 2 hours.  In the fall I want to try for a new half PR in Grand Rapids. 

Next week is the last week of this semester!!!!!!  I will be soooooooo happy.  I don't like either class I am taking this semester. (Psychology and Communications) They are both required classes for the program I am entering so I had no choice. 

My kids will be home from college for Christmas break this week.  I am looking forward to seeing them and spending time with them and having them around but am dreading hearing, "Mom, I'm hungry" again. UGHHHHHHHHHHH 

They will come with loads and loads of laundry too! Yippie.

Well, that's about it for now!!

Runner Nerd

lazy runner, nerd and not a candidate for Super Mom!