New Years Eve fun

I was finally able to find out that the New Years Eve 5K in Jackson was not taking place this year.  I did the New Years Eve Flash Mob 5K in downtown Ann Arbor.  It was fun.  This was an informal, untimed run.  It was cold and snowing.  The start/finish was at a bar.  I went to the front door and thought I was in the wrong place.  I walked in behind two women in short skirts and high heels!  The doorman said I was in the right place and told me how to get to the room in the back which is where the race was starting.  We were on an enclosed patio which is meant for warm weather use.  They had large kerosene heaters to warm the room.  There were televisions around the room and we watched the ball drop from New York City and then took off out the back door to start our new years with running!  You can see the snow covered street through the window behind me in the picture below:

Before running on New Years Eve

There was a costume contest.

New Years Eve costume winners

There was a puck drop this year.  A giant lighted hockey puck dropped at midnight over on Main Street, a couple of blocks away.  As we began running, many people were heading either to their cars, homes or some other place so there were a lot of people walking on the sidewalks.  People were high fiving the runners!  That was fun!  A few people were wondering what the heck was going on, some were annoyed with people running down the sidewalks.  At one point in the run I saw a large group of people in one spot.  One man moved out from the group and his leg looked weird.  I realized that he was extending his leg to trip me with his foot!  Yes, he was trying to trip me!  I jumped over his foot.  I'm glad I realized in time to avoid face-planting on the street!  One person yelled out, "what is this 5K for?"  I yelled back, "New Years Eve."  I wish I would have thought to yell out something crazy such as "Fourth of July" or something totally stupid like "to save the whales" or something other than the logical answer! 
After the run there was a breakfast bar!  I wasn't hungry but ate eggs, bacon, chicken nuggets (not sure why) and a pretzel stick. 
It had been snowing all afternoon and snowed the entire time I was there.  It was a slow drive home with 4 wheel drive used until I got to the highway and then again in the last few miles to home.  I gave my friend a ride home; she had walked to the run.  I did not know where she lived but she lives outside of the downtown area and had quite a walk there.  With taking her home and the bad roads, I didn't get home until 3:30 AM! 
So, once again, I began a new year on a run!  It wasn't as fun as the New York City Midnight Run in Central Park.  There were 60 some runners as opposed to 4000 in New York!  I am still hoping to get back there one of these years.  I was planning to this year but it just wasn't possible.  Maybe next year. 
Happy New Year!  Welcome to 2014 - Runner Nerd's year of the half marathon!!

Runner Nerd
began 2014 running

Missing New York

I'm kind of sad today.  I had planned to return to New York City this year to run the midnight run in Central Park like I did on New Years Eve, 2010.  It turns out that I just couldn't do it this year.  My daughter is preparing to study abroad next semester and we have to have her all ready to go on January 8th.  I'm going to Key West in 3 weeks which is going to cost more than I thought it would.  College nearly cleaned out my savings even with the scholarships I received.  (If it wasn't for the scholarships, I'd have a lot less to spend on Key West.)
Anyway, I'm going to run the local New Years Eve run tonight.  It's at 10pm which isn't as much fun as midnight.  It is small town and nothing like the atmosphere in Central Park on New Years Eve.  There were so many people there!  It just goes to show that runners just love to run!  Runners celebrate every occasion by running!  The run is 4 miles and I didn't run very fast, it was so crowded at the start that it took 11 minutes for the first mile!  It did thin out somewhat but there was still so many people all around me!  There were fireworks, too!  I had run nearly 2 miles when the fireworks stopped! The 4 mile run took longer than it usually takes me to run 4 miles but it was over with so fast! 
As for real life - Weather Channel website says 27 degrees at 10 pm here which isn't too bad.  I will think about sunny days, palm trees and shorts while I run!!  I go to Key West in 2 weeks, 3 days!
Tonight, I will be missing and thinking about this:

My daughter, my sister and I in Central Park before the run

My friend, Nestor (who lives there), and me after the run

Next year, for sure!!  I'm going next year!!  New York City, I will see you this date next year!!!

Runner Nerd
longing for the fun in Central Park

Run into the New Year 5K

I won my age group!!!!!!  
I ran the Run into the New Year 5K. It was cold and icy in places.  I wasn't dressed warm enough.  I dressed in my running clothes before going to dinner at my friend's house.  It had been in the mid 30s all day.  When we arrived at the race and got out of the car I could tell that the temperature had dropped.  The parking lot was slippery but the street seemed ok.  I was a bit chilly during most of the race.  There were icy spots here and there.  As the race went on it became apparent that we should  not have had the yummy chocolate desserts before the race.  We should have went back to her house and had the desserts AFTER the race!!  I got the bowling ball in tummy feeling and cramps first on left side then they moved over to the right side. 
I must get  back into shape. 
So, here we are in the year 2010.  I sent a text msg to a friend who lives on the west coast after my race to brag about winning my age group and also to wish a happy new year.  It dawned on me that it won't be the new year out there for another 2.5 hours.  That is very weird-my friend and I are living in different years!  (same for my sister and I since she also lives out there) 
I finish out 2009 with 1022 miles ran!  I will try to put together a running year recap soon.  I am not sure how many races I ran.  I actually had 1 PR this year too!! I hope 2010 is a better running year for me than 2009 was. 
Tomorrow I will be running again at noon, 10 miles is planned.  I can't think of a better way to end a year and then begin a new one than by RUNNING!!!!
Happy New Year

Runner Nerd
honor student and running fanatic

The Last Day of the Year, The Last Oppurtunity to accumulate mileage in 2009

Here it is, the last day of 2009.  Can you believe we have completed 10 years in the 2000s already?? Hard to believe.  It seems like it wasn't that long ago when people were panicking and stockpiling food and stuff because we didn't know what was going to happen when the year changed from 1999 to 2000. 
Well, after the 5K I am running tonight I will finish the year with 1021 miles!  This is the fourth year I ran over 1000 miles. 
Tonight I have 1021 miles, tomorrow I have ZERO.  It's time to start all over again.  My new log book is standing ready and waiting to be written in!!

Three of my Thursday night running groupies are going to be running in this race too!!  One of them is inviting the rest of us to her house for dinner!!

My daughter is having a few friends over.  She has been busy cleaning the place up!!
Tomorrow one of the trainers at the gym is having a group run.  He said 7 miles but asked if anyone was interested in going 10 so I said I would but I don't know what is planned. He will most likely have 2 or 3 short loops planned so people can drop out when they want to. 

Happy New Year and Happy Running to anyone who may happen to read this!!!