A journey of 1000 miles....: What doesn't freeze me solid makes me a stronger runner.....

Ok, Really???? REALLY???? Can we be done with winter now PLEASE?????? Enough is enough. Single digit runs and snowbanks taller than me are getting really old. I laughed in the face of Mother Nature for the first storm of the season and refused to believe winter had arrived, now I'm not laughing anymore, the joke is on me. Very funny, ok, Polar Vortex, you can go back to Canada now and warmer (but not too warm) less snowy, yucky, grey, cloudy doom and gloom days would be nice.

I guess I sort of lucked out last weekend for the first DFMC group run I have been able to attend. It rained all Friday and I baked cookies when I got home to bring to the run. Saturday REALLY early I drove to Wellesley to run along the Marathon Course with the team. It wasn't raining anymore and it wasn't snowing, but it WAS really cold and a little windy and the runoff from the day before had frozen into a sheet of ice on the Newton Hills which made it extra challenging to run and not faceplant on the asphalt or break a hip. It was a recovery week for me so I was "only" running 14 miles. It ended up perfect because that took me just over the top of heartbreak hill and back.

After the run I went to Trader Joes (big mistake). I should know better than to go to Trader Joes after a run, but I do it A LOT. I spent about $100 on snacks I don't need. I went home, showered and took a nap. After I woke up, I texted a few friends and made plans to go out in downtown Lowell for Winterfest. It was also National Margarita Day so we got a margarita at the first bar (and the next one too). Then we met up with some other friends to go to the beer tent, not before stopping by the Lowell Fire Dept for some fun photos with a friend that works there. I hope he didn't get in trouble. After several hours at the beer tent we finished off the night with one (maybe two) more margarita(s). It is so nice to have my Saturday nights and social life back, but I really over did it. I'm lucky I can walk home from downtown.

Surprise surprise Sunday morning I woke up with a pounding headache and wonky stomach. Oh and I had a 3 mile race to run at 1:00pm. My goal for the race went from running a solid time to not puking the whole time. The first mile was a little rough, but more because it was crowded than because of my hangover. I picked up the pace after it thinned out a little and managed to finish in just under 30 minutes. Still felt wonky afterwards and couldn't wait to go home and crash on my couch but first we all decided to get lunch. Maybe food would make me feel better......not really, but it was a fun day and then I took a nap. I think I could easily end every blog entry with that phrase..."and then I took a nap". I love naps.

Big exciting news this week......I got my DFMC singlet in the mail along with a matching sparkle skirt I ordered to go with it. Also, got a sort of scary email from the B.A.A. about new rules for this year. No bags allowed AT ALL. So no bringing warm clothes to the start and then putting them safely in a bag to collect at the finish. NO BANDITS allowed on the course, so it looks like trying to get someone to run me into the finish is out of the question. I will have to find some good throw away clothes and then somehow figure out how to get some warm dry clothes to the finish area too. All totally understandable and great that they let everyone know so far in advance that we can prepare, but definitely throws a wrench in the works of normal pre-race routine.

BTWs, today is my mom's 66th birthday! Trying to get as many donations of any dollar amount "In Honor" of her today as possible. Please go to my page and make a donation and make it "IN HONOR" of "Cheryl Leeman".