wine and races galore... it's December

Dearest Reader,

Running's going fairly well these days.  Naggles all over my legs including a shin (or is it both?), a tight high hammy/low glute on the right side (currently loosened back up), and as of yesterday tight upper glute on the left side (work-related).  Other than that running's all good.  Been joining Mike, Rui and Doug for the Tuesday/Thursday thing which is a touch faster pace and starts/ends earlier meaning there is time for homemade lattes and eggs over medium.

Bringing me to another important point: drinking and eating are also going awesome!  Especially drinking.  It's dark at 4:30 (not that one can't drink in broad daylight but darkness triggers something inside me that says drink some more) and it seems there is always an occasion from the weeks prior to Thanksgiving thru the New Year meaning wine intake is at an all-time high with no cutting back in the foreseeable future.  I'll be responsible about it but I am not going to impose any restraints with these things--Tis the season.

Got a series of little races going on the next few weekends: 

The 7th is the 6.5 mile Shellburg Falls Trail Run.  I am surprisingly excited about this race.  Looking to take some time off last year's decent time which could be done by simply not falling 5 plus times.  Is not falling good enough alone to take 4-5 minutes off?  Nope, but hopefully some improved fitness helps with that a bit.

The 14th is Frozen Trails RunFest 50k down in Tracktown (Mt. Pisgah).  This race is new to me.  It's 4 loops that are each different (well 1 and 3 are the same) each with 800-1000 ft. elevation gain.  Sounds relatively flat but times of familiar names don't indicate that.  I guess it's always a mud fest despite it's Frozen name.  So that will be a not so close alternative to doing the warm, sunny, "chapparally" BBT which fell off the plans awhile back, mostly due to a lack of logistical prep.

The 21st Kattie and I will be in the most important race of our lives.  The Santa Paws 5k in Palm Springs, CA.  The name is so cute, isn't it?  All runners are given and required to wear a 5 piece Santa Claus suit meaning we will be setting Santa suit 5k PRs that day.  A Christmas dream come true.

Reports on how these events altered my life are due out soon so stay tuned...

Cheers!