The holiday is OVER

Previously, on this blog...

I was running a lot, working on my USAT certification, and injuring myself sleeping. Luckily I've resolved two of the three. I'm now tapering, not actively working on my certification, and over my pains and injuries! But oh, how things have changed.

We traveled first to Kentucky for the holidays to see the Harwood family, where our last 20 miler of the marathon plan shortened without too much consideration to 11 miles around the city of Bowling Green, in lots of beautiful snow. We also got in a short Christmas Day run where the horses in the pastures along the road ran to the fences to greet us, one after another. A beautiful white Christmas!

Next was Memphis where I got to run my old favorite, the Yellow Trail, and see my family for the week after Christmas! Memphis was COLD and damp, but lots of fun. The week was spent with my awesome old (meaning longstanding, of course) friends. And here's another version of the classic trio:

New Year's Day Jeremy and I were supposed to run with Nancy and Jerry... thank goodness she was sick also! That was one more canceled run that I had no problem with. And before I knew it, we were back  home, and I was getting ready for work.

Yes, that's right, I now have a full time J-O-B. And let me tell you, the best way to slow down the hands of time is take off work for 10 months, then suddenly begin again. Jerry reminded me of just how good I had it those last 10 months approximately 5 days before it all ended.

Not being a morning person, I've missed pretty much every sunrise here in NM, but caught a great one on the way to work this morning.

Then I caught the sunset over the other mountains on my run right after work.

Thankfully the middle of the week 12 milers are finished, and the taper is in full effect. This perfectly coincided with having less time to do these runs, especially around noon, when the sun is shining and warm, when I've had time to warm up and plan all my pre-and post-run meals, when I can nap right afterward... But in exchange for working, I'm getting paid, which means I can enjoy the new race wheels and computrainer we just bought. The holiday may be over, but the real fun of Ironman training will be beginning soon!