Toughin' it out

Happy New Year!!!  Nothing like starting off the new year looking like a drowned rat.  Hubby and I banged out the Atlanta Track Club's Resolution Run 5K this AM to start the new year off on the right running shoe!   What perfect race weather...45 degrees and pouring rain.  You have to look at this way, if you start the new year this way isn't everything else downhill? 

I enjoyed the race.  There is something about being allowed to run through puddles when you are 43 years old.  It is like "in your face, Mom" for all the times you heard "don't play in the puddles.  You'll catch your death."  I think I surprised my husband; we had agreed not to race together and he took off about .2 miles into the race  At a little over a mile guess who was tapping him on the shoulder...this girl!  My running has improved for sure.  I am proud of that.  Mostly I was happy because running with him is always more fun.  Plus there were a lot of photographers on the course and if he and I run together we can buy one set of pictures! 

So today is officially the end of my Runner's World Holiday Running Streak and Day 51.  I still feel good and I have been loving running everyday so, as I said yesterday, I am going to keep going at least for a while. 

Several folks showed up today just to get their shirts and wussed out on actually running the race.  I don't know about you, but I think if you are going to wear the shirt you should have earned it.  I mean it is one thing if you have a family emergency or you get stuck out of town, but a bunch of folks proudly said "I am not running in this weather.  I just came to get my shirt."  I guess to each their own.  To me they cheated themselves out a fun time running like a kid through the rain, and they missed out on an opportunity to challenge themselves.  Really with a run like this the hardest part is mental.  Once you're wet...you're wet, and when you are running you don't even feel it.  Also believe me you never loved coffee and warm clothes more than after a run like today.  We will be relaxing the rest of the day.  I am reading a novel by Barbara Kingsolver Prodigal Summer  about the environmental impact of humans on the Appalachian ecosystem.  Hubby will be enjoying some bowl games!  Hope everyone enjoys their New Year!!