Christmas Edition - Lake Arbor Loop (and a giveaway winner)

Saturday, December 25
Temperature - Clear, 17 degrees at start

There is definitely something wrong with me. I mean, what kind of person sets their alarm for 7:05 in the morning. ON CHRISTMAS??? I thought more than once as I was getting dressed that NO person who had all their mental faculties would be doing this. Meh. No one has EVER accused me of being normal.

I was originally going to be super festive and wear my niece's Santa hat, but at 3.5 years old, her head is smaller than mine and it didn't fit. This would have to do:

So when I checked the temperature at home, it said it was 27 degrees. I was thinking... it isn't even 8 yet, so by the time I've been running for a while, I'd be pretty hot. I figured tank top and sleeves. I have decided that anything under about 40 degrees I'm going to wear tights though. So I grab a Peppermint Stick Luna bar to eat on the drive, and my bottle of Powerade Zero and some water and head out the door. As I'm driving, the temperature keeps dropping. By the time I stop the car?

Brrr. Well. I'm going to run regardless. Good thing I keep a hat and gloves in my bag. I get dressed... and am ready to go.

Love Love LOVE my socks!!!

Clear Christmas morning... not even any snow on the ground!

I didn't REALLY have a goal of how far to go. First loop went ok. I have run this loop TONS of times and I have never really seen anyone RUNNING this. I mean, I see lots of people walking dogs, but not runners. This morning? I saw lots of them. Apparently the lake is a magnet for crazy people to go on Christmas day. In 17 degree weather. Second loop? Ugh. Stomach hurting. I have to detour and use the bathroom. Glad to have that out of the way and I keep going.

It's COLD. I'm glad I have my sleeves on. I own two pairs of them, and either my arms or getting skinnier, or the Zensah ones I have don't stay up nearly as well as my other ones. But at least they did their job of keeping me warm.

I keep running. And running. I take a Powerade gel at the start of loop 5. Then... loop 6 and my stomach starts screaming at me again. WTH?? Another detour and bathroom stop. Blech. Ironically I am keeping a pretty decent pace. Even with all my stopping.

It is still really cold out. I am actually really surprised by the number of people that are out. Not just people walking (some without dogs, even), but just driving around. When my family is around I typically don't leave the house on Christmas, unless I'm getting coffee or something.

Keep running. I think maybe I'll stop with the loop that gets me past half marathon distance. But then I got to the end of that lap and I decided to just do "one more." Yep. Something wrong with me. Who does this? Goes out and runs over 15 miles on Christmas? Oh yeah. The same person that ran a half marathon two days earlier on the treadmill. Certifiable.

Garmin Distance: 15.33 miles
Time: 2:40:04
Loop 1 - 10:15 pace
Loop 2 - 11:38 pace (bathroom)
Loop 3 - 9:54 pace
Loop 4 - 10:01 pace
Loop 5 - 10:28 pace
Loop 6 - 11:35 pace (bathroom)
Loop 7 - 10:00 pace
Loop 8 - 10:15 pace
Loop 9 - 10:12 pace
Loop 10 - 10:17 pace
Loop 11 - 10:13 pace
Loop 12 - 10:12 pace

You gotta admit I'm pretty damn consistent. All my non bathroom break loops are so close in time! Even the bathroom ones are almost the same.

Well. That was fun :D

And now... for the good part. Who won my super awesome giveaway??? According to random.org

And that would be.... RunKnitRun!!! Congrats!! Send me a message squirrelgirl44 at hotmail dot com and I'll get the socks and books right out to you!

I want to thank everyone that participated in the giveaway. Especially everyone that shared their favorite books and holiday memories. I think I need to read the "Married with Zombies" book as suggested by our winner. I'm a sucker for a zombie :D My traditions are a bit out of whack with being recently divorced and having all my immediate family go out of state (and country) this Christmas. So... this year I went running (for a LONG time), stopped and got a coffee at Starubcks, opened gifts with my boyfriend (I got a new GPS unit for my car!), watched some tv (which I rarely do, but Man v. Food?? Wow. I had never seen THAT before), then had a late lunch at IHOP (mmmm a Christmas burger) and then dozed on the recliner. Tonight we have an exciting dinner planned at Perkins and a viewing of "Paranormal Activity 2" at the dollar theater.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas (or at least an enjoyable weekend)!