Helloooo 2014, and Janathon!

I did our Resolution Run 5k last night.

The race started at 5pm our time, which was midnight in Amsterdam, so I wore my Amsterdam souvenir cap.

All was going well in the race until shortly after Mile 2, when I came down on my right foot wrong, twisted it, and nearly took out the couple running in front of me.  But in the last possible split-second, I managed to keep from going all the way down, righted myself, and kept on running in stride.  Then after another 1/2 mile or so, I noticed my ankle feeling tender, so I wondered if I should have walked on it for a bit.  But it wasn’t that bad, so I kept running on through the finish.  Then I went inside for a bowl of delicious finish-line chili.  The ankle was bothering me a bit, so I wondered if I should be elevating and icing it, but instead, I stayed around for the awards, to applaud the race winners.

When I got home, I wondered if I should put an ice pack on my ankle, but felt more like soaking in a warm tub, so that’s what I did.  Then, once my ankle was so sore I could barely walk or move it, I decided it was time to go to bed, so I basically limped on out of 2013.

But before I fell asleep, I watched a replay of the amazingly spectacular London fireworks, and then the Edinburgh version.  Wow!

So anyway, Wikipedia explains what I probably should have done for my ankle.  But honestly, I didn’t sense anything was wrong at first.  This morning the ankle is decidedly better…through no fault of my own, obviously.  We’ll see if my run later today is a hobble or an actual run.

Here’s to a healthier, more peaceful, more prosperous 2014 for everyone, wherever you may live.

Another look at the fabulous London midnight fireworks.

A quick mile on a sunny, slightly warmer Christmas afternoon.  The big meltdown is on, but it is messy, so I will need my Neos more than ever for another day or two.  The sun and above-freezing temps brought a few people out for some holiday snow fun.  Here is a very nice snow igloo under construction in the park.

I just registered for my second Janathon.  That means that on January 1, the holiday running streak I started on Thanksgiving will turn into a Janathon streak until Feb 1.  As required in the Janathon rules, I’ll have to blog regularly about my activity.   Join, darn it.  It’s fun, free, and for your health!

The running streak continues, with quite a few quick one-milers.  The distances are short, but I can feel the positive effects on my energy level.  I’ve had to skip two days, due to work that left no opening in the schedule, but that hasn’t stopped me from picking back up with the streak the next day.

Last weekend the weather was sunny, warm and fantastic.  This week we plunged into a deep freeze, with temps in the 20 to 2F range (-7 to -17c).  Yesterday and today we have had ice to boot.  The local media advised us to stay off the roads.  As bad luck would have it, I was running low on milk yesterday.  So, I did a grocery jog/hike, wearing my screw shoes, and my Bear Hands, which are the warmest mittens I’ve ever owned.

With all of that warm gear and shoes for good traction, it was a comfortable outing.  Thankfully, there was no windchill to make it a trek in frozen misery.