First DNR

View from my window.

I had my first, and hopefully last, DNR (did not race) this week.  The Cold Winter's Day Race was on Sunday afternoon.  Who knew if would actually live up to its name.  When I woke up it was to this mess--->  While it had stopped snowing by the race's start time of 3pm I figured the roads were an icy mess and ice + runners was not a good idea and ice + cars + runners was worse one to me.  Now to some people this is nothing and you run seven miles uphill through three feet of snow but for those of us who live in the south if people see a snowflake, and it doesn't ever even have to touch the ground,  there are cars in ditches.  So I decided to stay in.  Luckily it looked like the roads were fairly dry and clear when I did have to go out but I figured better safe than sorry.  So that was my weekend.  Looking forward to next weekend when it is supposed to be back into the sixties! 

Christmas lights



This picture doesn't do this house
justice.  There was music too.



 So I went for my Christmas light run and I was very disappointed.  :(  My parents neighborhood is way too tasteful.  I would see colored lights and go down that street only to have it be like a string.  So my mom took pity on me and drove me to see this house.  It is awesome!

Charlie Brown and Snoopy!



Why I Run



From top: Kerry's, Kimberly's,
and Mine.  So good!

Great times with great friends.  Gervais and Vine with KS and KE.

Sangria= Happy Me



Giggle.  This was nicer than the one
where it looked like I was flipping off
the camera



Bacon, shrimp, and cheese.  Yum!

 

KE and KS





Decorations

So looking at my running log for the month and I am at about a quarter of the miles that I usually am.  Luckily I should be able to get out there and go as my schedule calms down.  On the plus side is all the decorations that are out this time of year.  See some from the state house to the left.  I personally am a fan of 'tasteful' decorations for myself but I love some ostentatious decorations.  I love people who string up four million lights.  The plan on Thursday is to wait and run at night (even though I will be off all day) so that I can look for some super crazy houses- won't even feel a thing while I am blinded by the blinky lights.  If I find some good ones I will post them.  Maybe I can head back to Forest Acres and go through there.  They have some really great displays. The only problem is that I will get lost and then I couldn't find my car again to go home. No exaggeration.  I can get lost going down a one way street  (ok, that was a slight exaggeration but not by much).  My mom liked to joke that I should write a book about 1001 ways to get downtown.  :(

Pub Run



New headband and
gloves= happy me.



Pierre is the one without a hat.



I finally made it!  We ran a loop around the Vista and USC and while running it was nice (except for every now and then when we rounded a building and the wind was brutal).  And by nice I mean as nice as it can be when it is 33 degrees outside.  And, by the way, it is still ridiculously cold and I can't wait for the weather to get back to normal.  I like my 60+ degree Decembers, it is one of the best parts about living in the south.  But enough whining.  Of course when I was packing things up for tonight I forgot gloves and after feeling the wind today I knew a hat was not going to cut it.  So... I ran out today and got some running gloves and a headband to cover my ears.  And let me tell you they helped!  Also nice was my friend Pierre came out to support me so I wouldn't have to hang out with strangers, nice strangers, but still.   So again, I would like for it to warm back up, but at least now I am prepared for future frozen runs.

Baby its cold outside!

Working away on our flags



Not the best photo- my camera phone
kinda made it look like we folded the
flags in 1978.



I made myself go running tonight... outside.  I would have preferred indoors, but knew if I went to my gym at home I would stop by my apartment first and not go back out.  And if you were wondering it is a chilly 36 degrees outside.  I am not amused.  The actual run wasn't so bad and I got in three miles around the Horseshoe after my exam tonight.  The ride home however was miserable as I started to cool back down.  It has been a very chilly week so far and it is very hard to get motivated to do anything (and if you live somewhere cold and are laughing at me- this is very harsh weather for us).  Which is why it is nice when you have a cause or a reason to get out there.  I have been battling awful sinus issues this week and have not felt like doing anything but last night I forced myself to go to my sorority's alumnae meeting because we were folding flags for deploying troops.  One of our members is involved with seeing off the troops who are flying out of one of Columbia's airstrips and she puts together pocket flags for the soldiers to take with them overseas.  This is our second year of folding flags and it feels nice to send them off with a little bit of home and a reminder that someone is thinking of them.