Ay, caramba!!

Ok, ok. More words:

So, I'm training for the Tom King Classic 1/2 Marathon on March 15th. Should be pretty cool. You start out in Titan Stadium, run a BIG loop that includes some time along the Cumberland river (= pretty and flat), and then you end up back in Titan Stadium. The finish line is the 50 yard line, and they project your image up on the Jumbotron when you cross it. Yes, that is exactly why I'm running this particular race ... how cool to see yourself fifty feet tall? Oh, and hopefully not terribly sweaty, but still smiling after 13. 1 miles.

Anyway, the "official" start date for training is Monday, December 24, but I've been doing a little running to just keep in shape until then.

So, on Thursday, December 20, the Birmingham track club held their "Running of the Lights". It had been rainy and gloomy all day, and the wind started blowing that evening, so my friend "running Lisa" and I ALMOST decided to stay home and eat cheese. Mmm, cheese ... but I digress. Instead, and in spite of the cold, we went out and had a great 3 mile run from Independent Presbyterian Church on Highland Avenue, down "the big hill" (a direction I much prefer - our usual route takes us up it), down Clairmont to Triangle Park and then up a GARGANTUAN hill to Cliff Road, then back to the 33rd and back down to the church. This was of course, and most delightfully, followed by margaritas, chips, queso and guacamole (and accidental lemonade) at Rojo. Yum. It was such a great run, and then so much fun to just hang out with everyone at Rojo. Track club people are the coolest. AND we earned cosmic karma points (I'm sure) for (almost) running in the rain (it was just misting by the time we ran) and up a huge hill.

If you're interested in joining us for the race in March, we would love the company. If you're curious what training for a 1/2 marathon entails, go here.

Y'all be good now, y'hear, and have a very Merry Christmas.