Transitions...: Merry Christmas!

I've been having a good time visiting the parents, seeing old friends, and hanging out in my old 'hood. I always like coming up here. I even went to track practice one day and ran with the distance girls. It was fun, and it was great to see my old coaches, but it was weird not knowing anyone on the team anymore!

The day before, which was the day I got here, I had a tempo run. I was supposed to do it two days earlier but because of the Missing Shoe Saga I hadn't done it yet. Talk about a rude awakening- I leave New Orleans in the morning, where it's close to 70 degrees, and by the evening I'm running in windblown snow at 12 degrees with a wind chill of -4. Gah! I actually felt really good, or maybe I was just so numb I didn't feel anything at all. I did keep thinking to myself though, "I used to LIVE here?!? And run outside all winter??"

I also participated in a fun Christmas tradition- the Candy Cane Relays. On Christmas Eve morning, the current track athletes, coaches, and any alumni who are home for the holidays meet up at the school and run a relay race (with candy canes as batons). It's a lot of fun to see some former teammates, hear what everyone's up to, and laugh and cheer for each other as we try to hand off broken remnants of candy canes. It was even funnier this year because we had to run around the bus loop. PHS is getting a brand new all weather track (yay!) but it's in the process of being built so there's no track right now.

Henn giving the pre-race instructions

All the alumni lining up to give their introductions (I'm the one on the left with the red thing on my leg)... there were more alumni than current athletes!

Ready... set... GO!

Look at that handoff! Henn, you taught me well :)

Mike T posing with his winner's trophy

It was good seeing you again, Henn!

Christmas morning was great as always. My mom and I both love having presents under the tree and stockings filled, so Santa still comes. He brought some great stuff this year, including the umbrella I asked for, the really cute coat I reluctantly left at the store a few days earlier (Santa is so sneaky!), and a 100-qt crawfish pot for my parents for next year's crawfish boil (Santa's helpers are pretty sneaky too!). One of the best gifts, and biggest surprises, was my brand new....

WETSUIT!