Winter Break...Finally

It's been a whirlwind of a week with final papers, exams, and far too many cups of coffee, but I'm finally home for winter break. The house is in prime condition for a good ol' fashioned family Christmas, complete with a monstrous 12 foot tree in the foyer. Little full, lot of sap.


NEWS: My roommate and I had been talking about running a half marathon over break, and we finally decided on the Naples Daily News Half Marathon on January 16. When we were running together a little more than a week ago, she mentioned that she wanted to run a race down there, but didn't want to do it alone. I had been bumming that my next opportunity to run a half wouldn't be until April, and I had no reason why I couldn't go. So I looked up flights and figured out my schedule and now we're going!

I'm definitely excited, but I think my biggest challenge will be doing my long runs leading up to the race in the cold, and then having to run the race when it's 75 degrees outside. I'm pretty resilient when it comes to running in the cold, but I'm a big fat baby in the heat - my body just doesn't respond well. I'm convinced that my body has a Pavlovian response to certain climates. I grew up as a beach bum, conditioned by my family to be wonderfully content lying in a chaise lounge in the sun for hours on end reading a book. Once I got to college and started running, I was so adverse to the idea of running on a treadmill that I would put on as many clothes as necessary to brave the Midwest winter winds just so I could get my workout in. Now, when the air is warm and the sun hits my face, I collapse as if Prof. Lockhart removed all of my bones. But if a brisk winter wind hits my cheeks, I get this automatic surge of adrenaline. The race starts early enough that I don't think I need to be too concerned about the heat, but it's definitely on my mind.

Despite my climate concern, I'm totally stoked about the race. Kaitlin is a great running partner, and the impending race will keep me on track during the season of copious cookies and bountiful booze. I have heard that beer is a good recovery drink though...

As a side note, I've got some goals/ plans for my break, so that I'm not a completely useless human being.

GOALS:

1)Apply for Jobs. All of them. Maybe even get an interview?

2) Cook. I'd like to get a few more quick recipes under my belt for next semester so that I'm not constantly eating grilled chicken and green beans on the days I'm short on time.

3) Read. I've got a few books on my list already, but any recommendations?

PLANS:
1) Christmas! Pretty self-explanatory. Lots of family. Lots of food. Lots of Christmas music. Lots of Scrabble.
 
2) San Francisco! I'm visiting my brother who moved out there in August, and he's been talking about it since we made the plans in September. I can't wait to drink all sorts of delicious wine, eat delicious food, and maybe get him to go for a quick jog with me one morning.

2)Naples Half Marathon! Or, running off all of the food I ate during the other two events.