Christmas Caroling on the Run

Thursday I ran with The Ohio Runner's Network for the annual Christmas Lights Run.  This was a four mile run with planned stops at beautifully decorated houses.  We got all gussied up with elf costumes and Christmas lights and bells.  Since people often consider me a Bah-Humbug type of person, I was able to do the minimum lights and still exceed expectations.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I'm Christmas Caroling!

We stopped at about five houses where we sang lots of carols.  The best part was strolling through the decorated grounds of Stan Hywet Hall, and we even got a photo-op with Santa Claus.

After the caroling, we descended en masse upon the bars and restaurants of Highland Square.  I got a buffalo chicken sub from Mr. Zubs, and then I settled in with my peeps and a Christmas Ale at the Highland Tavern.  It felt so great to be back running again, although five months without cardio has really taken its toll on my body.  It was nice to feel those endorphins (I love you, Man!), and it was nice to know that I can slowly come back to where I was before.

I'm a very driven person; I continually set goals for myself, and I continually evaluate my progress toward those goals.  Sometimes it's nice to run without a time goal or a distance goal.  Sometimes it's nice to be with friends and celebrate running and camaraderie. . .in theory.  In reality, I set new goals as I drank my beer and ate my sub.  When I come back fully, and I now am confident that I will, I will run three half marathons, two in the spring and one in the fall.  I will run the spring races just for endurance, and then I will speed train for the 2014 Akron Half Marathon.  My peeps and I are forming the "Under 2 Club," and our goal is. . . you guessed it, the Akron Half in under two hours.  It's a lofty goal, considering my best time so far is 2:12:21.  I'll get by with a little help from my friends.

My peeps are elves.  Really.  This was their night off from the tyranny of Santa.

Do you participate in a Christmas Lights Run in your neck of the woods?  Does anyone do Pub-Running?

Do you want to get in on this kind of fun?  Join The Ohio Runner's Network and let the games begin!

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