Wednesday, January 2nd, 2012

Good morning!  Lots to tell you about, folks!  The top 2 pictures show Brian and I ushering in 2013 by running the New York Road Runner's Emerald Nuts Midnight Run.  It started at 10pm on New Year's Eve in the Park - we didn't go over then because we were afraid we'd get really cold, but we went about an hour early for music & the major party scene that was bumping.  Roughly 10,000 runner's competed in the run.   It's also a costume theme run so it was really colorful and spirited.  Lots of happy people.   It was INSANE.  It was a 4 mile run that started on the bridge of the 72nd street traverse.  It's not a super competitive run - you don't get a chip time or anything - but with 10,000 people you're supposed to go to the corral with your pace group.  They had big signs up for 7min/mile and Brian and I headed over.  Only the thing was, when we entered the front of the corral, they pushed everyone up by about 50 yards.  Before we knew it, we were literally at the start of the race in the 5min/mile pace group (basically elite runners).  We were kind of awkwardly looking around, hoping we weren't going to slow anyone down when we noticed there were a lot of people who didn't look like 5 minute milers.  Normally you would catch a lot of grief for getting into the wrong corral - people take this stuff seriously, but there really weren't many elite runners in this race because it wasn't chip timed.  So we got a great show being at the front. 

They had a guy come out and sing Frank Sinatra's New York and we danced around in the corral.  Then we counted down to midnight, Bri and I smooched, and then there were fireworks and sparklers and the race started.  It was an incredible atmosphere - I'm so happy I did the run.  As per usual, even though the race wasn't timed carefully, I wanted to beat Brian and he wanted to beat me.  I kept a really fast pace (for me) for the first half of the run and Brian thought I was trying to push him (I felt like I was just trying to keep up with him). We stayed even for the whole race until the end when he suggested we cross the line together to start 2013.  I agreed (mainly b/c I knew he could have turned it on at the end to beat me in the last 100 yards) :) 

We crossed together with a time of around 29 minutes (roughly a 7:15 min/mile pace -  though I think our chip time would have been a bit faster).  There were drunk people EVERYWHERE giving us boozy high-fives.  When we turned onto the west side as we crested one of the hills the fireworks were in their finale and we had a great view.  It was seriously awesome. We waited with our friend's girlfriend while our friend finished the race (a big accomplishment for him - he hadn't done a race longer than 5k yet and had a lingering foot issue).   After the race we toasted with champagne back at our place and watched the Dick Clark Rockin' New Year's Eve show with the pups.  I ate brownies and ice cream and then fell asleep a bit after 3am.   

In other news, we had a cold morning today!  The bottom photo I took this morning in the Park of the frozen Conservatory Pond.  It read 21 degrees this morning.  I've still got a ways to go until it's down in the teens and single digits.  Time to break out the tights under my jeans thing. 

Finally - you may notice that I'm currently typing this blog instead of sitting on a plane to go to Oregon.  I ended up cancelling my flight last minute.  I really want to save my travel funds for a time when my parents will be there - so I'll be out probably at the end of March or during April. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S, FRIENDS!  Make 2013 the best year yet!!

Carpe diem,

J