December 24, 2011

For many people, Christmas Eve is spent preparing dishes in advance of Christmas Day, wrapping gifts, making last minute trips for forgotten ingredients, stocking stuffers, and a gift for the cousin who decided to join in the festivities after all.  We, on the other hand, decided to take advantage of the gorgeous 40-degree-but-feels-like-twenty temperature, mixed with freezing rain, for a long run around the city.  From a start at Steck and Mesa, we traveled down Steck to Shoal Creek.  Shoal Creek took us down to 38th, where we turned left toward Lamar.  We cursed the long stretch of Lamar down to Sixth Street as the rain began to come down harder.  After a left onto Congress, we greeted the Capitol building and ran on to San Jacinto.  San Jacinto took us through campus, past Darrell K. Royal Texas-Memorial Stadium, and into Hyde Park on Duval with memories of the 3M Half Marathon abound.  We turned off Duval, left onto 45th and back to Shoal Creek.  Although I'd planned on finishing the full 22 miles this morning, I stopped at about 16; my knees aren't used to such long road miles.  Fifty miles on the trails?  No problem.  Thankfully, we'd strategically placed the truck at Shoal Creek and 45th, so I peeled off my rain soaked jacket, gloves, shoes, and socks and drove home.  While disappointed I didn't finish the mileage I'd set out to, a 16 mile run in freezing rain is nothing to scoff at, I must remind myself.  With presents already wrapped and food already bought (save for one last minute stop at Wheatsville), we spent the rest of the day watching football from the couch.  A perfectly challenging and relaxing Christmas Eve in my book!