New Year's festivities and contemplations.

Nathan surprised me with baking stone and a sleek running jacket as congratulations for completing the didactic portion of my degree.  Super sweet.  Completely unexpected.

Naturally, I ran out the next day for baking supplies.  The nerd in me wishes I had literally run to the grocery store wearing the new jacket, but the trial run of the jacket has to wait until the current warm spell moves on and temperatures drop below 35 degrees again.  But, the baking had a plan that could not be derailed by weather.  Our New Year's Eve plan included the NYRR Midnight 4-miler fun run in Central Park, with pre- and post-race spent with our good friend John.  Same plan as last year, slightly smaller crowd.  John planned to make a hearty soup, so my party offering became homemade soup-friendly bread and crostatas (barely sweet mini-pie looking things).  I also made scones because I wanted to have a few at home but offer the rest to John, because he really is a good soul and makes a wonderful "locker room" manager.  Twas my second time making bread, which good improvements on that first loaf, and my first time making scones and crust.  Success!  Saturday afternoon became quite a bakefest.  The results:

No knead peasant bread, cinnamon pecan currant cream scones and pear crostatas, all with whole wheat flour.

The run was fun.  Lots of costumes (Angry Birds, shiny/sequined/glittery folks, an Empire State Building, a Banana, mostly naked but for a loin cloth and carefully placed race bib...), way too many shuffle runners, WAY too many walkers blocking the route six abreast, but all good spirits and minimal to no alcohol-related puking/falling over.  I am a very light drinker these days, and saved my one beer until after the race.  Many show up sloshed, hence the shuffle runners, but that is expected and welcomed so long as people are somewhat smart about it.  There are also no timing chips, no corrals at the start, and bib numbers are assigned by the order people sign up rather than by expected pace.  Since John lives so close to the race's start we opted to delay leaving until 10 minutes before the race and join in at the rear of the pack.  This made it more crowded in terms of runners, taking 15 minutes for us to simply cross the start line (three times as long as the longest-awaiting starter of the NYC Marathon!) what with the five thousand tipsy folk ahead of us, but it seemed less claustrophobic than last year thanks to no blizzard-mounded snow narrowing the available space.

Nathan and I were our usual simple runner selves.  John dressed as a Groucho Marx-esque monkey, Kris had celebratory shiny gold tights, and Ashton ran in just his underwear, dapper socks with garters and his wing tip leather shoes.  For reference, Ashton was more normal than his first appearance in the race two years ago where he wore his underwear, boating shoes and a hat shaped as a cow head. 

John and Nathan at the start.

I ran with my camera and took many videos while hot footing through the crowd.  Somehow the camera made it seem much less crowded than it actually was.  My good friend Laura I. and her boyfriend watched from near the Met, so I got a quick hug just before finishing the first mile.  After I finished I walked back through the crowds to get some video of finishers.  Managed to catch Kris, Ashton and Nathan.  After the two yellow Angry Birds, watch in the middle for gold tights with a dark pink top (Kris) immediately followed by a naked skinny guy with sock garters and his arms in the air in the back (Ashton), and 10 seconds later a black shirt with yellow detail and shorts in the back (Nathan).  Here's my experience surrounding the race:

In retrospect of 2011, I am heartened by the many small accomplishments.  I ran my first marathon in a time I am very proud of, finished two 50k ultramarathons and confirmed my love for distance pursuits, my intellectual ability to be done with school caught up to the emotional want to be done (meaning confidence in my abilities as a future therapist), realized why and how I need humor and certain types of people in my life, and developed a genuine life projection that I have never been capable of previously.  All good things.

Looking forward to 2012, my only New Year's resolution is to return my fruit and veggie consumption to an amount for which I prefer.  This will be easier thanks to less school obligations following me home.  More seriously, I have many events to look forward to this year: hopefully running a 50 mile race in May, wearing a robe with a silly hat and having my degree placed in my hot and eager hand, hopefully passing the licensure exam in July, and relocating to Colorado next fall.  Since our moving plans have been pushed back due to a handful of logistics we'll be here for the NYC Marathon on November 4th, so I am debating participating again because I can.  And I'll be an aunt come February.  I have crazy big aunt shoes to fill considering the example set by my aunt Meredyth while she was alive.

Best wishes to you all for this coming year and beyond!