8:30 AM - Got up and drove with Emma to Northampton for the 7th Annual Hot Chocolate Run 5k put on by SafePassage. SafePassage provides support for women and children that are victims of domestic abuse. I raised $135 for this 5k in a week, and even though I was feeling lowsy with the cold I've had since Thursday, I wanted to do right by everyone that donated money to me. WARMUP: We got to NoHo about 8:30, but unfortunately for Emm (who was looking to get some XMas shopping done), nothing but a couple coffee shops were open until 12. Oops! Sat in the Rav4 with her until 9:20, at which point I went for a warm up. Did about 11 minutes (1.3 miles) and stashed my basketball shorts and lined up at projected finish time of 22:00. I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold 22 pace, but looking at how far back I already was and dreading a Turkey Trot fiasco again, I figured that it was the best place. THE RACE: Before the gun, I gauged I was about 400 people back from the starting line. There was a sea behind me. The race mascots jogged over next to me about 4 mins before the start. I laughed at the penguin and polar bear, especially when the polar bear decided to do "stretches" and did about 1/3 of a toe touch and said, "Alright! Where's the hot chocolate?" This race has the incentive of a mug and hot chocolate at the end of the race. Yum! MILE 1: The race started fast, though it took me some time to get to the starting line. Starts on an uphill and then gradual downhill off of Main Street. Saw Sarah Lynn at the corner (coworker and cocoach for the cross country team). I hit the 1 mile in 7:40, but needed to remember it was about 30 seconds to get to the start line after the gun, so I really ran about a 7:10. Feeling good, and throat didn't hurt too much breathing in as I had forgot my cough drop in my other shorts! MILE 2: Held fast into a headwind. Hit it right at 14:59, 7:19 second mile. A few people passed me. I was just happy I wasn't dying. MILE 3: Mile 3 had several uphills and it kicked my butt. I was just trying to make it to the finish. I very much prefer winter running as I don't sweat quite as much and I can run faster (or feel as though I do anyways). Tried to work the downhill last .5 and it worked and balanced out the hills. Was striding down the hills around 6:20-6:30 pace. Hit the finish line in 23:14, but this race goes by chip time only so I ran a 22:39 (7:19 pace) a full 5 seconds faster than any 5k race I've done this year! Ended up 308th place of 2731 finishers. Missed top 300 finish by 1.5 seconds :(. After the race I went to the Montague Book Mill with Emm. Absolutely love it! It is my dream bookstore set right near a babbling brook with a waterfall. It has a cafe with all local foods and sells used and second hand books. If I ever win the lottery, this is the type of bookstore I'd like to run! Went back to NoHo to do some shopping and got Tibetan food at the Lhasa Cafe. Very yummy! Picked up some really great decaf coffee (It has been close to 6 weeks since I gave up caffeine!) called Peruvian French Roast Decaf (shade grown, organic and fair trade) - deemed the "best tasting decaf coffee in the world". I would have to agree as I've bought it twice! Still feeling under the weather. Really dragging and dreading the work week. I am going to the doctor tomorrow if I am not feeling better because I just do not like being sick! | 
