Where's the Donuts?

Technically this is a race report, but I wasn't really racing so I'm not categorizing it that way. I ran the Seattle Jingle Bell Run 5k, but as a pacer for my cousin's wife, who has been getting into running over the past year. It was fun, Alicia beat her goal by more than a minute, and we saw a lot of people in dopey Christmas costumes. And got free donuts at the finish. A little warm-up because I was running late after locking myself out of the house this morning. I was running to the start line from the parking garage, essentially. But I made it just in time.

We spent a lot of time on the first mile weaving around the slowpokes and strollers, ran a 9:30. I told Alicia we needed to pick it up, and she followed right along as we started to pass more people on the I-5 express lanes. 8:30 for the second mile. Then one just under 8 for the third mile, and 40 seconds or so for the 0.1. She was pretty happy with the time, and ran a smart race. No cool down, she had zero interest in that after the race. So we got coffee instead and watched the other finishers, there were plenty.

Morning run on the Warren-Manette Bridge loop, w/Shore Drive. Cold, but dry with clear skies as the horizon lit up. 39:27

supernova glide blue -- 181

 Morning on the Manette Hills loop w/YMCA, great full moon for most of the run and finished off with a beautiful bright pink sunrise on the mountains over the Cascades. Good inspiration for the day. 44:10

supernova glide blue -- 187

Two days off was probably one too many, but it's December, right? Back at it today, out to Illahee State Park and down to the beach, then back up the trail with a reverse loop through the campground. Tacked on 11th/Shore Drive to add two miles to the usual route. Ran into Justin J. walking his dog and I hadn't talked to him for awhile, so I took a break at 52 minutes then ran home. It was an odd, uniquely Pacific Northwest afternoon (took the day off today): extremely mild, kind of damp but not rainy, gray with some sun breaks far in the distance over the Cascades, and very quiet and peaceful outside. It's 5 now and I could probably go to bed, like it's hibernation time. You've got to be here to get it. 58:00

supernova glide blue -- 195

Green Mountain. I outsmarted the weather by sleeping in and heading up above the marine layer of fog and clouds. I dropped off some packages at the post office in Silverdale, where it was gray and cold, and after climbing up Green Mountain and hitting the ridge just past the Beaver Pond found the day was actually clear and beautiful at 2,000 feet. 

I added an extra half mile or so to get to a better viewpoint, then followed the usual trail. I was a little sapped today, the later-than-usual start after only a banana for breakfast wasn't something I anticipated well. So I walked the hills a bit more than planned, and was pretty fatigued and hungry at the end. Wonderful weather at the viewpoint though, even saw Mt. Rainier. We call this "winter" in the Pacific Northwest, but it could have been April (I was overheating a bit with shorts and a long-sleeve) and I hope we get a few more weeks like this. 1:40:00

brooks cascadia red