This mornings run is one that might stick in my memory for awhile.  I expected to awake to one of my favorite conditions of an inch or two of snow crunching underfoot.  Instead I was treated to a nice layer of ice and mist.  Awesome.  But I will look back on this one (like in high school running across Holmes Lake with sleet crushing my face, or running 15 miles from camp to town in Colorado, or just this past fall where when I got done I laid on the concrete next to my car for a full 30 minutes before I could move) and think what the heck was I doing. 

It helped that Salem was along for company, but that is part of the story.  It was the ridiculous footing, the calmness of the air, the mist hitting my face and putting some frost on the whiskers (kind of like those cute seals you see in National Geographic only their whiskers are better and they are way cuter), the solitude on the bike trail and roads.  As a side note my three favorite running mornings of the year are Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas. It is just so quiet out.  But who knows what it is.

It is weird how somethings stick with you over time.  Splits, or names, or routes run, or conditions on certain days of certain runs or races just stay to my memory.  I suppose there are things like this in all walks of life.

I spent the evening last night among a group of friends I knew from college.  Some of these folks I had not seen in years.  But that is the thing with friends, you go years without seeing them and then when you do, it is like old times.  I sat there thinking how lucky I am to have friends and training partners that I can count on, no matter how long it has been.  So thanks to all of you that I know, love, care about, train with, and simply know.  It is a rare thing indeed to have people like this in your life.  Happy holidays to all of you. May your time be blessed and you and your family be health.