This morning I had the pleasure of running my 2nd official 5K.  If you remember the first one (Pumpkins in the Park) I was a mess afterwards.  My legs were wobbly and I couldn’t walk right for days.  While I may have been unprepared in that run, it was different for The Jingle Bell Walk/Run for Arthritis.  Even with the first real snow of the winter upon us, a horribly marked course and everyone wearing bells on their feet, I still managed to do pretty damn well.  Megan was there to cheer me on and visited the farmers market while I ran with the best of them.  There may have been some hang-ups – primarily the fact that my shoelaces wouldn’t stay tied – I still managed to beat my Pumpkin’s In The Park time.

I don't run with open hands. Those are my running gloves . . . FIne, I have a gay stride.

Here’s my official time and standing compared to Pumpkins:

                                                            Pumpkins           Jungle Bell

OVERALL PLACE                        439 of 1681          174/1081

DIVISION PLACE                        (M 35-39)            (M 35)

276 of 614            11/45

TOTAL TIME                                 28:00                   27:22 (With Shoelace Stops)

PACE                                                9:01                       8:49

Not bad, eh?  I was pretty proud.  Because it was a run for arthritis, Megan put this on my back:

That’s Megan’s grandma.  She suffers from horrible arthritis.  It was nice to be able to actually participate it a fundraiser personally knowing someone who will benefit.  So, to Christmas and Elta Green and running and Santa and running and Santa running and lights, Megan and I went on a date.  We headed to The Lincoln Parl Zoo to see the Zoo Lights, then went to The Urban Outfitters Outlet for some pants and then had dinner at Basil Leaf Cafe.  The pants part was really romantic . . . It was a really nice night.  Even if the bus driver was a lunatic.  Here’s some pics!