Another race and that's IT for '09!

I got talked into running the Christmas Relays in San Francisco yesterday. Had not planned on running but I really love my running team and adore the girls who wanted to run, so I jumped in on the relay with them. It was coooold and it was pouring rain for my leg. We each ran one 'lap' around Lake Merced which is about 4.5 miles around. What a great place to run! I was soaked and tired from the CIM Relay last week, as well as from a lot of sub-lactate threshold running in the days between. But I did my best with what I had and was happy about it. My overall time for the 4.47 was 30:50. I felt really challenged in the last 3/4 to 1/2 mile and was breathing really heavily when I crossed the finish line. I need to get back into aerobic shape! That will come in the next few months. Anyway, ran another 'loop' for cool down. Good times!

I don't know how our team did. Our men's team of 4 won the entire thing! Sub 5:00mpm for all of them. We were short one woman so one of the guys ran a 2nd time on our team. What a trooper, and he had just run a 2:28 marathon last week. I tell you, that's love of running right there! Here he is with our team mate and my youngest son.

So now I lay low as far as any 'racing' goes, and I build. I am so excited to get this 'work' done. I will be in good shape come March (knock on wood), where I will seek redemption at the 12K Across the Bay. Earlier this year that 12K was my first real race after the injury... and it was horrible. If I don't improve upon it in '10... I quit!!!

2009 is coming to a close and what a year. I have never looked so forward to a coming new year as I do right now. I feel like a new person and in a sense, I am.

Here's what I saw on our way home from the City yesterday. Gorgeous! Full of HOPE. :)