So... Where Have I Been Lately?

I know, I know... I left you guys and haven't been around a while! I think my last post was the Bridge of Lions race report! I've just been keeping my head down, busting my butt at the gym, working on some home improvements, and running races. So, what have I been doing?

Well, no races in August - it's just too dang hot! But I doubled up on races in September, doing RunJax Labor Day 5k and a new race, Dreams Come True 5k, in Jacksonville. This one was fun, it benefitted the Dreams Come True organization, the First Coast's only locally-based organization dedicated to making dreams come true. It was a great race, with everyone encouraged to run in costumes, and there were "Cheer Squads" with entire themes, like a Princess Squad and a Pirate Squad. It was definitely a race I'd do again! Professionally, my long-time boss retired, and I was tasked with being a Shelter Manager during Hurricane Ian. 

In October, I did another new race, Whistling Death 5k, in Green Cove Springs, and I was not impressed with this one. Parking was great, and the medal was awesome, but the race itself was very boring, and messy. It ran along some Industrial Park streets, then into an old trail/service road. I didn't sign up for a trail race! Plus, this was both a 5k and a 10k, with the 10k being two loops of the course, so the fast runners in the front had to return back (swimming upstream, so to speak) and then also fight their way through the slower runners in the back. And there was no good swag, besides the medal; we got a scratchy unisex tech tee, and though there was a promised breakfast, there was only cold toast, burnt scrambled eggs, and fatty bacon ends left by the time I got there. I don't foresee doing this again, even for such a cool medal. Professionally, another long-time coworker retired, and between his and my boss' retirement, I acquired a large amount of new job responsibilities!

In November, another new race, the Wounded Warrior Project Carry Forward 5k. It felt more like an old-school March of Dimes walk, honestly. Kind of Race Lite... There was a start line. There were water stops. There was a finish line. We all got medals. But there were no timers, no official results, and pretty much 75% of the participants were walking. It was a great experience and I'll totally do it again next year, but this time I'll know it's more of a walk and not a RACE race. Also in November, I worked at my local Polling Precinct as a Ballot Scanner for the 2022 General Election (woo hoo, Governor DeSantis won by twenty points!!). My day started at 5:30am and ended around 9pm, but I love being able to serve my community (and getting paid $250 doesn't hurt either; right into the Travel Fund with that check!)

In December, I again ran Santa Suits on the Loose. It's such a fun race! I forgot my water bottle this year, so I ran without anything in my hands, which was weird.

Here at home, I've been busting my ass on a big home improvement project that I'll be sharing soon, both with you guys here, and with The Kiddo and The Mom when they come over for Christmas. I can't wait to show off all of my hard work!