Mele Kalikimaka

No person has the right to rain on your dreams.  -- Marian Wright Edelman

Sometimes you get Christmas in July.  Other times you get July in Christmas.  Yesterday the temps were forecast to be in the mid-to-high 70s...a far cry from the normal temps in the low 50s.  I could hardly wait for the weekend so I could do my long run - 16 miles.  And then it rained.  Severe thunderstorms were advised.  I got all psyched up (or perhaps psychotic) thinking I would do my 16 miles at the Y to avoid the storms.  Yes, three hours on a treadmill - why not?  Filled my water bottles, got my towels, etc., but when I went out to the car to drive to the Y, it wasn't raining at all.  Rather than go criminally insane, I came back in, filled my camelbak and got ready to run outside.

I headed out and the first 10 miles were lovely.  A light drizzle here and there, but on occasion the sun even showed through the clouds.  It was so pleasant.  And then.  And then the rains came.  Six more miles and it was pouring.  Well, I couldn't stop then - so I kept running.  I would like to tell you that running in warm December rain is refreshing, but it isn't.  It is just plain soggy and no fun.  But it was much better than running inside for 3 hours and besides, I feel kind of like a bad-ass for sticking it out and running in that.  That's the whole point of long runs, right?

Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way to say Merry Christmas to You.  Yesterday wasn't quite Hawaiian weather and it wasn't exactly July in Christmas, but it was (at least for 10 miles) a nice little treat for a winter's run.