Saturday December 5th turned out to be a great day for a race despite some cool temps. I was headed to the Northampton, Ma. Hot Chocolate Run when I realized, with the 60-70 races I've run in the last 2 years, Ive never run a race in my own home town. How weird is that???

The first people I met when I was headed to the registration table were the guys in the 3rd picture. Once I saw the Northampton P.D. I figured maybe they knew I was headed to the race and were sent to make sure I didn't run a race in my own home town. Actually, Andy (left) and I went to school together. In the middle with me is "Big Al". If you have been following these entries for a while, you would have seen him with me and Dave at the gym. And, unfortunately, the officer on the right-- I can't remember his name. I might have too many hot chocolates after the race...Sorry.

The top picture is the first runner (waddler) I ran in to on my way to registration. I at first thought I might have recognized him from a National Geographic show. The second picture is of me with Travis and his gal Jamie. You have also seen Trav with me in earlier entries from gym photo and Jamie I saw a week later in Somerville, Ma dressed in a more Christmassy out fit. Depending upon when I get to that entry, and when you're reading this, you may have already seen her picture from there.

The last picture is me with Mark. He is another person you would have seen in earlier entries. I was just the week before that I met him at a Turkey Trot 6 miler. He was there with his friend , OV, who must still be hurting from the injury he sustained while running that race. I say that because I later met Mark with his son who was there for the race.

The temps were low but the spirits high that day. And running my first ever road race in my own home town was great. I met old friends, met new ones, had some hot chocolate and left there to go run another 10 plus miles---well---because that's what I do.