I know this is a bit belated, but I finally got to post pics of another gift from my darling. I took these the day after Christmas, but it took a while to synch up the primitive technology of the camera with my new computer.

Turtle cookies! Here’s a zoom-in.

These are for anyone who might think that my obsession with turtles is limited to running. It isn’t– and the existence of a turtle-shaped cookie-cutter proves that there’s a market relying on it.

–adjective
1. Promising success; propitious; opportune; favorable.
2. When all of the snow melts on your first day of marathon training.

A warm rain swept across my area a couple of days ago, cutting through the snow and ice. Where once we had a winter wonderland, we now have only a few white mounds. They slump into the roads, shrinking by the day.

This means that I’m no longer bound to the well-plowed 4-mile route near my house. The walls of snow that contained me are gone—I can once again explore Philadelphia’s suburbs to my heart’s content. Or rather my heart’s capabilities; I am limited only by my own aerobic fitness.

Normally I would call this fortunate. But there’s something that launches it well over the boundaries of fortunate and into the realm of auspicious. The day before the rains hit, I sat down and came up with a rough outline for my marathon training. I had been running before that, of course, but with no specific plan in mind. My first day of goal-oriented running, of genuine training, was the day the rains hit.

So I feel like this is a propitious and an opportune turn of events. I think these are favorable conditions. I feel that the next few months of training promise success.

Well, I’m back from a (‘nother) disturbingly long silence. And just in time to say MERRY CHRISTMAS! And if you’re not of that persuasion, well, have a nice day.

I am running again. I spent one day on the elliptical (a surprisingly difficult workout) before venturing back out into the snow. 22.5 inches of it. The sidewalks are plowed in and poorly shoveled, so I spend a lot of time tip-toeing across the ice or vaulting over walls of slush. Not conducive to productive workouts, but it’s kind of fun. And, dammit, it feels good to be outside again.

For Christmas I received an iPod shuffle from my lovely girlfriend. I can (though I’m not sure if I should) finally enjoy music while I’m working out. The best part, though, is the engraving on the back:

Slow and steady,
Strong and sure.

My brilliant girl captured it perfectly.