I have a 5k on New Years Eve Day. It is called the Peepsfest. For those of you who are not local, it is sponsored by the company that makes Peeps. Those little yellow marshmallow birds that you think you don't like until you eat one. Then you remember that you like them and eat a bunch. They make them right here in Bethlehem, Pa. The race starts and ends at the old Bethlehem Steel plant. Once a huge and busy place, filled with workers and activity, Bethlehem Steel was the backbone of the area for a very long time that started a sort of depression in this area when it died a sad death. The bones were still there and they laid ugly and cold until a few years ago when investors decided to revamp it. Not as a steel mill, but as a casino and center for different kinds of arts. I started my career here after college. It was depressing and kind of scary to see. Not only the plant, but what it did to the economy and the people who worked there for years. Coming from the Washington, DC area to here was a culture shock. I always thought I would return to Virginia, but never did. Over the years, the area was revitalized. More businesses moved in and the medical community is huge here. The old railroad beds and canal paths were made into running and biking trails. It is a wonderful place to run. Not so much on the roads, because drivers kind of want to kill most of us. But the trails are great.
Let's get back to the Peeps. The Peepsfest has one of the best mascot races I have ever seen. It doesn't really matter that it is the only mascot race I have seen. There are numerous colleges here and their mascots, the Chic-fil-a cow, and many others show up. And of course, the Peep. Every year, I want to hug the Peep. Last year, it was beside me and I got it from the side. It didn't know I was coming and I hugged it. It turned toward me and its little arms could do nothing. Long legs, but little arms. No defense from the hug. Made me realize how vulnerable a mascot is. There is one that is a wolf who looks really tough. The Lafayette College leopard can hold its own. If I am feeling tough that day, I may try to hug one of them. But nothing will match the look on the Peep's head when I hugged it. I will hug it again this year.
I am not anticipating much from the run. I have only run a few times in the last month. It will be a fun run and one where I can kind of see where I'm at. Then, I start training for the 20 mile trail run in February and the half marathon in early May. I think my core training for the February run will be strength conditioning, weight loss, hills and steps. If my knee allows, and I'm sure it will, I am going to hit all those things hard. Every year, I train a little differently from the last. Every year I have gotten faster. I'm not happy that I have let my conditioning suffer and allowed my weight to go up, but I am excited to see what I can do to get in ever better shape than I've been in before. I was a little depressed about the situation for awhile, even if I did it to myself. Now, I can't wait to get started. I look at it as a fresh start and an opportunity to kick my own ass. It starts right after Christmas. I'm going to be the Ebeneezer Scrooge of running. My redemption starts with hugging the Peep.
