Hi everyone! As of today, there are only 4 days until Christmas! Woohoo! Since this is my last weekend in Anchorage in 2015 – and the last weekend before Christmas – I was super busy doing as much as possible. And yes, that included a run!
I have probably watched this move 5 times this year so far, and I’m going to a showing of the movie downtown tonight too!
Friday: We had a cookie exchange at our office, and the education department of our company had our holiday celebration! We had coworkers fly in from other parts of the state and we had a blast celebrating the end of a great year of community health education in Alaska.
Chocolate crinkle cookies, brought to you by a Ghirardelli boxed mix!
Saturday: Our day was jam-packed with holiday stuff! We spend most of the day helping our friends chop down a real tree in Chugach National Forest. It was snowing and beautiful and definitely something I’ll never forget! I’m going to do a whole post on this tomorrow so stay tuned! After that, we headed out to my husband’s work party at a really nice restaurant downtown. It was so much fun dressing up and eating fancy food while getting to meet all of his coworkers!
Just some bears dragging a Christmas tree through the forest. Raaaaar!
Sunday: I finally got to sleep in, and then spent the day doing our final Christmas shopping for our families. And as soon as it got dark, my friend and I went to see the Zoo Lights at the Anchorage Zoo! It’s probably the best light display in Alaska, so we had a lot of fun taking silly pictures and checking out all the awesome animals. The seals were our favorite – they are so silly and cute!
Upside down seal. They kept blowing bubbles and hamming it up for the camera!
And now for the best part of my week: on Thursday I went for an absolutely incredible run! It’s so silly because it was a 30 minute run at a slow pace with run/walk intervals, so I shouldn’t count it as one of the best runs of my life. But I swear it was! It was my first solo outdoor run since October and it was so amazing being outside running on the Coastal Trail. I still smile whenever I think about it! I liked how the run/walk intervals felt, and running outside literally melted away all the exhaustion and stress of the week. I told myself I’d appreciate every run post-injury, and I definitely managed to do it on Thursday! The best part was that I wasn’t sore afterwards – I actually felt better than I have in months. Yay!
There’s nothing better than a snowy running trail and studded shoes!
Even my running pictures are festive right now!
This weekend I officially started my first post-injury training plan from Coach Suz! I am excited to see how my first two weeks of training go, especially because they’re probably my two busiest and craziest weeks of the entire year. But I know that each workout is going to be a way for me to take time for myself and burn off some stress, and that I’m going to be listening to my body really closely to make sure I’m physically and mentally okay. I’m excited that my body is currently feeling better and I’m hoping that keeps on going!
What did you do this weekend? What’s the best run you’ve had recently, and what made it so awesome?
Mom in the Mtns 
You have the most incredible adventures. Cutting down your tree in the Alaska woods!? Running through the snow? Awesome! Our weekend was great but definitely not Alaska adventure great!
Haha thanks! It was a busy weekend but so worth it!
Seals are the bomb. I am so excited about your running too! We are going to be careful, but it is all going to come together, I promise. just don’t axe me like that tree 😀
Haha I won’t! I’m so excited to be working with you. It’s so nice to not have to worry about what to do each day!
My best run was a week ago. Through muddy trails in the foggy british morning. AND I didn’t get lost on the new trail I found + I managed to add some more miles despite the fact my feet got soaked. When I got home I felt great!
Now I have to pay for it, as I am sick as a dog can be!!! (Yes, again, also yes, I pity myself)
That’s awesome! Except for the sick thing 😦 Feel better soon!
Hooray for being back running! Safe travels, and enjoy your time at home 🙂
Thank you!
Sounds like a wonderful weekend and those crinkle cookies look delish 🙂 Glad to hear you were able to get some miles in!
My best run recently was definitely my 5k race in San Antonio. I had a lot of fun and was sorry when the race was over because I was enjoying it so much!
Thanks! And I love when that happens with races! I feel like usually I just want it to be over, but it’s so great when I’m unexpectedly enjoying myself!
I’ve been having some awesome weekend runs where I warm up by kicking around the soccer ball, practicing my touches and passes until I’m all warmed up and the RUN! It’s been so great because it gives me a chance to shed some layers before being a mile in. It’s seriously a great way to warm up, literally and for the run LOL
That’s such a good idea!
OMG I forgot about my Christmas light run the other day, where I went into the only lit neighborhood around me for a quick 1 miler, and I turned the corner and the whole street was lined with Christmas lights! I spent the whole time oogling over lights that I barely even remembered I was running hahaha
OMG I want to run down that street! We should do a Christmas light run while I’m home!
YYEESSS
Sounds like a great weekend! Great to hear that you had such an awesome run on Thursday! Those are the best and not feeling sore is always a plus! Have a great trip home and have a Merry Christmas!
Thanks! Yeah, I haven’t not felt sore in a while so I was pumped!
Sounds like a lovely weekend!!! Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!!
Thanks! You too!
I’m glad you’re with Coach Suz and she’s easing you back into running. I’m in the same boat! I got to run 60 minutes this weekend!! It was amazing haha! Yes, it was on a treadmill and yes it was intervals but it was my longest run in a long time and I loved every second of it 🙂
Awesome! It’s so much fun to get back into it! We need to enjoy these pain-free runs!
I love the tree cutting picture! I love when it’s freezing cold outside and I get nice and sweaty, it feels SO invigorating!
So true! It’s so much better working out in the winter than the summer.
Agreed!
Sounds like a great weekend! Awesome about the run!! 🙂
Thanks! It was so exciting getting to be out there again!
Sounds like you had a fabulous weekend! Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!
Thanks! You too!
I love this!! What a great weekend filled with fun, awesome adventures!! Looks like such a blast! Thanks for sharing love 🙂