The past couple weeks of training have been almost as great as our holiday adventures.  Hubs, Liv, and I flew to Cincinnati for Christmas and managed to not get sick until the end of our trip!

Monday, 12/21 – 3.2 miles @ 9:26/mile + strength

Tuesday, 12/22 – Travel

Wednesday, 12/23 – 7.6 miles @ 8:31/mile

Thursday, 12/24 – Speedwork: 6.2 miles @ 7:40/mile (10 x 400m @ 1:35 with 400m RIs)

Friday, 12/25 – 3.3 miles @ 9:13/mile

Saturday, 12/26 – 4 miles @ 9:30/mile + strength

Sunday, 12/27 – Long Run: 20 miles @ 8:09/mile.  On the treadmill!  It was pouring rain all day, so I headed to the YMCA.  That’s a lonnng time on a treadmill, but I’m pretty sure I’m related to Chuck Norris.

A few highlights from our trip… decorating the Christmas tree, playing with the train from my childhood, brunch at Sleepy Bee Cafe, last minute shopping with mom, baking (gluten-free!) cookies for Santa, dad’s lasagna and pecan pie, quality time with so many family and friends, and LaRosa’s pizza (ohmygosh, they have my favorite gluten-free pizza, ever).

Amy and Clara joined us for a beautiful family service on Christmas Eve, where there was a fun photo booth!

Liv was spoiled with a Puppy Surprise, Frozen robe, books, and so much more, but I’m pretty sure “Candy!” was the highlight of Christmas morning for our almost-three-year-old (…and now, we’re officially sugar-detoxing, because sugar makes toddlers crazy).

We enjoyed Christmas dinner, a Yankee swap gift exchange, and toddler dance party in Oxford.

Jared was in heaven, playing games almost every night – International Rum, Rummy 500, Hearts, Disney Cranium.  He even lost an intense match of Monopoly with my dad!

We enjoyed a surprisingly fun, rainy day at EnterTRAINment Junction – a huge indoor train display and theme park.  One of my (many) favorite things about having a kid is getting to be a kid again ourselves.  I mean, trains are fun!  Who knew?

Also, my mom’s ice cream stash.  I’m sure your mom is great, but my mom is The Best.

Monday, 12/28 – Cross Training: 1 hour of rowing, elliptical, arc trainer + strength

Tuesday, 12/29 – 2 miles @ 10:00/mile

Wednesday, 12/30 – Speedwork: 7 miles @ 7:39/mile (8 x 800m @ 3:20 with 400m RIs)

Thursday, 12/31 – REST

Friday, 1/1 – Progressive Run: 6 miles @ 8:11/mile

Saturday, 1/2 – 2 miles @ 10:00 + strength

Sunday, 1/3 – Long Run: 13.1 miles @ 7:47/mile

We flew home on Wednesday afternoon, so I was able to squeeze in one last run before our flight to LAX, where our final commuter flight was delayed two hours (ugh).  It was a somewhat miserable day of travel as we were all sick with colds, which made for an extra low-key, lazy New Year’s Eve.

We’re all on the mend now, and still talking nonstop about all of the togetherness and fun memories that closed out 2015.

And 2016 is already looking mighty bright, with about 11 months until my mom can restock her freezer with peppermint bark ice cream!

Happy 2016!