Hi and Happy Friday everyone!  To my pleasant surprise, I received a gift card for REI in the mail yesterday for a not-so-unsubstantial amount.  Thank you all so very much for that.  I really needed the morale boost as things have not been going very well lately.  I won't go into details, but the gift card and all the holiday cards and gifts have really helped to keep my head up a bit higher as the days muddle along.  Hopefully, I will have more uplifting news, but I always think of you guys and all your trail escapades!  Happy New Year everyone!

Hi Bert! Thanks for checking in.  2020 will be a good year.  It has to be.

Got in 6 slow miles last night.  Today is a rest day.

Mandy - I watched yet another climbing doc last night.  This was one was short (maybe 25 min) on a guy (I don't remember his name) who free climbed the nose at El Cap - only the fourth person since 1993.

It was good - really cool camera angles as he climbed the most difficult sections. I am fascinated by it.

QOTD: Taking DD to our local HS girls basketball game.  Tomorrow she has her own game.  Otherwise, it's a chill weekend.  I am hoping to get in a decent run tomorrow morning.  Hopefully the rain stops by the time I get out.  I hate running in cold and rainy.

Have a great weekend!

Hey Bert-o !!!!!!! 

Since today is my SRD, my 2020 running streak ends at an awe inspiring big fat 2. 

Now for some tech questions:

moonlight - what is the make of your new headlamp? Also, what's the battery life like?  I like my 300 lumen BD Spot, but always looking for new options.

dhuff - also (from yesterday) which Garmin did you get? Can you tell yet if the battery time will live up to what they say it will? My FR 230 is hanging in there, but the charging contacts on the watch and the wire are getting wonky so I may update it at some point.

qotd: My DD is doing two rides (50 mi Sat and 25 mi Sun) this weekend so I'm thinking I'll go there on Sat and run trails (while, or after she's done). We might even time it so she can join me to run my last few miles. She needs the training since she's doing the half at the marathon in two weeks.  Then we'll do dinner and I'll drive home.  She'll stay there and do the 25 mi ride on Sunday.  I'll probably just hang out on Sunday.

Oh yeah, there might be some football watching too.

I have been way out of the loop lately. Our systems went totally down back in December and just came up the day before we left for break. I have been pretty much off the grid for most of that time. I mostly hunted the entire time I was off. I filled all my deer tags, the last one on a backwater swamp hunt in a place that I didn't know could be that remote outside of the West. We have pretty much been rained in since the 1st. So, the new year is starting off with no running, but we have a lot of deer meat.

Bert-O: I hope you are doing well.

QOTD: I have to work tomorrow. We are having a last minute push for enrollment. We are a little behind the gun on enrollment because the system went down to ransomware at a critical time for registration. Luckily, I have already gotten the bulk of my little campus registered prior to the disaster. We are up and running again, but we have some work to do.

I ran 5 ish...walked up the long concrete sidewalk before the run which may have been 1/2 a mile.

Berto-  as everyone else said hoping fir the best for you.

Qotd:  I am visiting still and the rest of the weekend will be spent with my good friend.  I think it will also be spent watching her son practice and play hockey.

I'll keep everyone posted on how it does.  It was hard to give up the FR235 as I could charge it while wearing it, this one I can't but I can carry it and charge on the go.  First big test will be the 24 hour race.