~4.95 miles @ ~7.7 min/mi

As I park my car comrade Caren Jew runs by and waves. Ken Swab discusses endgame tactics for the MCRRC Championship Series and Cross Country Series, where the complex ranking and qualifying and tiebreak system might make it advantageous for him not to finish next week's race in order to beat an opponent.

At the start I stuff my hat into my shorts, since my head isn't what gets chilled, but it slips out and I have to dart back a few steps to pick it up while dodging other runners. I carry it for the rest of the race folded over one hand like a big mitten. Half a mile along I pass friendly rival Dee Nelson and gasp out, "I'll pull you along for a while, then you can pull me!"

Total time is 37:51, with approximate splits from the GPS trackfile 7:16 + 7:34 + 7:41 + 7:37+ 7:58 (boo!) — 83rd place overall, 69/71 men, 10/22 in the male 55-59 year bracket.

(cf. 2004-12-12 - Jingle Bell Jog and Sinkhole Sally, 2005-12-11 - Jingle Bell Jog, 2006-12-10 - Jingle Bell Jog, 2007-12-16 - Jingle Bell Jog 8k, 2008-12-14 - Jingle Bell Jog, ...) - ^z - 2011-12-23