Kraken 1,000

K is the abbreviation for Kilo (1000 grams) which has been extended to multiply any quantity by 1000.

This weekend I cracked through the ceiling of 1,000 miles run this year. I wanted to last year but injury prevented that as well as participating in a full marathon. I made both of those goals this year and Jim ran his first half marathon. It is wrapping up as a pretty nice running year for both of us.

Jim had his first run after the Nittany Valley Half yesterday; he ran the Sleigh Bell 5k in Burnham. I encouraged him to treat it as a recovery run and he was a good man and heeded my advice. I too ran this local race as well as about 75 other folks.

We ran into 2 ladies that Jim works with, Patty & Jenny and it was their second race of the year. It was a lot of fun to have someone else to cheer for that we knew.

I think this will be one of the very few races I will ever come in ahead of Jim, he was hot on my heal from Ewardtown Rd until the finish line. Our different running styles had him catching me on the uphills and my gaining distance on the downhills. I did my best to Release the Kraken and the final time has us coming in at the same time which is pretty cool since we both ran our own races, mine was a PR at 26:30.

I was glad we were together to have seen the crazy guard turkey at the northern most turn of Ewardtown Rd. We could see it running back and forth in its yard even when we were a block away. He and I both assumed it was a wild turkey looking to cross the road but was scared of the runners. One time there was a gap and it did run out onto the road but it then ran back to its own yard. He really was a stunning bird but a little intimidating too, I was glad the owner was there to make sure he didn’t get out of control.

A bit farther on was a Christmas decoration, a nativity set up on the second floor of an out building in someone’s yard. It included lights to represent the star but the figures were oddly faceless and it gave a really eerie feeling to it, like they were death eaters from Harry Potter. We returned late that night to take a photo of it and it was even more spooky. A lot like what your would see on a ride in a haunted mansion.

Today, I ran my favorite half marathon that includes going past Poe Valley Lake and ending in Poe Paddy State Park. It starts at a highway and ends in paradise. The weather was what I consider the worst, 38° and rainy, but I loved every step of the way. I am not sure if I have run the route faster before but I know I have taken it at a slower pace. It was a great way to break into 1,000 miles for the year.

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