Day 2,121: I've registered for the Atlanta Half Marathon!

Tonight I finally bit the bullet and registered for this Thanksgiving's Atlanta Half Marathon.

It will be my fifth running of this race and the third for this course. Here's what I thought of the race last year.

I definitely haven't been doing any long runs (my last long run was June 13, when I ran 9.01 miles to Turner Field and back to get a Craig Kimbrel bobblehead) but I feel pretty confident in being able to eke out another half marathon if I need want to.

We'll see how it goes. I probably won't do any worse than my first running of the Thanksgiving race in 2008, when leg problems led to a 2:32 finish in the race.

Day 2,120: Be the One Run 5K revisited

After skipping last year's Be the One Run 5K, we returned to this nice race at Atlantic Station.

We ran in this race two years ago and it was a pretty pleasant race. This year, with the kurokitten in a stroller, we knew we wouldn't be running it nearly as fast as last time.

At about 50 degrees, it was much warmer than it was two years ago. I wore a short sleeved cotton T-shirt that happened to be the race shirt from two years ago! It wasn't planned that way but I like the shirt so much it's in the rotation.

While we waited, I had a technical long-sleeved T-shirt (Locomotive half marathon) on over it. It was really convenient to stow that shirt in the stroller when the race began.

The race started and although it was pretty congested at the start, we made our way around. Things felt really effortless running around. I recounted my adventures (the Southeast Brain Tumor Foundation run in 2006) and misadventures (not being able to participate in the Shamrock 5K the year the Peachtree 10K Road Race went to electronic registration because the site became jammed up).

I'd forgotten about a hill along 16th Street near Mile 2. The hill going up on Northside Drive was still real, though.

The race was fun and pleasant. It's nice to be a part of the fall racing season.

Day 2,113: Winship Win the Fight 5K

Today we took part in a nice 5K around the Emory University campus, the Winship Win the Fight 5K. It's our fourth race with Kiernan and the first one that we haven't used the car seat with the BOB stroller.

All in all, it was a good race. It's a little hilly around the campus but I don't think it bothered either one of us that much as we winded our way around.

Near the end of the race, some guy said that we were doing good and that we were the "first stroller." I don't think there's such a category but when I ran ahead to take a picture of our strolling duo near the finish line, I decided to take over the reins when I saw some dude with a stroller coming near.

Even with a stroller, I don't want to get outkicked at the end of the race! The race felt good -- I didn't feel like I was even breathing hard. I had a lot left in the tank and sort of felt like I wanted more race to run.

We finished in what likely was our fastest 5K with Kiernan, not that it matters.

In the past I was interested in PRs but I look forward to these family outings!

Time: 8:30 a.m.
Temp: 62 degrees
Gear: Technical T-shirt, short (Big Peach Sizzler), shorts, Nike Air Pegasus+ 28/A.

Day 2,110: Time for long sleeves

Today it was 48 degrees in the morning and definitely time for me to wear some long sleeves.

Because a lot of my winter running clothes have been packed away in the new house, I've been just trying to make do while the temperatures were 54 degrees, then 52 degrees this week.

Yesterday I wore a short-sleeve T-shirt and while it was OK, my wrists and hands were cold. I've been putting a blanket over the kurokitten (who wears a hat and fuzzy pajamas) to make sure that his little paws aren't too cold.

During the run it warmed up a little and I hated having to push my sleeves up in the middle of the run.

But it's tolerable for now, since I know that it will just get colder!

Day 2,105: Run to Turner Field

I was on Georgia Avenue on the end route of the Father's Day 4-miler when I hear a huge cheer erupt from Turner Field.

It sounded like they were cheering for me! (They actually were cheering for a home run).

I actually was late for the Cardinals-Braves Wild Card playoff game. Because I was running late, I decided to run instead of driving to the home of the Braves or taking the train.

It worked out well. I started out on the PATH trail and then took a diagonal course through the city, ending up on the last part of the Father's Day 4-miler route.

There were plenty of rolling hills but my motivation was good -- I wanted to miss as little of the game as possible. And spend the least amount of money.