Happy New Year! Looking forward to a better 2014!

Hello, not that 2013 was necessarily BAD...it was just not my best year of running, it was a great year in many other aspects. As this is my running blog, I have to say, for a runner....not a god year. It was the year of the Great Wall, Sydney and New Zealand. It was a year that I really missed running wit the group of running friends I have come to enjoy. I missed SCKL, I missed Penang Bridge, I missed the Penang Round Island relay...so for everything I did have a chance to do this year, those are some things i missed. With our Return home date sometime in July or August, There will not be time to do those things again. sad face.
So we are rounding out our 3 Christmas journey home (US home), which brings us back to St. Pete, Florida, which is a great city to run in....I mean look at this.

Getting to run past that in perfect 60 degree Fahrenheit weather, its just the best. It also brings us to Roxanne's dads place in Lake Alfred, Florida, another great spot to get in a run. Then to Roxanne's moms place in Lakeland, Florida where I can hit Lake Hollingsworth, also a fantastic venue to run at. finally we round our trip out at my parent's place in Lake Worth, Florida. A bit warmer, but still got in some runs, with a day left to go, maybe one more to start 2014 off right.

Most of the time when I come home the racing season is on hiatus for the holidays, and there are events before we get here and then after we leave. This year, one of my favorite races, The "Say no to drugs" 10k, was going on on the 21st December. I was able to get ahold of a fiend of mine, Tony , and asked if he would like to run. Tony is someone i have known for a long time, and to watch him become the man he has is a very proud thing for me. Tony's story is one of challenge and success, and he is one of those people that I gain strength from. The chance to run a race with him is awesome.
As things often go however, at the race start we could not connect. along the way I would wait for him (and allow my hip to get a rest). as it was we finished not too far apart. A great time made better because my lovely wife and daughter could actually watch me run!!

So thank you Tony for leaving me with one last great memory from 2013. this will be a good one!

Finally as this FLrunner closes 2013, I wanted to say thank you to all the friends i have made in Penang and the surrounding areas of Malaysia. It has been a fantastic 3 years, you all have given me some great memories, I am proud to call you friend, I will miss you all dearly. Although we still have 8 months till our departure from Penang permanently. I can say that with as much pain as I have been in I am not sure how involved in regular events I will be. I made this video, more for me, but also as a thank you to all of you.

Thank you to my loyal readers, you are few but strong. I appreciate your support, see you in 2014 with some new stories, less pain and a more motivated running outlook. RUN HAPPY!