Running into the New Year

This morning I welcomed in the New Year in the healthiest way that I believe I ever have. Healthy mentally, spiritually, and most of all, physically. I slipped and slid my way into 2010 by participating in the New York Road Runners Midnight Run.

Imagine a New Year's Eve like most peoples. Get together with friends at somebody's place or a bar a few hours before midnight. Have a nice dinner, a glass of wine, some more drinks. Get good and liquored up before the ball drop. Like an intoxicated choir, you count down the final ten seconds in unison.... 3-2-1 Happy New Year!! You cheer, grab the person next to you, kiss them, and shout some syllables that resemble the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne. This is not unlike a New Year's Eve of my past.

Compared to my New Year's Eve last night. Similar in some fashions. Went to a friend's place for nice dinner. Had a glass of wine with that dinner, and only that one glass of wine. Then continued to drink water. Hung out until about 11:00. Then got on the warmest running clothes we had and made our way to the 72nd Street entrance of Central Park. A crowd of a few thousand all in high spirits and tight running pants were there, ready to stomp in the new year by putting four miles under their legs. We corralled ourselves behind the start line, counted down as every other New Years Eve party does, and once we got down to 1, fireworks lit the sky and we began our run. Along the route drunks and sobers alike lined the road to slap hands with the runners as we all wished each other a great 2010. At the two mile water station they even had some sparkling apple cider to help runners traditionally welcome in the new year.

Afterward, we hung out in Central Park for a bit and joined in the party that was pumping there, a DJ and all the normal post run stations of water, fruits and bagels. That party didn't last long for us, as we were wet and beginning to get cold, so we hopped over to the nearest pub for a celebratory beer, and I mean a celebratory beer. In general, a pretty sober New Years in terms of alcohol, but absolutely intoxicating in terms of jovial spirits and proper beginnings.

If yesterday and today were any indication of how this new year is going to turn out, then be ready for a Shawn Connelly explosion. 2010 has arrived. I'm going to enjoy every second of it and it's going to love every second of me.