Happy New Year!!!

Pictures from Mt. Hood, where Oleg and Stephen spent Friday while I cooked for a housewarming party.





We had 10 people, and it is only a third of who is supposed to eventually show up from Russian community at OHSU - we don't have enough sitting places, plates and other stuff. It was good, although by mid-day I developed a chest congestion that usually predicts bronchitis. I did run in the morning - 7 miles on trails.

Saturday I took off, as I couldn't breathe and quickly put myself on antibiotics. I slept half a day, and due to broken thermometer had no idea what kind of fever am I running.

By 6 pm Oleg's friend from Seattle came for a next day's climb at Mt. Hood - yes, this is how they, crazy mountaineers, celebrate New Year, family not involved:) I had a girlfriend over, who came to hear me out as a pick-her-up from her love-life disaster, as well as to dye my hair. Good all I had to do is to sit on a couch.
Guys went to bed at 10 pm, and woke up at 1:30 am with an arrival of yet another person. They spent another hour been loud in the house (and messing up my sleep) and finally left at 3 am. I managed to fall asleep after that till almost 7:30 am.

In the morning, despite coughing up phlegm from my lungs, I decided to stick with the schedule and go for a longish run. I know, it's a stupid thing to do. Just proves once more and again how inflexible I am. Not to mention I was sick of waiting for Oleg's call and worry, of feeling weak and bored, and of the fact it was the first time since moving here I missed out onPurge and Splurge Forest Park run. SO at 10 am I left the house, with no food since some picking last night (no appetite when sick) and one bottle of water, determined to see how it goes. Legs felt good. Body didn't. However, on sub-conscious level I mapped out my 15-16 miles and just took proposed turns involuntary. By second hour I was running on dizzy spells and near-fainting experiences. It was actually quite interesting and reminded me how I feel in the wee hours, at night, in a 100M race, somewhere between 3 am and 5 am. Like I suddenly loose the connection with real world, then look around - and can't figure out where I am. Even on trails I ran a thousand times. Should have taken a gel or a carb drink. I wasn't thinking. I wasn't thinking I am actually going to gut it out. But I had a mighty great time and was glad I was there instead of getting sicker at home. Coughing crap helped:)

As I approached the house, the phone rang. My Dad - I almost missed a New Year's celebration back home! So I stopped, talked, held imaginary glass of champagne, talked to all, listened to Kuranty (Big Watch on Kremnlin counting 12). The countdown to new 2007 year officially began!

I am closing on this year's runs with 3074 miles. What turned out to be not my biggest year (not surprisingly, how did I do so many with injury and rest I still don't know, probably all the 100+ mpw in the beginning of the year), because in 2005 I ran 3119, while in 2004 just short of 2500. On January 2 will be my bloggoversary. Oleg called just now, he is safe an on his way home. If he will be able to catch a nap, we'll go to friend's house for a Big Bang New Year's party. If not - open a bottle of Soviet Champaign at home and watch our favorite movie (what all ex-Soviet people in every corner of the world do for the last 30 years or so - it's a classic, never get tired of).

Happy New Year to all who stops by, reads on, blinks at, scans, refers, likes or hates, and to the whole Universe. It is a great holiday, one that is not attached to any religion or political affiliation. Just a new fresh page, a start, a number, a hope, a resolution, a dream...a dream that will certainly come true if you really want it.

Happy New Year!