I WALKED AROUND WITH A GLOW OF SATISFACTION. I had just won a race – a 5K trail race, as I recall – and I was trying to figure out how much to brag about it and to whom. Wouldn’t do to be overly immodest, after all.

Then I felt something nudge my head. My cat was telling me it was time for breakfast. And I remember thinking rather forlornly as I woke up, I suppose this means I didn’t really win a race.

That’s okay, though. What a wonderful holiday it was, with both kids at home and get-togethers with loving families and the best friends you could ever hope for. Chocolate and other goodies abounded, with my wife’s incredible carrot cake and about five tons of homemade caramels, and my daughters helping me make truffles. At least I burned off a few of those extra calories keeping up my tradition of running on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

Back to training as usual next week. Big plans for the year ahead! And the wonderful people who read this blog can rest assured I will tell you all about them, especially when life doesn’t quite work out according to those plans. And who knows – just maybe there’s a race to win out there yet.

Happy New Year to one and all. May at least one of your dreams come true in 2016!

Jeff