Late Christmas surprise. Midweek holiday inspired my employer to give the remainder of the week with pay. Thanks PS! Too late to extend family stays (U.S. airlines are unforgiving) – but plenty of time to schedule one last December run, last of the decade.
Chain O’ Lakes State Park. 2 ½ hours from Indianapolis, 4 from Chicago. Trail in December, ultra distance. And a prior DNF fail? the Huff in rural Indiana. Sign me up!
Friday nite touchdown. Indy airport hotel. 3am alarm. Toughest part… staying awake. Notta lotta traffic pre-dawn in Hoosier land. Two years ago, sub-zero temps & knee-deep snow. This year… overcast skies, thermometer-read hovered above freezing.
Trailhead parking FULL. Crazy tight 15 minutes ‘til race Start.
Dash to the registration tent. Bib pick-up. Two 25k laps. Secured a memorable place for my drop bag. Dry shoes, shirt, second beanie. Socks. Similar to Bighorn fails, 2017’s Huff DNF inspired a laundry list of run needs, should ever I come back to Albion, Indiana.
Race number pinned to a favourite pair of sweats. Speech eulogizing a local track coach. BAM — we’re off. Roots, rock, HILLS. Real trail. Not the crushed gravel at Tunnel Hill, U.S. athletes use to set world ‘trail’ standards.
3 hour 15 first loop. 10-minute tent-change. Dry clothes. Broth. Hydration fill. Rush, rush. Hurry, hurry, hurry. 25k was where I ended 2017. FRIGID that day. And…I’m off.
Upbeat. Plugged in. Ear buds readied, music all second half. No time goal – just get it done. HILLS looked way higher than my first lap. LOL> Physically tough course.
Mile-half to finish. More cloud. Rain to snow, starting at 4pm. Bone cold. Pretzels, oranges, hot soup. Time at the infamous HUFF Couch. No mo’ tunes (cold battery).
36th finish of 2019 – a personal record. BELT BUCKLE GLORY.
8th ultra of the year (double my lifetime tally). Third in the great state of Indiana. Life-changing DECADE of RUN MEMORIES. Appropriate end today. 7 hour SAGA.
Only 4 days away… 2020. Twenty-TWENTY. WOW!
I see a TEXAS-sized FINISHER medal in my New Year’s Day future 😀
The HUFF – 50K – Albion, IN
December 28, 2019
Keenan Haga Louisville CO 1057 3:11:59.27 3:53:00.02 7:04:59.29
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- Welcome to Indiana
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- Chain O’ Lakes State Park
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- winter TRAIL
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- the infamous COUCH
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- last of DECADE
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- BELT BUCKLE GLORY
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- 8th ULTRA of 2019
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- Colorado HOME ❤️
The Huff 50K
new Nets cap
Arkansas family, Connecticut family, Colorado family.
FAMILY. It’s the secret glue that makes me tick. It’s the well I go to over & over. The flood of balloons Ash packed for my 50th. Hump Day phone gifs from my Bro. Sis who travelled to Ireland to celebrate (& run) marathon #100. Mom who daily shines a light. Filimin lamp/orange & family’s spiritual warrior.
Folks I TREASURE and draw Mile 22 strength 😊
Manchester – DC – Chicago – Denver
Busy Christmas morning… but it all worked out. Ash & Tom’s home 2:30 COLORADO time.
Comfort food Christmas. LOVE, LOVED. Homemade chicken pie. ‘Gallon-size Ziploc of CHEESE’ mac n’ cheese. AWESOME double/triple helping-size meal. (Diet starts tomorrow.)
Year’s gift giving? Southwest funds & new/improved Garmin for Ash & Tom (future 2020 Seattle/Portland adventures). Pup’s first doggie sweater for Rowan O’Roark. Plush toy for grandpup Marty.
And Dad? Christmas Coupons.
Homemade meals (with all the fixin’s) & 2 airport drop-off/pick-ups. PERFECT for the guy who has everything. They’re right ya know. My life IS full. I want for nothing.
Merry Christmas to the BESTEST family! I HEART y’all ❤️
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- NH – DC – Chicago – Denver
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- COMFORT food – YUM!
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- mac ‘n cheese OVERLOAD
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- grandpup Marty
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- Christmas COUPONS
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- 2020 HIKE adventures
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- Garmin UPGRADE
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- great job, Ash!
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- RUN & be MERRY 🎄
Coventry, Connecticut
Horse barns, covered bridges, Yankee accents. Traditional Christmas.
All my must-see seasonal films are set in New England. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, ‘Christmas in Connecticut’, ‘Bishop’s Wife’, ‘White Christmas’, ‘Holiday Inn’.
And… emergency appendectomies. Michaela in-n-out of Hartford Hospital within 48 hours; showered/seated & ugly sweater-dressed for Christmas gifting. Whew!
Whole lotta holidaying. There always is. Living room, a Christmas paper explosion. We’re BIG gift givers, our family. Double batch of Jill’s signature stuffing, sweet potato casserole. Mashed potatoes, gravy. Turkey AND ham. Big gifters and big eaters 😊
Late dinner invite with old & new friends. Bonus holidaying 2 ½ hours away. Lotta laughs. Even bigger accents. Folks outside Boston need scrolling subtitles. LOL>
TWO of my must-see flics in Stephen’s in-home theatre. Games & gifting with Sheila, Dan & Ashley. Christmas Eve in New Hampshire. It really IS a wonderful life.
Holiday full-circle. Ash, Tom & Ro Ro. Colorado Christmas tomorrow 🎄🎁 🐕
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- appendectomy 🙃
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- Zelda, Kylo & Dany
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- big GIFTERS
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- holiday JOY
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- laptops & crocodiles
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- sweater for Michaela
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- smart watch for Eli
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- African vase for Mom
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- double-batch stuffing
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- Papa Claus 🎅
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- Yule DOGS & diners
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- jigsaw ORIGINAL
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- Loretta Young & Cary Grant
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- “It’s a Wonderful Life”
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- XMas Eve GAME NITE
Connecticut Christmas
XMas Movie Marathon
