Cold Ass Temps, Running, Gluhwein, and Friends

Um yeah, when you have to look like a pair of bank robbers to stay warm, should you really be running outside?

Renee came over yesterday morning for an 8.25 mile run.  I definitely would have foregone the run if I didn’t have her to run with.  When we started out, it was 5 degrees with a windchill of –4 degrees F.  Growing up in Albuquerque, I had never experienced these temperatures until yesterday.  It was cold and exciting at the same time!

About 25 minutes in, Renee looks over at me and starts laughing.  You look like Santa Claus! Haha.  I guess I did!  I can’t believe my eyebrows and eyelashes were freezing over!

Everything was frozen over.  We saw a few people out shoveling snow, and decided to start counting all the funny looks that we were getting running outside looking like we did. 

We counted 6 people looking at us like we were crazy.

It was so cold that my mouthpiece for my camelback froze within the first 10 minutes of running.  I remembered to take a pic of it about an hour in.  Still frozen.  And the camera was really slow.  I guess the temp was affecting that too!

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As if the cold wasn’t enough this morning my friends, Steve, and I decided to go to a little German gluhwein festival and 3K walk in the afternoon.  Keep in mind that it was still 5 degrees F at this point.

There were basically 4 food/wine stops along a 3K stretch of farm road from Rodenbach to Weilerbach.  This was the first stop.

I started off with some peach schnapps.  Steve did not want anything to do with it!

Then, some gluhwein. 

Next stop…

Steve’s double fisting it!  No, just kidding!  One of those is mine. 

My leg looks so jacked-up in this pic.   I hyperextend my legs way too much!  It’s so bad for you!  I hope my physical therapist doesn’t see this!! 

In Germany, and actually most of Europe, in most festivals they will serve the drinks in glasses, and you make a 2 euro deposit on the glass when you pay for the drink.  If you want your 2 euro back, then you just return the glass.  I wanted two of these cool mugs, so there were no refunds!

The gluhwein is nice and frothy at the top!  Mmmmmm…

People brought their dogs out, even the tiny ones!  I don’t know how they survived it.  It was freaking freezing!!

On to the next stop!

We actually passed right through the next stop b/c they only had one measly log on fire, and it wasn’t going to cut it.  We walked onward!

The last stop was worth it for this salmon.  This is such a good idea to cook salmon.  Steve and I are definitely stealing this idea for when we move to Spokane in 6 months!

All they did was cut off a chunk of cooked salmon and slap it on a roll.  It was sooo good!!!  Plus, I was drunk at this point so I guess anything would have been good!

They had a heater in this tunnel that helped just a little.  They were setting up for a concert in there a few hours later.

Well, after the 3rd stop and being out in 5 degrees for 3 and a half hours, we decided to go home.  We still had a party to attend later that night.  I passed out for an hour while Steve and I cuddled underneath the covers.  Then we were off for my friend’s Christmas party!

Here was Katie’s spread of appetizers…

I was still trying to hydrate at this point!  Steve enjoyed a few beers.  It was fun mingling! 

A pic of Katie and I.  She is a little fireball of energy, and I’m so glad that I met her when I moved to Germany!  Thanks for the party, Katie!!  It was awesome!!

Well, there you have it.  I had a very cold ass temp, active, partying Saturday!  Sometimes, I have to pinch myself to make sure my life isn’t a dream!  I LOVE my life, and I’m so thankful that I have people who support and love me in my life.  Of course, I think that decision to be happy comes from within and the people who I choose to be in my life.  There were a few people out with us yesterday who just had bad attitudes.  They always have bad attitudes.  They are never going to be happy because they don’t want to!  Life may throw some punches at you, but you have to choose what to do with them!    Anyway, that is my view on it.

Today, I relaxed and cleaned a little.  It is snowing pretty bad right now, and I love the fact that I am inside and warm with Steve!  He bugged me to go out for a walk earlier, and we did.  It was cold, but it wasn’t that bad.  Besides, I always have fun with him.  It really doesn’t matter what we do.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

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Tagged as: friends, german festivals, running