The Holiday season

Ahh yes! The Holiday Season is upon us. Or, for many of us, the season of "how do I fit in my training without going nuts" season. Between family gatherings, parties, work and the diminishing hours of sunlight, getting in some training can be difficult.
My Holidays (or Holi-daze) have already started. I have family coming for a quick lunch today. I might be able to squeeze in a run before a nap and then off to work. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I am working the 11 pm to 7 am shift this week. That means sleeping a few hours in the morning. I'll get up around noon and try to fit in a quick run or bike and then have Thanksgiving with family later in the afternoon. I'll try to fit in a quick nap before work. I guess I am thankful that I only have to do Thanksgiving once. I won't be traveling here and there trying to visit in-laws and outlaws.
Work doesn't seem to get any busier for me during the Holidays. That makes training a bit easier. There is a little overtime due to people wanting extra time off but it isn't too bad and most of it is optional.
Christmas is up in the air for me yet. I am not sure if the company I work for will be running or shut down for Christmas Eve/Christmas. If they're running, I'll be working. I have family traveling here to central Wisconsin. My sister lives in Portland, Oregon. She is a runner so I would love to take a day and run with her. It gives us a chance to spend some time and talk and vent. I try to go easy but it isn't always easy. She is a BQ runner and that seems to mean a little quicker pace than I want this time of year. Between that visit and trying to see the rest of our family and relatives Christmas week could be nuts. My running, and hopefully x-c skiing is my stress relief this time of year.
That is mainly what my training is this time of year. Stress relief. Me time. Time to clear my head and enjoy the crisp air. At the moment I am not really training for anything. I am trying to get in longer and slower runs. Endurance base training is how I look at it. Getting a good base for x-c ski season and the Birkie.
I have been getting in some easy bike rides with my wife. I enjoy these because they force me to slow down and ride shorter distances. Plus, I get to watch her improve by leaps and bounds each time we go out. She surprises herself by her rides but I don't know why. She is much better than she gives herself credit for and it makes me kind of proud that I may have started this riding bug in her.
I've been thinking alot the last couple of weeks about next years goals. I think I have them almost planned out. Just some fine tuning and tweaking in the next week or so. If I survive the Holidays I'll let you know what grandiose plans have been floating in my empty noggin.
I am running the Stevens Point YMCA Frostbite 10 miler on December 5. It will be my first race as a Brooks ID'er and I'm kind of excited about that. No big time goals, I just want to run fast and finish strong. I'll let ya know how I do soon.
Gotta run........