I'm baaaaaaack!

Seriously, everyone should just take the whole month of December off. It's so busy! How are we supposed to work AND do holiday stuff?!
Anyway, just because I haven't been writing, doesn't mean I haven't been running! Goodness, I'm impressing myself!
I have officially graduated from running on Orinda Circle to running on Cameron Park Drive! YAY! Orinda is too hilly, and not long enough. Cameron Park Drive is looooooong and straight.
Today was my first official day of tackling the long straight beast. Let me tell you, I'm proud of myself, but I have also never experienced pain like this before!! I made it about 3/4 of a mile. I think I could have gone further, but I've taken a few days off so my calves are kind of tight.
Running on a main street is much more entertaining than a side street. There are the usual honks and whistles, but also barking dogs in cars that fly past you on the road. Then, there are the random items you find on the side of said road.
I found 4 roadkills (said a prayer for each one), a mattress and a couple beer cans. Please note that I live in a pretty nice area of Cameron park. I didn't expect to find a mattress, and was tempted to sit down and take a breather! Just kidding. I don't need to contract any STD's from the side of the road.....
Of the aforementioned roadkill, one happened to be a poor little skunk. While my heart bleeds for these defenseless animals who didn't even have a chance, my nose wasn't so sympathetic. And of course, it was smack dab in the middle of the bike lane, where I was running. I smelled it before I saw it, so I waited for traffic to pass and made a WIDE circle around the poor thing to avoid any possibility of the smell following me home.
You know, humor aside, I really don't understand why there is so much roadkill. I ALWAYS brake for wildlife (and any moving thing for that matter). Are there really people out there who just don't care?? I can understand if it jumps out in front of you, but for those who don't even flinch their foot towards the brake, shame on you.

So I'm realizing I have a little over 3 weeks until the big race, and I'm not as prepared as I thought I would be by now. Darn those holidays!!! I'm hoping to kick it up a notch this month, becuase I really want to be able to at least jog the whole route of the race. I don't care if I place, or if I'm last. I just want to finish!
You know what else I want to be able to do? Meet my fund raising goal!!!! I've come up with a FAB idea, and I hope my fellow PETA Pack Members can do something similar.
I am hosting a Spaghetti Feed on January 17th at 12:00pm. The cost is $10 per person, a reasonable amount I think. There will be red sauce (meatless of course) and white sauce spaghetti, garlic bread and salad! I think it will be an amazing way to raise funds while having fun at the same time! So far I only have 4 confirmed guests, so I'm sending out invitations today. If you live in the Sacramento (or Bay area!) area, please email me if you would like to come!
Enough blabbing, I'm off to eat a post-run smashed white bean and avocado club sandwich! YUM!

And as always, please donate whatever you can using this page:
http://www.active.com/donate/PETAPack/jencar

Thanks guys!!!

Today's Run Playlist:
* Christina Aguilera's Greatest Hits Album "Keeps Gettin' Better"
(pretty much all the songs on the album will pump you up!)