Bloo!, originally uploaded by arahbahn.

I’ve been a grump, the past several Halloweens. Maybe not, this year.

Largely due to one pack of neighborhood teens without costumes, knocking on the door and asking for candy, hubbie and I decided not to participate. We figure, as well, that candy isn’t in their best interest anyway. So, we turn off the porch lights and hide downstairs for a few hours, until we think the scene is clear for us to turn on the lights and fix dinner.

I think, though, that this year, we may get back into the fray. Our neighborhood really gets into decorating yards, and if even just to join in that fun, I may stock the candy bowl and come out of our basement lair. Maybe I’ll even done a costume for it. Seasons and traditions are part of what makes this life enjoyable, right?

In other news: 2 days ago I ran in the one race I’d really been looking forward to all year, the Big Woods Run.

For several months I couldn’t decide between the 10k version and the half-marathon, so I prepared for the latter, in terms of mileage. About a month or so before the race, I discovered that I’d placed 3rd in my division last year in the 10k, and the competitor in me used that rationale to pick the 10k again, this year.

I did not do a whole lot of speed work in the past month or two. In spite of that, I really tried hard to run this race fast. Maybe not surprisingly, my time was close, but slower, than last year’s, and I came in 7th for my division.

In retrospect, I almost regret the extra speed effort I made on Saturday. I ran pretty darn hard, maybe too hard for a race that is such a strange combination of terrain (fully 1/3 of this “trail” race is on asphalt), stunning scenery, perfect running temperature, and community that it’s probably best enjoyed as a tour, rather than a race. Heck, it’s not called “Big Woods Race,” even. And I gave myself a sideache that lasted for about 1.5 of the 6.2 miles. Yuck!

Ah well. Blue pumpkins. You live and learn.