I didn't stay up for the countdown; I turned in at 7:30 PM to catch my 2:30 AM date with the night...

...and just like that, at 4:18 AM following my back day session, I earned the Garmin badge, "Start Strong: Record an activity on New Year's Day." And yet, I did more than that. My longest walk of 2023 was yesterday; I vanquished it a day later. At 25℉ windchill.

I'm posting my pace here to compare it with January 1, 2025:

• Mile 1 - 22:11
• Mile 2 - 22:02
• Mile 3 - 22:06
• Mile 4 - 22:06
• Mile 5 - 23:24
• Mile 6 - 23:41

Creatures of the Night

Today's St. Elmo, Bartlett Blvd, and Stage Rd differ from the past mornings of Highland, Central Ave, and Poplar Ave. I cannot get over how inviting the sidewalks are! Seriously, I'm used to the late '40s sidewalks around campus—all buckled from oak tree roots, peppered with shards from thrown liquor bottles. And I don't have to swivel my head so much towards that which lies waiting in the dark...

Honestly, these 4:15 AM walks come off a bit more post-apocalyptic, something 28 Days Later or The Walking Dead. The streets are empty and the only sounds I hear when I pull off my headphones are the night wind and the hooting of owls. There was also an unnerving crosswalk light at the intersection of Stage and Bartlett Blvd that kept repeating "ID test...ID test...ID test." The early morning traffic began to ebb onto Stage Rd where I found the least lit street of my walk despite its commercial density. I pass the homeless, a reminder of my Memphis walks, and consider the things to come.

Today also marks my tying my 2023 (May 16 - May 25) record of a 10-day streak of meeting my steps goal. My daily minimum is 10,944, or 10/9/44, the date I'll be the same age as my dad when he died.

Before my year kicked off, I decided to defer to next year the resolutions of no coffee and a half-gallon of water daily. For now, I lean toward coffee's ability for greater weightloss. I'll revisit this for 2025. As to water, I really don't like being forced to drink water; I'd rather listen to my body's needs. As to the other resolutions, everything is live. If I fail, I'll pop on one of these 🔴.

And there's nothing like a chilly morning to look forward to getting my beard back! This New Year's Eve shaved nonsense has got to go! By December of next year, well, I'll look like I've been adventuring with Thorin Oakenshield as this beard will be places it never has been, Destination Unknown.