33

33 is the title of the very first episode of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series. It deals with the civilian fleet, who is fleeing from the carnage wrecked upon their (now) nearly extinct human civilization by the biomechanical Cylons, having to deal with continual attacks by said Cylons that occur every 33 minutes.

33 is also how long it took me to run 5 kilometers this morning in the 25th annual Jingle Bell Run. :)

The run was exausting, but very much worth it. Right towards the very end, we had to climb two blocks up a very steep hill prior to coasting downwards to the finish line. Not so immediately afterwords, I journeyed to see Carrie, who snapped these pics of me in all my glory:

 

This is my very first organized 5k run. For me, it's the culmination of events that had started 15 years ago. When I was in the Navy, I was an avid runner (more so than I am currently), and I was training for a 5k across the Golden Gate bridge. I suffered my very first attack of MS, however, and that pretty much kept me from doing any serious physical activity for a number of months as I had to learn how to walk and use my temporarily paralyzed left side anew. So, for me, this run represents something of both a victory and a commitment - a victory over the ailments of my past, and a commitment to my future physical health.

Now, it's off to take a much-deserved hot shower, take a much-deserved load off my feet, and grab a quick bite to eat before heading back to Swedish this evening.