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the speedo santa run wouldn't be until 1pm so i had plenty of time this morning to get ready. the only breakfast i had was a leftover portuguese tarts. i left the house a bit after noontime via bicycle. it was an unseasonably warm day with temperature close to 60 degrees. typically the weather for a speedo santa run is cold, which makes it that much crazier to see people running around in underwears and swimsuits. now with the temperature more spring than winter, what's the challenge in that? i heard because of el niño this year, it will probably be warm here in boston all the way until mid-january. maybe they should change the name of the run to "summer in winter" if this warming trend continues.

not sure who's in charge of closing off the streets (boston police?) but they did a pretty terrible job. runners were already coming down boylston street despite cars still on the road. i don't even remember if they clossed dartmouth either. the lead runners must've been new because instead of running down to arlington street and turning back around, they turned down dartmouth instead. confused spectators scrambled down the street thinking the route had been changed, before more seasoned runners made a course correction.

after runners went down boylston, i crossed over on dartmouth so i could see them return up newbury street.

after it was all over, i made my way to haymarket to score some cheap produce. my mother wanted me to pick up some thick scallions and korean green horn peppers, but they're not always in stock at haymarket so i decided to stop by in chinatown first since it was along the way. i went down boylston to essex and stashed my bike along chauncy street, walking to the chinese supermarket in the alleyway on knapp street. their scallions were skinny but they did carry the hot peppers my mother wanted, $2/lbs. i ended up buying a dollar's worth, about 6-7 peppers.

returning to chauncy street, i continued onwards to arch street, milk street, post office square, and then finally haymarket via congress street. there was a line of people dressed up as santa claus waiting to get into the bars along union street. i got a good haul of produce: asparagus ($1), korean long horn peppers (4 lbs. for $2), grapes ($2 bag and $1 bag), tomatoes (4.5 lbs. for $2), plums (8/$1), and thick scallions (6 bunches/$2).

i slowly pedaled home across the longfellow bridge. once i got back, i transferred everything to my saddlebags and rode the motorcycle to belmont.