Hey all you consistent, dedicated runners... I thought I'd post an "I'm back" thread. I stopped running in the dark of winter hoping some R and R would help a knee problem. The prob w/ being a fair weather runner is that sometimes the fair weather never comes. This is the first week w/o freezing precipitation since, well, winter ! Honest : I was scraping windshields and shoveling snow through April. And the trees are only just now starting to show any signs of life. I did start running a while ago, though. The college I work at just opened an awesome fitness center with treadmills overlooking the Rockies. About 70% of the users are fit 20-yo women (Haloooo Scotty Dawg !) so my motivation has been solid. I really like the TM, and (this is amazing if you know me) I even started doing strength training. It has been a HUGE surprise how much the strength training helps ! HUGE, I say. In particular, leg extensions *seem* to be the answer to my knee problems. Anyway, I'm at about 30 MPW, although I've been too lazy to log them or post. My aerobic capacity and endurance are re-building gradually from near zero, but I feel like all the "gristle" is better than ever. There's definitely a year-on-year improvement, which is very satisfying. My first goal for the summer is the Garden of the Gods 10 miler, in 3 weeks. It's my 1 year runniversary. I've done a few runs there lately (6 mi yesterday) and the hills are like child's play (thank you, strength training!). This is gonna be my first ever RACE and I am really psyched. As for goals my HUGE number 1 news is that I signed up for the Pike's Peak Marathon. I meant to sign up for the Ascent (HM) but it was full. So this will be my first marathon ever. TBH, I'm most worried about the downhill. Other than that, this summer is all about running in the mountains. (I get 2 months off work, nya, nya. W/o pay doh!) Anyway, I'm glad to see so many of the usual suspects still running and posting here. I actually came back to lurk for Boston. (Yes, Lilly, I was stalking you. ) It was a beautiful, proud, wonderful half-day and I was happy for all of "our" runners. Anyways, I've got a plump juicy chicken in the smoker to share (virtually, of course) with all the non-vegans in 2.5 more hours. Until then, nothing to offer but gin. (Again, we're talkin' virtual gin, here, people. Sheesh!) Catch you in the Dailies. Usually late,late in the Dailies.

Doh ! I forgot how to enter paragraphs manually. Never a problem at RWOL. (I'm just sayin' ...)