Good morning all! Have not dropped off the face of the earth again, just busy. Last week was one of the best running weeks I've had in a long time. I've been following Daniel's intermediate blue plan with some extra miles. I did two tempo (cruise interval) session, a short run on a hilly course and a 10 miler with two medium and one largish hill (right at the end). Overslept this morning, though. I'm jealous of everyone running a fall marathon. I know I made the right decision to not do one, but now that they're rolling around, I'm jonesing. Next race is a mid October HM. I'll be following the Daniels' intermediate plan with extra mileage for the balance of the year. Hoping to be averaging mid 30s on a very consistent basis. Spring marathon? Someone punch me in the head, I think I'm gonna run Bayshore next year. So like I said, things are a bit crazy for me right now, but I'll tell you what. I'll at least make sure I stop in once per week (more if I can) and get the weekly thread going, check in, drop a line and see how you folks are doing. MTA: Even though I had been running, I did stop keeping my log. The graph looks funny now.

Cash, I have done NO speedwork. I've got my miles up, but VERY slowly. Running 6 days sometimes, like when I'm adding miles, and other weeks just running 5 days when I'm running harder. I have felt a real improvement when I have rested. I listened to my body and seriously dropped the miles after those 60 mile weeks. I've been making sure to get one pace workout at least close to a 9:00 min pace. I hardly ever run faster than that. I am also a huge fan of the aqua jogging. It seems to strengthen my legs and heal them at the same time. Everything feels better after. Notice that I was in the pool for over an hour the night before. My log is funny because the rest was more at the beginning of last week and not right before the race, the opposite of what you would normally do. One odd thing I did was rub arnica oil in my legs before the race, massaged them a little. I also made sure to take a multi-vitamin something I suck at. I could have kept going at that pace. Love to see if I could do that in a HM, but I would have never tried to run a HM at that pace. I guess you have to believe first of all. Inertia, I felt the same way when I was not doing a spring marathon. I knew physcially and family wise it was not a good fit. Patiently build your base, remember rest is very important and you will have a great spring marathon. You have plenty of time to get there. Look at my log and look at what I was running 6-8 months ago compared to now. Erika, You are so kind. Thanks. It was a great day. I did not want to go to sleep. Did not want it to be something I did yesterday instead of today. If only I'd have known at mile 2 how the rest of the race would go, I could have got the pace under 8:00. But that's OK too, my ankle maybe needed that slow mile. I am thinking of trying for the 3:55 pace. I have pace runs that would fit the training, it's just no pacer to run with then. I will stop at water stops to ensure I have enough fluid, and I know then I will need to boogie out of those stops to get back on schedule. However I feel I'm a strong finisher in the marathon and don't really need the pacer for the end like most do. The friends I train with get tired at the end, I seem to get stronger, like yesterdays splits indicate. When I ran 3:58 (in that awful humidity) at Grandma's last year, I ran in front of the pacer, but going over the dinky lemon drop hill he really helped. TCM hills are tough, but there will be a tone of people cheering. Ufta, I'm really not sure what to do. Can anyone think of a way to move those hills from 19-21 to say 13?

Of course you're going to race it. Never would've thought otherwise. Hey Bugs, got a question for you on your log. Looking at the calendar view... how do you have some of your entries in "boxes"? I've seen that before, but mine don't have that so I'm sure it's something you set up. Just looks different. I like where you have an entry for "Found something" when you found that fishhook... that's sort of neat to record so you remember it. I find stuff a lot... mainly tools I bring home for DH (we have some contractors living nearby, probably fall off their truck as they drive down the road). He has a really nice contractors tape measure now...

My foot feels great. Unfortunately it means no beer. I may just test that out later just to make sure. Maybe it means not more than one beer. My goal race is the USMC Marathon on 26 October and I've got the Army 10 miler 3 weeks before. Basically the same flat course. Trying to decide if I should really race the 10 miler (just to put a mark on the wall for my upcoming race with Bugs) or treat it as a training run. Who am I kidding? I'm going to race it.

How can I get DH to get this gout because right now his foot tells him to drink way too much beer? Sure you want to race me when I'm recovering from marathon. You are fast and smart.

Just wanted to say hi. I have nothing to report on any fronts, but I'm still reading! Bugs great job!! Dave glad the foot is feeling better Mr. I yeah for you starting the thread - and glad things are busy but ok! Erika, Cash, Pace, Husker - Hi! Actually that isn't true. I do have news: I have decided not to run the marathon. I will not be even close to prepared as my running and desire the last month has hit bottom. So I have decided to not continue to stress and beat myself up. I will simply take some time off and hope the desire returns shortly. I think that it will. Especially if the heat is done (Yes Dave I was feeling it and it was awful!). Also I realized I was stressing a lot of about how this training would affect us trying to get preg. and while I tried to lie to myself and say that it was ok for running to come first until November that was a big fat lie. Instead I want to create a stress free environment instead of putting my body under duress. So not running the marathon has to do with that also. So there's my story... it doesn't mean that you guys are getting rid of me - because quite frankly I'm far to fond of you all now! But it might mean that I don't have much to report on till my mojo comes back. But i'm still here reading!!

Dgb, We're on for the Turkey Trot, will keep me from eating too much of big bird. Shan, Good decesion. Are you still going to be running or can I borrow your ankle? Someone asked me why I wanted to run a marathon. I said that yesterday I did something physically I thought I could never do, it makes a person believe they can do more than you previously thought, find a different job, be more out going, etc... that's what the marathon did for me. My chiropractor canceled on me today, went to a new one. This guy is big into alternative medicine, kinetic energy, etc.. E.g. He's married to an accupunture therapist. Ask about diet, I get nervous when someone questions my nutrition, because mostly I'm eating what will not make me sick on my run. The guy clearly wasn't a runner, he was shocked by my toes. He really recommended taking enzemes. I have heard positive press about them before. Anyone ever taken them? 5 easy miles, no watch, long sleeve shirt cause kind of cold!

...but if we're at the gym, she can walk on the TM next to me, we can talk and workout together and both get in a workout of our choice - pretty cool stuff.

That is pretty cool stuff. I tried that approach to get DH back into working out, and sometimes he seems up for it and we'll do it once or twice... he says he likes it, but then always finds excuses to not go (I'm too busy, I forgot my gym bag, I'm tired...). So, it can be frustrating, but so good for you for doing it. I hope you can keep at it (and keep her at it!). Speaking of the gym, I was thinking of going last night after work to do some weights and pool running. I really like doing that, and was looking forward to it. But as the day wore on I got more and more rundown feeling. Went shopping after work for something for dinner, made a penne pasta/turkey/veggie thing, and just crashed. I was in bed by 10, which is early for me, and fell right asleep. This morning I feel tired (blah) and my throat hurts. I work next to two of the unhealthiest people I know, and I think all their coughing and hacking from the last two weeks has finally gotten to me. I thought on Sunday I felt like I wasn't recovering on my breaks like I usually do. I even had to walk on the way back... which was mostly downhill! So, I knew something was up. I might go home today and take a nap. I can't be getting sick now!!!

Hey All...Sorry for my infrequent vists (and more infrequent running) USAF marathon in under 2 weeks. Cramming some longer runs in this week. Got an 8 and a 12 mile run in on the beach while on vacation Labor day weekend (forgot sunscreen--and was fried). 4 fast miles yesterday. Going to get in 30-35 miles this week and then just some real short easy "taper" miles in next week before the marathon. Again this year, this one will be run as a training marathon--just so Im not stupid with my pace, I'll finish in one piece and probably around my average finish time. Really looking to keep running for 20, and then 50/50 split the last 6. That would put me in around 5:15-5:30. Hope to run with my tp for the first half at least--he should blow me away. But its his first. The big marathon for me is Vegas since I will have lots of people travelling and a) I want to impress them and b) I dont want to be to dead to enjoy the trip post-marathon. May also do Columbus 1/2 marathon this year as a training run in October. Work stuff has left me so stressed and busy--if Id just remember how relaxing running can be--Id get out more. Am really looking forward to a nice long run this evening.