Tall, it sounds like good news on your heartbeat (I think).  I hope everything gets back to normal.  Jay, I hope you're shaking that bad cold.  roch, my thoughts are with your friend.  I do like his attitude.  runr_nut, happy birthday.  C-R, glad to hear the good medical news.

I found the headlight discussion interesting.  I've got a headlight that I've used for a number of years.  It sure looks like the one that enke linked to.  I've been very happy with it.  My wife got it for me primarily so cars would see me.  It doesn't bounce and I don't even know I'm wearing it except for seeing where I'm going  when it's real dark.  I use the lower of the two intensity settings and it does a good job of lighting things up.  It lights up reflecterized signs a good quarter mile away.  The only times it hasn't provided sufficient light is when I've postponed changing weakened batteries way to long.  One time I was talking to my dentist (a runner) about using the headlight for runs in the dark.  He said that he made a trip to Africa on a charity trip to provide dental help.  Since conditions were not the best and fancy equipment was not available, he used his headlight so he could see what he was doing in peoples mouths.

Nice long runs for CNY and bike.

This morning, it was in the high 20s and there was some wind.  I got in 5 miles at a 10:48 pace.

A good day and good runs for all.

TomS

Jeff—I’ve done that lake run a couple of times but not at night.  Isn’t Buddy Guy’s right nearby?

 

Tramps, yes, it is only a couple blocks from the path; behind the Hilton.

I have lost my motivation.  Had my alarm set for 5:30 a.m.; when it went off I rolled over and turned it off.  Slept in until 6:45.  I hate this time between training cycles; I can always rationalize I am adequately prepared when it is cold and dark outside.  I offcially begin training for the Illinois Marathon on 12/24.  Until then just trying to log about 20 miles/week.

Tammy has it right and that is a good pic. Note the posture, just like a plank, no butt sticking up in the air. As Tammy says, the side plank is done on the forearm, and the top leg foot is slightly in front of the bottom leg foot.  Side planks are a bit harder to do, so it's common for you to do a minute front plank but just 30 seconds as a side plank.  But experienced "plankers" can go several minutes.  They are a terrific core exercise.

Next year at my club, having done pushups two years in a row, and then planks this year, I think we are going to do wall sits in 2013 but since I'm still going to continue planks, I'm in on ours if we do one.

The way it works is this:  Once you say you're in, every day you do a one minute plank, BUT (Holly) you can do two x 30 seconds until you can do  a full minute. I often do 2 x 30 second side planks just for variety.

If you forget a day, you're out!  No excuses.  In our club people just plain forgot, so everyone dropped out.  Only Tony "Flash" Flesch remains and if he makes it to year end, he wins.  I mention his name here as he used to post as "Flash" and you met him in Oregon Tammy, I think.

We're still planning our club challenge for 2013 and because of the disappointment of people forgetting and then getting kicked out, we're considering throwing in two "mulligans."  Any more than that and you didn't have your head in it in the first place. 

We have a FB page set up called the LGRAW 2012 Challenge and at the end of each month the chair posts:  "Okay, who's still in?"  and we all report.  Spareribs

Tammy has it right and that is a good pic. Note the posture, just like a plank, no butt sticking up in the air. As Tammy says, the side plank is done on the forearm, and the top leg foot is slightly in front of the bottom leg foot.  Side planks are a bit harder to do, so it's common for you to do a minute front plank but just 30 seconds as a side plank.  But experienced "plankers" can go several minutes.  They are a terrific core exercise.

I'd like to be in on the plank challenge, but I fear my right shoulder won't like the side planks much. But with the staggered foot position as you describe Ribs, it might be easier than how I've typically done them (top leg completely stacked on the bottom leg).

Ended up with nada today. I don't want to say it too loud, but I think I'm injured. My left leg feels completely torqued (and not in a good way) all the way up to my hip and glute. Been foam rolling and sitting on the end of a dumbbell (can't find my tennis ball) and owie! it hurts in that (not) sweet spot. I haven't had an injury of any sort in so long I actually forgot to be aware of it as it was brewing the last couple days. So of course since I didn't run, I overate today instead. Oh yeah, I got this stuff totally figured out. 

Since we'll be taking candidates throughout the year, anyone who drops out of the various challenges can sign up with me for the taper challege at any time.  However, by then, I'll already have a huge head start.   

.

Incidentally, why is there only one challenge at a time?

Are we too old to do both planks and wall sits, or pushups, sit-ups, etc.  Maybe it just takes too long to keep 'em all going at the same time when they get into the hundreds by spring and summertime.  We could get to 30-40 minutes or forever it seemed if we wanted with the wall sits in my skiing days but 365 minutes would be pretty boring.

I can do plank on the wall all day... jus' sayin'....

..yes,

If us

Old Guys tried too much stuff,

 

we could

Soil ourselves.

 

 

 

......I'm jus' sayin's'all.......

   Take a look at my log, so I agree...don't like planks so I don't walk them.

Been lurking the past few weeks due to be being somewhat injured since marathon.  Apparently developed runner's knee during, right before, or after race and not sure how or when.  So been doing "nothing" miles painfully once every 2 weeks.  Then got si frustrated that I decided maybe time to quit...for a month.  That decision lasted less than a week [which Leslie kindly pointed out to me.]. 

Today was second walk/run this week and no knee pain.  I am hoping all the core work and leg lifts, stretches, fanatical use of roller have finally kicked the runner's knee to the curb.  [pun intended] Though I will probably ice again tonight just to be cautious. Beautiful 45F and little wind on run and my pace on running intervals was pretty close to pre-injury levels...but since less than a mile each it is just optomistic math.  

Night all.