CNYrunner - you're not the only goober here, there's a few more of us... I just discovered this page on audio books at my library website: Welcome to the Downloadable Collection! The books here can be downloaded to your computer and then transferred to your MP3 player for listening or PDA for reading on the go. This library is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You need your library card and you will have to download a piece of software to get started. Everything goes out for two weeks and will automatically be "returned" at that time. The check out limit has now been increased to 10 items! I think I’m drooling on myself....

Marj and I hit the road for a 'rapid' 4 miles-I say rapid guardedly-they were fast for me and slow for her-but it's all relative. I wore my new NB 901's for the first time-they flet vey light and supportive. I'll be using them for racing mostly. Our run was a 'destination' run-2 miles to the B.U. arena to get 2 tickets for Sat.'s hockey game vs. UNH. Hockey goes back to my Canadian heritage and Marj is a newbie and really enjoying watching the game, especially college hockey. There were only a couple of seats left, so it looks like a sell-out and should be fun. Marj tried tying her shoes on the side because of foot pain. It may work! Thanks for the suggestion yesterday.

Some great running out there today. For me it was a crazy day but I just squeezed in an hour and 15 minutes with 20 EZ, 20 at MP (5.2K) and then the rest EZ, the last part was the hardest as I had big hills, bad road conditions and heavy wind. It was cold too with -26C with windchill. Came home and had to make two seperate dinners as girls have events at conflicting times... Oh yeah, the lady friend and I are going away for a week in Cuba (sorry my American friends) on February 9th. It's to an all inlcusive and we could not resist to see what it would be like to spend a week together since the most we have been able to spend together has been a full day together. Very much looking forward to it. Take care my friends Tall

5 miles on the treadmill, 1% incline, at 9:21 mile pace. I don't like to brag, but this is my second day in a row running 5 miles. Hey -- what's that sound? I hear music.... I AM IRON MAN... Wait, I'm not so sure I like the rest of the lyrics. Have fun in Cuba, Comrade Tall. Dark Horse

I just love it when HenRun and Marj post... they are such a cute couple! Have fun at the hockey game! Tall, you behave yourself in Cuba, or else they may keep you detained and keep your passport too! I feel like an otsider lurking here, but oh well... I finally made it to the gym this week. Just an hour of weights and eliptical but hopeful that the weather will be up to 15 or so tomorrow and am looking forward to the five mile loop around the lake. Then off to the Twin Cities on Saturday for DD2's 3'rd bridal shower. 5+ weeks and counting (leap day is the wedding... kids, go figure!) Hope all is well with Ilene, and eveyone else going through injuries. I feel lucky to not have any issues right now, other than this sub zero weather! hugs, Starr in MN

Quote from Dark Horse on 1/24/2008 at 11:05 AM: Horse listed as main course thanks to advertising error AKRON, Mich. -- Kristen DeGroat just wanted to sell her horse to another equestrian, but her ad ended up under "Good Things to Eat" in the classified sections of two newspapers. The ads attracted a lot of interest. About a third of the 60 or so calls she received were from people looking for horse meat. --ASSOCIATED PRESS grrr Dark Horse Here in Michigan the economy is so bad we are all looking for ways to cut the food bills. 4 miles on the treadmill then off to the Marathon movie. It was cool being in a full theatre of middle aged runner types. Lots of groups and everyone seemed to enjoy it. It was inspiring. it was kind of like watching the Iron Man Triathalon on Tv they follow a few people and tell their stories. Day off tomorrow. My knee is still a little sore from Wednesdays run. Nothing serious but a little TLC is probably in order.

Erika – re your comment on the 40/40 thread – I’m not doing back-to-back 20-milers. They’re 2 weeks apart. I decided to go for it, re the 2 extra marathons, so I figured I better throw in a couple extra 20s instead of 18s. If I train carefully, get lots of rest, and limit the speedwork (where injury happens most often), I think it will be okay.

Hmmm, ok... go check out last week's 40/40 thread, you'll see where I got confused. Looking forward to getting home and RUNNING!! It's really not been that long, and many people wait several days before running again, but I felt great after Carlsbad (see: 8 mile 10% grade hike/run day after news, etc) and the last couple days have been really hard. But I'm just too darn cheap to shell out $25 to run on a stoopid hotel treadmill (hey, I just wanna run on it, not make a payment on it!), so the last two days have been walking and "cross training" workouts in my room. I have one from Women's Health where you hold a medicine ball down by your right foot, then straighten up and lift it up overhead to your right side, engaging abs/hams/glutes, etc. Do 10 reps each side for one set. Did 2 of 'em. Didn't have a medicine ball, so used the hotel's big heavy porcelain vase instead. You think they'd mind? heh, would serve them right if I nicked the table and chipped it. $25 indeed. Hmph. Getting ready to go board my plane for home. Working on my Carlsbad RR... doing it in Word ala Holly style. It's getting kinda long... anyone mind? I've got some good pictures...! (tease, tease...)