Good Morning!! Scheduled rest day for me. Still up at 5 a.m. with the dogs, but that's okay. Got to have a cup of coffee with MrHopeful and DD#2 made it home from college last night safely in the snow. Life is good .... TGIF!!

I am here to officially post today's non-run. Best of all I got up and apparently did it before, yes read it and weep (!) , biketm! On a more serious note: biketm you can hang in there! You can I have faith in anybody that has made it this far to get all the way to healed up. I doubt I will have time to email you today given my schedule, heck I should be off and not posting all this!, but I will get to you tomorrow with my AT saga. But, AT does heal and it does heal up 100%. I have not had a more than a twinge of an issue since my long running hiatus to cure it. My planned two to three weeks of rest from running is now nearly at the three week mark. Today is my last day on the road prior to Thanksgiving. Before I left I told my DW I would run with her when I returned home. So perhaps today truly is the end of my non-run streak. Enjoy your runs today if you are running, and your non-runs if you are on the mend or just taking a day off.

Morning Gang, and TGIF Hi Mary, hope you have a nice rest day. And happy you will spend some time with your DD. Thanks Holly, you are a great friend to me, and a awesome determined runner...thanks for the pictures too. I wish I could have a doggie sometimes, but can't living in a apartment. Bask in you glory Twokitty....but I am on day 20, and still one day ahead of you Tet, thank you very much for you post last night as I was going through the "non" running crazies. Don't stop showing where all us non runners rank either...I can still win. And hopefully I will get my sense of humor back, which I have most all the time. Guess I was in a bad pissy mood last night (still am actually), but all of this non running stuff really hit me hard last night. Instead of feeling better after 20 days off, my foot feels worse. I just feel like I will never run again, I really feel that way right now and it's really depressing to say the least. X training is getting to be a drag, and getting on my cycling trainer is getting harder and harder, and the winter season is just beginning....if I could ride my Tri bike outside right now, I would be fine. I wonder too about the heel spur I have. The foot doc said it is of no concern, but the X ray of this looked horrible. Anyone know anything about heels spurs and if my doc is telling me the right thing. I have this unbelievable heel pain even walking, and don't know which injury is causing the pain. Holly mentioned calling the guy up and asking more questions ( I already have once). Since I now have a $5000.00 deductible at work, going for other opinions would be an expensive out of pocket expence...my last ordeal cost me $1600.00 out of pocket, yikes. Twocat, did you see my post when I asked you to shoot me a quick Email. I have a few questions about your recovery with AT....you said 3 months off, yuck. You said you torched your AT, and guess I believe I did too. Sorry...I just simply want to run... T

I'm sorry you're bummed out about your foot Tim. We all have good days and bad days. Hang in there. Meg, we (mean ME) have missed you! Today we had absolutely perfect running conditions - 50F, no wind at all, and clear skies with no clouds. Took advantage of it and ran 9.25 miles at 8:29 min/mile pace. Average HR 145. Could have run more easily if I'd have had the time. This has been the best week of running weather I think I can ever remember down here. This will pass, but I'm trying to enjoy it and run faster while keeping things under control. All the legs aches left as fast as they came on. Life is Good! It looks like I'll join the 40/40 gang again this week. Starting back in with the F.I.R.S.T. training next week. Been taking it easy since my HM. Bill

First of all - hugs to {{{Arf}}}. What we don't do for our kids huh?? I hope you are healed quickly. {{{PDR and Dad}}} My heart goes out to you. You have such a strong family unit and good memories to help you along. {{{Erika}}} Sorry that you are having a tough time too! I'm sending special healing vibes your way... Now TIM-BO!!! I have a present for you .... I'm giving you your Mo-Jo back!! I think I have enough of my own to get me back on track now. You don't have to apologize for being in a bad mood, or down in the dumps. I think that is pretty par for the course with all that you are dealing with. I can't believe you have a $5000 deductible!! That makes it even harder I am sure. Do you belong to a gym? If not is there one nearby? Even one of those 24 hour deals that could help you get some variety into your cross training at least. Hang in there - you know we are all pulling for you. Cute, cute dog Holly! Until our recent additon, all of our puppies have been winter puppies. Not planned that way - just happened. In a way it is easier to train in the winter, because you aren't so busy with warm weather activities. I know for me it helped fill a "winter blues" kind of void.

Our tax dollars at work: Early last week the White House had a dinner for foreign leaders working to resolve the global economic crisis. As the attendees discussed austere markets, lost jobs, and homeowners with mortages they can't afford, they dined on...I am not kidding here...fruitwood-smoked quail with quince gastrique (whatever that is), quinoa risotto, thyme-roasted rack of lamb, tomato, fennel and eggplant fondue, a salad course of endive, baked brie and walnuts, and a pear torte to cap the meal. Brother, can you spare a $300 bottle of wine... The Christmas tree thread...well, obviously I'm no help... Amy:

Gym for me and I'll be hanging with the non-runners for a bit to give my hamstrings some well-deserved rest, I think! So whaddaya think, should we go out behind the garage and smoke or somethin' whilst these crazies go run in the cold

Hmmm...that depends on what your smokin'. Holly:

[2 min. 7.5 mph (8:00)/1 min. 6.2 mph (9:40)] x 10 I am hating this workout right now – it’s so hard for me! The last 2 intervals about killed me. But I know if I keep it up, eventually I will feel it get easier.

The fact that you did the whole thing makes me cringe...no way I could do that workout...that's just great. Carolyn: Your weather this time of year is always all over the place, right? Twocat: Extremely sorry to hear about your problem...well, at least you know your options... Deb: Great to see you out again...it's been a tough 3-4 months for you. Erika: I don't see how anything moves much at -15, much less a car. I have some family in SD and they use some sort of heated rod that they insert into the oil (I think)..I'm sure you guys must have something like that. Leslie:

Re decorating trees - a few years ago, the Hub and I imbibed before we started putting on the lights. BIG mistake. I had to actually break branches off the tree when I was taking the lights off 'cause I couldn't figure out what the he!! we'd done. If I remember correctly, a few other 4-letter words were thrown around while the disassembling was underway. Probably should've been drinking then, too.

Too funny! That scene should have been inserted in that Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation movie. Bill: Yeah...I guess 50 is pretty abnormal for you..a cold wave, right? My in-laws live in Winterhaven & are complaining they're freezing. Tramps: Yep...33 is still (barely) shorts weather. Below 32 is long underwear, 14 pair of wool socks, ski jacket, face mask.... Thanks for all the birthday wishes...66 years young...I'll be older than Tet in a couple years. First run with my new Garmin heart monitor...4 miles in 35:30 (8:53) Ave. HR 140 Max 150. I would have thought that the numbers would have been higher...maybe I just don't run far enough or fast enough to get it way up there... DickyG

Good morning. Bike TM, you have my sympathy. It stinks not to be able to run. It especially bugs me when I coach and can not even do the warm up with kids and have to kind of limp to various points on the race course to cheer them on. Othe coaches with whom I trained over the summer go out for a run after and I cannot join them. This weekend the kids run the Regionals in Van Cortland Park in NY. Should be interesting. I had to drag my self up this morning but I did manage 65 minutes on the Spin bike, worked up a good sweat and tired legs but it is just not the same. Cold and calm this morning, nice running weather. Back to PT later today after two weeks off it. We shall see. Maybe I will swim later if I have the time and energy. Hang in there injured runners!

Good morning all. Stealing a moment from work to see how everyone is doing so far today. Out for a very pleasant run this morning. 4.3 miles in 38 flat. first 3.2 loop in what almost passes for tempo for me these days and then added an out and back mile + to finish. 23 lovely degrees, but no wind. Took a few minutes to get the ice melted out of my beard on the return. DickyG--does it help if you call it a Chanukah bush? And in an amazing coincidence, Adam Sandler is singing "The Chanukah Song" on the radio at this very moment. Kevin