Happy 2009 everyone! Guess we all made it through the year more or less intact. Jewels - hope your knee problem turns out to be no big deal. It would be a bummer to miss your HM but better to take care of the ol' bod. Ev - your tempo pace is smokin'! Way to go! Do you think my taper is too conservative? I don't do any speed work (well, sometimes by accident...), I'm saving that for this coming year. Jim - YUM! Prime rib! I'm jealous! Did they also have Yorkshire pudding? I'm a sucker for that stuff. And congrats on a good year of running for both of you. Joe - Congrats on a healthy 2100! What's in store for this year? Another marathon? Perhaps an ultra? Leslie - get the 305, you'll love it...I've had it for over a year and it's only messed up a couple times (once it counted mileage backwards, and one time it racked up too many miles!). You can also upload your runs straight from the Garmin to mapmyrun.com, which is kinda neat. Well, tapering really sucks when it comes with the New Year! I'm going to fall behind the darn pace bunny right off the bat! Arla

Get this first one under your belt, then if you want, ratchet it up for the next one....or not. Speed is highly overrated.

What Ev said Arla, just go to finish without knocking yourself out. Just think, you're guaranteed a PB! Like my friend says,the first 20 miles is the first half of the marathon ,the last 6 miles is the second half! I'm sure you'll do great! BTW- My 2009 goal is going to be all about improving form and becoming a more efficient runner.Distance goals will follow from there. 8 miles in the woods today. 25* / 15 mph winds. Just a coating of snow and a cerulean blue sky. (see if that gets Cindy to talk)

Morning Friends - Wide awake at 3:45 this morning. Ugh! The wind was blowing like crazy and knocked over the ladder we had leaning up against the side of the house. Scared the holy crappola out of us, and the Hub was up with weapon in hand in no time flat. And then I couldn't go back to sleep. Since I don't have to work today, am waiting for the sun to rise before I do my workout. The front of my ankle is still stiff and sore, so am resigning myself to yet another 30 min of stationary bike instead of my 3 mile run, plus strength training. Watched a show on HBOZN called "Breaking," which is sort of a documentary about the integration of African-Americans in college football. Well worth watching if you get that channel.

Did my 30 min on the stationary bike and only did 35 min of core/strength. Can't do anything that requires pushing off with the right foot or has it bending extensively. Don't know if the pedaling is irritating it, but it doesn't hurt while I'm doing it. The tree's completely down, and now I get to start putting everything away. Happy, happy, joy, joy!!

The front of my ankle is still stiff and sore,

I thought you got new ankles at the running store the othr day? Arla, nice to share yourself with the students. 6 easy miles for me today. 10:30 pace. I could hear the shin talking to me, but it was talking oh so quietly. Yes, Jim....the weather's been nice down here too. Sunday is expected to get cold again. Later, my friends.

Leslie - time for a massage The science project is simply collecting microbial samples from various places: teacher's handbags, restroom handles, stuff like that, and then looking at the abundance and diversity of colonies. It's a good project for a 7th grader, although the statistical analysis mostly escapes her (I'm just leaving it at "here's the tool you need"). She's had a chance to learn about important concepts like variance, sample sizes and controls. I am hating taper, I feel really stiff and creaky. Did some yoga last night, which helped temporarily. Maybe go for a couple mile walk or bike ride today so I don't get sucked into the couch. Arla

Sucky 2 that was supposed to be 8. I just felt weak and could not warm up or regulate temperature, it was cold but not that cold. I am going to blame it on too much caffiene pre run, hope I am not getting Lynda's crud. May try again later or not....... Arla cool that you helped on that science fair project. I was always into stuff like that. Hang in there on the taper. It won't be long now. You'll do great. Carol hoping your new schedule is more workable. Bet your pet sit clients will miss you, animal and human but maybe you'll get some me time now. Ev hope the shins are doing better.