First post of the new year! Chris and Kelly congratulations on reaching your goals! You guys are hard core. I hate the cold. I hope to break 2000 miles this year too. We'll see if I can maintain my passion. Went to see Disney on ice yesterday with the crew. Fun. Ate something bad and got laid up in bed for the night. My wife rang in the new year all alone, cleaning up puke from my daughter. Kitrin- I admire your dedication. Did you do the midnight run? If you keep that fire burning you'll do great this year. Running an hour today in the woods then paperwork for the rest of the day today, late into the wee hours of the morning. Big audit coming up at my job next week. Later.

I hate George Carlin. I never thought he was funny, just irreverent and rude. Any news on the gut?

Any news on the gut?

Nope. Don't do anything else until Monday. In the meantime, it's a game of "what will or won't make me nauseous or put me in pain." Fun stuff.

Ankle still barking at me. Did 30 min on stationary bike and 35 min core/strength. Can't do any leg exercises that require pushing off or balancing with one foot where there would be any significant bending of the ankle, so that takes out the lunges, step ups, step downs, and calf exercises. Strange.

Night sweats Ha ha ha ha - Welcome to my world! Especially when it's "that time of month." You learn to keep a hand towel by the bed.

Most important, THIS IS MY STUPID HOBBY GREG, YOU IDIOT!! CHILL! Focus on what's important-loving God and neighbor. All else is details. See ya. Oh, and I hope you're all okay, especially you Leslie with your gut.

Yesterday was the first day in over 2 weeks that my stomach hasn't hurt or been nauseated. Today's been good, too, but I chalk that up to the fact that because of the CT scan, I hadn't eaten or drank anything since 8:30 last night until noon today. I was thirsty more than anything! And I tell you what, the scan was awfully short compared to all the prep. Now I'm suppose to drink a lot over the next 2-3 days to flush the contrast dye out of my system. THAT stuff was interesting. "The contrast dye is warm, and you will feel it move through your body." Heck, yeah! Within a matter of seconds of it being pumped in, I felt like I'd peed myself. At least now I know how fast your blood pumps through you, as well as where it goes first and foremost. Coach thinks I strained my calcaneo-fibular and anterior talo-fibular ligaments. He sent me a diagram showing where they are in the ankle, and yep, that's where it's bothering me. No running at least until next week, no single leg strength training (lunges, BOSU, step ups and downs), but I can do the stationary bike and, of course, upper body and core. And I most definitely need to work on my gut. MTA - Love your new avatar, Greg.

I ran three miles yesterday evening. I went out too fast (as usual) but reigned myself in and felt good at the end. Even here in Houston (yes, I am back in Houston again; I will be back home tomorrow) it was a cold, blustery day. And I ran in thick, spongy, wet grass. Why is it so much harder to run in grass? Is it a little like running in sand? Harder to "spring?" Regardless, I am glad to be back on the trails again (or grass in this case) working my legs and lungs. I am especially pleased that my lungs survived the cold air. I have been known to take one deep breath of cold air and be laid up with asthma/bronchitis for weeks. I walked to warm up and held a gloved hand over my mouth at the beginning of my run. That did the trick. Chris, Kelly, and all you other REALLY cold weather runners amaze me. Leslie, bodies are amazing things, are they not? I remember receiving an injection through an IV once and felt it go all over my body in seconds too. It was, ahem, narcotic so I did not care very soon after it happened, but it was cool at first. Listen to your body and be careful. You do not want to lose something you love (running) because you loved it too much. Of course, you can take whatever I say with a grain of salt. I am injury paranoid. Off-topic, my husband should hear about the new job soon. They said they would decide in three weeks and that will be this coming Monday. We are on pins and needles. This is a dream job in so many ways and my poor hubby has had some crappy professional turns over the past 5 years. Greg, keep having fun. Thanks for sharing your life with us. Kitrin

Kitrin - Still keeping fingers crossed re the job for the Hub. Chris - I never did ask you how that all night run went for your group. And you have a running club with 1500 members?? Nice!!