jcaruso, nice run, if you can finish quicker than you started theres more there yet, whens your next run? is this the quickest half posted so far this year ? if so make the most of it I have you in my sights!

Miles 10-12 are mostly downhill and 8 was uphill so the times arent totally reflective of the effort I was putting out. That's why I added the HR values. I thought they might be useful to others. I believe my max HR is 187. That's the highest I've recorded and it was at the end of the 2 mile race last July. The last 1/4 mile was up a small hill. I dont have one planned at the moment. I'm considering a 10k in early May. But longer term I have a 25k on Labor Day as a prep for the Baystate marathon in October. This HM converts to a 3:21 or so marathon so I think I can get to 3:15 for my BQ in October. Bring it on! I believe there are many others capable of going lower than I did, but I'll take the low time for now (if it actually is!)

Jules and Simon, all I can say is, WOW! I can only aspire to glance at the back of your shirts as you whiz past me! Simon, what a great finish in your practice run! I felt like that last 5k was the most difficult part of my half, but it sounds like you had plenty of juice left. And Jules, what a great time on a hilly course! All our courses here (Florida) are pancake-flat. We gotta go practice on bridges to get any hill simulation at all. Jules, congrats on your performance in your race. Way to shine! I got a second-place finish in my age group in my first 5k and I was so proud! You guys are a great encouragement to me--mostly to keep up my mileage and try to keep up! I do hope to improve my 5k time. My current PR reflects a race during which I walked some, so I know I can post a better time. And as for my 10k time--well, that was just one of those runs that still haunts me, so I've got to get that race off that page. Did 7 pretty easy on Saturday, on the beachfront road--actually on part of the same course as that dreadful 10k race, which is good. Gotta chase away the ghosts. Did an 8.8-mile bike ride with the hubby yesterday and was finally back to my 6-mile easy run on the dreadmill this am for the first time after my race. Legs feeling good.

5.5 this evening. Off until Wednesday. Good thing, because we're supposed to have a wintry mix followed by rain all day tomorrow.

Jules, that's right! Think of what my half times will be when I'm in the masters age group! My dad still runs some--6 to 8 kilometers a few times a week. He was amazed when he saw how many people in his age group (he turns 70 next month) ran the Ft Lauderdale half. Knee felt better today than it has since my race. Delicious! Didn't get any running in though--was kept up late by a meeting and then had to deal with the kids--how dare life get in the way of my running? It's trying to keep me from running a 5k in March, too: weekends getting booked up with weddings, tennis tournaments and all kinds of inconveniences.

MrPHinNJ, Age Groupers! believe me the older they get the more time they have to get fit so the faster they go.

Personally, one of my goals after I retire is to be able to run and work out more...definitely not less. Tonight for example, I had planned a 5 mile run. Well, it turned into a 4 miler because I got stuck at work late. You are right, life just seems to have a way of getting in the way. Hopefully will be able to get in 4 more miles tomorrow and maybe even some of the weight/core training that I have very successfully managed to ignore so far this week. The only advantage that I have found as far as age group awards is in relationship to some very small local races. It is actually possible even for one as slow as myself to place as there are not many runners in my age group in the smaller races. However, if I run in Madison, which I am planning to do next month, there is absolutely no hope of my ever earning an age group award. Those ladies are fast! I am generally lucky if I place above the bottom 25%. wbertha

6 miles this evening. This was one of the colder days this winter. The high was in the mid 20's with wind chill in the low teens. I'm ready for spring.

Only one day...one run left for February. Didn't feel well today. Managed to make it thru work and then home for a nap. Hopefully, will feel better tomorrow and be able to hit the gym. I need 3.5 miles tomorrow in order to reach my goal of 90 miles for the month. Wish me luck. wbertha