Once an orthopod (doc who was also a runner) asked me why I ran…what it was about running that I liked. I said I thought it was the ground running under my feet. Does that make sense to any of you?

What do you like about running?

Post as you wish.

Judy - Interesting thought, "the ground running underneath your feet".  The thing I love is those runs when you are in "that zone", and everything you are thinking/struggling becomes so clear, and you finish feeling so calm and relieved.

Lisa - Loved the RR!  Sounds like quite a day.  You must be exchauseted.

No run sat/sun   Am planning on a run and stability ball class today!

Have a great Monday!

Carol

Morning!  Taking my SRD as I have a business dinner tonight.

Lisa, I loved the RR.

Ginny, nice picture!

Judy, nice workouts during the weekend.  Enjoy the track and cardio.

Carol, sorry you did not get to run during the weekend.  Enjoy today's workouts.

Have a great day!

Ginny I wonder if the calf is cramping only because you are over using it versus another muscle group?  What I mean is it is working harder than your hip or knee?  Could just be an unbalanced strength issue?

rest day for me today.

Hello everyone. Haven't been on here in a couple of days. Friday, I spent picking up race shirts/bibs and walking around the expo a little with my daughter and granddaughter. Then we went to the co-op and ended up having lunch at Cracker Barrel. After that it was Costco. A lovely day with my girls.

I should probably mention this is a race that has a HM, 10k and 5k run and walk. There were almost 1000 in the HM and probably 10,000 of the other distances (combined).

Saturday morning I was up at 0430, mostly because that's my regular wake up time and we had to leave for the race at 0530. My running buddy arrived at about 0520, which is a good thing for someone like me who gets a little crazy before a race. We parked at the mall and the buses were already waiting for us. We arrived downtown at about 6:40 or so and had plenty of time before our 7:30 start. After someone sang a remix version of the Star Spangled Banner (his words didn't exactly match the original lyrics) we started at about 7:28. The weather was great, low 50s. We were in shade for about the first 5 miles.

It was a little crowded starting out but not too bad. I was cruising along and playing tag with my work friends who were taking occasional walk breaks. I was either getting tired or bored at about 6 miles. I started playing alphabet games. Like naming all fruits and vegetables I could think of for each letter of the alphabet. At about 8 miles, I had some of the babyfood in a pouch I carry. After that I figured I'd be at 10 miles soon enough. A little after the 10 mile mark, I could hear more noise, which I knew meant we would soon merge with the 5k and 10k folks.

The merge wasn't too bad but there were some spots that people weren't paying enough attention. At about 11.25 or 11.50 we had to climb a pretty big hill. Not fun but I managed to chug up the whole thing. After climbing the hill, I was getting hot and tired. I did walk a couple of times, I just don't deal with the heat very well. I still managed to cross the line in 2:32 something, which is good for me.  Got my medal, some water, chocolate milk and our food bags (mini bagel, apple, string cheese and mini lara bar). I found some coffee too and finally found my work friends. Visited for a bit and walked back to the bus.

Felt pretty good yesterday, a bit sore but not too bad. I took another day off today and just did upper body weights. I'll be ready for a short run tomorrow and I know my 4-legged running buddy is more than ready.  Don't know that I'll do this race next year. It was hard to get in the training over the summer with camping and goofing off.

Shadow-congrats!  Will remember the alphabet game.  Nice job!

Sue-bet that was hot with that starting time.  Congrats though!

Ginny-your profile pic makes me smile.  Looks like a deranged duck hunter is chasing you through the woods. Nice pic of grand daughter!

Rested today.  Glute sore from.. could be the mud, the river, the trees, the dumb vertical hills, or running hard then sitting in a car only to run hard again.

Judy-feeling free and strong when I run. That's why I love curvy mountain bike trails.  I remember running in the woods behind my school and down one particular hill where you sort of jumped from one spot to another, imagining that I was a deer prancing through the woods.  I probably look more like a moose careening out of control but that's what I think of.  LOVE the slalom-like trails where gravity and momentum give the illusion of speed.