Hi there everybody! Another former CR fan slooow to clue in to this fantastic place. I loved Cool Running when I found it and was really upset when it morphed into a "professional" faceless bulletin board. So I've been looking for a "kinder gentler" forum ever since and I really like this one (great job Eric) - so here goes! I'm Heather from Georgia (originally from Canada). I just turned 37 and I first started running 11 years ago after my Dad passed away suddenly. It used to be my place to remember my Dad and evolved into something as important to me as breathing. Running has always been my private solitude and stress relief and you'll think I'm crazy, but I've never competed. I do have a competitive streak though, so you never know. Running is a foreign concept in my family and everyone back home just doesn't "get it" which can be upsetting. For instance, when I finally got my Garmin no one wanted to hear about it My DH is terrific though and listens to me blather on about running this and running that, even though the concept is alien to him too. Any road. I've re-started several times as life has gotten in the way over the years. I also had a nasty calf muscle tear last July that put me completely out of the game for awhile. Not being able to run was horrible! So these days I'm taking it easy at about 20 mpw and just loving it. Thanks for listening - I need a Running Community! ~ Fly

im salad. im running the pct 50 tomorrow in san diego. i shall be in pain on sunday.

Rwnyce" I run about 45 - 50 miles per week." Finishing a marathon with your weekly mileage should not be a problem. predicting a time might a challenge. Chicago is right around the corner.

I'm Danielle, and I miss the old CR as well. I surfed here awhile back, but guess I never got around to registering. Life has been crazy busy for the last 4 months (moving, start a new job in 1 month with a ton of new responsibilities, trying to sell old house, etc) and I am sorry to say I've been slacking in my running. I put 3 HM under my belt Nov/Dec/Jan, and since then took a bit of an unscheduled break. Ok, so I kept running, but the runs got to be far more spaced out than I'd like. I need to set another goal and pick another race... and find another community... which is why I'm here. My new house is in a much better area for cycling, so I have to get my distances back up. (I'm moving to the middle of nowhere, and the smallest loop I can make is 5 miles.) That used to be my average run. I was a cyclish before going to running, so I am happ to have a place to ride again. Danielle

Hi! I'm Thibaut, 32 years old, from Arras in the north of France ( http://www.nordmag.fr/nord_pas_de_calais/arras/arras_illuminations_1.jpg ) . I never did a whole lot of sports, especially not running (hated it when I was at school and almost obese.) I have no specific health issues, I'm just a little overweight. I began to run two month ago, not really following the C25k but close enough... I can now run for about an hour which I'm rather proud of... now trying to get better times than 6.25/km on average. My first contact with motivational running advices was in this thread ( http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2837244&pagenumber=1 ) and it's also where I heard from here. And here is perfect to get the good work and motivation up

Hey all. I'm 28 years old and I'm from Houston Texas. I run 20 to 25 miles per week. Im also into weight lifting (sometimes the two don't mix) but I find myself enjoying running more these days. I look forward to browsing the site. Thanks

Hi, all! I joined this site this past May when I decided to start running when I got home from school for the summer. That plan failed miserably when I caught a bad cold, and then when my dog got really, really sick. Now that I've moved to the city, though, and one of my school friends has decided that we're going to be running buddies, I'm getting back into it for real. I've NEVER in my life been in good shape. In middle and high school, I couldn't run the mile without stopping to walk, and since graduating and going to college, I've been too busy to start running. So many people will say, "Not true! You can easily make time for it!" But when you're NOT in shape, and you're NOT a runner at all, it's SO hard to get into it for real! You go once or twice, and then you just stop when life gets in the way. Now that I've got great courses I can run (all over Medford and Somerville, MA), with lots of sights and people and hills, it's finally INTERESTING to run! Back home in the boonies, there were very few courses I could take, and they were very, very boring. Somehow, my new setting has helped me enjoy running immensely. While you wonderful people are discussing marathons and 10Ks and shoes and such, my current goal is to be able to run my current course without stopping. It's 1.2 miles, but there are some sneaky hills in there, and the course ends with a very, very nasty one! I've made myself run the hill every time, though; I'm only allowed to walk during certain parts, and that's only so I can have the energy to run the hill. My eventual goals are to: - Lose 30-50 lbs - Run the Tufts 10K with my mom next year - Run the Boston Marathon before I die I'm at the very beginning of my running journey, though, so I look to you all for support and inspiration!