Hey Joe, thanks for the start! Sounds like a good weekend for you. Hey, your marathon is fast approaching. You have done everything right in training, and your consistency is amazing and inspiring. I'm missing Leslie...Leslie, helllooooo out there...did ya make it back from down under yet? Had fun at the 5K on Saturday. Fairly small race (guessing 200), but I think overall the times were faster this year with more runners and less walkers, and they gave out 10 yr age group awards for the first time. My friend won our age group, and our pastor won his, so good times! I knew it wasn't going to be a great race for me due to not much running in the last month (29:25 this yr vs. 26:55 last year...oops). But I was able to run in with/encourage a lady I had met last year. She won her age group too, so overall it was just a fun day. Here are my splits from the race (ahem, this is how NOT to do it): M1 8:23 M2 9:38 M3 10:09 Here is today's 4 miler (much better, nice and smooth): M1 10:30 M2 10:30 M3 10:20 M4 10:10 Happy runs, rests, and life happenings to everyone!

Easy 3 today, weekend blizzard made trading the running shoes for my skis more practical. Still have snow in most of the fields where we need to be working, more time for paperwork and shopwork I guess. ski Nebraska http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ96yVq3JhY Jewels hope you folks are doing better. The stress of looking after aging parents sure wears on a person. Woohoo Joe sold the boat, well probably a little remorse seeing some of the memories of good times but a check that clears the bank will probably help with that. Carol glad you had a fun day. Pace is over-rated as long as you had a good time. Ev you are clicking right along, I think you are in a pretty good place. Now you can cruise into taperdom....... And speaking of cruising I 'spose Arla is steaming along. Hi Cindy how was Winter Park? We are tring to work one more backcountry trip. Leslie apparently hasn't got close to a 'puter. Kelly glad you checked in.

Oh my.....someone sent some cool weather our way. The wind is whipping every which way and the temps are cool. Joe, thanks for getting us going, congrats on getting your boat sold, especially in this economy. Your running has come along so well. You're going to do great! Nice 20 miler Ev.......glad your shin splints have left you alone. You've been getting in some great runs. Jim, still snow huh? Way to get in those runs inbetween your busy schedule. Love all your vids that you post. Carol, sounds like you had a nice weekend. Pace....shmace, glad you enjoyed it! Hello to everyone........ Jewels

Hey Peeps! I'm BAAAAccccckkkkk!!!! And boy am I tie-red! 12.5 hours on a plane yesterday (Monday), arriving 4 hours before we left (17-hour time difference), 5 hours of driving, not being able to get to sleep until almost 3:00 a.m., then not waking up 'til 1:00 p.m. - whew! Was very happy to get home, and very happy to see the "kids," who were very well taken care of by our house sitter, Emily. We had a really great time, and I whole-heartedly recommend visiting Australia, if you can deal with the length of the plane ride. I'm also happy, happy, HAPPY that I am NOT pregnant. Egads! Even though I knew I couldn't be, the fact that I was over 2 mos late put the absolute fear of God in me. I knew it had to be because of my surgery, but still. Ladies - you know what I'm talking about, don'tcha? You tell yourself, "There's absolutely no way . . . . . but WTH????" But thank you, Mother Nature, for waiting 'til I returned from my trip. (Now aren'tcha glad I shared that bit of info??) Probably the highlight of the trip (except for the kangeroos and koala sightings) were visiting with John and Julie Arbuckle, now truly our Aussie friends. It was very hard leaving them, knowing it will probably be a long time before we see them again; 'cause unless you have lots of money, you don't just "drop over" to the other side of the world for a visit. Our last day there, they took us to a rugby game, which was a lot of fun. It's a whole lot faster than a college of NFL game, which made it even better. Plus, we got to meet their two kids, Lorey and Callin, and his girlfriend, Ashley. Very nice, good looking kids. During our Saturday there, we went and visited the wine region, and that night went to a friend's 50th birthday party. I tell ya what, those Aussies can party! The Hub was in his element! When it was time to go home, John, in all his inebriation, followed closely by Julie and Shorty, decided that since I hadn't drank hardly anything and the taxi was taking a long time to get there, I should drive us home. Oooo - kay . . . . Reminder: They drive on the other side of the road AND the other side of the car. And it was 11:00 p.m. - which was probably better than it being during the day. I agreed to do so on one condition - that Shorty keep his mouth shut and not say a single peep. Agreed! And Julie sat up front to give me directions, even though she almost blew it at one turn off. We made it home fine (I think I had maybe 4 wine spritzers in over 6 hours - nothing but water for almost 2 hours at the end), and I even pulled into their narrow driveway and into the garage. Needless to say, I was the hero of the night! After we left their place, we flew to Melbourne and spent the last week driving up the coast and got back to Sydney on Saturday. Spend Saturday walking around the Sydney Harbour area, and Sunday met up with the Sydney Striders and participated in their Sunday run. Did the 20k/13.1 mile run and had a really great time. Their president, Jim Moody, was my escort. He's a good runner, and even though he kept trying to hold himself back for me - boy howdy! At the end, felt like I'd run an event as opposed to having participated in a "leisurely" Sunday run. Everyone was very welcoming, and helped me take pictures, which I will get downloaded tomorrow and will post time. Everyone pays $4, and at the end there's lot of fruit, fluids, cake, etc., to chow on. Ran over 10 bridges, including the famous Harbour Bridge, but the last one was a hoot as it was a small wooden foot bridge on a trail that went over some rock in which a bowl had been made by small creek. The only downside of our trip is that our credit card was compromised and was canceled - which is why we both carry another card, completely independent of each other. I had to make a call after it was denied in two places to find out what was going on. At least 2 unauthorized purchases: one for over $1,000 from Overstock.com, and one for almost $400 for something else. Before I knew about it, I had given the card at another hotel. I guess they didn't run it through 'til the next day. Well, we were gone and the card was denied. They called and left a message here . . . . but didn't leave their phone number. Now I need to dig through all my paperwork I kept to try and find a phone number for them. It sounds like everyone is doing great. Joe - Once you hit taper mode, you're going to start feeling much better. But boy, you have had some really great runs, my friend. You're gonna nail this next marathon. Ev - Yours is right around the corner, isn't it? Glad to hear the shins are staying happy. I've had some niggling sensations in mine, but I know it's because all my running has been on pavement and cement these last two weeks. Jewels - Ah, I would love to see "Heart" in concert. They were on the local country music TV show a couple of years ago, and it was a co-concert with Wynona Judd and was fantastic. I keep watching to see if they come out with a CD. Oh, the show is called "Cross Roads." There have been some fantastic pairings on that show. I'm glad your knee is feeling better, but hope you keep the appointment, "just in case." Arla - How is/was the cruise? Where'd you go? What military base did you go to?? I, too, had to re-read that post a couple of times. Did they return your money, or does that put you in for the HM next year? Too funny!!! How was Cambria and Hearst Castle? Yes, very pretty place to run. I need to get my butt back down to that area for a visit. Cindy - Did ya get yer taxes done?? Kelly - Sounds like your coaching is picking up. Have a great trip to Washington. I think it's fantastic you got picked to attend the conference. Jim - Has the weather settled down yet? Someone said something about "something" happening in Australia. Well, in the domestic portion of the Sydney Airport on the day before we arrived, there was a biker (or as they say, "bikie") attack and one bikie was beaten to death by one or two others. Things have been escalating over the past two weeks, with the police trying to find the head people of these groups: Hells Angels, Comancheros, and one other. (Bikers are the regular guys who are riding motorcycles for fun. "Bikies" are the bad dudes.) The bikies over there are like the gangs here. Lots of trouble. The other problem was lots of rain and some pretty bad flooding in the north, where we had considered going once we left our friends in Newcastle. We were very glad we had decided to heat south, instead. Otherwise, we would've been caught up in that mess. Well, I have probably made this quite long enough. I missed you guys and am happy to be back chatting with you.

Ugh! My body is still on Australian time. It's currently 9:30 a.m. here, and I have been awake since 1:00 a.m. I slept for maybe half an hour between 4:00 and 5:00, but other than that, literally no sleep. Came back to find my desk rearranged by the lady who temped for me. A bit irritating, but it could be that I'm just cranky from lack of sleep. However, someone did buy some chocolate Easter eggs, so I think I'll let those calm me down. It was dang cold this morning - well, maybe not as cold as Ev and FJ have been experiencing, but definitely not shorts weather. I actually have a sweater on, dang it. Ev - I looked at my calendar and saw that your marathon is right around the corner. Have fun tapering! Okay - now to find out what I need to fix re work . . . .

Yea! Leslie's back! Wow, that sounds like a fun time! Didn't they have drought problems down there? I met some Australians overseas while in the USN. I remember (just barely) a particular night of whiskey drinking in a bar in Thailand and you're right, they can put 'em down! But other than that ,they are amongst the most friendly and down to earth people around! Can't wait to see pics and hear more about your trip. Welcome home!

Jim....embrace the suck

That's just great Ev! And Jim, a sucky 3 is better than nothing! A little change of pace for me tonight. It's been only cloudy and cold lately,but tonight it was cloudy ,cold and windy too! Oh Boy!!

Nice run on the hills Leslie. Warmest it's been at 61* today. Took Mr Stopalot for 9.9m at Buddy pace.Then a solo tempo for 3m @8:43. Unfortunately we're not closed tomorrow, although it's always very slow on Good Friday.