The healing process is a slow one when you are older, and particularly after very invasive surgery.

Older than what? Probably "dirt" in your case. Don't worry, you'll be back soon with a faster pace and lower resting HR, just like always. A good 8-miler by Lou (faster than mine today), and wow, Tim -- that's a good HM time for just a "workout". Glad to see Mary taking it easy, and I see that Peter makes three of us doing 8. OK, it's officially Fall here: we went to the cider mill yesterday for some fresh-pressed cider and cinnamon-sugar-coated donuts. Mmmm. The only thing missing was color in the trees and crunchy leaves on the ground, but that'll be coming in a few weeks. I ran another 8-miler this morning, taking a slightly different route. It was a "utilitarian" run as well, as I carried a DVD with me the first couple of miles and dropped in the book return at the library on the way past. I was a little slower than Monday at a 9:45 average (must have been the weight of that DVD), but my leg felt even better. Believe it or not, my 16 miles this week makes it my longest week since January (when I was in denial about my injury). I took yesterday off, but did 24 miles on the bike on Tuesday afternoon. Good running and other workouts, everyone!

OK, it's officially Fall here: we went to the cider mill yesterday for some fresh-pressed cider and cinnamon-sugar-coated donuts. Mmmm. The only thing missing was color in the trees and crunchy leaves on the ground, but that'll be coming in a few weeks.

Oh, that sounds So good! Nice to see you out there getting in some quality runs Doug! Tim - you are doing so great and don't apologize for your long post - I enjoy reading it and I know others do too. I'm surprised Ribs hasn't called me Lazy yet.

Ribs, everyone one knows you ARE the creator of my workouts, and if I do bad in my Marathon....it's your fault I actually owe a debt of gratitude to Ribs taking me under his wings (although his arm pits smell funky), and helping me be the best runner I can be...as I have said before, you are a class act Ribs. I think my heel will be fine, so if you want harder...give it to me I really can't imagine being where I am at now, with the goofy training plan I was doing on my own before you started helping me. I know especially at first, Ribs thought I was extremely stubborn and wasn't following his plan as he was sitting before me. I have always been an over achiever, and even in High School track I always tried to run faster than everyone, and run the paces faster than prescibed...but back then that was considered a good thing. Maine, I agree racing together would be cool as we seem to be close in our training - paces - and such. But this is my first Marathon, so I am not making any predictions really. I am going to settle into an 8:00 minute pace, then see what I have the last 10K or so. Hey, if we did run a race together, we could have DickyG be the referee as we Championship Wrestle to the finish line Tim

Even though Holly & Tim didn't take offense to my remark about the power outages, apparently God did & he decided to punish me. As Dave Barry would say, "I am not making this up." Yesterday evening at about 6:30, we heard a loud pop and the power went out. A squirrel had climbed a tree at the bottom of my driveway and ran out onto the transformer which serves 3 homes...mine and those on either side of me. The power guys came out in about 45 minutes and reset the thing but this was just too much of a coincidence. I really got to watch what I say around this bunch. BTW, the squirrel survived, although I don't know how...he lay in the yard for a minute or so, then got up & waddled into the woods. Holly: First of all, very nice 8-miler yesterday...way to gut out that last hill. Second, thank heavens for electricity..computers, stereo, lights, food storage, TV..we just don't appreciate it enough. #1 son was living in Fort Lauderdale 3 years ago when Rita (I think it was Rita) hit & left him without power for a few days..he was just climbing the walls. NoNo: Wildwood? When I was in college, the love of my life was from there...flaming red hair...Bonnie Hayman...sigh... Erika: I've heard lots of folks comment on the benefits of pool running. Apparently there are two ways to do it(?)...running actual laps and running in place while somehow being tethered to something or other. Is this correct? Tramps: Too cool, man! Ever see that old episode of I Love Lucy when Lucy & Ethel were stomping on the grapes? Tim & Karin: Top runs for both of you! Peter: I think you do more hillwork than anyone in the group... Maine & Ribs mentioned Bill Rogers yesterday...that got me to thinking...does Frank Shorter ever compete anymore? He was a Florida Gator through & through. I usually don't run on Thursday but I did 4 miles today...36:35 (9:09)..for some odd reason, I really ran out of gas early & had to walk 9 times...still covered the last 2 in 17:42. I'll try to run some tomorrow but Saturday I have the first round of the city-county golf championships in the morning and a double-header later that afternoon (make-up for a rainout a couple weeks ago). I'll miss Bill's posts...hope he returns soon. For what it's worth, I hate politics. I think our discussions should be limited to stock car racin', rasslin', and the Beach Boys. DickyG

Lots of confidence building runs today as we near marathon time. Lou..Nice MP run Tim.. peaking at the right time.. nice repeats! Tramps.. I clicked on your link to a free pool of money and I'm still poor... This leg injury seems to be coming around.. after running 6 miles yesterday it was cranky off and on during the day and felt really good yesterday evening. So I ran 9.2 miles this morning in 1:24:59 (9:14 pace, AHR 152) and it was feeling better as the run progressed so I could do some powerful strides which really helped untangle the nerves and tendons. Afterwards it felt prety good. Knocking on wood... One part of the run, around mile 6-7, I noticed that I was barely breathing at all and it seemed effortless at 8:40 pace. That was wonderful. oh.. and it was IRC, 57F.

I'm also very interested in environmental issues and would like to discuss ways we can stop destroying the planet (if its not too late already.)

wildchild, don't worry, ecosystems have a way of sorting themselves out, when the population of one species gets out of control. Of course, when you're a member of that species, it's not pretty. Dark Horse

Carolyn, nice work on that trail race and the next one looks tough! Roy

As all of you are well aware, there was a post by one individual on this site yesterday that seems to have upset the group, and as de facto (Latin for "I appointed myself") great one of the group, I am forced into the uncomfortable position of commenting on it, so that it won't reoccur and upset people further. Of course you know by now I am referring to Tramps' post when he asserted that his run was hindered because he ran into some spider webs, which apparently snapped him backwards several yards on the trail and took several minutes to wipe from his face before he could continue. The rest of us just say we had a good run or a bad run, but never do we try to pull the spider web trick on our good friends. So Tramps, I implore you, you will feel better about yourself if you just post truthfully here. (Tramps, thanks for that link re the financial crisis; I agree that if people aren't in this business it would be useful to learn what happened.) Oh, and as for Roch? He has been bullying me on this site for years, another enemy I forgot to mention yesterday. Here is another Ron Daws story for you. In January of 1987 I wanted to run Boston because my brother in law Joe had asked me to do it with him. I talked this over with Ron on the phone about how I could qualify and still run the race well in such a short time. Well, he said he would write to me with his ideas. I have in front of me a single spaced one and half page letter, dated 2 Feb, 1987 in which he lays out two plans, one if I have to qualify, and another if the BAA would waive the qualification based on my prior times. Then this is followed by a one page table of every workout I would have to do over ten weeks with qualification and without. Do you think the guy cared about helping others? He was a devoted disciple of Lydiard, understood his teachings better than anyone and was a great inspiration and coach to me. As I reread the letter the other day I thought, "there aren't five people on all the running sites in 2008 that I would give this schedule to; it's grueling." One day I may transcribe the letter and post it here for anyone who is interested. It is a very valuable possession of mine. DickyG, Frank Shorter still runs, but he barnstorms like Rodgers does. He announces the Dallas White Rock Marathon for TV now so he doesn't run that race, but in 2005 one of my biggest thrills was having my chip removed just after I finished and hearing the race announcer say, "And here comes Frank Shorter..." I walked 4 miles today slowly and it didn't feel so hot, but it was four miles more than that slug Mary ran today. Spareribs