I missed out on everyone's great runs this weekend. I will have to go back and read up. Sounds like Tramps and Evan had terrific runs and somehow Sue managed to run 18 miles on a treadmill. This weekend was our home gymnastics meet so I spent the entire weekend inside a chalk dust filled gym. Blech. Yesterday was a necessary day off due to being at the gym all day. I ordinarily would go to the gym today and run on the TM and take my pilates class, but it was beautifully sunny outside and I really needed some fresh air so I ran 8 miles outside - a GA run. I threw in a few strides over the last couple of miles to bring those down to 7:30ish. Total time 1:02:16. SLO, best of luck with your new driver. I cannot say as I am looking forward to that day. I remember our driver's ed classses as being pretty much useless, though we did drive around the school parking lot trying to avoid the cones. I always figured it took nerves of steel to be drivers ed teacher. My parents would not let me get my license until I had passed my father's driving test, which included learning to drive the old Toyota Corona with a manual shift. We went out to the Wolf Trap parking lot and worked on it and then went and practiced on various hills. I have a feeling my dh will putting my kids through his own personal driving test before they are released onto the roads! dg, sorry to hear about whatever is causing you to trip. Is it related to the hip issue? (((Jlynne))) - hope your hand heals up quickly.

I'm not really sure what to say about ribs and his friends in their red dresses. They do seem to have a good time, though, and that's important. jlynne, sorry to hear about your "wipeout". I hope your wrist feels better quickly. wildchild, congrats to your daughter on her first 4 mile run. Walt, happy birthday to your daughter. SLO, good luck to your new driver. There sure was a lot of good and long running over the weekend. Nice long runs for fussy, mairposai, breger (longest since May), Peter (on hills), PDR, Tramps, Walt, lynden, perch (on trails), WRFB, ribs and The Saint, Holly, srlopez (26.2 mile "training run"? with Bill Rogers and Joan Benoit Samuelson), SLO, evryday, Aamos, hallar, wildchild, evan, and Sue (18 on TM - wow). Good job on the speedwork for WRFB and perch (on hills). This morning, it was about 20° with just a light wind. The first mile didn't feel too bad so I decided to try and keep a nice pace (not just poke along but not push too hard) for awhile. I ended up doing my 8 miles in a bit under 1:15 for a 9:20 pace. The last two miles were under 9 minutes with the last one 8:41. Checking my log, I had to go back to August to find a faster 8 miles. I didn't feel any worse than normal and am calling it a good run. A good day and good runs for all. TomS

All I remember from driver's ed was Signal 30. (shudder) Signal 30 was a film of horrific crash scenes. Not staged, and not covered up. 1950s-era dead people. Talk about being scared straight...

We had Driver's Ed here when I was in high school, but it's gone the way of budget cuts and program reductions. It was a good class, but I think I learned more from my dad. I liked the driving simulator room (we called it the driving stimulation class) where we'd pretend to run down old ladies in cross walks. How bad was that? Geez. I don't think the instructor even noticed. Now we have a few private instruction classes, and we enrolled DS1 in that when he was 15. He did pretty well and got his license on his first try on his 16th birthday, which was a "provisional" license for the first 6 months (several restrictions on it). Now, he's a regular licensed driver and very cautious. No accidents, other than the first time he tried to back my car out of the garage and turned too soon... my car wore trim paint for a few weeks and needed a new headlight, but nothing major. We just had our bike path plowed last week, then got 2" of snow Friday night. Got that cleared, and very nicely too, on Saturday (mid-way thru my run), and I was looking forward to some nice runs on it this week. Bah. Inch of snow forecast for tonight, 2" more on Tuesday. I'm sure sick of this crap. Holly, good for you on taking the rest day. I don't think you do that often enough. You too Mary and Enke. TomS that was a very good run for you today! Hi Meg! I'm always so impressed with how you crank out those 8 milers. And you're still in recovery mode? Not sure what I'm going to do today. I'd like to run at lunch, but I'd also like to leave early for parent-teacher conferences which go till 6:30 tonight. Then we have to drop my car off at the shop for oil change and "find that coolant leak" sleuthing. Not sure what will happen... the suspense is killing me.

Sarge - good song to have in your head - one of my favorites even if it does bring a tear to my eye. dg - sorry to hear your run didn't go well! TomS - I would call it a good run as well ;-). I got my learner's permit when I was 14 (in Arkansas at the time). My Dad taught me to drive a stickshift on the gravel roads around our house. The only thing I remember about the drivers ed class is being scared shitless by one of my classmates. I was very happy that the instructor had a brake pedal because when this student was scared (which was pretty much all of the time she was behind the wheel), she mashed her foot down on the accelerator. We came close to hitting several cars and narrowly missed going through the front window of a realty office. I can still remember the driving instructor ,who was also the football coach, screaming in terror ;-). Thankfully, she never got a permit or a driver's license.

My last was a 5 mile run on Saturday, my longest since last August. Week 6 of my 10k training plan complete. I haven't decided what to do after I complete this plan. Maintain or increase...we'll see. There's a race here in May that's 20K (for which I ran the 5K variety last year) that would be fun, but it definately feels outside my comfort zone right now. However, I do have time to get through the 1/2 marathon training by then, so I could do it. Decisions, decisions. Aamos...I used to live in Rapid City...snow removal? what snow removal? I always figured they were trying to save their money for the street sweepers in tourist season. I swear they came by EVERY night...sheesh.

No work for me today, so I went out for a 7.2 mile run. 3.25 miles with the dogs, then went out and did almost another 4 on a mix of BLM trails and roads. Nice run for me today.