Good morning everybody!  Thanks for getting us started at a decent time, today, Jay.  I'm glad the temps stayed at a point where you didn't get the icy conditions.  Do you remember that Boston Marathon of '96?  A snow storm had gone through a few days before dumping a lot of snow.  By race day, that snow was melted but left the Athlete's Village a soggy, muddy mess.  Those of us arriving early found empty bagel boxes and garbage bags to sit on to keep our butts dry.  I spent a couple hours huddled up in that box with every piece of clothing I had brought with me trying to stay warm.  I was miserable.  By the time the race finally started, all I wanted to do was go home.

Do you want to know what is taking the place of my truck?  A white 2001 Ford Focus Wagon!  My dad bought this car with the insurance money he received after my mom died.  My dad smokes...constantly.  About a year and a half ago, he "sold" the car to my sister.  I remember picking it up from his apartment for her and driving it back to my house to clean it up a little bit.  I had all the windows rolled down and could barely breath from the smoke smell.  I couldn't even see out the windows because of the smoke build-up on the glass.  I spent a few hours cleaning out that pit as best I could.  I still felt sorry of my sister to have to drive that thing.  Well, she never took care of transferring the title...or bothered paying anything for it...or cleaning it out any better.  When my sister died a couple months ago, her boyfriend still had the car.  I won't go into all the details about that but I was dealing with the situation of getting the car back from him very delicately.  But when he was stopped for a DWI and had the car impounded, I was able to go and get the car without any trouble...well, except for having to pay the $320 to get it out of the lot...and to prove that the car was insured..which is a whole other long story.  Anyway, since I needed a car, I went ahead and worked out a deal to buy the car from my dad.  I have spent many hours over the last week and a half cleaning out that car and trying to get the smell out of it.  It's not terrible anymore...but it still isn't real good.  Now, before you feel too sorry for me, I do have another car that I only drive in the summer.  A 2006 Ford Mustang GT Convertible...red, of course.  Someday, I'll have to tell you my Mustang story.

Oh, hey, Tammy!  Tell your son I'm getting a little tired of his football team taking all of my team's best players!  Man, those Seahawks are going to be good, this year.

Okay--I guess I'd better go get something done, today.  I guess I did too good of a job on that dang car...DW is making me spend the day cleaning out her car, now.

Good luck to everybody racing this weekend and safe travels to all those heading to Boston!

Hi Everyone,

I'm new here.

Do you have room perhaps for another?

:-)

Mariposai, sorry about the double whammy with your friends with cancer.  It seems it's everywhere you turn these days.

Mike, I liked your truck/car story and all your other stories. Mustang, huh?  I've got a photo of the day my son's Mustang died.

Gotta post quick then off to shop in Sioux Falls.  I need to get out of Narnia for a while.  We got about 6 inches of snow wed. night which has complicated the street cleaning crews to say nothing of the power crews.  Rolling blackouts here all day Wed/Thurs.  Partial electric feed into town on friday, so business can open up a bit.

Out for a run this am.  Took a bit different route 'cause of the trees.  I tried to look up to make sure nothing would fall on me.  5.65 miles at oh so slow,  Took Bandit along and she didn't get tired at all.  i didn't really either, which is surprising.  I guess oh-so-slow is a good pace.

Welcome to the group Fran50.  Do you have specific HM picked out for your goal (or just a goal when to do it)?

My younger daughter's car is getting pretty old.  I could pass down my car and go get a truck....  But I better not spend any unnecessary money right now.  Cindy is talking retirement and that will cut our income in slightly more than half.

After a few weeks of making excuses for not going out for a double digit run on the weekend, I went out and ran 10.1 miles.  I started out tired and never did feel better, the light snow turned to heavy wet stuff a during a couple bursts, and left me wet and cold.  But I finished it this time.  Slow as can be.  I hope there is some benefit of running through times like this when you don't feel that great.

There was a 5k scheduled in town that I was not signed up for, but I knew the park where it was scheduled to start was under 6 feet of water, so I ran that way to see what if anything was going on.  Nothing down there but water:

I could have got more impressive pictures of the water, but my phone only had juice for this one. Down this road is a baseball stadium, playgrounds, picnic shelters and all kinds of nice stuff.

5.1 miles with the running club this morning, in a chilly 41F with wind.  I was on my own mostly, as the fastees took off to do a longer route.  Had Remi with me though.  He wanted to run with the fastees.  Nice flat route through Medina, with a few views of downtown Bellevue across the bay.  Had the weirdest feeling -  like I did more downhill running than uphill on the loop route, never had THAT thought before!

Mariposai, sorry to hear that bad news, especially for your son's young friend.

Rhoon, wow, what a trek.

Welcome Fran50, tell us a bit about yourself.

Who all is doing Boston this year?  Do we have a thread for tracking our runners yet?

Tammy, nice splits!  and pretty nice pace too!

Mariposai that is so sad about your DS's friend.  So young.  i hope things go well despite the diagnosis.  The same for your BIL's SO.

Mike E great truck retelling!  Story is not a good enough word for how amusing it was!

Finally arrived in Boston and checked in to our hotel.  Getting to the hotel was no easy feat with all the road closures and traffic.  Eventually thought we did get here.  Then to my amazement our room was upgraded!  I guess every dog has his day!  Now this dog needs another on Monday.

Mike, I appreciated your truck story.  Many years ago, I had been working construction part time on Saturdays and in the summer.  I also lived (still do) in a farming community.  I got the urge to get a truck and fit in.  I had no use for a truck but just wanted one.  I got an old, beater, 3/4 ton Ford and loved it.  That was 30 years ago.  I'm now on my 6th truck.  I still don't need one and still want one.  My current truck is a 2007, Dodge Dakota, extended cab, 4X4, bright red.  I love my truck.

mari, how sad about your son's friend and your brother in law's significant other.  My thoughts are with them and their families.  Fran, welcome.  Tell us about yourself and post often.  rhoon, I'm glad to hear you survived your long flight.  Tammy, congrats on your 10mi race with PR.

Nice long runs for Mike and Dave.

This morning, it was in the mid 30s, windy, and some mist.  I did a 5K that was not at all impressive, but it's one more in the books.  My time was 29:34 for a 9:32 pace.  I was 47/67 OA and 2/2 in my AG (60-69,  I'm 69 and the other guy, a friend, is 60).  A mile warmup and 1.9 mile cooldown gave me 6 miles for the day.

A good day and good runs for all.

TomS