good morning peter and thank you. If I didn't have so much to do too I'd be doing it too but, as it is, I'm up early too for a non-run in the Pigtails Flat Ass 50K that I'd like not to do not just because the RD is a famous local princess (still about three years away from boomer goddess status though) who has won the Trail Runner Magazine Trophy Series for the last two years with winning most of her more than 50 marathons and ultras each year, but also because, . . . uhmm, . . . let's see, . . . oh yeah, . . . because I love running in the winter on packed slippery, icy snow so much especially when it's 20F with biting winds. In fact, maybe I'll start it off by going back to sleep. viva la tapering. <>afterallit'sstill5:30amhere)>>> ,

Ummm Peter, nice run but check your calendar before posting a subject line. It's not Christmas quite yet! This morning I ran with the Big Boys and Girls. As expected they gave me a good workout. I started out with the really fast group initially before they headed off for 22 or so. So after that I tried to catch up with another group who was a ways ahead of me. Every time I caught up to them (after running my legs off) it seemed like they took a turn and I was on my own again. This happened 3 or 4 times. Oh well. So I just kept going at what felt like a solid pace. Overall, 17 miles at 8:23 min/mile pace - about 15 seconds below MP, really quick and long for me. I'm seriously happy with this one. Several miles in the 8:00 minute range and many miles at 8:10 and 8:20. Avg HR 147. IRC. Bagel breakfast after running with the group. Now for a nice nap ... Bill

Oh boy - I hope it is not the 25th yet!! I think I joined the more degrees than miles club today - if you factor in the wind chill anyway. 9 degrees - windchill ZERO. I ran 7 sloggy mile - 11:03 pace - 167 avg HR. We are supposed to get hit with another storm late tonight into tomorrow. Looks like if I do anything tomorrow it wil be on the dreadmill for sure. Happy Saturday!

Tet – I don’t understand, are really you running it today or just teasing us? PDR – yes, here, too. I did my LR today, too, just because of the freezing rain in tonight’s forecast. Bill – you are just doing awesome! I only dream of runs like that. SimonR - thank you! That is very kind of you to say. I decided today to run a “simulated 5K.” McMillan predicts my current 5K pace at 8:10, based on my Thanksgiving Day 5-mile race, and I wanted to see if that was accurate. 25 degrees out, with 12mph winds, I chose a stretch of bike path that was relatively flat and ran out away from the wind (is that cheating?). After a 2.7 mile warm up (ave pace 10:33), I hit “Lap” on the Garmin and took off. “Simulated 5K” official results: Mile 1: 7:56 Mile 2: 8:05 (slight hill) Mile 3: 7:59 Last .1: .46 (7:35) Time: 24:47 (ave pace 7:59) 1/1 AG 1/1 OA I dreaded this run, hated it while I was doing it – pretty much like every other 5K I've run…While it may be true that even the elites suffer the same 5K pain – lungs tearing, side cramps, feel-like-puking, etc – people like me are out there suffering that misery at least 10 minutes longer, so I have absolutely no sympathy for them… Still, there’s nothing quite like that feeling of triumph at the end of a hard effort. I should do one of these every month, and gauge my progress, like SR. After a short walk break, I re-Lapped the Garmin, continued with 10.2 more miles, on legs stiff with “simulated 5K” fatigue, with several short walk breaks (ave pace 10:52). Total distance: 16 miles This gives me a "current 5K" number to plug into McMillan and get some pace advice. I think according to this I need to be running my 800s faster.

flash - just woke up and realized I'm already nine miles into today's nonrun 50K. some of my friends aren't so lucky as to have other stuff to do today so I'll find out how they are doing in six or seven hours. RD reported this morning's conditions as trail covered with about 2 inches of packed down snow but very runnable . . . but bring or do what you need to feel secure. . You'll be working different muscles, so try to take it easy and enjoy the snow For me, snow's for skiing but maybe I'd like to try it running someday.

Ok, so I was looking for some motivation to get out into the 19F, with winds coming later freezing cold, and I think Holly just gave it to me! Wow, awesome effort! The roads are so slippery here that I won't be able to get to the gym and run on the TM. And I don't own yaktraks. So, slowly sipping another coffee and procrastinating big time! Got my balaclava (sp?) and wind pants all set to go...

Bill, that is one of the best LR's you have posted. Well done. Holly, why don't you try 800's at 4:09 with a one minute rest. See if you can do four of them that way, no faster. And see how you feel on the last one. If you ever do an interval workout where you say to yourself, "this pace is too slow," then that means you should do another 800, not speed up the pace. I got 5 miles in today giving me back-to-back 30 mile weeks. My fiveK race was within that 5 miles (one mile w/u, and one mile c/d). This is a far cry from the way I used to run a fiveK (fiveK w/u and fiveK c/d), but that's where I am. My goal was to run 8:30's or better and I missed it by a second per mile, running 8:31's. But progress is progress and I am not complaining. These are very slow steps and I am relishing every one of them. Spareribs