Checking in for the afternoon Ribs- Hopefully what you felt today was just some kinks getting worked out or scar tissue breaking up. Hoping all is well for you tomorrow. Bruce- have a great weekend yourself! SueT- wildlife is popping out all over the place by you! Don't you love this time of year? TomS- nice tractor story! And nice plod! dromedary- there you are! You must've had some free time today to catch up on everythign like that. I'm glad you're feeling groovy! enke- Hi! I'm glad all is well. Ooohh, good luck tomorrow! If your recent half marathon performance is any indication, you will do well tomorrow. Good luck! That must've been one heck of a 14 miler you took in order to put up with what you had to put up with afterwards! I want some of that! Mariposai- I love that song, and I loved your message. Congrats on a great run and a great traing cycle. You are ready! evanflein- don't get too itchy this close to Boston! Hugs to you with all that's going on. It does get overwhelming when you look at the big picture, but if you break it down into tiny chunks and work on one thing at a time... it gets done. Make sure you get your runs in though! Holly- I love that video! CNY- the late start to your run is good practice for Boston! Thank you for the kind words, and that nice quote. I like the sound of your job, it seems you really love it. vista- very funny story about your son and college. Remember Rodney Dangerfields graduation speach in Back To School? He told the kids to live at home and mooch of the parents for as long as possible. You should feel honored that he wanted to come back. I like your new approach to the start of your runs. Teresa- slowly getting faster. I like that! Sounds like you had some of that runner's high going on. rochrunner- throw that poem out. Here's a less eloquent one, but has a more upbeat message. When things go wrong as they sometimes will; When the road you're trudging seems all uphill; When the funds are low, and the debts are high; And you want to smile, but you have to sigh; When care is pressing you down a bit Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Success is failure turned inside out; The silver tint of the clouds of doubt; And you can never tell how close you are; It may be near when it seems afar. So, stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - It's when things go wrong that you mustn't quit. Hang in there please! Acupuncture report. After more voodoo tests, he said my right adductor is doing remarkably well, almost ready to go. I told him that I ran this morning, and it was tired and tight and had to keep stretching it. He asked if I had started using e-stim on it, which I did, and he said that that really fatigues the muscle, so what I was feeling was normal. With the adductor issue almost out of the way, he started focusing on my left side which is really the side that is bad and the root of these other problems. So I ended up with needles in my lower right leg, and in my left wrist today, and a laser to my adductor again. Tomorrow I'll hit the road for a short run/walk to see how things are. Best of luck to everyone with whatever you are doing this weekend, be it running, racing, walking, biking, cabinet hanging, house hunting, letter writing to away children, rehabbing. Whatever you do, make it fun.

21 strong miles this early morning. it felt doable for marathon day.

posie - except for getting to watch your powerful pulling aways in the belly and seattle marys, I wouldn't have any idea how strong relates to 21 miles of running. however, with enke's snow falling downtown too, I'm stayin' away from the ice bath part and hoping for a return to spring time by tomorrow for enke's 5K PR (and another happy certain DGL* for me but first barefoot 50K for a PR if I finish it, he he, ha ha, ji ji). Maybe the Bard of the North can help me out. When you're lost in the Wild, and you're scared as a child, And Death looks you bang in the eye, And you're sore as a boil, it's according to Hoyle To cock your revolver and . . . die. But the Code of a Man says: "Fight all you can," And self-dissolution is barred. In hunger and woe, oh, it's easy to blow . . . It's the hell-served-for-breakfast that's hard. "You're sick of the game!" Well, now, that's a shame. You're young and you're brave and you're bright. "You've had a raw deal!" I know -- but don't squeal, Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight. It's the plugging away that will win you the day, So don't be a piker, old pard! Just draw on your grit; it's so easy to quit: It's the keeping-your-chin-up that's hard. It's easy to cry that you're beaten -- and die; It's easy to crawfish and crawl; But to fight and to fight when hope's out of sight -- Why, that's the best game of them all! And though you come out of each gruelling bout, All broken and beaten and scarred, Just have one more try -- it's dead easy to die, It's the keeping-on-tryin' that's hard. By the way pretty posie, I'm lookin' through ilene's Intrepid and wonderin' what marathon are you getting ready for anyway (and is there a birthday party associated with it?). enki - where's the rare Saturday 5K tomorrow? Maybe Green Lake warm-up or cool-down? * dgl - dead glorious last

enkalina - I'll never wear tights either but I'm thinking that, if I did, it might be tights time tomorrow. ps - it won't matter for me on the Green Lake loops but I hope you've got that 10mph behind. does that mean almost a 20 minute 5K?

Only exercise I got today was kid-wrangling at an orchestra festival with 100+ 5th & 6th graders. The kid were awesome, but the school was sprawling, so I did lots of schlepping in semi-dress shoes. The kids played "Going' to Boston" and every time I heard it, I thought of so many of you guys. I'm so excited for and in awe of you! PDR - have fun with the daughters; glad the Garmin that went completely dead at mile 18 and not your legs Bob - more needles?!?!? oy! Glad the rehab is working. Holly - OK, so did YOUR 5th grader know the answer? Vista - great story about your son and college. I'm the youngest by 12+ years and the only girl, so my parents were a mess when I went to college. We said our goodbyes, I went off to my first marching band rehearsal and was mortified to see them still hanging around the campus. Dad ended up loving the town more than I did. Perch - cool video. Eliz

I also miss DH & Tramps & TB. and many more.

I miss AJ. Haven't seen her since CR collapsed. Rest day today, Have a great weekend everyone. Paul