DickyG, you can have some of my HR. deal? cool. Tramps, did you fall off of anything? I need to clean the gutters but am wimping out because last time I had one of those heart stopping moments when I stepped from the roof onto the ladder. didn't fall, but it was a possibility. there's no rush, is there? enke... yuck. "I went from zero to 40 in one week without being able to stretch properly, so I am really pushing my luck." you think???? Nancy, thank you for taking time to post. I've been wondering about you. hugs to you and to your whole family. today was pretty good. 8F when I started! Erika, I thought of you & did not whine. much. At least it wasn't windy till later. & it was so beautiful out there. Lots of swans trumpeting today. a mile w/u c/d walk. 8:48 miles, 9:48 average pace 8:08 max, 169 ahr, 188 max. I did walk over the snowy icy bridges, & stopped the clock for that. also for a water stop. shins hurt for the first mile then stopped, piriformis just for the last 2. so much better. then to the gym, 25:15 min. on the elliptical, 13:02 on the bike, and all the stability ball exercises. no russian twists so I guess not all. I was tired & had a decided lack of enthusiasm for phase 2 today. came home & had pizza and a cold IPA from Lancaster County PA.. decided that's a very good way to ease into the rest of the day. PDR, I had to do the same thing. But it was a nice day for it. I'm still not done. I hate cutting back perennials while they're still green. I worked until my assorted parts asked me nicely to stop.

Legs sore from yesterday's intervals,so just 5 easy this morning... Nice tattoos...I'm still looking for a design...something like the KR logo... Munch-We love you!!!

So not for a couple of years yet? Happy Sunday Evening. i was out for a nice run this morning, but DD has had both computers tied up doing college apps and everyone thought that was more important than posting a run. Go figure. She's looking at the LA schools, USC and UCLA are at the top of the list. Any grads that want to extol the virtues of their schools? I dod two loops around the lake today for 6.4 miles in just over 58 minutes. Longest run since Jan of this year, so I'm happy with that. 20 degrees with a little wind, but dressed just right, so was comfortable the whole way. I've informally committed to running a half this April that is sponsored by my BIL's company in Westfield, MA. so I sort of figure I should work my way up to that by then. May actually have to figure out how to get in more than 3 days a week. Kevin

I will get a tattoo when the sun cools to a hard black cinder. Dark Horse

You think there'll still be any tattoo parlors open then? I have to agree - I've never had the slightest desire to get a tattoo - I just don't get the appeal. Mariposai, hugs to you and your family. It must be very special for your FIL to have you all there together. Those of you injured and doing pool running or cross training - hang in there! At least it's a good time of year to be in the gym. I haven't done a double-digit run for about a month now, and I thought today was the day. Well, sorry to report that I wimped out yet again. I took the dogs for 7 cold hilly miles, and once I dropped them off at home I had no energy to go back out. I'm not sure they're good for longer than that, and I live at the bottom of a big hill, so going out a second time is really hard. Maybe next weekend I should take them for just 3 or 4 miles, then I'd have some energy left for a second lap. Leaving them home isn't really an option - they have me too well trained!

I am the 24/7 caregiver for this week (we are taking turns). What an honor it is for me to be here with my in-laws in such a special moment in their lives.

You continue to be an inspiration to me, Mariposai! Announcement - if anyone received an e-mail from my Yahoo account about some shoppng site, I did NOT send it. My home computer has been scanned (tonight) and is virus-free, but something apparently got into my Yahoo account and sent out these advertisements, and somehow my address book there has now been deleted, hopefully by Yahoo eradicating whatever the problem was. At any rate, if you were a recipient, sorry.

I'm almost finished the heavy-duty writing for my grad class, so I'm officially declaring myself back in de-lurk mode. I'm in the "slightly over 7 miles" club with Craneium and nono today, but I'm sure it took me much longer than those two, especially given the forgotten gloves episode, the rush to the rest room episode, and the many re-tie the shoes because they still don't feel right episodes. Awesome to be out on the boardwalk on such a beautiful day, though, especially since after yesterday, today's temps in the high 30s felt like spring. Nono - lots o' boats off of OC this afternoon, too, all almost at the horizon. A friend of mine tells me the stripers are really running, although he has yet to put any in his new boat. I reminded him that they call it "fishing," not "catching." He was not amused. WRFB and hopeful - cool tatoos. I might even consider the runner girl one, if I ever do make it 26.2, but can't imagine choosing to have a needle stuck into me over and over and over. Hugs to mari, pdr, and anyone else dealing with ailing family members. This week is the anniversary of my dad's death 15 years ago and my mom's subsequent "not my boyfriend" friend's death last year, so things are a bit raw in the extended Eliz family. Trying to focus on how grateful I am to have had such a super dad and almost-step dad, and how glad I am that my mom had such terrific men in her life. enke - regarding TM guy, what can you say but "ewwwwwwwwwwe." That's way, way more gross than simply having a snotty nose. I think he needs to go outside and run; maybe it's cold enough that his, uh, fluids would freeze so he could lose the dixie cup? Kevin - whoo hoo on the long run. I managed 7.1 today, my longest since the week before school started. Going for 8 next weekend. Have a good week, everyone. Safe travels, good runs, sanity-preserving recoveries, and yummy turkey to all. Eliz

Congrats to Stumpy on his longest run since January! And hugs to all those going thru injuries of the spirit, heart and body. Seems to be a lot of us out there these days. Deb, don't feel like a wimp! I'm not running outside at all! Nice workout though. You amaze me that you do the runs and then the gym. Most of us do one or the other... Day #21 of no running. Hit the gym this afternoon for 30 minutes on stationary bike (9.67 miles...hard intervals!), 30 minutes of legs and core work (Lunges @ 40 lb, plie squats @ 25 lb, deadlifts @ 40 lb, plus 3 x 30 ball crunch, 3 x 15 reps cable rope crunch @ 130 lb, 2 x 10 back extensions w/ 20 lb), then 40 minutes of pool running, including about 15 minutes of pretty brisk intervals. It was a good workout, but it was not running. Maybe soon.