"If at first you don't suceed, try, try, again. Then quit. There's no use being a damn fool about it." Good Monday morning everyone...... My sister and I did a 9-mile run yesterday. The first 7 were O.K., probably a slow 12ish pace, then between her hip and my IT band acting up we took alot of walk breaks and it ended up taking us 2 hours to do 9 miles. My darn knee is so flipping sore this morning. But......on a good note, 3 weeks ago at 2 miles the knee was killing me so it is getting better. Just not in time for my race. We seriously did have alot of laughs along the way. Have a super week and stay safe.......Jewels

Hi 40's! Yes, Jewels, this running together stuff actually is fun when you find a compatible partner. Glad you and your sister had fun, and sounds like you have a new running buddy . Ev, don't be sending that nasty weather down here, OK? I will run in freezing temps OR rain, but not both at the same time. Got in 8.2 on Saturday with my friend at 11:16 avg pace including a few walk breaks to drink, test blood sugar, etc. If we are able to add 1 mile/week to our long runs over the next few weeeks, that will put us right on the money come the 2/28 race day. Hubby is thinking about doing the affiliated 5K, but that may depend on the weather. He doesn't want to get all sweaty and then stand around in the cold for another hour or so waiting for us to finish. Mom wants to come, but when I suggested she do the 5K with hubby, she said she's not trained up enough to win her age group, so is not going to run. LOL, maybe I would feel that way too if I had a prayer of winning! My frined and I have the following goals: Goal 1: get to the starting line with as many parts functioning as possible Goal 2: have fun Goal 3: run without looking too goofy while wearing our matching t-shirts (this one may be a stretch) Goal 4: cross finish line together. Turns out the bass player in our worship band is planning to run the same 1/2, along w/ the son of another lady who overheard the conversation. Maybe with friends and family we will have a little cheering section. Have a great week!

Morning, Folks - Great quote, Jewels! I'm glad your knee is waiting a little longer before it's starts nagging you. Pretty soon you'll be running an entire marathon and thinking, "What knee problems??" Carol - It sounds like you and your friend have a good plan, but as Arla indicated, don't forget to taper beforehand. Arla - When's the Surf City Half? I sure wish we had more events going on up here, but nope. The few that do happen usually don't gel with whatever running schedule I have going, and there's never a trail running event. 3 goodly paced (but very wet) miles this a.m. with a 9:44 ap and a154 av HR, then an hour of strength/core. I alternate the upper and lower body exercises, i.e. one set of bicep curls, one set of squats, back to the biceps, back to the squats, etc., change the combinations each time I work out, but do all the core stuff in a row: Upper Body - Free Weights (2 sets of 15 each) 10 lb. bicep curls 8 lb. shoulder presses 20 lb. overhead lift 8 lb. tricep curls 5 lbs. side lifts 5 lbs. runner arms (2 sets of 50) 10 lbs. - Chest Flies 10 lbs. - Chest Press 20 lbs. Cable Row Lower Body - w/Free Weights (2 sets of 15 each) Bulgarian Lunges - 8 lbs. each hand Squats - 10 lbs. each shoulder Step Downs Single Leg Piston Squats - 8lbs. Calf Raises - 10 lbs. Wall Toe Raises - 10 lbs. held on each thigh Bridges - 10 lbs. Core Side Crunches BOSU Crunches - 15 lbs. BOSU Bicycles BOSU Superwoman Flat Planks - 45 secs Side Planks (both sides - 30 secs) Have a good day!

Surf City! It is 75% likely I will be there for the full. My dad (in Texas) will need surgery sometime in the next couple weeks, so I am waiting to hear the schedule on that.

Freezing drizzle has made the roads slick. I missed the corner while I was coming home for lunch.

Stay safe out there, Ev. Jewels - I find that switching between upper and lower body exercises helps keep my HR up as you don't have the down time between, let's say, each upper body set. Your arms get a bit of a rest while you're working the lower, and vise versa. I always thought it was a waste of time to do a set of upper body then sit there for a minute before doing another set. The workout takes longer, and your HR isn't staying up. I don't rush through any of the exercises, and it takes me about an hour to get the whole thing done. I did, however, forget my sitting crunches/leg extensions, and my balance stinks for the BOSU bicycles. Hopefully, with time and strength I'll be able to do a whole set without falling over.

Leslie- Damn, that's some workout! I'm proud if I get in a couple of sit-ups and planks. Surf city is this coming Sunday. Hope you can make it Robert, it's looking to be a lovely day! Hope your dad's ok. Ev - bummer about the weather. Icky stuff. I started dabbling in some skunk research a few years back, and learned a lot from the skunk owning community. They're kinda cute little buggers, very mellow, too. I think all the domesticated skunks are derived from the striped species. The spotted species is even cuter, imo. Off to work ...night classes - ugh Arla

I have to give my coach credit for the strength training program. I've changed it around here and there, but he gave me the basic principles. He and also the guy I saw for MAT sessions told me that doing more than 15 reps of something in a set (i.e. biceps curls) doesn't give you a whole lot of bang for your bug (for lack of better terminology), and that you're better off adding weight rather than more reps; thus, working smarter rather than harder. Your crunches are getting easier? Do them while holding a 15 lb. weight on your chest. Don't know if all trainers hold to that theory, but I'm going with it. Holly over on the weekly thread reminded me about the Bulgarian Lunges. When I was doing The Firm videos, they had the same exercise, but I never knew what it was called. Those suckers are killers. I'm trying an experiment of one for the next month or so. I had been doing my strength training mostly on the Bowflex, but didn't feel like I was getting the results I wanted. I'm going to stick with the free weights for the next couple of months and see if I can tell a difference. Also, now that my knee and ankle are feeling better, I need to start doing more workouts (lunges, squats) using the BOSU to help with balance and core. Nite, folks!

....I thought that was, "Bang for your Buck!" ?? trying to read to catch up w/you folks.... Jewels: sounds like you're making progress in either case..laughter being the best part of that! ....don't know what to tell you abt your knee/IT...did you ever try a massage therapist? maybe w/some hot stones to try to loosen that thing up? Does this mean you're postponing? (I been soooo outta the loop! ) Carol: I vote for lookin' goofy & having fun!! Arla: You are flat kickin a$$ & takin' names woman!! YAY!!! Good luck this wknd! & Hope you get to meet Robert!! How many miles did ya say you were shootin for Joe?? ~an it's still winter, last time I peeked outside!! & I seem to have some fuzzy recollection of somebody named Leonhardt....?? keep forgetting to ask Doug... & it's just not coming together for me..... Made it through part of Kelly's slide show (awesome stuff) before getting derailed by chores....Congrats on the Top 100 listing!! Woo-Hoo!! (sidenote - that #1 position is the math teacher from Littleton who won 1st female @ Badwater) Leslie: had a friend in grade school who kept de-scented pet skunks...cute, soft, mellow (big teeth!)... I need to copy/paste your w/o schedules!! feel like writing a book for me? Sorry Evryday & Jim! Think I sent some more snow & ice your directions...I really do try to keep it up in the mountains where it'll be more appreciated productive! Like this: Budweiser International Snow Sculptures Gotta "cold front" doin' it's thang....is up to 1*F (wc -12* or so) right now....trying to decide if I should wait to see if we really reach the predicted 27* later, or try to figure out the treadmill? Also, trying to decide if I should join the rec ctr up in Breck....been getting some hrs of down time while I have to stand by on call....the area's not the best of options for outdoor running in the Winter tourist season....& I feel guilty abt running w/o Mairead....rec ctr would offer other options....like the upper level perimeter track, pool, weight machines, yoga classes, etc... besides sittin' around gettin' fat n sassy!! Everybody have a Great Week/Weekend!! Cindy