Mary, That sounds like an accident waiting to happen! Let us know how it goes. I'm up and I'm going to wait to run. My knee hurts! Has been recently -- left knee. Going to do some yoga and stretches before going out in the rain.

Lunges are a four letter word ... of course some people (non-runners) would consider my workouts to be four-letter words too I suppose. 9 miles altogether at 8:28 pace with the 5 miles in the middle at tempo pace - 8:01, 8:04, 7:58, 7:56, and 7:43. It's hard for me to believe that I basically ran 13.1 miles at the pace of the 1st four of those tempos a little over 2 weeks ago. That seems impossible today. Bill

Lou - how's that Irish Red coming along? How long does it take to complete the whole fermenting/brewing process?

The Irish Red is fermenting nicely, thanks. Ales ferment faster than lagers. Irish Red is an ale. Ales take about a week to ferment, and another week to "finish". Then I force carbonate in a few days. So 2.5 weeks from grain to glass. This can go just a bit faster for low gravity beers -- e.g., bitters, milds, etc. Lagers take about a month or six weeks, due to fermenting at a lower temperatures and "lagering" which essentially means letting the flavors clean up in very cold temperature.

good morning! sneaking in a post before the thread gets too long... Nono, I hope your knee feels better. any idea why it hurts? as long as you're at it... could you fix mine too? Left as well. how convenient is that?? Mary, get better. I hope the meds will be ok for you. those lunges sound scary. nice runs, Lou, byll, Jeanne. brave girl on the TM. all this diet stuff. i'm starting to try to reduce my body fat percentage. any ideas on that? another sleepy morning, I haven't been sleeping well in a week or so. went to the gym, 4.55 miles at 9:57. it felt faster! but wasn't. 8:59 max pace. a slow one. then 3 sets on the weight machines, & my stability ball routine. I usually only do 2 sets of the weights.. now my hammies are sore. hope it's just temporary. But I made a smart choice (i think) All By Myself! which would be, the intervals planned for tomorrow, which I have been looking forward to so much, i'll do Friday instead. I'm a slow learner, but maybe I'm starting to get the idea. probably not, eek. gotta run.

all this diet stuff. i'm starting to try to reduce my body fat percentage. any ideas on that?

I think body fat percentage will follow weight. I think weight loss is a simple calculation calories in minus calories out. If that calculation is positive, then weight will be gained. If negative, weight will be lost. Calories out depends on a lot of factors, of course, and due to metabolism changes unfortunately gets harder as we get older. Simple calculation, but not easy to do. I lost 25 lbs back in 2001 by counting calories. It was hard, but doable. I'd recommend a lifestyle change as opposed to a "diet". MTA: Peter - PDR and I will be running on Thursday -- I don't have high hopes for the result though.

Dicky.. I guess that was a "bear hug" Byll...it is amazing how you think you can't do a pace prolonged but when you set your mind to it like in a race, it just happens. Tempo runs and intervals are like that. 2 mi with Tory at 9:42 pace then 4 miles with strides at 8:15 avg Total 6 mi in 51:56 (8:39 pace, AHR 155). Legs felt like lead at start and lively at the end.

I think body fat percentage will follow weight. I think weight loss is a simple calculation calories in minus calories out. If that calculation is positive, then weight will be gained. If negative, weight will be lost.

Lou, exactly. There is a huge weight-loss industry only because millions of people refuse to recognize or accept or understand this simple fact. As you also point out, it becomes harder to lose weight as metabolism slows down, but the method remains the same. However, most people lack the self-discipline to eat less as their metabolism slows, and to compound the problem, they often tend to get physically lazier as they get older. The lack of self-discipline in eating is so pervasive, that people will assume anyone who is actually thin must not have to make any effort to be that way. I can't count the number of times people have commented to me, "Of course it's easy for you," or "I wish I had your metabolism." In fact my metabolism is just like anyone else's. I can easily gain 5 pounds in a weekend if I don't watch my weight like a hawk. My weight has gone up 10 pounds in the last two weeks, because I have been lax after my Army fitness test (and a bit depressed because I expected to do rather better than 12:50 for 2 miles). I will never forget a conversation I had once with a very obese woman. She was telling me earnestly that it was impossible for her lose weight because her thyroid was under-active or some other B.S. excuse. I told her, "If I lock you in a room and you are only allowed to eat what I give you, you will lose weight." She got very upset and attacked me with an angry irrational outburst, not omitting the standard accusation, "you couldn't possibly understand because it's easy for you." This annoyed but did not surprise me because many people are incapable of discussing their weight rationally. Dark Horse