-9 degrees F right now. I think I will wait a little while to run! I'm going to get a few more little presents for our kids today. We're not having a big Christmas, but I want them to have some little things to open. I know it will be a zoo, but I kind of like that every once in awhile!

I’m still trying to catch up with everything that’s going on here: Ribs: I finally got the chance to listen to Riblets “recital” I really enjoyed listening, it reminded me of my kids and going to their recitals…more than a few years ago. TimBo: as everyone else has said please stick around, you are such a pleasure here regardless as to whether your posts are run or non-run related…KEEP POSTING BRO! Oh yeah, sorry about those broken toes buddy, you’ve got to take better care of yourself or find a goddess who will. Lou: I have a short week like you, work through Wednesday which I hope will be a half day or so, hope you enjoy yours! And yes it is extremely cold up here in the northeast and those winds Sunday were pretty brutal. Theresa: I wanted to make sure I let you know that I have been keeping tabs on your son and I have really enjoyed watching his progress….WOW, he has a heck of a future ahead of him that’s for sure. And I’m with you, I kind of like going out on these last days of Christmas shopping even though I am done, it’s fun to walk around or even just sit and relax while “people watching”. Bill: You’ve have been run so very well of late, I am quite anxious to see how you do if you run that half marathon. Keep us posted and keep up the great runs, oh and how about sending a little of that warm weather our way. Tramps: Nice run yesterday, I don’t have to worry about the “ice beard” because I don’t have a beard! But I do have a problem with my eye lids freezing shut, which happened again this past Sunday a few times…I actually have to reach up and pull on them to get them opened!! I won’t have to worry about the eggnog…I don’t indulge in that, however the home made sugar cookies are something else all together! Mary: 16 loaves of Pumpkin Bread (one of my favorites) and mini pizzas of my god I could probably find my way to your house by smell alone! Nice run this morning, I’m sure Brinkley enjoyed it as well. Peter: Nice long run buddy, I know what you mean with the hands. I have to double glove (actually mittens) in this extreme cold or I just get too miserable to run. Perch: Nice run with Tory, good to have the company on these runs isn’t it. I guess your right about the wind chill, but I sometimes run hard thinking that I’ll get it over with quicker!! Mariposi: Nice run girl, although I’m not sure I would have chosen the same soundtrack! Holly: Now those are some FRIGID temps, although I am one that would run outside regardless I still have to choose the treadmill during the week this time of year for safety reasons alone so I certainly can’t blame you for hitting the treadmill when it gets that cold out. And I think most of us here have some of the same problems with the goodies around the house this time of year. DW made some Rice Krispie squares Sunday for Christmas…oh yeah and I’m not gonna touch them right? I don’t think so! Nono: I’m with Bill on the data stuff, I rarely watch it during a run but try to keep it loaded on my PC and then I can review it whenever I want and it has come in quite hand for comparison puroposes etc. Meg: OK you deserve a fine for that one, just rubbing that expected 66 degrees for Wednesday right into us cold folk up here in New England! Enke: I feel for you, but the photos really are beautiful! Tammy: Very nice photo however, 3 inches does not constitute a snow storm, just keep rubbing it in girls! Carolyn: Now I agree with you: “Yeah but the slower you run, the longer you’re out in the cold”. SR: Beautiful photos, I liked the ones of the dogs the best….they look so warm and comfy!! Now for a little rant: I’m a native born Mainer and I really do love it here, except that as I get older I have a lot less tolerance for the cold and the snow which is really getting ridiculous already! We ended up with 24 inches of new snow from Sunday’s Nor’easter and my wife’s sister up in Eustis got 41.8 inches of new snow! Now I know we’re going to be getting plenty of snow and all, but it’s only December for crying out loud. My days have been pretty long lately, its dark when I leave for work in the morning and dark when I get home so I haven’t been able to take any photos from this recent storm, maybe I’ll be able to snap a few and post them during the Christmas break. Sunday - 9.25 very easy miles - 1:21:15 (8:47) Avg HR 125 Max HR 141 6 degrees and light snow, 41.3 for the week. Monday - 5.01 miles eased into a nice 4 mile progressive run with the last mile as recovery - 37:09 (7:25) 7:57 - 7:40 - 7:23 - 6:36 - 7:24 - :09 Supposed to be doing some hill work this evening...not sure if that will happen...we'll see what transpires.

Totally off topic: MrHopeful keeps asking me if I'd like to go on a plow run with him - so last night I decided to indulge him and ride along. It was fun at first - then the plow got stuck in a sideways position and would not straighten out. His idea to fix it - run into that telephone pole up ahead (at a slow pace) but there was a bit of snow before the telephone pole, so we were stuck for a few minutes rocking back and forth. Finally, the shovel had to be used - drats! After a few minutes we were on the road again and the plow was working correctly. However - we no longer had brakes! Yep, the foot went right straight to the floor. The ride home was interesting - I found the brake on my side of the floor board didn't work any better than his. Now he has some quick brake work to do before tonight as storm #?? bears down on us again. Long story short - he probably won't ask me to go out plowing with him again any time soon.

Good Morning! Teresa – 9 below zero – brrrr! I didn’t realize it got that cold in Maine. Last night DD and I made sugar cookies, rolling them out and cutting out shapes and decorating them, getting flour all over each other and the kitchen and generally having a great time. They are so much fun to make, but no one at our house actually likes sugar cookies much, so I took a big platter of them to the parking lot attendants at my office. As usual on interval day, I was kind of dreading going out this morning, fighting my first tendency toward laziness. Add to that the 15-17 degree temps and I really didn’t feel like going out. (Have I mentioned that I hate the cold?) BUT, the roads were dry today, freezing rain is in the forecast for tonight, and all those sugar cookies I ate last night were waiting to be burned off. 8.45 miles, including 6 x ½-mile intervals with 1-minute recoveries (10 seconds of walking and 50 seconds of slow jog). SR said to aim for 4:09, and I tried to look at the Garmin infrequently, trying to learn to run by feel. Intervals: 4:10 (8:20) 4:09 (8:18) 4:11 (8:22) 4:05 (8:10) 4:09 (8:18) 4:05 (8:10) This went surprisingly well – I felt great, really, strong and fit and speedy – what a wonderful feeling! Somehow I had more than my share of sproink today. (Must have been the sugar cookies.) And after the first couple of intervals, 17 degrees felt quite toasty. Happy Tuesday!

Holly--sure looks like you got that running by feel down this morning! Cutout cookies are my favorite--DW makes several batches and we have a big decoration gathering. I tend to give out earlier than her, but the rules are you can't eat any until they're all done, even if they break (oops-it really was an accident ) out for a brisk 3.2 in 11F at 6am. I did it in 29:13 with the trax and semi-plowed sidewalks. The first half must have been almost sproinky, as the cold seemed to get to my legs and I sort of plodded the last mile or so. I actually overdressed on top with 2 UA shirts and a light overshirt. I also ended up without gloves for intervals as my hands started sweating. Wish I could keep them that warm at other times, since Raynoaulds gives me white fingers for most of the winter.

I had to chuckle at Meg's post to TimBo yesterday where she admonished him not to leave us just because he wasn't running. This from the Girl who left us for a year or more when she was hurt. (Sorry Meg. Tried to resist but I couldn't help myself. ) Bill

I have one more gift to get -- luckily I can run by the Fudge Shop on the way back from my planned "around lunch time" run. I'm still thawing out from last night's run -- and have no treadmill. And, my MIL is staying at my house, so you know I just have to get a run in. Gosh, would I still be a runner if all the tenseness in my life suddenly left? Something to ponder while I'm out there.