Keep posting to your blog Pam! I don't mind going to your training log to see what you've been up to, but I think there is a lot of good advice floating around here, and people could also benefit from seeing what you are doing. I'm glad you got to see the video! How nice of you to share it with your kids the way you did! You don't need to be on a program when you are not really training for anything specific. Just getting out the door is what matters most, and going by how you feel. So keep doing what you're doing! I hope the foot continues to cooperate for you.

Will do! And THANKS Bob!!

Chilly Cheeks 7.25 mile trail race report Jill reached my house around 7:30 . Met up with Bill and Betty (also from Seattle) in Quakertown and headed to Reading for the race. Other than the frigid air and winds, it was a beautiful clear day. Almost perfect for a trail race. Race started a little after 10 (Ron never seems to get these races started on time, but then again there were SOOOOOOOOOO many freaken people!!i Thanks to Bill’s advice, Jill and I moved closer to the middle of the pack since we didn’t want to get caught behind too many of the slower people. For most part of the trail, it was only wide enough for single file. Anyway within the first .2 of the race we found ourselves doing our first (unexpected for me at least) scramble. You literally had to get closer to the ground in order to get up the hill (try that carrying a camera lol) What a way to start a race though. It was very crowded trail race and we found ourselves being forced to stop several times within the first 2 miles. My pace was a little faster than Jill’s and it was very difficult to get going after stopping to wait up for her. After awhile my body just went into trail race mode and kept going. I knew Jill would be fine and hoped she would understand that as much as I wanted to race it with her, it was just too difficult for me to slow down enough. Also my camera batteries died right as we reached were we could see the Pagoda “temple” . I was soooooooo made cause I really wanted to take a bunch of pictures throughout the race. Oh well. Well Ron was right! Whoever created the course (take a wild guess) is TRULY sadistic! The “trail” reminded me much of my hiking experience’s in Seattle, with switchbacks and . Definitely tough. I managed to roll my left ankle (yes same ankle as I twisted at Double Trouble last summer) several times, but fortunately not too bad. I’m also very thankful to a couple of fellows who happened to be behind me on a couple of very near face plants (they grabbed me). Never thought you could fall going uphill. Not sure which mile it was, but whichever one THANK YOU RON! BEER and OMG talk about the best beer I’ve had in ages!! Guess it’s a good thing you couldn’t run a lot of the downhill after the beer stop, cause I probably would of ended up with a very upset stomach (would have been totally worth it though). Go figure that with all the rocks, roots, leaves, and ice/snow oh and the fact that there was a line of people (I was caught in the middle of a pack)everyone was carefully walking/slogging down the downhill. One of the things that came to my mind was Scout talking about butt sliding (I think it was him, and it was something like that) I almost ended up doing that, THANK GAWD the tree I grabbed (actually there were MANY MANY trees that kept me from falling lol) for kept me from falling. Butt sliding down hill with so many rocks, roots etc would of not been fun.So much for making a lot more time. I really didn’t care though cause I was having so much fun. Right before the finish line was a real nice steep uphill scramble. Even steeper than the very first one. Still managed to get up it without damaging the camera. Anyway managed to run to the finish line, try to find batteries ( I so wanted to get a picture of Jill scrambling up the hill) but to no avail I had no luck . I ran back to the top of the hill and started cheering everyone up (better than the guy next to me who was screaming ONLY 2 MORE MILES. And he was a fellow racer) Course that should have been expected seeing how it was one of Ron’s races. Anyway finally saw Jill making her way to the hill. After reaching the top we both ran to the finish line. Talk about a HTFU kind of race!! I think it was 19 degrees with a windchill of 5 or 6 degrees. (wind was between 21.5 mph and 24.1 mph) We went inside and enjoyed the music and beer. I will definitely do this one again next year! BTW I think my finish time was between 1:24-1:26 (forgot to stop watch and didn’t pay attention to finish clock) First picture my friend Jill and I This is the very first scramble (picture does NOT do it justice) And of course the elevation profile

Very cool sounding race, Pam! And a hell of a hill climb! WOW!

Pam, what a riot that race must've been! Sick, but fun! One of the many things I like about running is the ability to do different things with it. You can race different distances, terrains, events.... and each one has something to offer and keeps it interesting. Great job to you and your new running friend. Thanks for the report and pictures. I hope you gave your ankle a liberal dose of ice afterwards... MTA: What a week you've had!!!

Yep, sick but fun!!! LIke you I like all the different types of runs, race's, terrains etc. Yep gave it ice and continuing for a few more days. OMG what a week I had, you are so right about that!

Very cool sounding race, Pam! And a hell of a hill climb! WOW!

Yes it was on both accounts!

Hi Pam! How are you? I wanted to ask what's up with all the elliptical work you've been doing? I know you got a free gym membership, are you just trying to get your $$$ worth? Those are some incredible sessions you are doing. You are one tough cookie!

Hey Bob thanks for checking in and asking about me. Other than a little tired I'm doing ok. I'm involved in a "little" competition where I'm on a team with 16 other people. We collect points for certain things etc and we "travel" all over the U.S. Anyway I'm taking advantage of having the gym membership and doing some alternative Cardio. Like instead of running on Monday I did a couple hours on the eliptical with no resistance. Enough to get the blood pumping but not stressing the legs out too much. I'm also running my runs on the treadmill this week. Figure making myself go slower and on flat terrain should be a nice change for my legs.

Dang Pam, that was some back to back weeks you put in! The base you are building is really gonna pay dividends for you the rest of the year. Do you use Bodyglide, or just good old vaseline, on your feet? It really does help. Helping to pace people in races can be a lot of fun! You won't regret doing it, and your friend will really appreciate it. Plus, it forces you to keep yourself in check! Have a good week!

Ultra? Did you ever talk about that before? Well you certainly have the mileage in to be able to crank out a good one. Taking easy days easy, and easy weeks easy is all a necessary part of being able to keep getting out there day after day and week after week, and that is the real key to improving. You hid your training log...