Off day yesterday. This evening I have 5 miles scheduled. It's raining here in NJ right now but they are calling for it to be over by the time I go out. I have something going on Sunday morning so I will need to get my long run in tomorrow morning. Looks like I will get to about 35 miles this week. Temps have been great this week. I'll take it while I can get it. Good runs all.

I was psyched to finally get to a 20 mile week this week when I got sick. The cold is better, but not gone. If I make up my long run tomorrow, and do 4 on Sunday, I'll still make it... Why is that 20 MPW such a HUGE milestone for me? Anybody else?

Welcome cjfournier! Nice to hear from Marflair, a name I recognise from CR. Teresa, I wanted to ask you about the significance of the elephant photo-i grew up in Africa, my daughter was born in Zimbabwe and still lives there. Was that photo taken in Zim by any chance? Simon.

Welcome cjfournier! Nice to hear from Marflair, a name I recognise from CR. Teresa, I wanted to ask you about the significance of the elephant photo-i grew up in Africa, my daughter was born in Zimbabwe and still lives there. Was that photo taken in Zim by any chance? Simon.

Cool, Simon! I got to go to South Africa in November, 2005. My dad's friend is a professor who organizes safaris in his spare time. He arranged everything, and did all the cooking for my parents, two sons, and me. We spent 4 days in Kruger National Park, where I took that photo. The elephant got a little too close for comfort, but we didn't want to start the van in case we spooked him. The reason I went was that I had asked my parents their favorite place in the world. My dad has lectured everywhere, including Japan, Russia, China, Australia, New Zealand, England, Switzerland, etc., etc. Both of them said South Africa! This was their 6th trip over there. After going, I can see why they feel that way. What a beautiful country! I didn't expect the variation in landscape, either - who knew that there are mountains with pine trees in SA?? And Cape Town was unbelievably gorgeous, with the mountains shooting up out of the turquoise water. We saw 10 right whales, including a baby with its mother, just off shore in Hermanis. I liked it so much that this coming November my parents and I will be taking my 10-year-old daughter over there. We may venture outside of SA - I would love to go to Zimbabwe! How old were you when you moved away from Africa? Do you get to go back occasionally? I'm already wondering how I will get my runs in! The sports camps we stayed in were pretty small, and you certainly can't run outside the fences! I don't think I want to race a cheetah quite yet.

pinwheel, nice run. Wish that I had pushed mine to that distance. However, only got in a 4 miler on the treadmill. Ended the week with 18...2 miles short again this week and next week already looks like it will be very hard to get in runs. Sometimes work just seems to get in the way of running. wbertha

I am new around here, and still fairly new to running (been running less then a year) I am training for my first HM in Feb. This past week: Tuesday: 6 miles easy Thursday: 3 miles hard Saturday: 14 miles easy (OK - it was hard - the first 14 miler I have ever done) That puts me at 23 miles for the week - whooo hooo! I think that is the best week I have ever had!

Hi, everyone. New here too. New to running--I've been running less than a year and have been stacking my first races of every kind close together--first 5K 12/1, first 10K 12/15. I like the 20 mile weeks too. That's the best part of these weeks as my HM gets closer--these long long runs make it easy to get to 20! You know what I'm talking about, right, Brad? I don't know what I'm going to do when the temps here in South Florida get to be in the 90s by 8 o'clock--I'll probably never have a 20-mile week between April and September. How dare life get in the way of running, right, Bertha? I did my first full-length 13.2-mile run this weekend and finished in 2:07. Rest day yesterday; did 4.5 today on the treadmill--knee still a little sore. My race is the A1A Half in Fort Lauderdale on February 17. Everybody else? Karina

5.23 this evening with wet snow falling. It wasn't bad at all. The last 10 weeks have been between 32 and 36 miles. I plan on keeping that going for 3 or 4 more weeks then increase the mileage up into the 40s in preparation for my half the end of April. So far the weather here in NJ has cooperated this winter. Let's hope it continues.