I was going to post pictures of possible marathon outfits this weekend but overcome with pain and distress over the idea of DNSing this marathon for the 2nd year. Saturday my achillies hurt. I used the handle of a butter knife and massage oil to rub the knots out, oh my leg felt so much better. I did not run, instead the kids and I removed wallpaper all day from a small bathroom. Sunday went to run, and I'll be honest every step of that 20 I knewI should not be running, at least not to get a training run in. My achillies was sore and what I thought was the start of a shin splint would not shut-up. By evening my ankle was swollen. Monday pain that made me want to cry. My DH thought he would cheer me up and took me to the horse races. All I could think was, you know what they do to horses with bad legs? Yesterday was much better and got advice from doctor. Swelling is down and after lots of stretching no longer hurts. I ran 4.5 with hills today. It did not hurt but was more aware of it than usual. I think I'll be able to train through it very easily. I think the ankle got over stretch the way I was sitting removing wallpaper and the 20 miles just made injury worse. So I need to start trying on outfits. How's everybody else's training going?

Eh. Chicago is 10/12.

MTA, ah...are you still running it? Guess I thought with your knee you wouldn't but you're getting your miles up.

No marathon plans until January 3, but that'll be a 50 miler. I might jump into a marathon if I get my sub-16 5k in the next few weeks if I can find a local one that isn't too expensive and that I'll be around for.

Looks like we have 3 weeks in a row of marathons going on in here...10/5, 12, and 19. 3's a lucky number, right...?

Don't you just love fall?

Well I am planning on running it. I am way ahead of where I thought I would be right now and my speed is returning. I just have to errer on the side of caution. I am not going to make any time predictions or state any time goals in the open, but know that I do have them. I am not doing that race just to do it. It will be raced as fast as I can race it that morning and I won't know until probably 10 days out how it looks.

I know I'm a blue collar runner, need to put the miles in just to survive it. I respect your choice to go all out. Sometimes it can be really fun to run half easy and run half all out though. Either way keep it fun and wear something HAWT.

I'm not planning to do one until Monkey 2009.

For real?

For real?

Yup. (Very funny ZZ )

What marathon is that? We could really use a FAQ for all this money talk. Then I'd understand it.

Flying Monkey Marathon The Omnipresent Dr. Trent is race director for this event. Very hard, hilly marathon in Nashville. I really wanted to try it this year, especially because so many RA people will be there, but recent injuries have ground my training to a halt, and there's no way I'm gonna do my first marathon on limited training. So I'm aiming for next year (and hoping for another big RA turnout!)