MKay Since I'm also a main line transplant I need to know. Is it Gino's or Pat's ???  My choice is Tony Luke's with broccoli rabe & hot peppers.

Debra misery loves company!!! still can't update profile. Anyway I'll be easing into my next training cycle.Once started I'll be using a combination of Hal Higdon's advanced and intermediate program. Instead of the track work which my business travel schedule prevents me from doing. I'll be doing bridge repeats and working on increasing my core body strength. In addition I will be adding 2 miles to each long run. hopefully this combination will help me reach my goal of sub 2hrs in time for my "A" race in March.

I love this blog. Very encouraging and I like the info being shared. About to get back into my walking routine before resuming some jogging. Want to restart my c25k routine also as I was out of town for a conference and did not have time before or during the conference to do anything. Was going to attempt 2 more 5Ks before end of year but I'm really not ready yet so will start over. Plenty of time to do more 5ks in 2013. In meantime, walking will keep me active. Got to see if my gym has re-opened following Hurricane Sandy here in Jersey so I can get in some strength training. Weight loss is my primary goal and getting and maintaining good health. I'm doing things at 64 that I would not have considered when I was 30 and loving every minute.ON A MISSION.

Hello everyone!!! I have the best intentions of getting in here more often to catch up and post, but alas...it never seems to happen!

McKay!!! Good luck with the Philly HM and have a great visit with your daughter. I have finally learned to save my breath trying to convince my daughter what she needs to do for her future! LOL She is like her Mom..she is going to do whatever she wants to do not matter whan anyone else says. LOL  You are winding down your race season and mine is just starting. It is so hot here from May till October it is hard to do races because of the heat and actually there are very few events in that time frame. Everything picks up October - December and then Feb-April and then we just try to stay cool! LOL

Debra! Fantastic 10K time!!! You go Girl!!!

Tony! I am sure that you will have no problem breaking that 2 hrs in your March "A" run!

Marie!! Hope everything is well with you.

Steve biker, Dan and all other masters..."hi"

I am finally beginning to get the running bug again!!! Although I have been running 5-6 times a week all summer...I just have not wanted to do any races. Just was not interested, but now that cooler weather is here...it is coming back!!

I am picking up an impromptu HM this Saturday here in my hometown. I was not going to run this because my running club of which I am on the board is helping the Lion's club put on this inagural HM/Marathon. But, they wanted a few of the running club memebers to run it with our BRC shirts for the visibility and to encourage people to join the running club. So....I will be "running" and I use that term losely a HM on Saturday that I am not trained for! Should be a blast! I am not worried about time...just participating and having fun. I am also going to run along with and encourage some first timers friends that are worried about finishing. I may actually run some of them in and then turn around and go back to pick up some others that are having problems in the last few miles and run them in also before crossing the line myself. Trying to pay it forward as I have had alot of help from other runners during my early HM's.

I am also officially beginning Marathon training on Monday after the HM! I have signed up for a small Marathon here in my home State that will be on Feb. 9th! Tony, this will be my "A" race for 2013.

I have a friend that is supposed to run the ING NYC Marathon on Sunday. Poor thing, I feel so sorry for her..she is supposed to fly out tomorrow, but the airports are still closed and they say it may take 2-3 days to reschedule everyone. I sure pray that she gets there and is able to run it...she has trained so hard for this.

It looks like most everyone on here was spared by Sandy. Prayers for those that were affected by her.

Happy Runnin!!!

Rich - looks like you are ready for a great 10k time and experience. Good luck!

Mimi - welcome back!! You are such a powerhouse, organizing and running! So what is your training plan for the spring race? I know what you mean about advising grown kids. Mine has actually asked my opinion, probably in hopes of wrangling tuition $$. So, I gave it, kinda like I used to tell her to dress warmly on cold days, so the illness wouldn't be from me not saying something. The NYC race is on. Your friend could drive to Richmond and take Amtrak or bus or drive. If I were in her shoes I would not rely on flying with all the ppl waiting and still a lot of power outages in the buroughs.

Run strong and fearless!

It's been awhile since my last reply.  So, forgive me if I miss you...

MKay - Giants do it again! 

Marie, sound like you're back on track.

Dan, Congrats!  Good race!

Tony, already sent congrats, but congrats again!    I don't think you're tired of hearing it yet!

Mimi, welcome back.

Rich, welcome to the group.  Only 3 days of running a week?  Depending on what you want to accomplish I would say you might want to increase that.  I followed loosly the Hal Higdon advanced 10K plan, which has you running 4-5 days a week with a long run/races on Sundays.  Longest run is 10 miles.  Figured that way I could step up to a 1/2 w/o too many problems.  In April ran my first 1/2 in 2:14, in week 7 of my 10K training ran my secon 1/2 in 1:48:34.  Think it worked for me, YMMV...

Ran two races this last week.  A 1/2 on Saturday and ~5miler tonight.  Gotta say, don't recommend that order -- would have been soo much better off doing the 5 miler first.  Oh, well can't pick when the races are.

The 1/2 Marathon was a trail run and have to say I made a mistake running it in my Bikila's (Vibram 5 finger).  I was doing well for the first half of the course, but starting at mile 6 all the way through 10 was very rocky and brutal on my feet.

Checking the Garmin afterwards, I actually did the first 10K in under 50 minutes (a goal of mine is do a 10K in under 50, haven't done it yet).  But, with the rocks kicking in big time, I had to slow down and that's when I made mistake 2.  Didn't feel too bad and I was worried about losing my car key so didn't use my gels and wasn't taking water.  Hit mile 10 in under 1:25 (just barely), but I realized at that point my reserves were about out.  There was a pretty rocky section from mile 11-12 and I slowed again to compensate.  Tried to kick it in, but had nothing and finished in 1:53:06.  Not bad, considering, but I foolishly tried to do it w/o fueling.  Marie, the whole field got chicked as woman finished first overall!

The 5 mile run was tonight.  A fairly small field with grey skies threatening.  Wasn't sure how things would go because I only got one run on Monday and that was a slow recovery run.  Legs felt a little tired/tight as I tried to loosen them up ahead of time, since my feet were still sore from the 1/2 I wore my racing flats.  Got sorta near the front of the crowd and took off pretty quickly.  For the first 1/2 mile there were only 3 people ahead of me and I knew I was going out too fast.  Another 8-10 people passed me in the next mile as I tried to slow to a more comfortable pace.  Never did get comfortable, think the effects of the 1/2 wouldn't allow it.  As we hit the turn around point a couple more people passed me.  Just kept think turnover, turnover, turnover trying to keep my steps small but quick.  With about a mile and half to go, a young guy in a cape passed me.  He was the final person to pass me.  It was pretty dark by this point and I kept telling myself a little further to the next turn, a little further and you'll be on pavement, a little further and you'll see the finish.  Every light was a bit of dissapointment, cuz I wasn't as far as I hoped, but I was worried someone would pass me so I kept pushing.  Finally, I could see the finish, but I couldn't see the people. Tried to sprint in and crossed the finish in 35:59 official time.  Turned out there was a woman not far behind me.  Again the whole field got chicked as a woman won this race as well.  I ended up 17th overall and 2nd in the 50-59AG, but more importantly took 1:16 off my previous time for this distance.

Run strong!

Ray

Tony! Yes, I know that you ROCKED Chicago!!! YOu did AWESOME.

Actually, I have posted to you 2 or 3 times on your awesome acheivement!:)

It would be wonderful to meet you in NOLA, but I have had a change in plans. A friend of mine wants me to run the Disney Princess HM with her on the same date as the NOLA! I registered for it today! I have wanted to do a Disney run and since I ran NOLA Marathon in March it was a no brainer. And I live pretty close to NOLA and I can run it anytime.

Ray, you sure have some" FAST" women in your area!  You did an awesome job, esp gutting out the 2nd race and finishing w/ a nice pr. Enjoyed your race reports!

Rich, Welcome! Sounds like you are well on your way with a good plan.

Sandra, good to see you posting again. Stay on that mission!

MaryKay, don't you just love those runs when you feel like you could go on for longer and longer! Like Tony, your post made my mouth water.....also gain about 3 lbs. LOL

Dan, you're not being lazy.....you are recovering!

Kathy, You are an inspiration and a real cheerleader. To be willing to run back and help others across to the finish is truly admirable. Like you said, it is a great way to pay back for those dear souls who helped you. I think you will love the Princess HM at Disney. After all....it's magical. Do you plan to wear a princess costume? If so, which one?

My DD and are are planning to run the Disney HM in costume, she Ariel, me Ursula, provided I get the patterns figured out and made. She is in charge of make up and figuring how to get my long ponytail to look short and spiky. We haven't decided about the full. It may just be sparkle skirts over C W-X compression tightsand tees in colors that suggest a character.

We have an 8.5 mile hike followed by a 20 mile run (run/walk of course) scheduled for this weekend. Whew.....say a prayer for us! I expect this will let us know IF we have any hopes of completing Goofy.

My first cousin and her husband are running NYC marathon this weekend. She is nervous, esp given the circumstances and many mixed emotions as to whether it should have been held or not.

Hope everyone has a great weekend of running, esp those racing.

Kathy, I worry about that Gulf Coast HM and fatigue before your marathon. I was ok after the USAF HM and White Tail but my running bud got a stress injury that grounded him from the MCM last week. I've been fighting a cold since running Columbus 2 wks ago and my longest run has been 6. I honestly could run more but don't want to. 

Thanks, Tony, I am drawn to training for a full but am having doubts about my strength/ability. I hope this is just race blahs or a cold.

Have been obsessed w the NYC marathon news after seeing the devastation in NJ and Staten Island. I lived on Staten Island for a year and summered at the shore. I'm active on Twitter and much of the organizing and uproar was aired there first. It is a shame they waited so long to cancel given the massiveness of damage and need that area had and still has for supplies and security. The delay must have cost runners millions. Following Cory Booker's tweets, the folks of Newark are getting much more impatient and demanding and unfortunately parts will be without power for a while still, including some schools. I think the biggest problem is no one was prepared for the magnitude of damage. It breaks my heart to see folks so distressed.

Tried to get in a long run but had a lazy morning. By the time I got out it was raining and cold so went to gym. 4 mi in 58 min and was ready to quit. Walked another mile and let myself stop. Have a 5k tomorrow morning and wanted a last chance at a good time. All I want now is sleep. ??

Run strong and fearless!