HAPPY NEW YEAR my running friends!

It was a false alarm on the 30th (actual due date) which had me at the hospital from midnight till 2:30 am.

Constant contractions throughout the 31st, water finally broke around 11 pm.

Son-in-law and mother-in-law managed to get some sleep on hospital chairs.  I stayed awake, keeping daughter company as she tried to sleep while the world celebrated 2013!!

Finally, at 10:47 am, Isabella made a quiet entrance into the world on NEW YEAR'S DAY, 2013!!

8 lbs, 10 oz and 20 3/4 inches.

Daughter was calm and delivery was much less painful than the first grandbaby, YAY for epidural .

It was very emotional for all of us.

The gift of a healthy grandbaby is more than we could have wished for, and to share that glorious event on our 10th anniversary on NEW YEAR'S DAY!!

Daughter and baby Isabella are doing well and getting to know each other and big sister !!!

My husband flew in Saturday and we have been enjoying the warm temps of Phoenix anticipating Isabella's arrival. 

We are in awe of the wondrous beauty of winter in northern AZ now at our home before returning to our other home in the frigid conditions of MN!!

It's not so bad but I will miss running my trails.

I have not run since last week. 

Just reeling in the joy and gratitude of the events.

I don't make resolutions.

I do wish each of you a safe and healthy 2013 filled with joy, great adventures, peace and kindness.

CONGRATULATIONS to Isabella and all her family for such a classy entrance into the world!!! May her life be just as easy!! Az, "Just reeling in the joy and gratitude of the events" <= perrrrfect!!

Mimi, those are some hard decisions! I am sorry your MN cannot be treated without surgery. Two HMs a week apart? You've inspired me. I plotted all the major races on the calendar this weekend bc the AF HM registration opened Tues and I didn't want to miss it. Folks from another thread are gathering in Philly for the RnR HM in June, 6 days before the AF. I thought it was crazy running so close together but I guess I can do both physically.

Bean soup? Yummmm!

Great miles and goals, Deb!! They look wiser than mine, particularly the full. I unfortuately am powered by bling envy and hometown somethingorother. The Flying Pig full runners received a much larger medal on pink and blue satin ribbon and my ribbon was narrow, plain, white grosgrain. Soooo not the same. There's a good chance I'll have to switch to the half and they have a liberal policy for that.

Had 695 miles on Endomondo for the year on 12/30 and didn't feel much like running. DD left her germs and I am definitely sick this time, powered by meds and coffee I can't taste. I found a bunch of runs on another program that never made it to Endo and added them in. The final mileage says 714 and it's probably around 750. I'm ok with that. Tried running NY day but struggled through a mile. One Mile! Final = 3 mi.in 41 min. and at least 1.5 of that was walking so maybe I went out too fast, also. Oh, who cares. I shouldda stayed in bed. Went home and made soup that I couldn't taste.

2013 long races as of this moment:

3/17 Heart Mini Marathon (10k or HM)

4/27 Kentucky Mini Marathon - HM

5/5   Flying Pig Marathon

5/18 Run With the Foxes (Maybe)

9/15 Philadelphia RnR HM

9/21 USAF HM

10/20 Columbus Half Marathon

11/10 (maybe) Freedom Marathon

11/24 Route 66 HM or Philly

Let me know if you plan to be around? Run strong and fierc!! For me.

Congratulations on that new granddaughter!!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you and your family.

Glad to hear everyone made it through New Year's celebrations.

I'm finally over the cough I've had since the end of September. I was feeling pretty good for a few days but now I'm stuffed up again   This has been a rough fall as far as upper respiratory health goes. I'm not sure why I've been hit so hard. I don't know if resting for a week or so will help or harm. I'm not overtraining so I can't figure out what's going on.

I've signed up for a HM in late March which I will run with my daughter. We're looking at it as just a fun thing to do together. It will be her first running event and we're both pretty excited about it. So it's off to run/walk 9 miles today in the mist and 38 degrees. I'll stay warm and try to stay dry and hope my nose cooperates! I hit the gym pretty hard yesterday and my legs are talking to me today so it's going to be an easy run day, long and slow.

I've been thinking about Marie - doesn't Disney come up pretty soon? You're going to have a blast!!!!! I'm sending lots of good wishes your way. Enjoy the unique experience.

Happy NEW YEAR my mighty masters friends! We start this new year w/ a clean slate, full of hopes and plans. May it be a year of good running, health ad happiness for each of us.

AZ, congrats on the new little angel. A new years baby, how fun. My hubby's b'day in Jan 1, my daughter's is Jan 4....today. It is hard to sometimes come up w/ b'day presents after all the Christmas gifts.

Mimi, so sorry to hear that the MN is not healing and you may have to have surgery. As far as heels go, I wouldn't worry.....there are lots of cute flats. :-)

Our Disney Goofy is Jan 12 & 13.  I have stayed right on training schedule except missed my last long run, ooops.  Daughter hardly ran at all during December. Work for her was crazy wild and then she had flu over Christmas, so it makes me a little nervous, but whatever, we will cross the finish lines, even if we have to crawl or drag each other. LOL  I've got to put the finishing touches on her costume tomorrow (mine is finished)so we can get a practice run wearing them. I'm going as Ursula, the sea witch and she is Ariel, the little mermaid. We are out to have fun and not worry about time, just as long as we are ahead of the sweepers.

Hopefully I can post photos after the race..  MaryKay the pineapple smootihie, complete with lots of meds, sounds like a must have!!!  BTW, CW-X stablyx compression pants and compression socks are part of the costume. As your quote says, "it won't be easy, but it will be worth it!"

We haven't had any snow, but have run in rain, sleet. and cold. I got a rain jacket from Santa that has already seen several wearings. It cuts the wind great!  I don't mind rain. I don't mind cold. I don't mind wind. Put them all together and I am not a happy runner, but the jacket makes runs in that weather bearable.

Urun, your mileage is amazing, esp since you have had a nast upper respiratory issue all fall.

Debra, great job on your first 2 yrs of running. Look at all that you have accomplished!!

Dan, Steve, Bill, not meaning to ignore you guys,, keep up the good work!!

Happy running everyone and stay safe and warm.

az2mn:  Let me add my congratulations to you as well for Isabella.  Our granddaughter is the joy of our lives and I know she and her older sister are the same for you.

Marie:  We really need to see pictures of you and your daughter in costume.  Best of luck to you both and I know both of you will cross both finish lines.

Mary Kay:  I'm glad that you've not scheduled any longer races for the hotter summer months.  Even with 7AM start times, conditions can be really bad within an hour.  Please take care of yourself.  You don't need to make this worse by pushing yourself out the door when you should be resting.  Soup is good for you, even if you can't taste it at this point.

Forecast for us here in Chicago is warming to the low 40s by midweek.  May be time for a few road miles.

Steve-my only experience was last October; the FM was $90, the HM $55 at the Honky Tonk Marathon.  The Fox Cites in Appleton, that I plan to register for when it opens, is $50 HM, $60 FM at the early registration; that goes up progressively to $90/$100 if register weekend of race.  Lots of variability it seems.

We should try to do a HM in SE Wisconsin this year or next. Maybe we could get Debra and any other masters from this area to join us.

Yes, hoping to get on the road instead of TM with slight warming in the next week.  Good Luck.

Saw the note about Chicago weather - I used to live in Will county and went to school down in Peoria (Bradley).  I am looking for a good source for race info in/around Chicago area.  I plan to be in area 10-15 march and was trying to find race on the 10th.  I am driving out and cannot make a run on the 9th.  Son and nephew's spring break line up this year so we are planning visit.  I am most likely going to miss my St pats runs  ( I've done the Wash D.C. St pats 8k the last couple of years - its the unofficial start of the racing season out this way)  Missed the Cherry blossom 10 Miler lottery this year - maybe I'll remember next for next year. 

I done several races in the chicago area over the past couple of years.  in-laws are in Naperville area. 

Hello All,

Ran the Resolution 15k in San Diego yesterday.  It was 46 degrees and raining lightly at the start, but soon cleared to most sunny conditions.  I had no residual problems with the groin strain and finished in 1:30:17 (about a 9:43 per mile pace).  This was my first 15k, so this 59yo was happy with the result.  My wife did the 5k, and power walked it in 41 minutes.

Next up is the San Diego HM in March.

Cheers.

P.S.  I feel the pain about HM entry fees.  I want to do the Disneyland HM in September and the fee is $175!