Ran 4 miles Thursday, 29:17, and did the 20-minute hill workout Friday, plus a 1.3 mile run after to make 3 miles total. Also did the core workouts each day before running.

It's warmer today than the past three days, but it's supposed to be windy. I have all my gear packed for the 5k this morning. My nephew backed out, but I may go alone anyway, if the wind doesn't get much worse.

Debm... Good news for you from the hematologist. My bloodwork last week showed low iron again - slight anemia. I went to the hemat last year and he wanted me to come back again, but he said he couldn't figure out why my numbers were where they were. My reticulocytes (sp?) weren't normal. I told him I felt great and didn't have any symptoms he asked about. I told him if he didn't have any ideas, I wouldn't be back. I stopped taking iron pills last summer. So now my PCP says start back up on the iron and we'll see next year at my physical. The worst thing about it all for me is I can't donate blood. I've done that since high school. I got rejected a few times for low iron, so I think I've had this issue for years. We'll see after next year's tests.

Mkay.... I'll be 57 next month.

NHLA.... Three sunsets in one run is pretty cool. I'll be happy when I see sunsets later in the day.

Az2Mn.... 9 miles in the snow in cold temps??? Are you sure you're a grandmother?

JeffCT.... Get those 3 miles in. And go for the chili when possible.

Blackjack 5k.  22min 10 sec  4th place overall.  The course was a mess. It flooded then 1000 runners, bikes, and dogs ran thru then it froze solid. I just could not run any faster without busting it. 1st card 4, second 8, third king = busted. Nice turnout considering how cold it was.

jimsab get a new doctor.

deb how are you listed on DM? I'm jimmie t.

New Year's Day got in 6 miles plus an hour of yoga.  Not so good since then with only 4.5 miles on the 'mill while in Austin, then an hour lifting this morning.

A neighbor stopped by today and asked if I wanted to go for a run...so we are heading out tomorrow at 11 AM.  Know he is faster than me so maybe this can help break me out of the funk I have been in.

Been reading all your posts but tough to respond while I was out of town.  Great off season work by everyone.  NHLA, good race today!

Have you all decided where to take this thread?  I am happy to move as long as we can keep the group together.

Keep up the great work, and be fearless!

jmsab - I can't remember all the different tests, but tests I had!  We ruled out celiac disease, and no blood in GI tract (fortunately in a non-invasive manner) and a few others as causes for anemia.  My levels are still low,but I'm out of the official anemia diagnosis.  I've known for a while I can't even try to donate blood - they won't take me.  Good luck!

NHLA - Hi jimmie t. - nice pic!  Love having a face to go with the posts I'm Deborah M. but I just signed up the beginning of the year to check it out and have only posted once or twice so far.  Congrats on the race today  - despite the course coonditions - tough luck on the cards.

Dan - nice 5 on the TM - I'm lucky to get up  to 4 miles but I'll keep working at it.  Tomorrow - assuming I can get out of bed - will be an outdoor run in the daylight before church.

degregorious - glad you're feeling better

Linus - it's hard to be motivated right now - is it winter in general or the darkness or what?  Regardless hope the funk doesn't last.

OldCoyote - don't feel guilty.  First, if there was nothing you could  do, you're better off out of the way,second prayer is always helpful, and third what better way to honor a fallen runner than by completing your run - while praying.  I hope he is on the road to recovery and will include him in my prayers too. 

Another successful day in Scouting.  I left my house at 5:15 am, ran the kitchen to feed the volunteers all day, and sat down on my sofa, in my jammies, at 5:15 p.m.  It feels good to sit. 

jmsab: grats on the great race!  3rd male is a place I will never be unless there are 4 or fewer runners!  Know what you mean about yoga, and actually thought that until I tried it.  60 minutes goes by incredibly fast and it is a much harder workout than it sounds.  I was sore for most of the week from the two I did last weekend, and I regularly lift, stretch and do core work. A good yoga class can be very intense and rewarding.

debm:  thanks for the words of encouragement.  Think you're right about winter, plus work sucks right now, etc.  Good news is oldest daughter graduated college three weeks ago and starts her first full time job in 8 short days.  I love her dearly but will be glad to see her go!  Great work with the Scouts!

coyote:  AWESOME time, and grats on the blowout PR!  A good start to the New Year.  Good news on the job...hope it works out.  Will be there next week for the QQ...not sure if I will run or just cheer you on.  Talk later this week about meeting before the race either way.

degregorious:  nice work on the 12 miles!  Can't wait to get back there where 12 miles is a regular run myself.

az:  congrats on the being a grand parent!  Hope mom and baby are doing great!

melodylea:  I shiver every time I read one of your posts!  Way to go on pushing through the elements!

tim:  welcome to this great group!  Looks like you are pretty fast for a new runner...keep it up!

francessmom:  met a guy at the gym today here in CO with a North Penn shirt on so yacked it up about Philly.  He is a real runner though and much younger than me but was good to talk about the old stomping grounds!

mkayc:  glad you are feeling better.  Too bad about our Bengals, or should I call them our Bungles?  Maybe next year?  Looks like Reds traded up and finally have a lead off hitter so lots to look forward to in a couple months.

jeffct:  Nice skeleton outfit!  You going to do the plunge, or not?

NHLA:  I am happy to get one sunset per day, and we have some gorgeous ones here in CO.  But three in one day, that is special!

justrundan:  ncie job on the NY 8k!  Brrrrr!

oshcat:  looks like you layered up nicely!  Nice job on the color race, and thanks for the tips for future.

snerb:  good to hear from you and glad your winter regimen is working out.  Best of luck this year!

Run free and strong, friends!

And go Notre Dame!

Hello running buddies! Hope your 2013 is off to a fabulous start. I've been having a hard time breathing while running outside this week. The temps have been cold and my asthma has been really bad. I know several people who've come down with respiratory infections and I don't feel like I have one, but I did make an appt to see my ENT next week. Hoping he can help because I want to run comfortably. I also ordered one of the neck gators as I'm thinking the cold air going into my lungs might be causing the discomfort. Outside of my crappy, asthmatic lungs , the rest of my body feels great. I ran a free half marathon this morning called the Red Nose Half in Columbus, GA. I've lived in GA for over a decade and had never visited this city, about 2 hours south of Atlanta. The organization of this free race was superb and the route, mostly on paved trails along the Chattahoochee River, was beautiful! I wish I'd run with my camera. I took this run easy mostly because I didn't want to go into an asthma attack but also because there was no medal or t-shirt, so why kill myself? lol. Treated it as a long run, but still took my time, especially in the beginning when I ran almost an 11:00/mile. I ended up finishing at 2:07. I really don't get how that is possible because I felt like I was running slowly. I'll take it though. Felt good to get in my first double digit run since Thanksgiving.

Looks like I'll get a free race entry into the Hot Chocolate 15k next weekend and the following weekend is the Bermuda Challenge--3 races in 3 days = 4 medals! I'm super Geeked about that. I'm also considering signing up for the Mercedes Benz Half in Feb and the Snickers Marathon in March. I saw the medal for the Mercedes Half and think I've been hypnotized by the bling. Haha. It's so pretty!

Congrats to all of you on your runs/races. I need to get back on here more often so I can read the deets. Have an awesome weekend, my friends. Happy Running!

- NRDGirl

Good and Happy New year to all:

I have done several runs recently:  Fairfax 4 miler on New years Eve  --  49:34.  of greater note I passed my son not once, not twice, but three times during the race (he was running/pacing a friend and being a good sport) on one section of the race  (just past the h2O stop) as I passed him for the last time he asked "why are you running so fast?"  gravity was my answer  ( it was steep down hill section). He and his friend proceeded to pass me few meters later and finished a mere 3 min ahead of me.  He was surprised as I actually ran several sections vice my normal walk. 

Today I did 6km in 46 Min.  once again the biggest accomplishment was running an actual mile (jogging really) then alternating walk 500 m / Jog 500 m.  this is of note as these are the first times i have tried to extend running at all since April 2012.  I am almost ready to declare knee healed and work on extending running to include a full 5K running in the next few months.  after the 6 Km run, wife and I walked 3.4km for grand total today of 9.4Km!

weather has been fine - highs in the 40's lows in the upper 20's  I so much like running in the cool weather compared to the summer heat.