Snerb I LOVE eating Paleo! It feels so right and clean, plus my goal of getting under 20% BMI is within reach because of this diet. So, Paleo or Primal..I vote yes! Glad you got all warmed up. I like running in winter partly because it feels so good to warm up again.

Debm2011 Nice on your super strong run Thursday! Feels great to feel great, eh?

NHLA Power on, Mr. Inspiration!!

I'm still hacking away like an old smoker. No running for me in the near future. But, that will give Amazon time to deliver my new kicks! Yay.

OshCat YOU go girl, with all those 5Ks. Way to go. Yep, my shoes are already very worn down in just 3 months! Guess thats part of uping the miles.

    MK - sorry I missed that, best of luck to you too!

Weird Friday.  I got an unexpected short day of work but it poured all morning and part of afternoon.  Decided to run before dinner.  Friday traffic was awful - so I altered my usual course to avoid stopping at lights and cross traffic. Ran for 30 minutes - don't know mileage,  Much prefer morning runs for both traffic and digestive reasons.  Glad I got some running time in.

Good luck to all you racers this weekend.  May you set new PRs and finish injury free!

OshCat - all those upcoming races - wonderful!  You are inspiring me.  I'l think I'll sign up for the local Y 4 mile race Thanksgiving weekend - plenty of time to be ready after my half.

MelodyLea - hmmmm paleo.  I need to do something.  I'll have to do some reading.  I hope you're feeling better soon!

MaryKay - I was born and raised in the western suburbs (Delaware County), transplanted up north when I went to college.  If Philly is a small town  big city, then Boston is an even smaller town smaller city

OldCoyote - I'm sorry for your troubles, but you are strong.    Find joy in everything that you can - even an orange cap.

Francesmom - glad you got your run in.  I have to agree - morning runs are preferable.  By evening I've run out of steam.

Good Luck Dan, OC, Linus, MaryKay and all others racing this weekend!

This morning was 5 miles in the rain. Not as super strong as yesterday but pretty darn good.

justrundan -  You're strong and ready. This Marathon is yours, now go out and take it!

linuscatch -  Have a great run in PA. What's your bib#?

mkayc -  Good luck on your half!

OshCat - I have a feeling that winter runs are a bit colder in Oshkosh than Denver.

NHLA -  "stay away from people". I'm not the most social person to begin with. Should be able to do this!

MelodyLea - Thanks for the encouragement. Take a look at this BMI calculator here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18770328 . It tells you what your BMI is compared to others of your age/gender in the United States and around the world! I'm an average Sri Lankan. Note that you must enter your country as "United States". "USA" doesn't work.

DebM - Thanks for the good words.

Snerb - I love the summer, don't get me wrong, but there's something about running while the snow falls that brings peace to my soul.     

Francessmom - AM runs are my favorite.

I ran a 35 minute unmeasured route this morning. Slow, almost recovery run pace, just getting the HR up for a bit. I bought a small (10oz) handheld bottle yesterday. I really just wanted something with a pocket to hold Jolly Ranchers and a couple of gels. There are aid stations every 2 miles on the course, so I COULD carry nothing, but it seems to me that there be dragons  that direction. Better safe than sorry. I ran with the bottle today, and it will work beautifully. Nathan makes some fine equipment. Pricey, but well designed and manufactured.

Stress has killed my appetite. I was two lbs below my goal weight yesterday, and just trying to restore my glycogen was difficult. I broke down and ordered pizza and cheesebread. Not even whole wheat crust. I know, evil white flour, and I don't need the fats, but anything to get some carbs in me! I had that for dinner and breakfast, then I'll eat a brown rice and turkey dish for lunch, and whole wheat spaghetti tonight. I'm going to the mall today and getting a neck and shoulder massage from one of the two Chinese Massage vendors. Two massage places, two survey places, 117 cell phone stores...And it's not THAT big a mall.

You've all been inspirational to me, and I'll owe my finish in part to you. Unless I DNF; then it's all me . But I'm trained, and I'll be fueled, and I've run through the wall before, 3 times in training, before I figured out fueling (eat as much as I can while running). I will not DNF unless injured, or act of God, and I'm confident that He wants me to finish. So, tomorrow afternoon, I'll pop back here, record my time, and then reflect.

And write a full race report.

Bib 1445.

For Avery: I'm scared, but I'm fearless.

For Micah True: I run free!

For my God: I shall fear no evil.

Thanks, all, for your good wishes for tomorrow's race.  Good luck also to mkayc, justrundan, and oldcoyote!  You all have trained hard, so run strong, and have a great race.

melodylea:  hope you feel better soon!  Enjoy the kicks!

nhla:  Alzheimer's is a cruel disease.  My FIL is in early stages but we know where it is headed.  Good luck with you MIL.

debm:  agree with you about Boston, having lived in Cincy, Philly, Boston and many other bigger cities.  I lived 35 miles west of Boston but whenever I went to a sporting event downtown, I ALWAYS ran into someone I knew.  It was uncanny.  And the best ever Italian food in the North End. 

Nice run in the rain.

mkayc:  Know exactly how you feel about work.  Bosses suck!  Forget all about him/her and have a great race.

snerb:  re: Paleo diet, I love meat, but have come to love the carbs just as much since beginning longer distance training.  Happy hunting and good luck with the diet.

coyote: don't know what your trials are but know that we will all be thinking of you tomorrow and beyond.  You will kill the marathon.  Good idea to survey the course.  Think positive thoughts, trust your training, and relax/enjoy the surroundings.  I am bib 8344.

Did last easy track workout here on Thur, and a 2.5 mile "shakeout" run today.  Am loving "sea level".  Went and drove the race route yesterday.  Like coyote's race, this course has 4 hills in the first 5 miles, and then mostly downhill after mile 7, with one last hill at mile 10.  The course runs through 2 college campuses, along a creek, through old town Bethlehem, some beautiful old neighborhoods, and finally finishes (same as start) as the old Bethlehem Steel factory.

Plan to go out easy, enjoy the crowd and scenery and feel strong at the end.

Run strong, be free and stay fearless!

This is the last lesson our parents teach us.

I learned that I will never screw up bad enough to be put in memory care.                                     

She thought she was in prison so she escaped thru the window. Now she goes to the next level.

The place is great. It will be nice to have her so close. Only 19 miles so I can run there.

My only worry is she won't find people on her level.

Got a new girlfriend. She said "I know how you're doing, you're handsome." I said thanks. This may be one of the best pick up lines I've heard.