hey everyone!

no dogs today!  I did 8 miles on our bike trail in 1:05 - pretty pleased with time.  I was pushing a bit more than usual because of unusually cool wonderful weather and amazing music.  Aside from weird "floating kneecap sensation" - all was right in my little plot on the planet. 

Spicegeek & Mary:  Push-up challenge?  I would rather chew tinfoil.  I've found when I squint my eyes ever so slightly it makes things kind of blurry and looking at my loose arm skin doesn't even bother me much - ughh.

Miss Wendy:  I bow to you.  16 miles - wow.  I'm glad you are safe from storm - though you clearly could have outrun it if you had to.

Welcome Teabag259  good luck at your HM on Oct 4th, I do my first HM on October 19th - I made the hotel reservations yesterday for me & home cheering section.  All they had left was a smoking room.  We'll see if I can handle it.

Rachel - I vote for SUGAR!  I crave it more as I get older.  As evidenced by my addiction to Indiana Popcorn Kettlecorn variety (not cheddar or bbq) - I love sweet & salty - but sugar rules the day in our house.  Imagine my dismay when I went to Friendly's for ice cream last week and the girl at the window knew my name. 

Now for the pie bakers in the bunch - I will gladly trade fresh basil pesto & tomato sauce from garden for pie any variety (except mincemeat YUK).

Chamblin/runjr - intervals?  Do you time yourself on your iPod?  What dedication. 

MacD - hope your speedy run is fun.

Joe - cool three

Congratulations running rach  & reeb - you rock.

Off to pick up school clothes for DS who starts his senior year in HS tomorrow.  Where do the years go?

Day 2 week 3 of the push up challange

25 17 17 15 max out 30 .. this was by FAR the toughest day yet - but the total == 104

5 mile run and some pull ups to round it all off

I can say with out a shadow of a doubt that blueberries and raspberries work just as well as peaches and strawberries = the mega batch of pies went to the gym with me and got me 4 kisses, 1 " you are the hottest thing in the gym" and 1 " I love you" ... all from very hot, very fit 20 something year old boys ! .. I rule !!!! lol

teabag - your body takes more that 1 week to fully recover from a 10 mile + run if you don`t take a step back week you`ll risk burning out before the race - trust me you`ll be fine on race day - I ran my last half and trained up to 10 miles - I ran my longest training run for this coming race on Sunday 10.5 miles

runjr  me ...take it easy ????  ... lol you are suppo

macd yup I`m back at me regular gym with my boys ! I miss them on these long weekends - they are such sweet hearts !

Cara my folks are moaning about the weather too - they live in Wales so it`s probabrly even wetter !

Dari Sounds like you had a great run - amazing what a little water will do for you !! Don`t  mind me on the 100 push up challange - My trainers are all about the basics so I decided to follow this program to see if I could get to 100 push ups with out stopping - I`m also a little crazy about weight training - I like my muscles ! Now if you can figure out a way for me to get the pies to you i`ll happily take the sauce !!

misswendy - glad you safe .. white peaches .. bland .. noted !

hi all, easy 6.1 tonight. It was really hot and humid.  Traveling the next few days.

dari - great run and no dogs!!!!  Nice quick run.  Can you share the tunes that got you going, I am always looking for good ones. As for intervals I use my garmin.  I understand the question "where did the years go".  With DD off to college it is really different.

misswendy - great run and you are safe with new shoes.

spicegeek - you are doing great with the pushups.  Glad you are back to EC and your gym.

reeb - IMO maybe rest a bit and then at least keep your long runs if possible.

chuck - how are you doing.

take care all.

Good job mac.  Sucks about missing out on the cooler weather. Goes back to the old adage..Never put off til tomorrow what you can do today.

Great job chamblin.  You did something that 99.99999% of people can't and wouldn't do.  You should be proud.  Very impressive.

Keep up the good work runjr.

Great work today chilidog.  That is a very nice training time.  Hope your knee is ok. 

Keep on trucking misswendy.  New Gear is good!

Congrats on your first HM Jess.  I'm a newbie too.  I'm sure it was a great experience.  Good nluck on your next round of training for San Antonio!

Thanks Joe and Spice for the further advice.  I think you guys are right.  I am still tired from my 11 miles on Saturday.  I usually recover faster than this.  I figured my slow 5.5 yesterday would ease me back into it..but it hasn't.  I really can't fathom running another long run Friday or Saturday right now.  I just don't feel it right now energy wise.  I think i'll go for an easy 3 miles tomorrow (Wednesday) and then a moderate paced 7 or so Friday.  My energy level is so poor right now that my weight training is lackluster thus far this week too.  Due to my schedule this week I missed my one totally off day so this may play into it.  But I will be off Saturday and Sunday exercise wise so that should hopefully recharge my batteries.  I'm happy to hear from you more experienced runners that 11 miles or so is as long as I have to go on my training runs.  based on how this last one made me feel i dont think i want to do 2-3 long runs more before my HM.  I guess I just have to trust the leg strength that I have already built up.  Being new to this it's tough!  ?:|

Hey everyone, I had a great run this morning. I ran 3 miles on my hill route. On the 3 mile route there's only one hill. Ran it in 25:42 this morning.It's 80 with humidity at 84% at 4 in the morning, please, bring on Fall weather. That lay off I had makes it hard to run in the heat after getting use to the AC!

Came home yesterday and looked up stairs and seen a young girl wearing one of my old karate studio shirts. I said hey where did you get that shirt and she said hey Mr. Chuck, you use to be my instructor. I was shocked, it was one of my little girls I had not seen sense she was 10. After she said her name though I remembered her. She use to come in on crutches because she had a tumor in her calf but she would put them down and go through class. She was close to getting her Black Belt and didn't let a tumor stop her from getting it. I told her thats why I remembered her. Great Young Lady!

Runjr I am doing good. My Long runs need to start coming up, only at 5 right now. Other than that my running is starting to come back. If the storms would stay away maybe I'll get a long run in this weekend.

Well off to work I go! Oh a quick dog story for me. My son was teaching me to run long distance, I ran 400 in track so I didn't know how to run 3 miles and he was showing me how and to run hills. I had just ran over this hill and Chad had to break off in the woods for a sec. 2 dogs came running at me, the owner was yelling at them but 1 kept comming. I stopped and  here comes Chad , without breaking stride kicks the dog in the mouth and keeps going and yells back at me to come on. The dog ran back to the owner and I took off to catch Chad. I was impressed. Wasn't for him I would of been bitten.

Hey all!

misswendy, glad to hear you are safe. Hope you have made it home, or do soon! New shoes & shorts are always nice. What color(s)?

spicegeek, it sounds like your boys are proving that "way to a man's heart" saying lol. Good 5 miles... are you tapering yet?

Reeb, 67 is warm to me after a couple weeks of lows in the 50s. I'm always done running before sun-up on weekdays, and start my weekend runs then too... I need to do some daytime running in the next 6 weeks so I'm somewhat acclimated for my race. It would have to be some shirt to get me to sign up for a half lol. You should find nice places to run in CA (if you're looking!).

runjr, nice easy run! It's hot & humid here, but t-storms are supposed to move in today & tomorrow, and then more pleasant temps. I bet DW will be lonely with you traveling and DD at school. Good luck to all of you on the adjustment!

Jess, welcome! I agree w/Carayou're braver than me to run a half without more training! Sounds like you're well on your way to being ready for SAgood luck!

teabag, right you are... I got a humid 71 for procrastinating yesterday. I know, the southerners would take that in a heartbeat... Sounds like you could use a couple days of rest. Hope your energy returns soon!

Cara, enjoy your rest day!

Chuck, your 3 in the heat/humidity this morning were much speedier than mine! Sounds like you are doing well. Neat story about the girl in the shirtshe sounds awesome. Scary dog story!hope that's not a tactic I ever need to use!

Joe, enjoy your rest day! Mid-90s, ugh! My 3 was sweaty at 71 this morning. I'm kind of hoping for rain (light) to run in tomorrow. Our lawn needs it too.

Everyone have a good one!

hey yall

10 miles this morning.  i did not run early b/c today was the first day for ds playschool. so i have the morning to myself. (finally!)  i went out at 8 am and it was very hot and humid.

heres a stab at getting caught up on shoutouts!

spicegeek...omg i am measuring out the flour as i type in anticipation of an evening of fun with raspberry tarts! LOL great job on the pushup challenge! you are not afraid to take on anything.

reeb...i agree on the long mile 12! the sport beans are yummy and they dont have any ill effects that i have noticed. did you post a pic of the cool race shirt?

runjr...are you getting an easy recovery week in? hope your travels allow for some running and maybe some new restaurants. hope dd is doing well at school and that you and dw are looking forward to new part of life!

jc...wow, an hm on a whim. how cool! you will probably really enjoy training. welcome to our group

teabag...hope you get rested up and ready for another run soon.

chamblin....hope the rain settles down for you. actually missed the rain this morning, i was surprised.

chuck...cool story about the karate girl. great job on the hills! glad to know you werent bitten and that your son was such a quick thinker. dogs can be such a pain!

joe...dh is trying to decide what new laptop to get. he really wants a mac, but idk what he will decide. no rain at all! crazy!

macd...my new shoes are blue and black on white. i didnt get a choice, that was just the color they came in. the shorts are dark navy. nothing too exciting, like pink camo!

chili...excuse me, there was a lot of parking with airsupply in the background in my college days! and i was reprimanded for singing def leppard outloud with my WALKMAN on the bus! LMAO!!! i wouldve been in big trouble laughing at that guy too. maybe he was gettin krunk for his big race! hahahahahaha

love to all