Virtual Running Buddies -- Week of 8/10 -- Les' Retirement Day!

[seathyme]

Thinking about you today, Les. Congratulations on the completion of a stellar naval career, and thank you for serving our country.:)

So I'm hearing some sparks of real interest in "VRBs in da UP" -- cool! The deal with Manninen's Cabins is that they rent by the week. I believe the rate is *very* reasonable; UP economy is low to begin with, and Uncle George and Aunt Ruth are Depression-era babies who have been running this business for 50 years... you get the picture. Anyway I will inquire as to weeks next summer when there might be 2-4 cabins open and let you know!

Mary, Wausau is closer to here than anyone else's starting points -- Susan could even pick you up on her way!:D Map out Houghton or Chassell Michigan for the closest "metropolis." We're actually about 17 miles south of Houghton on Otter Lake (beware another Otter Lake in lower MI if you're googling though). $10 for 10 days of yoga -- gotta love that! Very funny about doing hot yoga outside in Fresno! I always thought the whole point of going to SD was to avoid "hot" anything!:p

Kathy, that's an amazing take for a church sale, esp in the middle of the summer. Pie, yum...

Natasha, you are now the official VRB Technical Shirt Queen.:D Good job hiking and running on the same day -- cool weather after hot is so motivating, isn't it?

Susan, congrats on the 2.5 hour run. You're in the home stretch now -- when is your IM again?

I did accomplish yesterday morning's run; lovely time out there but no deer to report. I did have one local experience: at the 3-mile turnaround point I was just starting back when CRASH! Someone felled an obviously very large tree very close to where I was. Tree was out of sight in the woods, and I had heard a chainsaw prior to the drop, but didn't expect a minor earthquake. Got a shot of adrenaline out of that.

Proceeded to haul stumps and tree parts out of our view later in the day, and did more of that this morning. Counting it as functional weight training, or so say my arms today.

Hello to Betsy, Kim, Vicci, and everyone else -- have a good weekend!

[seathyme]

p.s. Does anyone else see the title of the Scooters threads on this forum and think of sneakers?? YKYARW... :D :D

[badunnin]

Seathyme - I actually might be up for staying an extra week, if you could look into that as well. I'd love to spend some time in my old stomping grounds. Dinner at the Ambassador anyone? Beer at the Library? :D

Today's run has been deferred - I've had 2 birds in the house in 2 days, so dad and I spent some time on the roof this afternoon, then did a few more odd jobs around the house. I'll probably be on the road tonight for a run.

Congrates Les!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Thanks seathyme for remembering and it was a great and VERY EMOTIONAL day. I'm emotionally spent but it feels good to be over the ceremony. I had a good night's sleep once I turned in and a good morning leading up to everything. I tried to tell a story about me and my career not just recount places/things/sights. Suffice to say a lot of people were moved and not that I was trying but there were lots (military included) in tears. But it was beautiful and everyone appreciated and commented on the ceremony and how professionally and well done it was.

Need to go pack a little more for the trip up north tomorrow so I'll see you all later. BTW besides hot and rain no run today.

Happy trails,
Les

[Natasha]

Les, thanks for the update! I'm glad it went well and can imagine that the speech was moving. Congratulations!!

Seathyme, thanks for starting us off this week, and for the info on the cabins. Sounds great!

Hi to everyone else! Today was a planned day off training after doing 6/7 days. It was our weekly "date night", which today featured a movie and a fun dinner :)

Natasha

[VictoriaL]

Hi everyone, and
Congratulations, Les!!! :D

Today was another half-hour on the exercise bike next to the a/c unit. The humidity IN our house was 91%. Shouldn't it have been raining or something???

I miss running. I can't wait to see if the waterfall is actually a waterfall again (it dried up about 10 days ago). Why can I run trails for 50 minutes but it's excruciatingly boring to be on the EB for a measly 30 minutes? ;) I guess that pedaling, going nowhere, and staring at the fireplace would be an answer. I did realize that we really need something above that fireplace. A mirror, perhaps...

I hope that everyone has a nice weekend and able to run in a nice, cool low-humidity environment (hey, I can wish for you all, can't I?!?!?)

[Natasha]

Hi everyone!

Vicci, smart choice to stay indoors when it's that hot and humid. Here's hoping the weather improves for you soon! It's hot here, too, but not unbearable (knock on wood ;)). Still not great weather for extended outdoor activities, though, unless they're on/in water.

[SusanMac]

Nat - *very* cool photos!! Can't tell which ones are Hawaii & which are Canada ;-)

Les - I can only imagine the emotions of your day yesterday! So glad the ceremony went well.

Seathyme - thx for the UP info. We're planning a cycling vacation next summer in Europe, but have no idea yet just when. Would love to also consider a trip to the UP. Given how close it is, I"m sure we could do both. Have to convince DH that it's not strange to vacation w/virtual friends :-)

Victoria - I'm w/you. Simply cannot do stationary machine exercise staring at the walls. Sounds like it's inspiring some new decorating ideas for you, tho!

Well, I've had an odd few days. Thurs night couldn't sleep & woke w/literally every muscle & bone aching, from my extra long run, no doubt. So, bailed on my swim. Decided to do a short bike, got in 25 miles & it really loosened me up. Yeah! Slept great last night. Felt good this morning. Drove 1 hour w/my girlfriend to a nearby lake to swim. When we arrived...thunder & lightning! Argh. Turned around. Drove back home. Oi! Must swim today. So, I'm headed to the grocery store & hoping the storm will pass through so I can swim this afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed. It's my only swim of the week, so absolutely, positively must do it. What's a girl w/out a pool membership to do?!

Howdy to the rest o' the gang!

[badunnin]

Have to convince DH that it's not strange to vacation w/virtual friends :-)


Oi! We've met IRL now! We're not just virtual friends! ;)

Yesterday's deferred run was deferred until today. Did work with dad yesterday, though, and ended up in contorted positions while trying to hold a very heavy microwave and my right leg is killing me. Like, easing myself onto the toilet, hurts to put pressure on it. Not pulled or strained, but I do think it was in odd positions for too long. So, we'll see how things go. Mentally things are starting to suck. We are looking at probably less than a month with my aunt, and it really puts a strain on things. Just have to get things planned as well as I can for the first week of school, and my team has a back-up plan for the event that I'm scheduled to do on Sept 8. (Oh yeah, remember that race? Crap.)

[Natasha]

Hi again all,

Susan, good luck getting in the swim today!! Fingers crossed for you. I hope you convince DH to join us for the next VRB event (Weird?? It's weird to meet us?? :p). It would be great to meet him too.

Bethany, hang in there. :( Hope the leg improves soon. Take it easy today. Also sorry to hear the latest about your aunt. This can't be an easy time for any of you. Feel free to vent if you like!

Off to bike or run. Can't decide which. Actually, I'm feeling bonkish right now so maybe a hit of caffeine, and some water afterwards, are needed before I do either one! Plus clumsy me bumped into a corner yesterday (don't ask) so one of my knees is a bit sore :rolleyes:

Natasha

[Elizabeth B]

CONGRATULATIONS, LES!! I'll bet your retirement ceremony was very moving. I'm kind of glad I wasn't there, because I'm sure I would have cried. So now that you're officially retired, when do you head up to your new home?

Lots of excitement with everyone, so I'm not sure where to start!! The VRB gathering sounds fun, but I'm not sure whether I can swing it or not. But I'll be there if I can.

Natasha - Those pictures are beautiful - I love the one of the surf!

Vicci - Your story about the dead deer was freaky. I've run across small dead animals and I usually scream very loudly. Your property sounds so beautiful - a waterfall - WOW!

Bethany - I'm sorry to hear about your aunt (and your knee). Hopefully, the knee will resolve itself after taking it easy for a couple of days.

Susan - That's too bad about not being able to do your open-water swim this morning (especially after driving an hour to get there). I hope the weather clears so that you can get it in later today. But it sounds as though your training is right on track.

We set record highs this past week - it got up to around 104 on Thursday and was around 100 for most of the week. I did get in my 3 weekday morning runs and felt good about them. This morning I went to a Y on the other side of town where they have 50 meter swim lanes in the outside pool. So I did laps, rested, and then did some more - around 1,000 meters total. It felt great and I was out of there before the pool area got crowded. Tonight DH and I are supposed to go the first Titans preseason game. I'm a little worried about him because he does not do well in hot weather. Tomorrow I'm going to get up early and try to run as long as I can. My long runs are really suffering as a result of this heat - and unfortunately, our forecast doesn't call for a cool down any time soon.

That's it for me! Take care, all!

[badunnin]

Body was overriding the mind today - had a great 35 minutes today. Felt sore in the right hamstring/glute, but strong.

Betsy - for the UP trip, consider flying into a VRB city (Detroit perhaps) and catching a ride up with one of us! It's a long trip, but together, we can do it! Go team! :cool:

[Leslie Ferguson]

Greetings from lovely Alexandria VA... (should answer your question Betsy).

Great pictures Nat I always loved Haleakala. We went up there a couple days after Christmas for sunrise (what a wonderful thing). It was below freezing at the top and windy. Sounds like you've had a good rest day and a good workout today.

Yuck Susan, I don't think I've ever had that kind of reaction to running but then I've never run as far as you have with all the riding too. Hope you're feeling better.
Bethany - Sorry about your mental funk but it sounds like you got your body to behave. Emotions will do wonders to your exercise and your Aunt (thanks for the update) will sap your energy faster than you believe.
Howdy Betsy, thanks for thinking of me and I'll tell you that even the stiff military folks were teary eyed yesterday (even though that wasn't my intention).

Yep, we're finally here for good, or at least for 2 yrs 9 months. There's a lot of work to do but it's nice to have this step in my live on the road. Orientation starts Monday and class Tuesday. What am I thinking?

Beat from all the emotions so I'll bid adieu for now. Peace all and happy trails,
Les

[Natasha]

Hi all!

Les, hope Alexandria is treating you guys well, and that you're enjoying your new place! Good luck tomorrow and Tuesday!!

Bethany, nice job on that run.

Betsy, smart girl to swim in the intense heat. I hope you can make it to the UP somehow!

I have a ride and a run to report since my last post. Both were fun :)

Hi to everyone else. Susan, how are you feeling? Mary, I do hope you can make it to the UP too. It would be great to meet you! Vicci, are you up to a possible VRB meet? If you didn't know, a few VRBs met in Cincinnati last year for the Flying Pig race weekend, and it was a blast.

Take care, guys. It just started raining (yay!!). I think grocery shopping, tea, and baking are in order this afternoon, as well as organizing the home office with new storage stuff we bought yesterday. Then possibly a trip to a bookstore and a local Jazz Festival we frequent every year.

Natasha

[badunnin]

Jumping in today with a run to report. 35 minutes today, felt really good. Trying to push myself to get to 40 minutes in the next week, knowing it's all mental (just feeling distracted by life). Still doing intervals, and really comfortable with them.

[Elizabeth B]

I'm just popping in to say that I got my long run in this morning and it wasn't too bad! I got out there a little bit after 6 am and was able to get 8 miles in! It didn't start warming up until the last mile. I think the high today was 100 again.

Tomorrow night I have a race meeting. I was given two assignments and haven't completed either of them - YIKES! Hopefully, I can go to the running store tomorrow at lunch and ask them to provide one of the water stops.

[Leslie Ferguson]

I can tell that I'm not really reading quite yet...
An hour drive to a lake only to be shut out by rain is definitely no fun in my book Susan. Echoing Bethany and Nat, it would be different if we were in fact VRB but not any more, some/most of us are IRL Running buddies who inhabit the corners of north America. And what's not to like in a group - a minister, a priest in training, a hockey player, an adventure racer and his marathoning wife - I can't think of a more normal, or at least a great cross section of society, than that. :p Hope your swim went well.
Natasha - Don't tease us - rain! And I bet it's not 95% humidity when the rain stops either. It sounds like an enjoyable weekend for you and a couple good workouts.
Betsy - Good run today and good of you to stay in the pool yesterday in the heat. I hope you get the stuff done you need to get done before Thursday.
Good going Bethany, more time running will come soo enough.

As expected a decompress day. Slept late (really late), set up some shelves, got rid of boxes, cooked dinner. :) Backed up the kitchen sink (it was clogged by the previous renters - there was nasty old grease in the disposer), found a soon to be broken (it's dying) flush valve in one toilet - I bet the complex can't wait for me to go to school. :cool: On a running note, I scoped out a few trails to run on that are paved/dirt and along some of the creeks in the area so I may be set to go with safe running trails. And I've hooked up with the Galloway group here and they meet on an island just south of Reagan Airport which is just around the corner so next Saturday... I'm running long! :cool:

Oreintation starts tomorrow so I'm off to bed. Happy trails all,
Les

[SusanMac]

What a busy & fun weekend for everyone!

Les - Welcome to your new home! And happy Orientation Day! Hope it goes well for you. Glad you already found a running group. I had the same reaction to my long run as you had....I've run longer before & felt fine. I think it's just all the compounded workouts that are new.

Bethany - Glad your body ruled out your mind & you got in a few runs. You need the stress release w/your aunt's situation. Sending good thoughts to your family. Can't believe it's almost time for school again! Yes, I know *we're* IRL now, but I'd love to get DH to join us. Since Flying Pig went so well, he might be up for it. He's a bit more shy than me :-)

Elizabeth - your pool sounds cool! I'm assuming no more dizziness issues for you?

I didn't end up swimming Sat, but just had to let it go & call it a rest day. An experienced IM friend Fri night told me that my only goal in the next month is to stay healthy, so I keep reminding myself of that!!

Sun did a century bike. 1st half w/my 2 training girlfriends. They decided to cut it short & take a short route home. DH had driven out to meet us, so he & I continued. I ended up having a great day! It was hot, but the temps don't seem to bug me, which is good.

Today, I'm back on track w/my swims. 45 min in quite windy/wavy conditions, so that's good practice.

TKay - Are you out there lurking?? ;-) Pls jump in & tell us how your runs are coming along. Have you decided to add more run days to your schedule? What are you enjoying most about your new found sport?? I was never athletic as a kid, so one of the things I'm loving this year is the fact that, for the first time, I actually feel like an athlete. It's pretty empowering, esp as a woman.

[Leslie Ferguson]

Susan - I bet the compound workout is the thing that's causing you problems since I know you've done more and harder workouts. Hopefully that passes. Orientation day was today and it went well. I had a lady who has worked at the school for years ask about my father and mother (Dad graduated in 1993) - good to be there in a good light. Good that you had a good swim today and a good ride yesterday.

Probably won't run today since I've got a family dinner for new students and spouses in about 45 minutes but there may be a late ride if we don't stay out too late.

BTW - in response to a t-shirt quilt that was asked the other day, drop me a line and I think you may be in luck with a quilt. LW said she'd be amenable to making them just have to let me know when etc. PM or e-mail and we'll do some initial setting up.

Happy trails,
Les

[badunnin]

Les - I love orientation on campus. I don't know - it feels so autumnal and collegiate (which also happen to be 2 of my fav words!)

seathyme - I just came across an old PM from you, still in my PM box, that was sent 3 years ago (8/15/04) with info about da cabins in da UP!

[seathyme]

Wow Bethany. I remember you asked for that info; had forgotten it was 3 years ago already. Maybe in year 4 it will actually happen!:D I'm hoping to report back in a day or two with options for summer 08. Oh and Susan, my advice would be to downplay the minister/priest thing with DH and try to suggest we're at least somewhat *normal* people. :p Okay, only somewhat normal, but totally normal would be dull now, wouldn't it?

Betsy, good job on the early morning 8 miles. I'm impressed you got out there with the temps you've been having.

Vicci, LOL about the stationary bike staring at a blank fireplace. I guess if you ever have one of those days you wish were more than 24 hours long, you can just hop on the bike and stare at the wall, and your wish will be granted!

Les, I too love orientation -- all potential and no exams yet. Hope you've had a great day!

Natasha, your pictures were beautiful. Thanks for posting them. Lucky you got rain -- we really need some here; the grass is so dry it's crunchy.

I can report runs on Sat and Mon and yoga on Sun. One deer per run. This morning's deer was at a bit of a distance on the road. To my surprise it trotted *toward* me for a moment, before deciding to be spooked and taking off into the woods. Weather has been spectacular -- a great argument for da UP (hint hint you hot ones). My other activity lately has been wood chopping. DH has been teaching me, and I finally am starting to get how to split a log. When the axe cuts right through it's so gratifying! The rest of the time, well, is an opportunity to practice beginner's mind.:rolleyes:

Hello to all, and happy trails.

[Kathy B]

Hi, all! Finally got in 35 minutes on the TM with hills and intervals today. First run since last Wednesday I think. Not as much as I would have liked, but it was something. I had to work all weekend and again this afternoon, so I will take what I can get. I've also done some yoga and walks with the dog, so I haven't been a total slug!

I know I get plenty of walking in at work. Especially Saturday.....a new phone system was being installed at the hospital over the weekend, and it was pure bedlam! It seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong, and it was very difficult to work without being able to effectively communicate with other departments. We got through it in one piece, but it was very stressful for everyone. Glad that's over with!!

Les, I'm glad to hear your ceremony went so well and you had a day to yourself yesterday. Hope orientation went well today, too! When do your classes start, and do you know what you are taking? Do you get some choices, or is it pretty much a set schedule?

Susan, I'm glad you were finally able to get your swim in today! :) I think your IM friend is right on the money......take care of yourself!

[VictoriaL]

We received almost 4" of rain last Wednesday night thru Saturday morning, so it was the exercise bike a few more times. Boooooring! :D I spent a lovely Sunday chained to my computer for 9 hours, accomplishing a deadline that was a half-hour later removed, so I woke today just dying for a run. Alas, DH was ahead of me and suggested a bike ride (on a real bike! outside!!!) which we did. I started playing around with the way I was pedaling and soon I realized that he was huffing and puffing next to me. I was doing 16mph without even realizing it! Apparently pushing my feet downward with my heel leading gives more... oomph... (lack of a better work at 10:30pm) than the usual way I've pedaled a bike since I was a kid. Go figure.

Nat, I don't know if I'm ready for group running yet! ;) In fact, DH wants to run with me this month to work up to running together on the beach during our annual vacation at the beginning of September, and I keep putting him off. I guess I'm a loner... but it could change and I'll keep the Flying Pig in mind. I actually want to look it up-- great name! Also, those photos were fantastic!

Les, you retired on Friday and start classes tomorrow? Did I read that correctly? Wow.

Seathyme, "totally normal" is beyond dull! :)


I was never athletic as a kid, so one of the things I'm loving this year is the fact that, for the first time, I actually feel like an athlete. It's pretty empowering, esp as a woman.

Me, too, even though on the "athlete" scale I'm a lot lower than you are. My Mom still can't believe that I actually run (as opposed to "read"). ;)

[Leslie Ferguson]

Will answer orientation, retirement, and class questions all at once...
Vicci - Interestingly I like to run during the week by myself, at least most of the time, but I like to run long with people. It makes the time go faster and you find out such interesting things when you spend a while on the trail with nothing in particular to talk about. Riding my bike trainer gets me set up to watch TV shows that I've recorded or wouldn't normally watch and when I'm on the stationary bike in the gym I read magazines (typically heavy ones) but reading a book would be ablout as good as long as you didn't bead up too much.
seathyme - The joys and sense of accomplishment splitting wood... Your runs the past couple days sound so idyllic.
Kathy - Sorry about the phone system issues - hopefully they finally get settled out.

Bethany et al - Orientation was great fun today. I saw folks I haven't seen in a while, sat around and talked about things that weren't military, heard about how I'm going to spend most of my next three years, pretty much chilled through orientation, and had a great dinner on campus with LW and all the other spouses etc. Over the next three weeks I'm only taking 2 classes, Biblical Hebrew (not sure how that's different than regular Hebrew) and a class on Liturgics (otherwise known as how to speak in public in this case) meeting about 4 hours a day every day. Classes will be a mix of required courses and electives to make a total of 12 hours per semester and 79 hours over the three year course of study. Yes classes start tomorrow at 9:15 with Hebrew. But as the Dean said, this is probably less stressful than what I was doing last week, which is true but still. After the pace I've been keeping for the past couple months this will be relatively easy over the remainder of the month of August.

If my siatica calms down I'll probably run tomorrow, if not I want to bike on the trails around here just to see what's out there.

Happy trails all and see you on the 'morrow,
Les

[Elizabeth B]

Hello all! I'm at home today, waiting for both the plumber and the A/C repairman. Luckily, we have 2 A/C units so I slept on the sofa in the living room and DH had the sofa in the den. (The unit that isn't working controls the bedrooms). I have my fingers crossed that it's not a huge problem.

I had a fantastic run this morning - I think that my body is getting used to pushing faster through the entire distance. I finished in 28:08 and my last mile was under 9 minutes, which is HUGE for me.

I would love to meet y'all next summer, but I don't know if DH would go for it. He thinks the VRB group is a little unusual and, with our families so spread out, it would be a tough sell. It would be great fun to ride up from Detroit with Bethany, though!

Les - Your classes sound very interesting. Do you know Hebrew now? I have trouble with some of the sounds - my mouth isn't used to making them. I hope your sciatica calms down so that you can go out for a run.

Vicci - How fabulous that your DH wants to start running with you! I'd be thrilled if my DH ran with me. Even when he was much more active than he is now, he hated running, so I don't think that will ever happen.

Susan - I find it interesting that you're only now thinking of yourself as an athlete. I've actually been giving this topic some thought myself lately. I still don't consider myself an athlete, but I do consider myself an active person. I don't feel that I have great athletic ability, just that I'm getting out there. I find it very interesting because although I was not athletic at all as a child, I was always very active - bike riding, swimming, neighborhood relay races, etc. By the way, I'm not feeling dizzy at all when I swim now, but the fear of that feeling coming back keeps me at the pool on a regular basis. I'm afraid that if I stop by any length of time, I'll have to work through the process again.

Seathyme - Log splitting sounds like an interesting activity (and a pretty worthwhile one, too)! When do you head back home?

Kathy - A new phone system at work? I can sympathize with you there. We've had a couple of new phone systems installed at my office over the last few years and it never goes smoothly.

Well, the plumber is here already (installing new guts in our ancient toilets and fixing my leaky kitchen sink), so I'd better go.

Take care, all!

[Kathy B]

Kathy - A new phone system at work? I can sympathize with you there. We've had a couple of new phone systems installed at my office over the last few years and it never goes smoothly.



We've had the same phones for the past 20 years. When they told us about the upgrade, the 20-something staff were all saying, "Yeah! We were wondering when we would get new phones. These must be 20 years old!" whereas my friend and I (who have both been there as long as the phones have) looked at each other and said, "Why do we need new phones? The ones we have work just fine!" Must be that generation gap thingy! :p

Three mile run for me this morning. Hot and sweaty!

Hope your first day is great Les!

[TKay]

TKay - Are you out there lurking?? ;-) Pls jump in & tell us how your runs are coming along. Have you decided to add more run days to your schedule? What are you enjoying most about your new found sport?? I was never athletic as a kid, so one of the things I'm loving this year is the fact that, for the first time, I actually feel like an athlete. It's pretty empowering, esp as a woman.

Yep, you caught me! I've been lurking, trying to get the lay of the land before posting. I hope you guys can forgive me since I can't keep track of everybody yet. But thanks for encouraging me to post.

I have been running off and on for probably 12 years. As background, I never found running to be easy. As a child, I could sprint and was pretty quick, but the distances were never my forte. As an adult, I took karate, and part of the training involved running. I had such trouble with it even though I seemed to be fit in other ways. I went to a trainer and insisted she teach me how to run. She told me my strides were really long and that I should focus on moving up and down and not so much forward. She said to think of it as jogging, not running. With her help, I got over the hump and actually learned to enjoy my runs. However, I really did train myself to go slowly. Even now, I think I have a fear of speeding up, as if somehow my body will crack. I'm happy if I can do a ten-minute mile--I mean, really happy.

I recently started running again as part of my efforts to drop the 15 or so pounds I've put on of late. I also just want to feel better and be fit again. Today I did nearly four miles. It was a struggle until about half-way through when I actually started to feel good. It's funny, by the time my runs end I feel like I could keep going and going. I'm slow to warm up.

That's where I am. I hope you guys don't mind me horning in on your VRB group. I really enjoy reading about what you guys are doing.

Oh, and Susan, as for feeling like an athlete I know exactly what you mean. I had someone refer to me as "athletic" recently and I thought, "What? You mean ME?" I didn't play a lot of organized sports growing up, so I guess I never really thought of myself that way. I've always been active though. Kinda funny.

[seathyme]

Congrats on the 4 miles, TKay! Around here, speed does not matter at all -- a bunch of us, including me, are "penguins" (a la John Bingham, slow but at least out there), feeling pleased to be able to run at all... and I agree totally that it's hard work. Some days I enjoy it a lot; more often I enjoy parts of it -- especially the homestretch!:p Oh and don't worry about keeping up with "who's who" on the thread; quick check-in posts are just as valuable as the ones that comment on each person (I remind myself of this periodically too...).

And on that note, I'm really just checking in to say I had a chat this morning with George and Ruth re: Manninen's Cabins. The good news is that the rates are pretty much Depression-era. Small cabins in the second row back from the lake start at $200/week (!), while the bigger ones in front run in a range up to $325. I don't know how they make a living at all... The front cabins mostly have 2 BR, and the rear ones 1 BR. All have simple kitchens, living areas and front porches; there are 7 cabins total, made of logs, extremely cute.

The other news, however, is that they typically wait until the end of the year to take new reservations. First they give their long-time customers a chance to re-up. (I'll tell you, DH and I sometimes fantasize about running this business when (if) George and Ruth ever retire. At 78 they're still at it, but their age shows when it comes to things like taking in new business. We walked in their door this morning with new customers to offer them, and they didn't exactly jump at it!)

So here's what I'd suggest: why don't you guys pick a week or two in July/August next year when you'd like to come, and I'll pass the request on to Ruth. She told me this morning that she'll write me (they're not on email) around the first of the year with an update on availability for the summer.

Honestly, I think it can work out. They just aren't prepared to commit dates yet. And I'm telling you, this is a little slice of heaven up here. Bring your kayaks, bikes and running shoes! :D

To answer your question, Betsy, this is our last week up here. Feeling anticipatory sadness about leaving already...

[badunnin]

seathyme - your post reminds me of one of the many reasons I miss the UP! Question: when is black fly season? Might make all the difference! :D

Got in a really nice run on the TM today in between appointments and errands. 35 minutes and some strength training.

Betsy - I'd love to have a passenger on the trip up if you can make it!

[seathyme]

Early July is usually not ideal insect-wise... though we don't have those evil biting things that look like innocent houseflies but aren't. For some reason those are a Lake Superior specialty -- and you'd think we'd have 'em too, being just a few miles away, but thankfully no. This year was so dry that there were very few flies or mosquitos at all; usually you want to avoid the first half of July if you can.

Good job on the TM, Bethany. And I don't think I added my voice to the chorus of sympathy about your aunt. Take good care of yourself.:(

[Leslie Ferguson]

Yep, you caught me! I've been lurking, trying to get the lay of the land before posting. I hope you guys can forgive me since I can't keep track of everybody yet.... However, I really did train myself to go slowly. Even now, I think I have a fear of speeding up, as if somehow my body will crack. I'm happy if I can do a ten-minute mile--I mean, really happy.... It was a struggle until about half-way through when I actually started to feel good. It's funny, by the time my runs end I feel like I could keep going and going. I'm slow to warm up.

That's where I am. I hope you guys don't mind me horning in on your VRB group. I really enjoy reading about what you guys are doing....
Welcome TKay, I think I've been doing this thread since close to its inception and I still get people mixed up. :D Slowly isn't a problem (don't listen to my speed either - I'm kind of built like a gazelle right now) most of the folks I run with, and enjoy running with would be just thrilled for a 10 minute mile consistently. Distance will come with time and speed may come with time too but I wouldn't worry about speed. As for taking a couple miles to warm up, that's not too hard to believe, I'm in the same place a lot of times. Horn in whenever you feel like it, we're not exclusive... really.

Betsy - The only Hebrew I know is Shalom (and only learned to really spell it a couple days ago - in Hebrew characters). Luckily, most if not all of us are in the same boat and the class is a lot more about reading than oral but that will come in the remainder of the class I think. I hope your AC is working soon. BTW - Dad is meeting his cousin in Nashville in the fall, I may drop you a line to get some info for them.
seathyme - It would be great to go to the UP next summer but I'll have to wait until I find out about my CPE (clinical pastoral education) stint and (1) what my requirements are and (2) where my CPE will be. I should know later in the regular term but that figure isn't too terrible for a week at the lake.

I'm really loving class and school. The bulk of orientation is over and we had our first 2.5 hours of Hebrew (three more classes this week). It was fun and the prof understands we are all Hebrew neophytes and there is reasonable expectation but no high aspirations (none of us are expected to be able to Cant at temple). Tomorrow is my first installment of the other class which could be fun or could be boring - lots of how to read in public.

Reporting... a ride today. Not as long as planned but the excuse is three fold. I lost the key to my lock and had to cut the cable lock off (and all I had was a pipe cutter and a pair of wire cutters, takes a long time). Slipped and fell on the stairs and as best I can tell inflicted no permanent damage. And it was almost 7 by the time I hit the road and still had to whip up dinner (broiled red snapper, baked potatoes, veggies, and salad). But I was successful in getting almost all the way to Old Town Alexandria and back in about 45 minutes (it's about 9.5 miles - not bad for the mountain bike on rough trails).

Need to go... see you on the morrow.
Happy trails,
Les

[SusanMac]

TKay - Thanks for checking in! Wow, you've been running for a long time.

Vicci - That is very cool that DH is biking & soon-to-be running together with you. Sometimes the solitude is really nice, but it's also wonderful to share that kind of thing w/family & friends.

Sounds like a lot of good runs to report this week for everyone.

Yesterday was a 56-mile bike. Felt very steady. Was windy as heck, w/24mph gusts (not the whole time of course), so made my legs a bit more sore than it might otherwise. Right now I'm using the ol' massage stick on my quads, in fact. Today was a 60-min swim. Very good weather. Tomorrow is long-run day. And I just got some Gu to try out. That's what they use on the race course, & I just recently decided I don't want to carry my Fuel Belt, so need to acclimate to Gu brand. I've used it b4 w/out issues, so I'm sure it will be fine.

[Natasha]

Yay TKay!! Glad you came out of lurkdom :) I know what you mean about being athletic. It's a great revelation, isn't it - very cool. :cool: While in the past several years I've gotten quite used to thinking of myself that way, it was kind of weird for me when I started running distance in 1999. (That being said, I imagine I would still s*ck at team sports :p Fortunately I have enough individual sports I love to keep me busy!).

Les, that's great that you're enjoying yourself at school so far. So exciting!!

Whirlwind week so far but not complaining. I did ride on Monday and run today. Yesterday was a rest day as I went to the physio. Tomorrow I'm dining with an old friend (yay!) so will either train first thing in the morning or skip it. I made chipotle mac'n'cheese from an old CL tonight (pulled it together and let it bake and cool under DH's care while I ran). Mmm... good stuff (and I'm not even a big mac'n'cheese fan in general - it needs "oomph" for me to like it).

Oh yes - for you Bourne fans (Kathy and Susan), I saw the movie last weekend with DH. Not bad, though maybe I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the others. Have you seen it yet?

Hi to Bethany, Mary, Seathyme (thanks for the further cabin info), Vicci, and everyone else!

Take care, all,
Natasha

[Elizabeth B]

Hello all!

Natasha- DH and I saw the Bourne Ultimatim the first night it came out. I really liked it (I'm a Matt Damon fan anyhow), but I had trouble watching some of the action scenes - the fast camera work strained my eyes. My favorite of the movies is still the Bourne Identity.

TKay - Welcome to the VRBs!! It has literally taken a "village" to get me running and keep my running and this group has been a huge part of it - they're here to share both your frustrations and your triumphs.

Susan - Does the massage stick help? I've thought about getting one of those. Congrats on all of your workouts! You're going to be in awesome shape going into your IM.

Les - Yes, let me know if your father needs any travel advice for his visit to Nashville. I'd be happy to help.

I ran this morning, but have spent a lot of time working on race-related matters. The people who were going to handle marketing told us on Monday that they couldn't do it because of the tight time frame, so we've been scrambling to put together a press release and get it out. Our posters should be ready toward the end of the week and I'm going to be busy hanging them in local businesses. I've been arranging alternative parking in case the school lots fills up, getting stuff for the race bags, and finding volunteers. One cool thing - I called Her Sports magazine to see if we could get sample-sized magazines for the race bags and they said "yes, how many do you want?" - I couldn't believe it was that easy!

Tomorrow is a day off from running, but I plan to do some strength training at home tomorrow night - I haven't been very good about that lately.

That's all, folks. Take care!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Isn't it amazing how much you can get when you ask Betsy? People are really willing to get "free" press, especially something like a magazine. Hope your day off is productive.
Howdy to the rest of the gang, it's getting late but I had a good day at school and a long ride. I actually got all the way down to the Potomac and back this afternoon (late). I'm having fun learning Hebrew. I cooked from scratch again after riding, I had no thought or inspiration at the store so I just went browsing at the store on the way home (I need to find a farmer's market) and we had pasta with eggplant, bell pepper, mushrooms, roma tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Real thick and chunky sauce and oh so yummy!

To bed in prep for another in school. Happy trails all and have a great evening,
Les

[SusanMac]

Nat - even tho we're fans, we're waiting for Bourne to come out on DVD. We'll definitely watch this one no matter what the reviews say. I also loved the first one, partially b/c I really like the Run-Lola-Run woman who was costar (can never remember her name)

Elizabeth - our massager is one of the electric Homedics ones. We love it. I've seen the "stick" at race expos & always wondered the same thing. It looks almost too simple.

Les - I know how to say thank you in Hebrew, but that's about it. Please share useful phrases when you learn them! I work with a lot of Israelis (sp?) and like to make an effort with their language when I can. I've heard Hebrew is pretty challenging to learn.

Planning my last long bike ride today. It was supposed to be Sun, but we're expecting storms, so I'm reshuffling. Amazingly, I have no meetings today so will play a little hookey. Don't tell ;-)

[TKay]

Thank you all for the warm welcome. It's really nice to have a place to talk about my workouts--and know people will understand. Looking forward to getting to know you all.

If I may add my two cents to a few of the conversations:
Natasha, Elizabeth and Susan: We saw the Bourne Ultimatum (as well as the other two), and I must say, I did enjoy the ride. I'm a Matt Damon fan also and for some other unexplained reason, I really enjoy this series. I'm not keen on James Bond or other action/spy flicks, but the Bourne films seem smart and clever. I also like the Run Lola Run actress.

Les: Sounds like you're starting on a fascinating new journey. How cool. I'm glad everything's going well.

For everyone: I notice many of you also bike and swim. Are there a lot of triathletes here? Or just cross-trainers?

A little background. Dh is a competitive cyclist. He races every weekend. I've had a race bike for years, but tend to ride the cruiser with the kids. Dh and I went on a tandem ride last night and it was really fun. We rode down by the beach and the cooler temps felt great. I may add some rides into my routine for variety. Last night's ride was probably an hour and 15.

This morning I did a 50-minute walking/weight routine. I do a loop around the neighborhood with five-pound hand weights. I'll do bicep curls while walking, then walk only for 30 seconds. Then tricep presses while walking and then just walking. You get the idea. I also incorporate squats and step ups, but skipped that today. My legs were a little tired from the ride and I want to be fresh for a run in the morning. I'm also taking the kids swimming at the public pool this afternoon. I want to get some exercise in the water too.

That's it for now. Hope everyone is doing great. And thanks again for the friendly welcome.

[badunnin]

Just checking in quickly today! No runs to report since Tuesday, a few bike rides. TKay - I use my bike mainly as transportation. Today, for example, I took it to the gas station to fill the gas can for the mower. Last night I drove to the post office, and I run errands (groceries) on it as well.

Compiling ideas for swag for the UP gathering, just in case. ;)

The Run Lola Run actress is Franka Potente. :)

Party on Wayne.

[SusanMac]

Badunnin - I shoulda known you would know the name of that German actress! I'm trying to picture you riding down the street carrying a gas can. Eek! I'd fall over, from the smell if nothing else.

TKay - that's so fun about your DH. Does he do road races, crits, time-trials? I've never walked using weights, but see people do it all the time. Looks like it takes a lot of coordination, or at least another part of the brain than I typically use while running. And, I'll also chime in to answer your question & say I'm a triathlete. I've been running longer than I've been tri-ing, tho.

On that note....had a fabulous ride today. My last century training ride. DH joined me for the 2nd half. The weather was absolutely perfect! Now off for dinner. We're having chix & a wonderful bulgar pilaf w/dates & apricots recipe I made for yesterday's cooking club. I've never cooked w/bulgar b4, and it's really wonderful!

[TKay]

Badunnin - You are so good to use your bike for transportation. It's just such a smart way to travel and better for the planet. I really should do that more.

Susan - What kind of triatholons do you do? I might attempt a mini one at some point (is it call a sprint?). I can't say I'm cut out to be an iron-woman. :D Dh primarily races in crits. He does some time-trialing and some road racing, but it's crits almost every weekend. He rides on a sponsored masters team locally and usually travels to the national championships once a year. He used to be a cross country runner but has really jacked up knees. Nine (or is it ten?) surgeries later and he's strictly a bike guy. I've never cooked with bulgar either, I don't think. What an adventure!

[badunnin]

Badunnin - I shoulda known you would know the name of that German actress! I'm trying to picture you riding down the street carrying a gas can. Eek! I'd fall over, from the smell if nothing else.


I'm sure I was a bit of a sight! Although, I have the totally pimped-out German bike, with the fenders and the rack on the back, and a great basket that hooks onto the rack. I was trying to find a picture similar, but can't! It's so clever though - when I shop, I take it off my bike and either carry it in the store or just hook it on the grocery cart. I'm so not a cycler though - I prefer to call myself a pedaler. :D

[Leslie Ferguson]

Lots of business today on the thread, too bad I don't have a run or ride to claim but there's a good reason...
TKay - What part of SoCal do you live in (generally)? This tim eof year is so nice there compared to here... I'm having a blast at what I'm doing right now, things may change but it's really fun. Thanks for the info too, I'll "digest" it and might comment tomorrow.
Bethany - Mental picture -- you on a bike with a gas can... if it's me I'm on the ground with scrapes and gas everywhere like Susan. Now I want to come to the UP for sure. :D
Susan - Good job on your last century. How was the bulgar dish. Love cooking with bulgar but it's tricky - tabouleh is a favorite as is bulgar with broccoli, soy, and ginger dressing. :) Will try to post something about Hebrew and Israelis later or in regular e-mail.

I didn't workout today, but spent time wisely getting some much needed things taken care of with the cable company and the complex - saving money in both instances. Tomorrow will signal the end of the first week of classes and they are going well. I need to call it earlier than yesterday I need to tend to LW who has a terrible jaw and tooth ache (I think she needs some work done).

See you all tomorrow -- happy trails and here comes Friday,
Les

[TKay]

Les - I'm near the Long Beach area. Are you familar? I'm just on the edge of Orange County if that makes it any clearer. We are definitely lucky with our weather. I have a neighbor who used to live in New Jersey and she teases us Californians. "There's never a day you CAN'T run here. What weather are you people talking about?"

Badunnin - How great that you can take the bike basket in with you to the store. You're right. Very clever. As for the gas can...:D

I've been reading all the posts and hoping at some point this would be explained, but I still can't figure it out. Can someone tell me what the UP is?

Today is an externally-imposed rest day (unless I can somehow get a run in tonight). Dh had to leave for an early-morning meeting today and I didn't realize how early he'd be out. I missed my window. I will sometimes take the boys (ages 5 and 7) with me on their bikes, but it's usually a hassle. It's in the upper 90s today, so I will wait for the evening hours. I'm bummed too because I wanted to try a new, longer route. I let my gym membership expire, so the treadmill (and the childcare) is out. Busy weekend ahead, so I'm really hoping to get that run in.

Hope you're all doing well.

[badunnin]

I've been reading all the posts and hoping at some point this would be explained, but I still can't figure it out. Can someone tell me what the UP is?

Upper Peninsula (of Michigan). :) Hopefully there will be a VRB Jamboree (this is what I'm calling it, btw) next summer there!

Off to start a new thread!

[TKay]

Upper Peninsula (of Michigan). :) Hopefully there will be a VRB Jamboree (this is what I'm calling it, btw) next summer there!

Thanks. I am officially in the know. I realized it was some sort of Jamboree-like function, but didn't know what the UP stood for. I'm all the way on the left coast, after all. :D