Virtual Running Buddies - Week of Mar 7

[newsomz]

Wow! Can it really be that I am the first one to start the thread at 10pm???

Anyhow, just wanted to get us started. No running news! I do have a question, though. I am looking for some good books about running.. Not so much the "how to train for a 10K" type of book but rather inspirational types. Or maybe travelogue types about different races, or the history of a race.. You see what I mean? Any suggestions?

I'm ready for a 9K run this weekend! I just hope it stops raining soon. We've now had over 24 hrs of rain. Good 'cause we need it. Bad if it doesn't break eventually so I can go running :) I hope everyone else didn't get too much snow/ice/nasty weather!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Thanks for starting this week Carrie. I love your rain and hopefully it's warmer than we've had here today. Two running books that are on my shelf that may fit the bill are: 26 Miles to Boston by Michael Connelly and Staying the Course: A Runner's Toughest Race by Dick Beardsley (Thank you Betsy). The first book is about the Boston Marathon (of course) and the second is about the struggle that Beardsley went through after his race against Alberto Salazar and near-fatal accident and later pain medication addiction - sometime when I have a few hours I'll finish that one (not for a while mind you). I hope you get your run in tomorrow too.

I think I'm ready to try out some of the hills and hopefully, if the thunder storms don't hit until evening, I'll have have a run that will encompass some hills (since it's hard to not have hills around Alexandria). Besides that, I'll probably do some studying and writing for my last projects before mid-terms 17-19 March. Looking at some more rain down here tonight too - probably less than an inch but we've had a bunch already today.

Have a great weekend and happy trails,
Les

[Natasha]

Hi everyone. Carrie, thanks for starting us off this week and I hope your 9k is enjoyable. How's your sister's running going? 24 hours of straight rain, wow.

For running books, offhand I'd recommend Duel in the Sun (also about Salazar and Beardsley) though I'll be back to recommend more if something further comes to mind. I also love The Lore of Running but that's more of an encyclopedia than anything else, though I do find it inspirational FWIW ;)

Les, hope you get in your hilly run! Same thing here (as you may have noticed) - as soon as you leave the town proper there's rolling hills all around. You can't live here and avoid them :p Good luck with the studying and writing.

Plans for this weekend include a snow day today ;). That means some cooking and baking, movie watching, reading, and more than likely some shovelling (neck permitting). I also plan to spin (again, neck permitting). I'm travelling for some of next week (if I don't get snowed in on one end or the other), so will check back here again before I go, or later in the week.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

[newsomz]

Les - Have fun on the hilly run! I have to search hills out around here.

Natasha - The snow day sounds like fun (at least the baking, reading & movie watching). Have a great trip!

Thanks for the book suggestions. I couldn't find *any* of them at the library today! Guess I'll be requesting some book purchases :)

I decided to run my 9k today since it was so beautiful out this morning. It was around 60F, windy & sunny. The run was my longest yet and actually turned into more of a 10k, lol. So the rest of the weekend will be resting, cleaning & reading for me.

[VictoriaL]

Carrie Great job on the 9-10k! Wish I were there... :) 60 degrees, sunny, breezy sounds heavenly to me just now.

Les how is your shoulder feeling? I hope that you were able to get out for a run before the wet stuff started falling.

Nat Happy Snow Day! Our forecast was for 3-6", but it's barely covering the grass. It is pretty cold, though.

I did 15 minutes on the EB this morning, and it was a rough one. I felt as though I was still asleep even as I started, and there was some pesky little pain in the lower calf muscle of my non-injured leg. I made it, though, and celebrated with oat-pear-hazelnut pancakes for breakfast (I actually thought about pb-chocolate chip pancakes, but gave myself a stern talking-to...)

This will be an interesting week. Our friend who came down last weekend with pizza and beer has a birthday next Sunday. He has gone through an awful year and because he was sitting here with us and I was feeling so badly for his situation (he has lost at least 40 pounds since last March and his fingernails are chewed to the quick), I invited him back for a birthday celebration. Then, in a fit of beery blabber-mouth, I proceeded to plan (after he left) a surprise party at our lake house for next weekend. DH was a bit leery, but I persisted. So we invited 2 other couples and it will take place on Friday to Saturday. Easy dishes (except for the coconut rum birthday cake) which I will make at intervals over the week as not to tax myself. Even with all of the work, I am looking forward to it. My first entertaining since before Christmas, and hopefully our friend will have a good time and laugh and be happy. :)

And I continue to be amazed that I can sit here, typing, see a beautiful sight out of the window, take the photo, upload it, and be able to share within minutes. See who visited me as I was typing the above ramblings:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7516264@N03/2319627694

Hope that you all are having a great weekend-- in mild weather or snow!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Yes Nat I do remember the hills around your place, just another reason to like your little corner of the world. Hope the snow isn't too terrible and that you don't get snowed in on either end of your trip this coming week. How is your neck? Shoveling (but you could skip that) or spin today? Hope you enjoyed your snow day too.

Carrie, that's great that you felt so good today that you went almost 10k. Somehow I think you'll have the same problems finding hills there that I did in Norfolk - there just aren't any. Have a good weekend with all you have planned.
Vicci - Loved the picture of Mr. Cardinal. Good that you got your ride in even though you had a little pain in your off leg. That's kind of odd but probably not too uncommon. Way to get yourself into the surprise party but great that you got 4 other helpers to pull it off.

Well, I didn't have a great morning even though the weather would have been fine for a run early - a little drizzle (never hurt anybody in my book) and relatively warm (51). But my shoulder hurt to beat the band and nothing seemed to get it better so I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and didn't run but spun for about 80 minutes - read a lot of (biblical) commentaries for the last project that's due on Thursday and have cemented the direction I'm headed for the paper. It's been a wild afternoon with winds between 50-60 mph and torrential rains from time to time (however it's getting a little light outside right now so...).

Off to make dinner and I hope that folks have a good day and don't forget to set your clocks ahead an hour tonight.

Happy trails,
Les

[SusanMac]

Happy Monday, VRBers. Oi -- not ready for that. We were out of town all weekend for FILs 70th bday party. Fun, but tiring. That also means no workouts. And, I didn't get much sleep last night, as our newest family member decided to talk and explore all night :-)

Introducing Merckx.

He's an 8 m.o. grey tabby w/white and brown streaks. He's got a cute little personality, and is having fun exploring his new home. He hasn't met his brother yet, as we want him to be acclimated more. Last night was his first night here.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8dd31b3127cceb6822a7fa1f300000026102AcMmbRk3cMY

Newsomz - Thx for kicking us off. I read Dean Karnazes autobiography last year, which was *really* fascinating & inspiring. It's called Ultramarathon Man. A really fast read, too. A good author to look up is George Sheehan. All of his books are from the 70s/80s, I think. But, he's known as the king of interspective & inspirational writing on running.

Vicci - Your party sounds great! Take it easy on the EB. Don't rush things.

Gotta run. Have a great day.

[TKay]

Carrie - Thanks for starting us out. I confess, I was around on Friday to do the deed but passed since I had absolutely nothing to report. I kept waiting for someone else to start. Thanks for biting! Great job on the 10k. I read Duel in the Sun, btw, on recommendation of the VRBs. It was really enjoyable. I had to get a transfer from a local library to find it though. They didn't even have it at my Barnes & Noble.
Les - Bummer about the shoulder. I think you were wise to take it easy. Glad you at least got in the spin and the reading.
Vicci - You are way too sweet. Planning a surprise party while you're still not 100 percent? Very, very thoughtful. Good luck with all the cooking and prep. Sounds like your friend is lucky to have you. I love the pic too. What a pretty sight.
Natasha - How did you snow day go? What sorts of things did you cook/bake? How's the neck?
Susan - Hello Merckx! He is beautiful. What a great name too. Oh, I am so jealous. I have had cat fever lately (even though I'm allergic). What a sweet face he has. I am looking forward to hearing stories of how he's settling in and what he thinks of his brother (and vice versa). Did he ever sleep last night?
KathyB - Not sure how I missed this last time but wanted to tell you that dh has also been a pediatric ICU nurse. He did that a number of years before going into the management side of things. He still misses it--and yet doesn't, if you know what I mean. He misses the patients and families, but not the stress or emotional aspect. How long have you been doing it?

I have no runs to report. I let myself get busified with little league, birthday parties and family obligations this weekend. I'm back on the TM this morning and hoping to get back on course as far as training goes. I've found another local 10K to work toward and I still have my sights set on the half in May. Time is creeping up on me, so I'm just going to play it by ear. I don't want to push and get injured.

Happy Monday Elizabeth, Meg, Legolas, Aggie, Seathyme and everyone else.

[SusanMac]

TKay - Be sure to tell your DH our cat's name. He will recognize it :-)

[TKay]

Susan - But which Merckx are you naming him after? :D

[SusanMac]

LOL - the elder :-) It sounds very cat-like, doesn't it?

[TKay]

Yes! It's actually a great cat name.

[TKay]

Popping back in to report an outdoor run. I attempted 3 miles but had to walk off and on. For some reason, I kept getting a stitch in my side/chest. That hasn't happened in ages. I'm wondering if I didn't do a long enough warm up since I was outside and anxious to get moving. I hope this doesn't make any ice/snow/slush dwellers unhappy, but the weather is glorious here. It's sunny and warm and clear. That's why I opted for the outdoor workout over the TM.

[newsomz]

TKay - Good job with the outdoor run.. even if you had stitches. Sometimes it just feels nice to be outside (esp. in glorious weather!).

Les - I hope the shoulder is feeling better.

Vicci - The party sounds like it will be fun. How are the preparations coming?

Susan - Merckx is sooo cute. I am sure you are enjoying him!

Nothing to report here.. Just waiting for tomorrow and my run :)

[VictoriaL]

Les how is your shoulder feeling?

Susan Merckx is adorable! Are you planning to take any vacation days to stay home and play with him? I remember, all too well, ;) those middle-of-the-night Kitten Krazies. They'll end when he's about 8 years old, and you can get some sleep...

TKay sounds like you totally healed over the past week and are now back in the thick of it all. Maybe the side stitch issue is due to your not running for several days? And when is this next 10k?

Carrie hoping that you have a great run tomorrow!

I overdid it a bit yesterday. Four types of bread, 9 loaves in all. I absolutely adored being in the kitchen again, but the last hour was not fun. I had taken off the aircast, wrapped an elastic bandage around my foot/ankle, then put on a high boot-type slipper. This gave me the mistaken feeling that all was okay! I was up all often last night, aching back, pain in my legs (but not my foot!) so I opted out of the EB this morning. Instead, I had a weight-day, and tomorrow I shall "interior cycle".

The breads for this coming weekend (and more) now made. Tomorrow I have to make a few simple recipes, and a birthday card for my Dad as well, so it will be an easier day.

I went to the orthopedist today. He said that the foot/ankle swelling is to be expected and will continue for a few more weeks (rats) and, worse, no running until May and then he says that I should use a track (since I get shin splints when running on concrete), but no trail running until June! I guess I can walk my trails... shoot. And I have to find shoes to fit my huge foot now. :( But, party this weekend! Gotta find the rainbows!!! :D

[Leslie Ferguson]

Susan - Love the kitten pictures and it's been so long since I've had a small pet I didn't even know that they didn't sleep through the night (but why would they be different than a human baby?).
TKay - Can't help you about the stitch - some times those things just happen especially if you've laid off for a while. Don't worry, it would have been abeautiful day to run here if I could have gotten out.
Vicci - Sorry you can't get back to trail running wuite yet but patience is a virtue when coming back from a load bearing injury like yours. Especially ankle injuries, although I've never broken mine. It sounds like you are making good progress on your party for this coming weekend and drats that you have a big foot to try to shove in a shoe. But this too shall pass.

Thanks for your questions about my shoulder. I think I'm down to after-effects of the tumble but mostly associated with the previous damage to my shoulder (broken collar bone eons ago) and arthiritis in the AC (mid-collar bone) joint. I spoke with my classmate who's a doctor and had him give me a check out and it appeared (without x-rays mind you) to be something that will just take time to heal so it's more aspirin but he recommended heat as opposed to ice, especially since the ice makes my shoulder hurt.

I did spin this evening for about 40 minutes, not my original plan but at this time in the school year I'll take it. I think that's about it for now - howdy to the rest of the gang and I'll see you all on the 'morrow.

Happy trails,
Les

[SusanMac]

Well, Mon turned out to be a long day, plus having not slept much on Sun night, I bailed on working out. Oh, I did do a bit of core work. By 'a bit' I mean about 5 minutes :-) Oh well.

Tonight is a spin class that my cycling club is hosting. Can you believe I've never done an official spin class before? I'm looking forward to it.

Merckx is doing great. The whole family slept in the same room last night, w/Bode in his crate. It was funny to watch them stare at each other through the crate. No one freaked out, so that's a good sign of a potential new friendship.

Les - it's good to have medical friends, isn't it?! Nice job on the spin

Vicci - you sound like a maniac in the kitchen! Sorry about the diagnosis for slow return to running. But, I'm sure it will be best in the long run. DH & I both work from home....which means our pets are extremely spoiled and don't know what it's like to be alone for 10 hours a day :-)

[TKay]

Susan - Sweet about Merckx and Bode checking each other out through the crate. I'm sure they'll be great pals. Enjoy your (first) spin class tonight. Let us know how you like it.
Les - Glad you got in that spin. Hope the heat helps your shoulder.
Victoria - Wow, you are on fire! Sorry about the pain that resulted from all that bread-making and kitchen time. Hope you're feeling better today. The party is going to be great. The 10K is in April, but I don't have the specific date written down. Dh found it for me and it's local. That's all I needed to hear.
Carrie - Enjoy your run.

Had a lovely yoga class today. My hips have never been so loose. :p The refinished gym floors look great, but are still rather stinky. We worked with the back door open which was kind of nice actually.

Hope everyone else is well. Hello to all I missed.

[Leslie Ferguson]

Susan - That's a neat picture - the 4 of you all in the same room and everyone looking at each other in their respective beds - Bode, Merckx, you and DH - what an image! :D Sorry yesterday was a bad day and I hope that today was better.

TKay - Congratulations on your DH finding another 10k for you. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you to make it healthily through that one. Although I don't like the smell of varnish too much (every once in a while...) it is always comfy to have a brand new floor out there isn't it.

It looks like the heat did a good job today because my shoulder and neck are feeling a lot better - not perfect but at this stage of my life I'll take a little pain (2 out of 10) - I've had worse. But a better thing today - I forced myself to reward my progress on my last project and went for a run. Not my norm (60 minutes) but 52 minutes in tank and shorts (it was ~50/51) felt very good. I have to remember to keep doing my runs because that keeps me balanced in my life (not like I've become over the past couple months with all my studies).

But for now, I'll go to work and finish my project for Friday (I thought it was due on Thursday but I might finish it and turn it in regardless).

Happy trails,
Les

[newsomz]

Les - Glad to hear the shoulder is finally feeling a bit better! Sounds like you were able to get a good spin in regardless :)

Tkay - Ahhh. I love hip exercises & mine have been particularly tight. I just might have to break out into some yoga poses tonight.

Susan - You'll have to let us know how the spin class goes.. Sounds interesting!

Vicci - Wow! That's a lot of baking.

Hi to everyone else. I hope you are all doing well!

I got in a nice and easy 5k today. I'm going to take it easy this weekend with a shorter run so overall this will be a rest week for me.

[VictoriaL]

Les I'm glad that the heat is working so well. And you got in a run today, too. :) Why doesn't it surprise me that you're the kind of person who hands in a paper/project ahead of time? Me, I was always running in just before the bell, papers flying...

Susan DH and I both worked in town for the first 5 years we were married, but for the last 19 we have worked from home. Ready refrigerator access, and at the beck-and-call for our pets 24 hours a day... ;) When will the uncaged introductions begin?

Tkay there's a yoga class about 40 minutes away that takes place on the riverfront in warm weather. I hope to be able to take advantage of them later this spring. Glad you had such a great yoga day!

Carrie a nice and easy run-- what could be better?

Today I upped my EB time to 18 minutes and really felt good. While I'm still bummed at having to wait so long to run, at least I can shed that darn aircast soon. It's so weird-- my foot forgot how to "work"! Seriously... Flexing is impossible at this point, so I'm still lurching around even without the cast on.

I seriously underestimated the amount of time needed to get everything ready for this weekend! I spent another 6 hours in the kitchen today and I got everything done on my list but one item. I tend to create rather ambitious "to do" lists... :o I do not, however, plan to skimp on my EB time during this period and one reason is-- I have to report in here when it's all over! :p

Hope you all have a great week and I'll be back sometime later this weekend!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Les I'm glad that the heat is working so well. And you got in a run today, too. :) Why doesn't it surprise me that you're the kind of person who hands in a paper/project ahead of time? Me, I was always running in just before the bell, papers flying...
It hasn't always been that way - but it's my sanity at stake here and I don't forget that I have 3 midterms between now and Wednesday next week - one that will be something along the lines of 4 hours (5 pages most likely - researched and written) and 2 tests that are 2 hours long. One of which will be a bear and I'll be scrambling to get all my notes reviewed for that class (a typical day is 4-5 pages of notes). I also remember the pain of 9 projects in 14 days at the end of last semester and promised myself that I wouldn't do anything like that again (12 days straight with substantial studying).
Today I upped my EB time to 18 minutes and really felt good. While I'm still bummed at having to wait so long to run, at least I can shed that darn aircast soon. It's so weird-- my foot forgot how to "work"! Seriously... Flexing is impossible at this point, so I'm still lurching around even without the cast on.

Hope you all have a great week and I'll be back sometime later this weekend!
I hope things keep moving forward and that you have a good weekend when all is said and done.

Happy hump day all and I'll see you.
Les

[SusanMac]

Les - every few weeks you remind me that I don't think I could be a student again! I'm like Vicci, a last-minute crammer. Nice job on the paper. Glad you're still squeezing in some workouts for sanity.

Vicci - 18 min is really impressive! Geez, you must be throwing some party! I know your friend will appreciate it.

Well, I'm really glad I went to spin class. Mainly just b/c it was different & got me pretty inspired to ride & workout hard again. It was an intro class, so she did lots of talking while we just pedaled, then threw in drills here & there. So it didn't kick my butt to the point of embarrassment, which is good. We were on CycleOps bikes, which include a power meter. That was fun. Although they clearly spent all their time designing the power meter....and not the saddle....ouch!!

It's good to hear about everyone's runs in shorts. It's in the 40's all week here! Definitely getting in the mood for spring.

Wonder what's up w/Seathyme, Kathy, Elizabeth & the rest o' the gang??

[TKay]

Les - Hooray for the warmth--both on your shoulder and in your environment. Glad you're feeling better and got in a shorts run in March. After reading about your deadlines, yes, I think you're wise to get some of those projects taken care of early. Sheesh!
Vicci - Well done on the EB. Wow. I know your recovery is taking time, but it sure sounds like you're making the best of it. The yoga class you mention sounds wonderful. Please let us know if/when you do it.
Carrie - Enjoy your easy week/end. You've been working hard. Your body will like the rest.
Susan - Glad you enjoyed your class. I haven't been to one in ages, but I do remember the saddle issue. The funny thing is I remember being one of the few people in class wearing true bike shorts. I don't know how people ride on those seats without some padding. Yeow! Glad the class was inspiring.

I'll pop back in with a report later today. I'm heading for the TM and hoping for a decent run. Hello to everyone else--and like Susan said, where are the rest of you guys?

ETA: I did get on the TM and did almost 40 minutes. My body is arguing with me and I'm feeling rather tired. I have a bunch of stuff on my plate, so I'm not pushing too hard. But I'm eager to get back to the good training I was experiencing before I got sick.

[Natasha]

Quick check-in:

Back from a good trip to Chicago. It was gorgeous there yesterday. I was all set to run but it wasn't in the cards for various reasons.

Susan, Merckx is adorable!! DH would probably want to call a pet Ned (Overend) ;) Actually, maybe I would want to do that too. :p

You know you're ready for spring when... it's a sunny day, it's only about 34F but feels so mild, and you've got the windows all the way down and are singing along to the radio. (And then you roll up the windows because you don't want anyone to hear your bad singing, but that's neither here nor there :p)

Hi to everyone. I'll write more later in the week.

Take care, and happy trails!
Natasha

[newsomz]

Vicci - I hope you're still working hard on the party preparations. Sounds like it will be fabulous. Good job on the EB, too.

Les - Ouch! What a crazy schedule.

Susan - Glad you enjoyed the spin class. If I ever move to a cold climate I'll be looking into that :)

TKay - Good job on the TM run! 40 min is quite long so it sounds like you got in a nice workout.

Natasha - Haha. You are ready for spring! Too bad you couldn't get a run in but I know I always have problems getting runs in when I get knocked out of my schedule. Traveling is probably the hardest time for me to keep with it.

Now a question for all you introverts that work at home... How did you get yourself into such a wonderful working situation? Just curious, as I'd like to move towards working at home and I'm having a hard time imagining how to make it work! Do you own your own businesses or work for a business who allows telecommuting?

Okay, I'm going to dinner tonight and am planning on a short run tomorrow before I head to a potluck. I probably should make something for the potluck tonight, too.

[Natasha]

Les, hope the shoulder is better. I can (sort of) relate because of my neck issues that also affected my shoulder at times. Ugh. It was on and off miserable all weekend and for a couple of days fore and aft before drastically improving yesterday. Must have been the Chicago air ;)

Good luck with the midterms!! One crazy time after another for you.

TKay, that's too bad about the stitch. I'm glad you found another 10k to do. Hope it all works out! :)

Vicci, wow, you've been busy!! Remember those days not too long ago when you couldn't do much in the kitchen at all? Glad that's behind you. Also good news that at least you will be able to walk the trails soon, and enjoy the fresh springtime air. Happy "interior cycling" :p Looking forward to the post-weekend report!

No Seathyme this week? Is she moving into her new abode, perhaps?

Carrie, nice work on the 10k! You'd asked about working from home people as there are many on the thread. I don't always work from home, but am an occasional work from home person. I work at a company with flexible hours and a fair bit of work from home. It's one of the things most of the employees there really appreciate. Good luck finding something that allows you to telecommute or work out of home!

Edited to add: I'm such a ditz. Forgot to report that I did a run and a spin this evening. Sooo needed.

Take care, Betsy, ktg, Kathy (I know you're busy so may not see this), Susan, Legolas, Mary, Eva, and everyone else!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Thanks all, things are quite frenetic to say the least around here. It was nice today and I spent a little time romping around as a study break. Tomorrow is the last day of classes before tests start on Monday (Friday is a reading day) so wish me luck.

Good job to TKay, Natasha, and Carrie on their respective runs/spins/etc.

See you all later and have a great end of the week.

Happy trails,
Les

[SusanMac]

Newsomz - You've been in such a good groove w/your runs lately. Refresh my memory....do you have a race in your sights?? I work from home & have my own consulting biz. I've telecommuted as an employee before, and much prefer working for myself.

Vicci - Loved the cat/dog photo on the other thread! That's amazing you had a cat live to 21. I thought my last one was old at 19! Wow. That's a big chunk of our lives w/these little furry guys, isn't it?

TKay - I think it's so cute that DH is the one who found the 10K for you. He's really looking out for you :-)

No big workout yesterday. Just some core work (I can tell I need to get more regular w/this, as it's tougher than it was last fall!) Now I'm wishing I had worked out. I wasn't sore yesterday, as expected, but today I'm quite creaky! I have a 10K this Sun....and I'm clearly not ready!

[TKay]

Carrie - I work as a freelance writer in the advertising biz. I've worked for ad agencies, but have been on my own for years. I started by working for my old agency on a freelance basis. Then, as people I knew moved on or referred me to other people, my contacts grew. I've not spent much time at all soliciting new clients. It's all been word of mouth. I have an office at home and essentially just go to the occasional meeting. Other than that, it's all phone and e-mail. It's been the perfect job for me, especially with little kids. I hope you find something that works for you. It's really great to get your laundry done while you're meeting a deadline. :D Did you get any food made for the potluck? Hope you get in that run.
Natasha - Good going on the double workout.
Les - I'll wish you luck. I'm sure you'll do great.
Susan - Good luck with the 10K. Even though you don't feel ready, your body will remember what it needs to do. Will you be bringing Merckx? :p

I'm having an unplanned day off. Dh and I miscommunicated about the silliest thing. We're dog-sitting and I thought he was going to be here to welcome the little pup. He had a meeting he forgot to tell me about. So my planned yoga class had to be missed. Ah, well. I've been feeling particularly tired lately, so maybe it's an okay thing.

Hi to everyone I missed.

[ktg0930]

Hi all!

I've been traveling this week...left on Sunday for Minneapolis, stayed there until Tuesday when I flew to DC and am now in Maryland until Monday night. Not much running to report, but I wanted to answer Carrie's question about working at home.

I work in clinical trials management in what's called a contract research organization or CRO. We provide services to companies who don't have the infrastructure to support running and analyzing a clinical trial. My area is clinical operations and monitoring. Most monitors (clinical research associates or CRAs) at CROs work from home and travel a fair amount to visit physician offices and hospitals. I'm more in the management side of things so I manage all the pieces of the study. This can easily be done from home as you mostly communicate with clients through phone and e-mail anyway. I do miss the face to face interaction with co-workers sometimes. But other times it's nice because I'm not distracted by them either.

More later about running (not much lately).

Kathy

[newsomz]

Natasha - Great job on the run/spin.

Les - Good luck on your upcoming tests. I guess you'll be hitting the books this weekend!

Susan - Have fun at the 10k - I'm sure you'll do great! I do have a race in my sights.. I'm planning on a 10k on March 29th.

TKay - Thanks for all the info! For me, freelancing or consulting would be my ideal. I just need to see how I can make it work! I'm in a field that typically isn't freelance material (research librarian) so I kind of run up against a brick wall when I brainstorm. However, I am sure there are opportunities out there. And I'm making dal for the potluck right now. In fact, I need to go finish it in a sec b/c I should be leaving now!

Kathy - Wow! Lots of travel. I can understand not getting any running in. Your job sounds very, very interesting! I used to work in biological research and was inches away from getting a nursing degree...

Here to report a 5k. Nothing spectacular, however, it got out some stress!

Hi to everyone else! I hope you're having a good week :)

[Natasha]

Susan and Carrie (for later in the month), good luck on your respective 10ks! LOL about taking Merckx to come watch :D

Hey, I hear Bode Miller won some title or other - your Bode must be proud! ;)

Kathy, busy week for you! I can imagine that it was hard to fit in much running.

TKay, hope you feel less tired soon. Sounds like it probably was for the best that you didn't do your class today. You could always do some light yoga or stretching at home later, right (if you're up to it)?

No workouts yet and probably none planned tonight - except maybe a quick spin. Take care, all, and I'll see you on the new thread.

[Leslie Ferguson]

ktg - Maybe next time through you could give me a shout. Nothing like meeting another VRB IRL - speaking for myself, I've had a lot of fun meeting folks from the BB. Ditto - you sound like you've been traveling a lot - hope things settle down a little once you get home.

Fleet feet to you Carrie on your upcoming race. You aren't kidding - the books will be pounded this weekend. (MTF)

For the remainder - the fastest move I've made today...

I'm officially done with my last paper/project and now it's just three tests between now and Wednesday next week. I've got study guides for two of them (they've already been written) but the third... that's another story.

Might run tomorrow after our review session for the first test (Tuesday). But I'll hold off more comments until tomorrow - have a great Friday and happy trails,
Les