Virtual Running Buddies -- Week of Dec 8

[seathyme]

Hey, a thread started on Les' birthday! Hope you're having a great one, Les.

Betsy, good luck in Las Vegas, and have a great time!! We'll look forward to your report back.

Unfortunately I can't yet report a run today. Hopefully will get one in later on, but probably on the treadmill, as we are experiencing Instant Winter around here -- yikes!

Hello to all, and good runs to ya.

[aggie94]

Happy Birthday, Les!! Have a great day. :D

Best of luck in Vegas, Betsy! We look forward to a race report.

I will try to check in later but have a work emergency to deal with today.

Hi to everyone, and have a good weekend!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Thanks ladies (and Lori and Paige on last week's thread). Has it been another year already?
Eva - Sorry you've got a business emergency today and I hope everything resolves without too much pain and consternation.
seathyme - YIKES! I was watching the weather and it looks nasty up your way. Hope you get a dreadmill run in later.

I'll claim no run today but will probably knock out a 14-18 miler tomorrow. My coach is in Las Vegas with Betsy (ok - he probably won't even see her but he's still there) so I've got the group tomorrow. Luckily it'll only be cold and not damp tomorrow. But it's supposed to be in the middle 20s when we start and might creep up into the 30's by the time we're done. YIKES!

Happy Friday again and thanks for the Birthday wishes. I think LW and I will do a reasonably quiet dinner together around doing some shopping for thank you gifts (my last lay committee meeting is Monday - need to come to closure with them) and some stuff for an angel tree.

Happy trails and keep warm runnahs,
Les

[SusanMac]

** Good Luck Elizabeth !! We're pulling for you !! **

And happy bday, Les!

I rode on my bike trainer last night! Woo hoo! It wasn't too bad, actually. 30 min went by fast. Let's hope I still feel that way come Feb, eh?

Headed out to walk the puppy right now -- brr! Would love to get a run in, as well, but have a few more meetings so I'm not confident it's going to happen.

[badunnin]

Good luck Elizabeth! Happy bday Les!

I start running again Monday. In the meantime, I'm just narrowly missing Hanson's running team members with my car. :eek:

[SusanMac]

LOL -- do you feel the running vibe through your windshield?? Watching the team fly by in the snow just might be enough just to feel healthier! it would work for me, anyway.

[badunnin]

LOL -- do you feel the running vibe through your windshield?? Watching the team fly by in the snow just might be enough just to feel healthier! it would work for me, anyway.

They are so flipping inspiring! It really works well when they roll across my hood and onto the ground though. ;) It was Ryan Sheehan that I almost hit - he was by himself that morning - and he actually waved at me. My heart was all a-flutter.

Bethany, mowing down one ODP member at a time. :D

[Kathy B]

Happy Birthday, Les! :)

Hope you had a great day. We celebrated DH's birthday this evening, too! Wishing you good weather for your long run tomorrow!

I haven't had anything to report for several days. I can definitely tell the holidays are upon us, because things are just getting busier and busier. Not only preparations, but the kids activities as well. I have decided just to fit in whatever exercise I can WHEN I can, and not worry too much about it. In a few weeks, things will settle down, and in the meantime, I want to enjoy the season.

Having said that, I did get on the treadmill this afternoon and got 4 miles in while watching another episode of "24". Time flies when you are having fun!

Susan, good luck with the pilates class. I tried a pilates show last week just for something different, and I decided I am definitely lacking in "core strength"! :o I think it should be really good for your IM training, though.

Aggie, I'm a little late, but still wanted to add my congrats on your race. Sounds like you have really picked up your pace in the last year! Great job! And congrats on the small t-shirt, as well! :D That would have put a smile on my face, too!

Hope you had a good trip out to LV, Elizabeth, and best wishes for your race! I'll send out good weather thoughts to you too!

Hey to Seathyme, Bethany, Lori, Paige and Natasha! Have a great weekend! :)

[Leslie Ferguson]

They are so flipping inspiring! It really works well when they roll across my hood and onto the ground though. ;) It was Ryan Sheehan that I almost hit - he was by himself that morning - and he actually waved at me. My heart was all a-flutter.

Bethany, mowing down one ODP member at a time. :D

OMG - :D I've heard of different ways of meeting people but most of my single friends stick to bumping shopping carts and the like. ;) :D glad to hear you start running again on Monday.

Kathy B - Yep - it's Christmas time. Glad your family is doing well. Weather...

Remind me why I want to get up at too early in the morning and go for a run or run/bike combination when the temp is supposed to be at or below 20 degrees (yes I know that's warm for "up there" but this thin blooded and thin kid isn't ready for running in those temps). Oh well, the burdens we bear when we cover for our coach being in Las Vegas (GO Betsy!!)

thanks for the Birthday wishes - what a great day (except for the cold wind).

See you tomorrow... Happy trails,
Les

[Leslie Ferguson]

Quick check in before the remainder of my fun day kicks in. Claiming 18 miles on the trail today, all on foot. :eek: It's been a long time since I've run that far. Except for the first 2 miles we did 7/1 ratio run/walk. I may not be happy tomorrow but so far, except for a little stiffness (and wind burn) I'm doing well. Part of the driving factor for not riding this morning -- it was too darned cold out there! It started at 27 when I turned on TWC this morning and within 25 minutes it had dropped to 22 degrees. :eek: I doubt it was much about 35-38 by the time I would have started riding and that would have been no fun, even with Gore-Tex and a bunch of layers. So I took it slow and steady and did 18 miles. Maybe there's a marathon left in these legs someplace after all.

Happy trails and graceful runs for the VRB.

Les

[Leslie Ferguson]

Back-to-back-back, not a good sign. But this will be a drive-bay.
All systems are go, knees, ankles, and hips feel just fine - that's what runing and walking systematically will do for a person. Most of my issues right now are going along with a tweaked upper back that I need to do something about (and should have about 6 weeks ago. But for now I think I hear the bed calling (I didn't sleep well last night because of teaching this morning) so I'll pack it in and come back tomorrow when I'm able to see people and chat when I can.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and peace-filled running week.
Happy trails,
Les

[Kathy B]

Hi, Les! Great job on your 18-miler, and glad to hear you were feeling relatively fine the next day! :) I've been sticking with the treadmill for the last three days....don't know if it's entirely due to weather either. I'll admit a growing addiction to the TV series. Not that it's such excellent writing, but their is enough action and suspense to make the workout a lot less "work"!
We are due for some upper 40s soon, so I will have to try to get out side a time or two before hard winter sets in.

In the meantime, I hit the 'mill Fri, Sat and Sun which is a good thing, because I also made a cake and two kinds of cookies this weekend! ;)

Wishing you all a great start to your week!

[MNGirlTX]

It sounds like you had a great run, Les!

I can't wait to hear from Betsy. I hope the weather was better in LV than it was for the folks doing White Rock here in Dallas. It was pretty chilly. I had a good day, though. I rode to the Mile 4 water station with one of my coaches. We easily had 2 dozen volunteers. 4 water tables and 2 Gatorade tables. The elite women had a 15-minute head start on the full marathon, so they came through first. Of course, they blew by us like we weren't even there. As did the first few men. Then, oh my goodness! Non-stop people for about 1/2 hour. Then, there was a lull, so we were able to clean up the cups from the full marathon. The 1/2 marathon started at 9 a.m., and they were a much thirstier group :D .

Done at the water station about 10 a.m., and made our way to the finish line (the 1/2 had a separate finish from the full). The last of our group came in after 12...and it had started to sleet by then. There were still a lot of people on both courses! Nasty way to end a race :( .

Hope everyone has a great week!

Lori

[Leslie Ferguson]

Happy Birthday seathyme!!! Thought you could sneak it in on us? Hope you have a great day.

Lori - What a race and sleet too! YUCK. It sounds like you had a good time even with all the nastiness.
Kathy B - Miles to go on the dreadmill - good for you to stick with it and log them. After not having run on the mill for a long time I'm not sure that I'll enjoy going back (I used to have a good time running on the mill but I'm not sure anymore).

I'm looking for any information on Las Vegas but haven't found anything yet. I hope the conditions were good for all the runners this weekend.

Happy trails,
Les

[SusanMac]

OK...there are a lot of Elizabeth's who ran the LV Half, making searching for her a bit tough. But there's only 1 from TN. I found this:

Elizabeth Barbour - 2:48 chip time

Hopefully that's her :-) Congrats Elizabeth! Can't wait to hear the race report.

MNGirl - sleet in the race? Yikes! Glad you had fun working the race.

Seathyme - Happy bday

Kathy - which program are you watching during the treadmill sessions? There's an article in the current RW on how to make treadmills more fun. I haven't read it yet, but I have a sneaking suspicion it has to do w/intervals

Les - Glad you had a fun run & don't feel too sore. I thought you liked running in snow & liked the cooler temps? Maybe just not one w/out the other :-)

I had a really good spin session & run this weekend. It feels really good to be moving more. My goal this week is 3 bike sessions & 2 runs. We had some friends running in a local Jingle Bell Run on Sat that went right by our house. So, we stood outside w/Bode & cheered. We were the only spectators out so it felt odd, but was really, really fun to be on the other side of a race cheering!

[Leslie Ferguson]

OK...there are a lot of Elizabeth's who ran the LV Half, making searching for her a bit tough. But there's only 1 from TN. I found this:

Elizabeth Barbour - 2:48 chip time

Hopefully that's her :-) Congrats Elizabeth! Can't wait to hear the race report.

Les - Glad you had a fun run & don't feel too sore. I thought you liked running in snow & liked the cooler temps? Maybe just not one w/out the other :-)
That's her! Way to go Elizabeth (aka Betsy).
I do like running in the cold and snow. My issue on Saturday would have been getting on my bike and riding when it's 35 degrees out. I'm just a HUGE non-fan of riding in the cold. If I could find some snow to run in I'd be happy as a 4-year old (oh yeah, that's what I am isn't it ;) ).

I bet it felt funny but nice to be on the other side cheering folks on in the race the other day. Great job spinning and running - glad you're out of your funk.

Happy trails,
Les

[MNGirlTX]

Happy birthday, seathyme!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[aggie94]

Happy Birthday, seathyme!! Hope it's a great day.

Betsy, congrats on your race! Can't wait for your report. Hope you had fun in LV.

Les, nice job on the 18 miler and feeling good afterwards. :)

Lori, ugh, sleet???? That sounds miserable. How admirable that people stuck it out and finished in those conditions. I probably would have called it quits and gone home. :eek: :o

I had an interesting run last Thursday morning that reminded me a little of Les's comment last week on the running buddy that wanted to speed things up. I am used to running alone and actually quite like it, though it's nice to be able to see people in front of me and know they're there if I get into trouble. Our group had planned a 5-mile out and back course that peaks at the top of a hill. When I was about 1/4 mile from the top, DH and two other women were on their way down. DH and one woman continued on down, and the other woman turned around to run with me. I have run with her before and she is faster than me - I can keep pace with her if I really try and am having a good day, but it's a struggle and faster than I want to run in training. Anyway, she kept trying to speed up the pace and would be a few feet in front of me, constantly talking to me. And talking about stuff that I didn't want to hear, like how one of the other runners had a "supernatural" experience on the exact route the year before when running alone in the dark, blah, blah - obviously she could not have known, but anything related to the supernatural absolutely FREAKS ME OUT and now I don't know if I can ever run that route without someone right by my side again. Plus, I don't like to talk when I run either - it takes it out of me. So by the time we finished, I was annoyed and tired. Then, we all made plans to do a long run together on Saturday morning, and she commented how she wanted to run with me since she likes running with me. :eek: :(

I did manage to get out of it by telling her that DH & I had decided to run on Sunday morning instead, with another running club member. We didn't have it in us to get up at 6:00 on Saturday morning for a 10-miler; 8:30 on Sunday sounded so much more manageable. She emailed to say how disappointed she was not to run our long run together but I can't say the feeling is mutual. :o :o

Anyway, DH & I did go out with another Y member yesterday morning for what was supposed to be 10 miles out and back on a "rolling hills" course. Yikes, where was the "rolling" part? It felt all uphill! :eek: No seriously, it was a VERY tough hilly course, and despite the consistent 1/2 mile markers, our 5 mile turnaround marker was missing so DH & Mike ended up running to the 5.5 mile marker before realizing it, and turned around and caught me in time to warn me at about the 5 1/4 mile mark. I ended up at 10.6 miles overall and they did a little more than 11. Ouch. I am feeling the hills today and won't be doing that course for another long run. Maybe a 5-7 miler, but my long runs will be flat from now on, thanks.

[Natasha]

Happy birthday, Seathyme!!! Here's wishing you a *fantastic* day (what's left of it) and year ahead :)

And big congratulations to Betsy!! Susan, thanks for finding the result.

Les, 18 miles, wow! Way to go :D That must have felt awesome. And congrats to Charlie for another marathon to add to his impressive tally :)

Not much going on here to report -- I tweaked my back a few days (freak thing) so have been going for massages and today also had an adjustment. *Much* better now but I will still go a couple of times more in the next few days to keep things on the right track.

Hope everyone else is doing well!

Smiles,
Nat

[Leslie Ferguson]

Hey all - short drive by. Good hearing from Eva and Natasha.

Eva, it sounds like you've had a couple wild runs and I'm sorry about the bummer of a run. I'd dislike having to avoid someone on the trail but I understand your not wanting to run with her again - especially when she's that fast and "cramps" your style (as it were). double hills - WOW! Hope you feel better soon.

Natasha - Sorry about your back :( -- hope it gets better soon.

No run today but had my final meeting this evening and got a positive endorsement from the Lay committee at my internship church. Now there's just 1 letter from my supervisor and an interview by my home church to go and I'm set for the final "grilling." Having their positive comments and encouragement (and comments that they've come to be friends with me in the past 12 weeks) has left me very happy. Tomorrow will be another chance to run but getting feedback tonight was more important for my overall running perspective and life in general.

Happy trails all,
Les

[seathyme]

Thanks for the birthday wishes, everyone.:) I ended up having a 12+ hour workday yesterday, so we're pretending it's today! And Natasha, I empathize with your back situation; I did the same thing on Saturday! Odd, eh? You were smart to get the massage and the adjustment. I have done neither, except some self-massage, and it's significantly better. Probably could try an easy run today, but I may give it one more day for good measure.

So I guess Betsy, Les and Eva are putting in the major miles for us at the moment, with help from Kathy and Susan...

Betsy, congrats on a great run in LV!

Eva, what a drag about the unsolicited running partner.:rolleyes: I totally understand how annoying that would be, and I'd be finding reasons to run at a different time too, if I were you. 10+ hilly miles sounds tough -- I've done that a couple of times at our place in New Hampshire, and it's much harder than 10 flat miles, for sure.

Les, congrats on the positive internship review! You are flying along in your process, it sounds like.

Susan, funny to be the sole spectators for a race -- I'm sure your friends appreciated it! In their place I would have been tempted to take a time-out for a Bode fix.:D

Kathy, you sound quite hooked on 24 (that's what you're watching, isn't it? Or am I remembering wrong?). I'm thinking I should find an audio/iPod version of something I can get that hooked on for treadmill runs. Any suggestions out there?

Have a g'day, everyone.

[SusanMac]

Seathyme -- funny you should mention that....2 of them did stop to pet Bode! We laughed that they were just using us as an excuse for a break. We were at the top of a tough hill, so it was good placement :-)

Nat - hope your back feels better soon. Hopefully DH is good for a few massages, too?

Aggie -- Loved your story. I often like running alone, too, for similar reasons. Our days are so full of chatter & noise that it's really enjoyable to be alone w/your thoughts & not have the pressure of holding a conversation while panting! Good luck trying to politely turn her down in the future -- it's kinda like dating again, eh?

Had a good spin on the bike yesterday. Not sure yet what today holds. It's foggy & misty outside. Can't decide yet whether or not that makes for cool, moody running weather...or just annoying spritz!

Howdy to Les, Badunnin, Kathy & the rest o' the gang.

[Natasha]

Seathyme, I hope your belated birthday celebration has been wonderful! :) That is weird about your back - hope yours is better soon too.

Les, that's fantastic about the positive comments and endorsements (and I'm not surprised that they already consider you a friend).

Susan, that sounds fun about watching the race with Bode. Yes, DH can always be counted on for massages - he's given me quite a few lately and will give me another one tonight.

I did a bike trainer workout today and that was good. :) Also walked quite a lot in this balmy weather we've been having.

Kathy, mmm, cakes and cookies. Anything you'd particularly recommend?

Hi to everyone else, and have a lovely evening,
Natasha

[Leslie Ferguson]

Wow! We've got the walking wounded don't we? ;) And two bad backs too. Oh my! :eek:
Natasha - I'm glad you neck/back are getting better. You're having balmy weather to are you? I thought we might be the only ones. ;) You better get good massages from DH - he looks like the professional masseur to me. Thank you for your comments too - as long as I'm myself (and not someone I think people want to see) I'm more approachable and friendlier.
seathyme - I'm glad you've gotten a day (even if it is late) to celebrate your birthday. Especially if it's as nice in Boston as I imagine it is.
Susan - That does sound like fun and I'd have been tempted to stop and pet Bode too. Hope today shaped up for you.

Success! Ran at lunch today because meetings got moved. Did just over an hour in shorts and a tank top - don't know how far but that doesn't matter. It is December 12th isn't it? :confused: Then I did the car shuffle and took my car to the shop (it's hemoraging antifreeze from the water pump) and picked up my rental car for my work trip. Now I'm in La Plata MD (as the crow flies close to DC but as the car drives not quite as close). Meeting tomorrow then back home so running or spinning might be out of the question for tomorrow. I'll just have to find out and cross that bridge when I get there.

Hope everyone else is having some of this great weather. Check you all tomorrow night and...

Happy trails,
Les

[seathyme]

Just a fly-by to report an actual run this morning.:D My back is not 100% but probably 90%, which apparently is good enough for an easy run. Glad you got back on the bike, Natasha, and I hope your back is also on the mend.

Hello to all!

[Elizabeth B]

Hello all!

I posted a nice, long, chatty report last night after I got home, but it disappeared and I was too tired to start again.

But first, Happy Late Birthday wishes to Les and Seathyme!

Yes, Susan, you found me - good job. I actually had trouble finding myself!

I had a really fun time and enjoyed the race, but it wasn't the best-organized race I've ever run in - the corrals were nuts, the mile markers were off, and there weren't enough porta-potties. But, running down the Strip amidst the Running Elvi and being cheered on by "adult-entertainment" employees was definitely an experience I won't forget!!!

Everything was going according to schedule until I had to stop for a bathroom break. That took almost 10 minutes, so I tried to make up some time. Then my right knee started bugging me, so I had to go to a run/walk schedule - first walking 2 minutes out of every 10, then walking 3 minutes out of every 10. But the good news is that I never started beating myself up (which I've done when races started going badly before). There weren't many runners staying at our hotel so I was treated like a celebrity when I got back and the next day, when I wore my race t-shirt.

DH and I enjoyed so great food - we're still talking about the meals we had and he was outside the hotel to watch me run by. I talked to some really great people at the expo and at the race and had a very enjoyable time.

I don't know that I'd recommend Las Vegas to everyone, but if you're looking for a fun weekend with a non-running spouse, it has a lot to offer.

Thanks for all of your support and encouragement - I really appreciate it!!

Take care!!

[Kathy B]

Hi, all! Just got home from work a little while ago and have to head back in at 5:45 AM! :eek: I'll be hitting the hay soon, but needed a little BB time first. ;)

Seathyme, Happy Belated Birthday! Did you do anything fun to celebrate? Glad you were able to get in a run today. Take care of that back!

Wow, Les! Lucky you to be having such nice weather! Nice that you could take advantage of it and get in a good run.

Natasha, hope your back is improving, too. Well at least there is the perk of getting massages! I might complain about it for a few more days if it meant I could get more of those as part of the deal!:p Just kidding.....I've never really had back issues to speak of, but DH does periodically and I know it's no fun! BTW, this orange cardomom cake (http://food.cookinglight.com/cooking/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=833361)is really a nice one! I have made it a couple of times before, and this time made it for DH's BD cake to take to work. Great flavor!

Aggie, sounds like you are really racking up some miles! Do you have any more races in the near future, or is this just maintenance kind of running?

Susan, I am sure the Jingle Bell runners were thrilled to have someone cheering at the top of the hill! So did you get a run in yesterday in the annoying spritz? I have been watching "24" with DS (season one). It's pretty good, but what's really good about it is that the treadmill time flies by. There is enough action and intrigue to keep me interested (no long scenes of conversation that let the mind wander). Works for me!

ETA: Hey, Elizabeth! Thanks for the report. Sounds like a fun race, and nice that you got some status out of it at your hotel!! Woo Hoo! Glad to hear you didn't let the unplanned events bother you and that you were able to keep a positive attitude. It makes for good memories when you let yourself enjoy things however they unfold!

[SusanMac]

Elizabeth - thx for the race report. Sounds like you had a great race -- it's tough to readjust & stay mentally focused & positive in long races like that. Congrats. Kind of surprised about race organization (I mean, LV really knows how to do events in general) Glad DH had a good time, too.

Kathy -- I might have to check out 24 for my stationary workouts. I might have to check out your cardamom cake. Ever since CL's cardamom bread a few years ago we love the spice in baked goods!

No, I didn't get out in the drizzle to run. But it was due more to picking out tile w/DH and trying to finish Xmas cards than the weather :-)

[Natasha]

Kathy, thanks for the link to the cake!

Elizabeth, thanks for the race report!! I think the best part is that you finished in style and didn't get upset about things not going according to plan. You rock! How is the knee now?

Happy trails, guys,
Natasha

[Leslie Ferguson]

Elizabeth - Thanks for the race report. It sounds like a wild time - at least with the spectators. Good for you to not beat yourself up when you had problems in the race - it's only a race (did I day that?). I'm glad you two had fun out there too. I'm waiting to hear from my coach how he enjoyed the race. I think he came in about 4:30 in the Marathon (his standard time).
Kathy - The weather has been just fine here - I hope you're getting a little of the nice stuff too.

Howdy to the rest of the gang. It was 62 today (it is the middle of December isn't it???) so I just had to run today. Shorts and a tank for 69+ minutes. Felt good after getting home last night after 10pm (long meeting yesterday and a long drive home afterwards).

Getting ready to go see the St. Petersburg (Russia) Men's Chorale sing Russian Chants and Folk songs at my internship Parish. It will be a blast and definitely the highlight of my week.

Take care all and happy trails,
Les

[SusanMac]

Nat - I have a Canada question & need your help, pls :-) I need to purchase a holiday gift for a biz associate in Toronto. All other associates in the US are getting wine, but my vendor doesn't ship to Canada. Is there someplace you can recommend for me? Merci!

[Natasha]

Hi Susan,

I'll PM you.

Natasha :)

[MNGirlTX]

Just a quick drop in to say "hi"...and an early "have a nice weekend". I'm off to visit family in MN for the weekend - out tomorrow, back on Monday, and probably won't be able to check in but once.

Thanks for the race report, Betsy! I'm glad you were able to enjoy the race.

Les, the concert sounds wonderful! I hope you have/had a great time.

To those with aches and pains - hope you're feeling better quickly.

Lori

[Leslie Ferguson]

Lori - Have a safe trip to Minnesota. The concert was just grand and those 4 folks made such a wonderful sound you wouldn't believe it. And we sat in the front row - not 15 feet from them. Plus I purchased a CD with most of the music they sang plus a couple extra and got it autographed by the 4 of them.

Tomorrow will be a rest day but I'm looking forward to a new thread with lots of running comments.

Happy trails,
Les