GrooveTime!group - CLOSED!!! (Page 264)

I LOVE your shoes, Denise!   "GEL"??  is there really gel in them - are they soft and cushy?   Where did you get them???  Lots of questions........    

LISA,

Did you say your daughter was going to be in Kitchener for Mama Mia?  Saw a friend today who said she has tickets for next Wednesday.   

We are going to Grand Cayman on March 9th.   I've never been to any place like that.  Hope it is as pretty as the pictures.  

STEVEB,

Officially registered for Musselman!     

11 women counting me in my age group so far and 13 men.    I looked at some 2010 pictures and one of the run was pretty scary!   

Are you going to race?

DENISE, -32!! ... it was 28 degrees here this morning which felt great on my run.  LOVE the new shoes!!  I'll have to check them out at the expo next weekend.

ANNE, yes ... my daughter will be in Kitchener next week with Mamma Mia.  She was in London ON earlier this week, in Worchester Mass the next couple days, and then to Kitchener.  She's really easy to pick out in one of the group numbers (Gimme Gimme Gimme) as she's the only one in a cowboy hat ... with her midsection exposed, sequincy top and jeans with purple lacy inserts in the bell bottoms.  She will be heading back down for shows in several cities in Texas in February, so I'll catch it again there. Would have loved to gone to Kitchener but opted for Disney World instead.

I got my last long run (8.29 miles) in before my half next Sunday.  Like I said earlier, I'm just ready to have it behind me.  I focused way too much on my running (with little to show for it) this season ... too much, too early in training for my halfs I think, so that I'm kind of at the point of being burned out.  My longer training runs have been really slow (due to my running partners injuries), so I don't have the confidence I'd like to have.  It's been really hard getting into any kind of rhythm, because I run ahead for a few minutes and then walk back to meet up with her.  Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy running with her, it's just been frustrating (more for her, than for me!).  As of now, they are calling for 40 degrees next Sunday.  Wish it was a bit cooler, but I'm not complaining!

I've signed up for swim clinics with my masters swimming group in February and March and am looking forward to getting back in the pool and on my bike.

Hope everyone's having a great weekend and staying warm!

LISA

Very nice. I'll have no trouble spotting you at Albert Lea. Let me know how the 'no sock' thing goes. I haven't found a pair yet wehre I don't get a blister if I try and go sockless.

ANNE -

Congrats on the Musselman sign-up!! PM me your addresss; I have something to send you. DON'T DELAY!

More comments later on your longer post. (See 2 or 3 below this.)

DENISE -

GREAT shoes! The Noosa has had horrific designs the past three seasons, but finally have a good one.

They have the same bottoms as my formerly-beloved DS Trainers, but have minimized the overlays to reduce weight, and then have added the special laces. The are much more common in Great Britain and Australia, where they receive fabulous reviews.

Sweet feet, they are!

YO!

Speaking of Australia, Lynn is feverishly firming up plans for her trip there, so she is commandeering the computer. This just represents a small window for me, as she takes a much-needed "rest break".

Later!

ANNE -

That sure do look purty, seeing your names on that list. It only seesm like yesterday that Ken was sitting under the tent post-HVJ saying to you "Can you imagine running 21km after that bike??" Maybe he was just testing you, and seeing as how you didn't go apoplectic, he figured that both of you, really, could indeed imagine running 21.1km after a 90-km bike. And fast-forward to now....there you are! At the top of the 55-59 list!

And a big list it is already. By comparison there are just four 60-64 -- 3M, 1F. As you continue to scout out the opposition, don't forget to look at the list for Double Mussel. It has two M55-59, but no F ones yet. As for 60-64, it's the same -- two M for Double Mussel.

I did DM in '08 and had a blast, but figure that the efforst with the sprint cost me 10-15 minutes on the half-iron. But also, on the half-iron the problems with the cracked seat post manifested themselves, and especially on a couple of the climbs the bike was quite difficult. As it turns out, that was the last race that bike ever did for me.

As you have noticed, the Mussel run has some challenges! I may have said this before.........but seeing as how you bring it up in your post, I'll say it again!

One kinda tough part is the climb up Main Street, which follows about 2 miles of perfect flat along the lakeshore. The next mile or maybe a bit less is the gradual climb along Main, and while it isn't steep, it is a minor slog. Then there are a few miles of residential ups-and-downs, nothing too demanding. A bit past mile 6, I think it is, is the toughest part -- up through the apple orchard. The top of this marks ALMOST the end of the topographical suffering, but with a 90-degree right onto a regular road again (through the orchard is on a dirt road) there is a final 100-150 yards of gradual climb --- and then mostly descent or flat all the way back to the finish. In those final 5-6 miles are a couple of small inclines on residential street, but they are not tough at all.

If you drive the run course in the days leading up to the race, just pay attention to landmarks leading up to the orchard. That is a good spot to just take it easy for a few hundered meters, slowing the pace a few ticks so that you'll feel as strong as possible in the orchard. In '08 there was an aid station right at the bottom of the climb, and that was a fine thing to encounter! I hope it'll be there for you this year!

Am I doing it, you ask? Nope! Not yet! (Now that the lists are up, though......I'm lurking on them!)

I have the four options: Musselman, Mini-Mussel, Double-Mussel, no Mussel. Nothing is running away with my affections yet, and it's just wait and see for now. I would love to do the Double again, but in my newfound wisdom, I am trying not to do races that (a) don't really matter, and (b) where one is compromised by a closely-preceding one. As I said above, that definitely happened at DM '08, but also this past year at Double Fronhofer (oly in a.m., sprint in p.m.), and also at the two I did in June -- the one with Tracey on the Saturday, the one with Mandy on the Sunday. The worst race I had for USAT points was the latter, the Sunday one with Mandy.

On the other hand, the highest USAT points I got was at the afternoon Fronhofer one, even though I clearly felt the effects of the oly a few hours before. The sad irony there is thta had I now done the a.m. oly I likely would've gained at least a whole point higher in USAT points, and thta might've been enough to get me to staright All-American. Right now I am A.A. Honorable Mention, 40/622, with the last guy at straight A.A. being #31 -- and less than a full point ahead of me. Waaahhh! Well, I had a fun day anyhow. (Waahh?)

But I digress!

I am very excited for you that you are in Musselman!! I received your address, and if my squirrel-brain can stick with this notion, I will send you the wee something to you tomorrow. It is NOTHING important, just a mere gesture of Musseldom!

I'm sending this now, and will return in a few minutes.

ANNE again -

If it's any consolation to you about spending more time on your strength than your weaknesses....
(1) Consider the bike to be an "evolving" strength. That is, it is becoming a strength for you because you are spending time on it, and keep in mind that you haven't realized your full potential yet.
(2) At half-iron especially, a strong bike is heavily rewarded. Just using myself as an example, for oly I roughly swim 30, ride 75, run 45. For HIM I swim 40, ride 165, run 110. That's just a huge difference in the weighted improtance of the Bike (and run) over the swim. I doubt I'm telling you anything you don't already know, but it's worth stating that to keep it in the forefront of your mind.
(3) You are still getting back your running legs, PLUS keeping previous injuries at bay. So, as much as you might want to develop more of a run focus, to do so now is kind of risky.

Overall, I think you are exactly where you should be -- a Canadian winter indoors really honing those eveolving skills with th brilliantly-undertaken CT training, and also gradually ramping up the run mileage so that when your are stronger and more confident by the time spring comes, you'll be set to hit the roads and start getting more focused with the running.

As for the swim, you know that you can do that distance -- you did it at Peterb, your did it (minus a couple hundred meters!) at HVJ. Sure, with more focused swimming you can probably do it better, but likely not with the time inroads that you're developing on the bike. At most, the swim improvements will be in the single-digits, and probably low single-digits at that. But the bike? I would just love to see you on that HVJ course under the same conditions this coming season! I would fully expect a time improvement of 10-15 minutes, maybe? Maybe even more? Hey! That's time well, well, well spent!

As for the plan to switch run and swim times, I say for sure! Them the sawims can be recovery efforts almost, and maybe a good time to focus on some easy stroke improvements. I know I have been teasing you with stuff for over two months now, and I'm really not meaning to be a tease at all. I guess i just don't want to lead you down any garden paths that might be just dead ends for you, so I'm not saying anything until I feel really good about it all. I have been stunned by some of the concepts in a video from Vasa, and I think they send this for free to anyone who can convince them they are even remotely thinking about purchasing a Vasa. It is called "Better Technique + More Power = Faster Swimming", and hads tow segements to it. The first one, with Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen, is where the gold is, with several key points worthy of thought and focus. I should try to summarize those for the group here, but I'm not sure I can do them justice. You might want to check out the video at www.vasatrainer.com; it may even be viewable on-line. the back of the box has a price of $29, but I seem to remember it being free. I'll try ot find the invoice. I only got this a week or two ago, but already feel I should be guarding it with my life!

Following my off-season injury-induced layoff, I mostly returned follwing 10% -- that is, past a certain starting-point I have tried to observe 10%. So, let's see. Starting on 11 Dec with my first ruin in four weeks...
11/12 -- 30'
18/12 -- 44'
22-12 -- 53'
29-12 -- 45'
31-12 -- 48' (90% race-effort, however, at Resolution Run)
3/1 --- 55'
7/1 --- 47'
9/1 --- 46'
12/1 -- 40'
14/1 -- 51'
16/1 -- 60'
19/1 -- 50'
21/1 -- 60'

That's instructive for me (but what exactly do I learn?). There was the quick return to some distance, with three exploratory up-ticks that severely abused thte 10% rule.....but since then I've been a pretty good boy about it! (Real easy to do when the weather is frightfully cold! )

As for your knee and Yoga, how would Pilates be for you as an alternative to Yoga? I don't think thee is much in Pilates that requires any contortions that might affect the knees, but I don't know for sure. As an aside, Lynn just finished using her two-week Groupon pass at a Yoga studio in Ottawa, doing seven sessions and enjoying them all. She has played around with Yoga for a few years, but this was the biggest concentrated effort. It was a range of stuff -- Yin, Hot Flow, Power, Asghtanga Improv, Htaha, Gentle Hatha, and one more. I have my pass, but will likley wait until she goes to Australia. Conversely, the sooner I do it the sooner I can be recovered from any Yoga injuries I am likely to acquire , so..........

Were you on camera at City Line? What was the context?

Let me know how the run went!









Edited by stevebradley 2011-01-23 11:47 AM

LISA -

As for what Alison is wearing....... like mother, like daughter?

As for you and the race next Sunday, your feelings and misgivings are all understandable. In effect you "bridged" the off-season, and there it will be next Sunday -- right on the cusp of February, and you really haven't had any downtime. So, it no surprise that your are feeling burned-out and just want to leave it behind you. And I probably could delete "feeking" from the previous sentence and it would be correct - you are burned-out.

The problems with your partner's injuries loomed large for you, maybe larger than you suggest in the recent post. I cannot imagine trying to do a serious run having to keep doubling-back and catching-down (as opposed to catching-up?) with her. We are pretty much conditiioned to measuring our success in terms of time and numerical distance, but right close behind that is the sense of terrain travelled. This is why so many people struggle with treadmill running or running around a track; neither gives the sense of accomplishment that moving progressively and steadfastly over actual ground provides.

Do you really think you have so little to show for the run focus? I was thinking there were some evry decent improvements there, along with a growing (or continued?) sense that these distances you're doing are really nothing at all. Yes? No? I hope you're not being too unjustifiably hard on yourself there, although if you are that would be consistent with aspects of burn-out.

REALLY good for you to sign up for those swim clinics and juts getting back with the Masters swimming again! I wonder if you can find the time and the place to do an eay 30'-45' ride along about the Tuesday or Wednesday aftert he half-marathon. Your legs will like you for it, but moree importantly is how it might positively affect your mind -- there IS life beyond running!

Hang in three, Lisa, and try to enjoy the race as much as you can. This is the one in which many members of your running group will be present, yes? The one you all gained a raffle entry for? (or am I completely confused and addled??)

Illegitimum non carborundum!

Hey Hey folks,

Things are going great here post surgery. Definitely at the point of ready to lift more than I should be. Which I knew was probably going to be the biggest struggle for me. Stairs are no more of a challenge. Walking is all weather dependent now. Was out with the girlfriend's father and dog (a nice 100lb mastiff/weimarame/dane/black lab mix that is also keeping me company while I am off work). Did about 1.16 miles according to Map My Run. Longest walk yet. Been up and down the stairs a lot as well. Incredible how much my fitness level has fallen through the floor and into the basement.

Today I will be starting to read Chi Running. While dabbling in some of Fitzgerald's Triathlon book as well as Friel's Tri Bible 3rd Ed. Was reading Don Cherry's Hockey Stories. Interesting book and I could almost hear his voice with every little story. I would imagine SteveB would enjoy this book a bit being a Bruins Fan.

Got to looking at a calendar as well and I would need to start my 20 week HIM plan for Steelhead on March 27th. So that gives me almost 2 months to get back into the swing of things somewhat once I start back again on Feb 3rd. In the mean time I need to start doing some stretching work and using some light weights to strengthen the shoulders/upper back for the swimming.

STEVEB, the 'athletic hernia' does not sound fun. Almost like a torn rotator cuff. Worth a look if you have had chronic groin injuries. From what I found seemed like best surgeon (where all the pro's go) is based out of Philadelphia. His exact name I don't recall though.

How bout my beloved Bears? Man did they stink up the joint!!! I don't even know where to start if I were going to draft/trade for that team. Well, ok a backup quarterback. However Hanie (spelling?) did pretty damn good. Collins, I'd be chasing him out of town today! Urlacher broke my hard not turning that interception into a touchdown. Then what, 3 and out? COMMON!!!! It's the damn NFC championship game....Can you tell I'm still a bit worked up about it.

As for the Lions, yes the ended the season on one heck of a tear. Would be kind of nice to see them continue that but alas with Glassford (I mean Stafford) 'healthy' I'm sure they will start of 2011 (or will it be 2012) with a poor showing.

As for the superbowl...The pack or the steelers. I like them both for historically playing rough and tumble hard nosed defensive football. But the Pack beat my Bears and after a recent trip to Pittsburgh I can not bring myself to cheer for people like that (no offense meant for anyone from Pittsburgh or with family there. Was there recently and from everyone we encountered on the southside we got nothing but you are not good enough to be here which is not what I expected from that city. However if there and need a place to stop for one of the best sandwhich's around I do highly recommend Primanti Brothers.)

SHAUN -

Great news about your rapid recovery!! I figured it would go quicker than your feared at times, and I'm glad it's turned out that way. And you're right -- with still two months to go until the Steelhead plan begins, it's all looking good right now!

But I ask ---- why worry about wlaking when you have that dog to ride? Mercy!

As for the Bears.......yeah.....well........
I hear carson Plamer wants out of Cincinnati; think he'd look okay playing half his games at Soldiers Field?
I don't know if you caught it in the pre-game chatter yesterday, but i think it was Ditka who said that the game could define Jay Cutler's legacy. Uh-oh for Jay if that's the case.

You are a true hard-core Bears fan if you knew of Caleb Hanie before yesterday!

One reason for rooting for Green Bay is because if they won the Super Bowl you could (arguably?) claim that the Bears are the second best team in the NFL. Right? I mean, who's to say they're any better than the Steelers? (Well..........)

Matthew Stafford ---- will he ever be healthy for more than three games in a row? It's beginning to look dicey......

Don Cherry is nowadays 98% , but in his day he did some great things with the Bruins. (Okay, he also sent an extra guy onto the ice in the '79 or '80 Stanley Cup finals, costing the Bruins the Cup against the *^!*#* Habs. GRRRRRRR!!)

Great to hear your news, and I realy do feel your football pain -- the Pats did their own stinko the week before, and as for my Browns........sigh.

It's been a crazy couple of days.   Finally able to sit down for a few minutes.   Monday is supposed to be a recovery day but it's really the day I try to get everything done-  cooking/baking/cleaning/phone calls/paperwork, you name it.  

I know, it was so cool to see our names right at the top of the 55-59 list.     I/we still really don't know what possessed us.   I come up with these schemes and Ken willingly (thankfully) follows and proceeds to come up with even crazier ones.   I'm really glad there are alot of people.   Hopefully that reduce my chances of coming in last.     Next year when we do Placid I will be in the 60-65 group, but I am sure there will be a number of others moving up as well.

Thanks for the tips on the run course.   I do wish you were going to be there though.    

After registering for Musselman, went to check out Steelhead and figured we would register but I freaked at the cost of it -$250.00 is nuts.   That's x2 for us, plus travel and accommodation.   I could not justify paying that price.  Have to pay for Placid this year as well.    Got onto the computer and started searching for a substitute and decided we would do the HSBC Cobourg Oly.  It is on the same weekend and I like that course.   The bike is a challenge but the run is flat which will be good for me.   

Speaking of running - didn't have a good one yesterday but not too concerned about it.   My hips were TIGHT!!! and my quads tight and sore.   Really hard to get any motion going.   The 2 CT sessions were hard ones last week - first time I have done a threshold other than the test and then Thursday was a good tempo session - believe this is the first time my quad muscles have been sore.  

Something else may have come into play as well - I took my bike into True North and Hugh (owner) checked my fit again.   Looks like my seat had slipped down during the season and he ended up raising it substantially.   It feels great - not like my legs are all squished up.    Road for an hour and a half easy on the new set up, but am sure that I was working the hip and leg muscles different from before.  

I'm going to ride with it tomorrow on the CT to see what if any change there is in the power. 

I checked out that vasatrainer site briefly.   It looks really interesting.   Going to spend more time looking at it tomorrow.    Picked up a few points that I can use in the pool.    

Want to say more, but will send another post tomorrow. 

Hope you had a great day.

ANNE -

Therein lies the problem with those NAS races -- so pricey! Some of them, such as Timberman, have now gone up to $275, and I would have to be really motivated to pay that much. It doesn't mean that I can't or won't be motivated, it's just that it (being motivated) is not obvious right now.

Such motivation can only come from three things:
(1) a love of the course
(2) the desire to qusalify for the 70.3 championships (past years in FL, this year in NV)
(3) a need for the bells and whistles (think swag and branded clothing) that come with 70.3 and (M-dot) races

As for the third one, Jeff Henderson (Monsieur Mussel) has always had great swag and all, so one doesn't necessarily have to pay a few arms and a couple of legs for those benefits.

And, NO!!! You will not finish last in the a.g.! Banish the thought!

Good discovewry about the seat slipping! I always think i sense that, but then I check on the piece of black tape I have around where my seat post disappears into the seat tube, and it's all fine. Maybe my legs are growing; the onset of a second puberty?

Moving on and away from such unsavory topics as me and puberty.....

Your hips being tight does not surprise, nor really worry. As for the quads, though -- well, no worry, but some surprise. that is, unless you were on hills. Were you on hills? Hills are the big quad-busters, but on mostly-flats the quads should just sit there and purr peacefully. BUT, if they were compromised by the two CT sessions you mention, then you have found the culprit. I guess then the solution is to not run too soon after a hard CT sessionn, or else lower you expectations significantly.

I wanna run today, haven't since Friday due to the cold here, but today is no thing of beauty, either. I will probably do soimething, just not sure what.

Last night I did my longest trainer ride, 1:45, of this off-season, following a 1:00 one the night before; don't think I'll ride today! I'm off to the 50m pool shortly, and then the gym......and then maybe that run!

Bye for now!

STEVEB,

Coming back in a bit re your post to me but I wanted to say (re my quads) YES, both Tue and Thurs rides were HILLS, HILLS, HILLS, - I was pushing 280+ watts on some.   Had a good CT AND short 2km run today.  YIKES!

ANNE -

45-minute run this afternoon, and out of the blue and for seemingly no reason, my right Achilles is quite sore. i could feel it for much of the run, but was hoping it wouldn't evolve into anything. WRONG! I've had a few Achilles episodes since my kinda big one in winter '08/'09, and they've resolved themselves within a day or two. Hopefully that will be the case this time!

Among the pool tricks I am trying, increased cadence is a biggie. I have tried to increase it by 2-3 for 25m, and 4-7 in the 50m pool. So today, after a warm-up of sorts, i did four timed-50s, varying cadence to see what was most effective:
1.) 45 strokes -- 55s
2.) 50 strokes -- 48s
3.) 47 strokes -- 53s
4.) 49 strokes -- 49s

See a pattern there? I do!

I will continue to play with this and see whare it gets me.

I am still working at a deeper entry, and with fingers slightly down. I am also working on a wider enrty, especially for my right hand. And, there is also attention to eliminating bubbles on the entry, with the right hand again being more of a problem. I can get rid of bubbles by entering thumb first, but I know that is not the best thing for my shoulders.

And then there are all the points brought up on that Vasa DVD I mentioned to you. i am still intending to summarize her info and get it out to you all here.

My big-volume weeks continue, but to what end I'm not all that sure! Um, seems like a good idea at the time?

I am mailed the Mussel thingies to you tomorrow!

STEVE B, thanks for the pep talk ... everything you mentioned is right.  Now I need good healthy vibes headed my way because I've got a terrible head cold and cough ... ugh!

There are actually two women that I was regularly running with ... the one with the PF more frequently.  The other one was training for a half last weekend and ended up with a stress fracture and was unable to race.  My regular partner's husband is doing the marathon, and a friend from work and her daughter are doing the half, with us.  My friend at work has been really busy working on an arbitration and hasn't been able to get a long run in for several weeks, so she's feeling a bit anxiou.  At this point, the forecast is 50 degrees and rain.  Like my partner said, no problem, we've trained in the rain.   And like my husband said, 50 degrees and raining is better than 70 degrees and raining, and I guess he has a point. 

Although I'm frustrated with how things have gone (or not gone), I've definitely learned somethings along the way, and I guess that's as important as anything.  I'm actually thinking about starting with a beginner tri plan (now that I know I'm capable of doing a tri), and focusing more on trying to improve my times ... I guess what I'm trying to say is quality vs quantity this year.  And maybe experiment with some new kinds of cross training.

My daughter will be in Ft. Worth next weekend and I was thinking about driving up to meet her.  My sister-in-law and niece will be going.  They were having a difficulty time trying to book a hotel room under $300 anywhere near DFW.  She finally asked one of the hotels why she was having such issues ... they reminded her that the SuperBowl was that weekend in Arlington.  So, I guess that blows that plan for me at the present.  That and the fact that baseball practice starts back up that Saturday as well.

Hope that your Achilles gets to feeling better. Interesting about your swim times ... I wish I had to patience to figure that out.  I need to check out your BT logs and see how those are coming along!

LISA

Edited by lufferly 2011-01-25 8:07 PM

SHAUN, good to hear the recovery is going so well.  That sounds like quite a dog that your girlfriend has.  My guess is that although it may be a bit scary looking, he's probably a big teddy bear!

LISA

ANNE, excited for you signing up for Musselman.  Can't wait to continue to follow your journey!

LISA

LISA -

And better than 30 degrees and rain! The system that is moving into Massachusetts right now went through New Yourk earlier, and threunderstorms accompanied the heavy snows. Yech.

Where is the stress fracture in your other training partner? I have never hasd a foot one (KNOCK ON WOOD!), but the tibial s.f. I had in '00 was good for about nine weeks layoff, if I remember correctly. But I was very slow in responding to it, taking it for bad shin splints for a few weeks and still trying to run on it, so it got worse than it should have. A few years later I had a realy stupid mishap and clobbered the leg on exactly the same spot, and got a hairline fracture there. But within a day or two I recognized the symptomes, backed off immediately, and was away from running for only about six weeks. Hopefully for her it will be more on the short side of the recovery timeline!

I think any of those beginner plans might help you, but I'm wondering if you might be slightly beyond beginner status. We both know you are way, way beyond it for the run, and so with just about any plan you will have to alter things to cater to your advanced running experience and abilities. Let me know at any point if you want advice!

The achilles is feeling better today, but i won't hazard a run until Friday or Saturday. Now is not the time of season to push things, so I can grumble my way into rsting a few extra days if necessary. I'm still doing mega-hours, even though there is no clear goal in mind. Now, amny of those hours are "soft", such as cross-country skiing, and lifting juts isn't the same as swim/bike/run. But still, overall, I'm doing much bigger hours than I need right now. Doh??

As for my log here at BT, well, it;s still a work-in-progress. I am remembering to make my entires......although sometimes a day late! And I am scrimping on the details, just becasue I do that already in my logbook and don't want to take the time to fo it here, too. I am trying to work in other features on a weekly basis, but I'm still too scared to be too adventurous!

Finally, that's really too bad that th S.B. is causing all of those huge hikes in motel rates. That might even affect places in Denton, i would guess!

Finally-finally, mojo coming your way for your head cold AND a slight change in Saturdays' forecast. i'm trying to work a deal where the rain will be cancelled, but the temps will be 4-6 degrees cooler. That would be ideal for you, yes?

Keep your sunny side up!!








Edited by stevebradley 2011-01-27 7:05 PM

ANNE -

That little package? Signed, sealed.......and hopefully soon to be delivered!

Hey Shaun
Great news on the rehabbing. Tough outcome for the Bears.

Stick to your Dr's guidelines and don't over do it. I know from experience that only slows things down.
Mark

Hey Lisa - I hope your cold is better and I hope you have a pleasant race.  If it rains, I hope it's a light drizzle - that can actually be quite pleasant.
Denise

STEVEB, my other running partners stress fracture is in her tibia.  And now that you mention it, she was complaining about shin splints (which she hadn't had before).  She quite running as regularly as we were, went out a PRd in a half without a good base, and then was diagnosed with the stress fracture.  She was supposed to do another half on January 15th but bailed on that one.  I'm still kind of a  loss as to my training but will take a better look at it after the weekend.  I just really think I'm going to back off on the running at this point (maybe keep my "longer" runs at 5-6 miles) and focus on the swim and bike.

DENISE, thanks for the well wishes. 

The race is on Sunday morning.  Forecast is low 57, high 72 with thunderstorms Saturday night into Sunday morning.  Race start is 7:10.  I do actually like to run in a drizzle, just not sure about a downpour, and definitely not a thunderstorm.  But like I told Sydney (my running partner), if the weather is bad it kind of takes off the pressure for a PR and makes the main focus to go out and have fun!  I'm sure we can manage that at least! 

LISA