Philippians 4:13

7.25M early this morning before my wife left for work at 5:30.  Nice warmer day (36 degrees) with no wind.  Ended up staying home today to look after my daugther because she is sick and has pink-eye. (Stratos 2)

4.25M on a very nice and warm (48 degrees) after dropping my son off at tennis lessons.  Afterwards watched him at the lessons, he is doing pretty well he just needs to play more than once a week to improve.  (Stratos 1)

No run this morning as I woke up feeling crummy, most likely the cold my daughter has and passed on to me.  Maybe a bit of an issue from the flu shot I got yesterday.   A lunch run is possible, but most likely just let today be a rest day to get over the crud.

Sick at home, no running.

sick at home, no running. Went to the doctor to have my throat examined as it is really sore, just a virus.  Also had a plantars wart frozen off my right foot which was starting to bother me.  Hopefully feeling better by tomorrow for a short run.

4M easy today just to see how I feel trying to recover from this nasty cold.  Throat is still a bit sore, but I wanted to get out a little as I have been cooped up all week.  Felt ok and throat did ok but still hurts.

11M on a cold morning (19 degrees) but no wind.  3M solo and 8M with Andrea a bit slower as she is coming back from shoulder surgery but is doing great.  Nice conversation on beautiful morning, we got to see a wonderful sunrise.  Throat is still sore but it did not bother me on the run.

7M easy early this morning before church.  Throat still scratchy and I am still not 100%, but feeling a bit better.  Last night I felt like crap, so hopefully on the mend since I have to go on business travel tomorrow.

9M easy this morning early in cool (31 degrees), snowy and windy weather.  Pace was easy (7:30ish), and the combo of wind and snow was kinda nasty (the snow stung when it hit my face!).   Leave on business trip today and don't know if I will get a run in the next few days, hopefully the weather will be nicer at my destinations. 

6M this morning at just under a 7:00 pace on a cool morning during business travel.  The temp was about 37 degrees, but I only had shorts and a long sleeve running shirt, so a bit cold.  It started to snow as I was finishing, so between this on frozen hands, I stopped at 6 miles. 

4M late night run after getting to the hotel and just felt the need to get a run in.

8.25M in the morning before meetings.

5M after meetings in the late afternoon.  1M easy, then 4M at a slow MP.

6M before meetings and flying home.

7M early this morning back home in cold but no wind.  Not too awake or energized, so this was a very easy run.  (Stratos 2)

5M run at lunch on a beautiful but cool day. Wanted to run a slow MP pace, but just didn't feel it so ran a 6:50ish pace. (Stratos 1)

I woke up this morning hoping to get in a 20 miler, but the weather did not agree.  It was super windy, snowy, cold and very slick outside so I decided to hit the gym instead.  I ran 13.1M on the TM in 1:21:05 to get in a long MP run.  I needed to get home and also just couldn't stomach any more time on the TM.   I really wanted to go outside, but it was nasty!

4M easy in the late afternoon.  Really cold (10 degrees) outside and the roads/sidewalks were deep with snow as they hadn't been plowed from the storm that dropped about 6 inches.  My legs are sore from yesterday's hard run (left lower leg worst) so this was just an easy recovery run.

5M easy on the TM at home since my wife had to work early this morning, it was very cold (1 degree) outside and my legs still hurt.  Nearly quit before I started as my leg really hurt just 1 minute into the run but as I got going it felt a little better.   Pace was ok, ended up finishing in 33:20.  (Stratos 2)

5.1M at lunch on a cold day around the greenbelt.  The trail was plowed pretty well so it wasn't too slippery.  Just a nice easy run as my leg is still a bit sore.  Ran in new shoes that are better for winter, Saucony Tornado 2's. 

I was expecting frigid temps again this morning and was getting ready to hit the gym and then checked the weather and it was 18 degrees and no wind.  I had already got my mind around going to the gym so I wimped out and didn't go outside.  3M at easier pace (6:30-6:45) and 3.5M at MP (6:25-6:10) pace.  Left leg still a bit sore with a bit of a sting but not too bad especially once running.  I will try to get out at lunch again today.  (T3)

5M around the river at lunch with Dan S in the cold and snow.  Not a good day for a run, but at least the pathway was not too slick yet.  Slow and easy with good conversation. (T2)

6.25M on the TM at the gym again this morning.  Easy pace (6:35ish) for the first 3M, then bumped up to slow MP (6:25ish) for the remainder of the run.  Nothing special, would have gone longer but needed to get home so Kami could head to the gym.  Will try to get a lunch run in depending on meetings.  (Stratos 1)

No run at lunch due to meetings and frigid -2 degree weather.  We did run is this type of weather last year and it was a mistake I didn't want to repeat.

Went back to the Doc and had the wart on my foot frozen again as the first treatment didn't finish it off.  This time it is stinging afterwards and it is kinda painful to walk in barefeet.

7M on the TM at the gym again this morning.  Legs are feeling good, just still not loving the TM but it is a neccessity.  1.5M at easy pace (6:40) then 5M at slow MP (6:20ish) with a 0.5M cooldown.  Not sure about another run today due to schedule but I will try to slip in a 5K around lunchtime.  (Stratos 1)

3M at lunch really quick in between meetings outside.  Nice day and the temp said 14 degrees, but once I was out there it didn't feel that warm.  Roads were snowy and slick, so this was a easy paced run that was tough on the legs.  (T3)

6M early this morning at the gym on the TM.  Still trying to wake up, but ran it in just under 40 minutes, with 1.5M slow, 4.5M at slow MP.  (Stratos 2)

Went back to the gym with Kami and ran 9.25M in just under 62 minutes on the TM.  Some easy pace, most slow MP, but I did throw in 3 0.25M pickups at 5:15, 4:50 and 5:00 pace as well as the last 0.25M at 6:00 pace.  Now I am tired and hungry.  (Stratos 1)

6.6M at the gym on the TM early.  6:30 avg. pace.  Had to quit at this distance to make it home in time to get to my daughter's gymnastics show off event, then back home in time to meet Kami's friend for them to start a full day of making cookies.  I took the kids to the pool to swim.  (Stratos 2)

When we got back, it was a nice day outside so I went for 8.5M run outside (sunny, no wind, 16 degrees).  Slick and had to trudge through about a dozen snow drifts but it was nice being outside.  (Fireblades)

5M this morning on the TM at home before the kids got up.  We stayed up late last night for a Christmas party at the neighbors and had some good times, the kids even got to see Santa at the party and get an early Christmas gift.  The Santa was great and told the kids that everyone over 7 years old should clean their room before Christmas as part of their responsibilities!  Now for a day full of delivering gifts to friends and getting more things ready for the rest of the week.  (Stratos 1)

7M early at the gym this morning.  3M easy (6:40ish) then 4M at slow MP (6:25ish).  Nothing special about the run.  We got 6 inches of snow over night so the roads up here are nasty right now.  It is warm however, so I might try to get a run at lunch in the snow with the Ice Joggers.  (Stratos 2)

5M at lunch with Pat B in a white-out blizzard.  Really overcast and snow coming down pretty good but warm (28 degrees).   Kinda fun to be out in the white stuff when it is not frigid cold.  Wore the Ice Joggers which really helped today.  The path was mostly clear but we did have some drifts and sections that were deep and a good strength workout.  (T2)

7M early at the gym, nothing special just a decent run on the TM.  (Stratos 1)

After getting home and waiting for Kami to leave for the gym, I decided to finish off today early and did 3M on the TM at home before breakfast.  (Stratos 2)

8M on the TM at the gym early.  Nice and easy today, nothing special to report.  Probably only run for today as I forgot to bring my stuff to run at lunch and we are all dismissed early anyway so I will work through lunch and get home to help get things ready for dinner tonight with family and friends. 

Merry Christmas!

Took the day off for Christmas to spend with family.  Told the kids today that we are taking them to Disneyworld in January as our big vacation for next year (got a great deal to get the family there!).   I am going to run the Disneyworld marathon while we are down there at the beginning of our vacation as well. 

12M on the TM at home this morning watching "The Italian Job".  Kami went out early to check on the after Christmas clearance stuff and was gone 3 hours!  I decided to hit the TM at home instead of waiting to go to the gym once she got home.  So, after spending an hour outside shoveling the driveway clear of 2 foot drifts, I hit the TM.  5M easy pace (6:30-6:40), then 6M at MP (6:25-6:15) followed by a cooldown mile.  Overall one of the better runs at home on the TM in a while.  Weighed myself after the run and I had lost 5 lbs., so yesterday's indulgences had been worked off!  Broke open new shoes to go for this longer run as well. (Stratos 3)

8M on the TM at home while my wife went to the gym in the morning.  5M easy and 3M at MP.  (Stratos 1)

We were going to head up to Driggs to visit some friends and stay the night in their condo but were a little concerned about the roads and the impending storm, so we stayed and played in IF.  We took the kids cross country skiing for their first time around Tauphaus Park and they did great!  They took to it well and had a great time and didn't fall that much.  It was a great day for skiing and we finally now feel like we are participating in winter.  We will get all of us out to do this a lot more often!

5M cross country skiing with the family around Tauphaus Park again and the kids did even better.  3.5M with the family and 1.5M with my friend Doug who we saw at the park.  We went quite a bit harder for a couple of good loops!

4M around the neighborhood in a good snow, but it was warm and it was slick!  The temp in warming up and starting to melt the snow and it getting slick and slushy.  (Fireblades)

8M on the TM at the gym.  I thought about going outside as it was really warm (32 degrees) but with all the melting the roads were very slick and icy.   Decent run even though my quads are a bit sore from the cross country skiing over the weekend.  4.5M easy pace (6:31-6:40) and 3.5M at MP (6:25-6:22) with a 0.25M burst at 5:39 pace.  (Stratos 3)

5 slushy miles outside at lunch with Dan S.  It is really warm (40 degrees) and melting like crazy and the path way a wet and sloppy mess.  A little wind but not bad with the temps.  Even with this slop,  my wet feet were still dry compared to the TCM experience.  (T2)

8M easy early at the gym.  Legs still a bit sore from the weekend's x-country skiing and I was a bit tired this morning but started feeling better around 5M and pushed myself to finish the full 8 miles.  (Stratos 3)

4M at lunch with Dan S.  The river pathway was VERY slick with ice, but we found part of the roadway dry so we ran 2M back and forth on the road.  Mile 4 was at full MP (6:00ish) which felt really easy.  (T2)

7 easy (6:40ish pace) miles on the TM at home.  My wife had to work this morning, so I slept in a little bit and ran downstairs while watching "Hitch".  Had a hard time getting into the run today and had to really work to keep going.  I stopped at 4M to say goodbye to Kami, then ran the remaining 3M which were a lot better.  (Stratos 2)

Last run of 2008 at lunch on the dry westside of the river pathway.  5M at easy pace (7:00) on a pretty nice day.  This run seemed to go so much faster and better than the TM run even though I was running up and down the same pathway, I was outside and it makes a huge difference!  Just something about being outside...(T2)

It's official, I registered for and booked flights to the Boston Marathon in April.  It will be fun to be back there with my IF friends and Walter.

Looking back, it has been a great year...at home with the family, at work and running wise.  Looking forward to 2009 to being just as good (knock on wood).