It was 99 degrees here yesterday! Ugh! My run in the morning was pretty warm too and so humid, so it wasn't that great. But we will also have cooler weather starting tomorrow. Highs will be in the 70s/80s with lows in the 50s/60s, so it will be much better for running. We don't have any 40s coming up just yet, maybe later this month though. And it is just dry here too - leaves are falling but only because they are dead. I hope though that we will get some fall color - it is still early here.

Good Morning! Okay, now we are having some really cool weather here! Today it is 77 and overnight it is supposed to be in the 40s! The 40s, WOW! That will be an adjustment because last week when I ran it was in the 70s when I ran! Saturday I ran at the track, just a 5K with an additional mile (walking) to warm up and a half mile (walking) to cool down, so it ended up being 4.6 miles - the running pace was just okay, not even close to my old pace but the good thing is that I felt GREAT and was able to run the whole 5K with no walking breaks. I have a trail half marathon in a couple of weeks, but I mostly plan to just walk that - because I have not been training on trails at all. And I am only up to seven miles so I think it would be too much to even try to run that, but I should be fine to walk it.

Becky sounds like you have been so busy. I think I have gotten my eating back on track for the most part but there were a couple of days last week where I just didn't worry about it - one was a community event with lots of "tastes" of food from a lot of restaurants in our small city. And the other was a birthday party for one of my friends. I just ate too much at both of them. I am really trying to count my macros to make sure I am getting enough protein. Is there any fall color at all where you are Becky or is it just too dry? It is really early for us to have much fall color but there is some already which makes me wonder if it is going to be a cold hard winter.

Hello!!!

Becky, it is really dry here too. So many leaves have just dried up and fallen. But here and there is some really pretty fall color. It is around 85 here today but then that front is coming through and it will be in the high 60s on Saturday. I know that is not as cold as where you are. I've been enjoying my morning runs because it has been in the high 40s most of the time. I wish we could have this weather year round (though we sure could use some rain). The Y is so great - wish I could join but it is so expensive. There is a gym near me that I keep thinking I might join - it is much cheaper than the Y and has almost everything the Y does, except for the pools. It has really good group classes too. But so far I am sticking with my workout routines at home. The only thing I wish right now is that I had a better treadmill.

My runs have been okay, just very slow. I can't seem to get my pace back up but I am still running and I am so glad for that. This week the schools here are on fall break so I took advantage of that and went on some routes I normally can't because of school traffic. And then today I went and did my run on the track (can't do that when school is in session). I need hills more so than track but the track really lets me work on my pace so that is good too. I have a trail half marathon this weekend. Naturally I haven't been running on trails at all and I am only up to eight miles in my training so no doubt this is not going to be an easy race. However, this race company is so laid back and easy going, they don't care how long it takes. It starts Saturday at 7 am and they will support everyone regardless of how long they are out there, until Monday morning (this race has distances up to 100 miles). It's a looped course in a state park so if I want to do the loop and stop and rest or eat or take a nap or whatever, they don't care. They provide tons of food. A few of my friends will be there. I will probably mostly walk unless the trail is very well groomed and not technical.

Hope everyone is doing well! Run happy!

Becky, oh no, are you doing okay? That sounds very painful. Could it be a hamstring issue? Did you get any rain? We haven't had any in weeks either, but yesterday we got some finally! It was so hot yesterday, and humid! There have been tons of nasty gnats, seems like millions, but probably thousands. Today weather is better, but they are saying early next week it is going to seem like winter here (well, by our standards, it would probably be warm to you Becky).

My trail race Saturday was so awesome. We ended up doing 14 miles and then after that we ended up doing another mile. It took FOREVER because we mostly hiked it and then we would take breaks and hang out, because this is an ultra race (distances from 5k to 100 miles) so people are super laid back and there was a ton of food and people are just so chill. It's a totally different vibe from a road race. Just do whatever floats your boat and finish your distance! They literally give DAYS for people to finish. I loved it!

Oh, and here is my big news. I start a job next week. I couldn't help but be concerned with the economy the way it is. My DH and I have been so very happy with the status quo at home with me not working but I was just so worried about things and we want to do some work to the house, so it just made sense for me to do this. And if I love it, I will stay for many years. If I don't, well then, no. But so far I just think this was meant to be...I have been wishing forever for an accounting job close to home and I finally found one...six miles away. No commutes to Nashville and I won't be working 100 hours a week, probably little to no overtime. I am so going to miss not working and now my runs will be in the dark (for the winter at least) but I am so grateful for this opportunity!

Hello!!!!! Becky, it sounds like you are doing so very well! I am so glad. I am doing fine too, adjusting to the new job. It is close to home (just six miles away). And so no real commute! But after not working for a year and a half, I am having to adjust to the new schedule. I have done a couple of runs in the very early morning, in the dark. I am not a huge fan of that, but I did get a great flashlight (though it is kind of heavy). One of the great benefits of this job is that there is a Y membership! That is wonderful. I am going to try to go to the Y this coming week. For about a week I was having the worst pain in my knee. Don't know what that was all about. It hurt even at night when I was trying to sleep and I felt like I couldn't even walk (so painful). So I didn't do much walking or running for several days, but then on Thursday I decided I really had to run, so I did five miles on the treadmill. Later that day I went for a short walk at lunch time. And then suddenly, my knee didn't hurt anymore! Go figure. This morning I did my run...it was ten miles and I did fine the first seven miles (very slow running) but then I ended up walking the last three miles. I have a large blister on my toe and I don't know why, that is not typical. I am NOT ready for my races next weekend but I will go and do what I can, even if it means walking, I will finish. I do feel like this training plan I have been doing is really good (it is Hal Hidgon) but I am just not where I need to be yet. This plan had no hill repeats and no speedwork. My 10K next weekend is trails, so that will be hiking and not running just because I am not doing trails enough to run them these days....and then Sunday I have the half, the one that I do every year with the ridiculous hills. I am doing a little better on hills these days, but am not prepared for those kind of hills - I laugh at this race and say it is one gigantic hill with only a mile of downhill....and I mean it as a joke but to be honest, it is kind of true! Becky, is the fall color finished there? The color here was very early, but pretty awesome. Usually we would be peaking around this time but most of the color is gone now. I keep hearing about the cold hard winter, but I hope not. I guess if it is bad, I will be going to the Y. Okay, I am going to go now, take care!!!!!

Sorry I haven't been here much! My job is keeping me so busy. I am not working overtime and there is just the shortest commute, but it still is keeping me busy. But not as much stress as my previous job, that is for sure! Yesterday we had a chili cookoff at the office, perfect timing as the weather was 76 degrees - and today it is raining and it will be 46 tomorrow. 46 is January weather. Anyway, I did my two races last weekend, 10K on Saturday but we just hiked it (it was a trail race) because I had the half on Sunday. The hike was wonderful, just loved it. It was in Chattanooga so I had to get up at 3:45 to get there, ugh. Sunday was the half and for some reason my back was killing me, mid-back, not lower. I have had this before. So painful and I wasn't even sure if I could walk it, let alone run it. I walked almost the whole thing, just dreadful and so much misery. 10 miles in I could have cut off and quit but I knew I would be mad if I did that and I kept going and finished. Since that day I have done two very short runs early in the mornings before work - yesterday the skunk was in the yard, luckily I noticed it before I headed out. Don't want to startle it! I've been doing the Y three times a week - one of those is more like HIIT, I am actually liking that a lot and I figure it is good cross training. The other two are strength training. Becky, I don't mind the mild weather either. We are expecting a super cold spell with quite a bit of rain, not snow for us, I hope. But I am so glad about the Y because if it is crummy out, I can go there and use their treadmill (better than my rickety old one) or the track. Okay, better go, soon it will be time to head off to work!!!! Have a great weekend.

Good Morning! So sorry I have been AWOL! LOL, we were at my parents' house for a week and then work, of course. I come home, we eat dinner, I do a couple of things and it seems like it is already time for bed!

Becky, has it been really cold up there? There was snow in Michigan when we got there, a few inches. It melted quickly but then there was black ice that wouldn't go away even though it got very warm during the day. So while I was there I walked outside but ran on the treadmill.

Then this past week I have been running but only very short distances. I need to stick with short distances for now but I am scheduled for some races in February and April so I am not sure what to do about that. I need to see a chiropractor I think but my rheumatologist discouraged that. I've been going to the Y, and I do strength training twice a week and HIIT once a week. I would like to add another day but so far it hasn't worked out for me. If I go another day I will row or use free weights or something.

Food is so abundant at my job. I am at my scream weight at this point, so I need to buckle down. We had a special activity on Wednesday and there was a lot of food. There was a big party last night with a lot of food (and a DJ). I just have to say no! Work is going well though, not stressful like my old job - oh, there are some times when I am frantic and crazy busy, but at 5 pm I just go home! I have to get up and run very early in the morning in the dark, but less than three weeks and it will be solstice and the earth's tilt will begin to change again and the amount of daylight will increase.

I am getting ready to head over to the park to meet some friends to run. It's been raining. Hopefully it won't be slippery.