Hello!!!!! Sharon, I just love your outfit, you are so cute!!!! I dressed up in my kitty cat Christmas running skirt a few times and I actually wore it to work too, lol

Becky, how cold did it end up getting there? How much snow did you get? Sharon, did it snow there?

It was crazy here. We had below zero actual temperatures and with that wind, the feels like/wind chill was in the -20s. It snowed too and it had rained first, so it was very slippery. Because of all of this, a few utility poles fell in the wind and because of car accidents, so they had around 70,000 people without power. And to top it all off, they were doing rolling blackouts on Friday and Saturday. Saturday morning our power went out six times. Then it snowed a lot yesterday morning and it was so slick. We had to go to the next town over to feed our friend's cats and my DH fell in the parking lot of the apartment complex where our friend lives (he is okay). Then we had a friend come over for something in the afternoon yesterday and he ran off the road into a pole and totally destroyed the back passenger door to his car. Thankfully today it was warmer and sunny so most of this has melted. I had hoped to go to the YMCA to workout these days that I was off, but nope, that didn't happen. I couldn't drive in this mess, nor would I risk running outside, so my workouts have been on the treadmill. It is going to warm up a lot but we are expecting to get a lot of rain, so we will see how this goes! I need to get out and run for sure!

Our Christmas was quiet. We went to take care of the cats in the morning and the evening but we had a very nice dinner at home. Becky, I agree, it is hard to cook all of that and you are doing it for a large group.

I did a lot over the past few weeks - had two Christmas parties, went one weekend to KY to shop, went another weekend to KY to have Christmas with my in-laws and our son. There were a lot of activities and festivities at work too. I had two eye doctor appointments (my new ophthalmologist prescribed multifocal contact lenses, not sure why the old doc wouldn't let me have them but I am LOVING these, and they correct my astigmatism too, so AWESOME, no reading glasses anymore). Then I had to go up there again to order my new glasses. It's been crazy busy! Today I met up with one of my very good friends who lives a couple of hours from here - so I don't get to see her nearly enough. We had lunch together and spent two hours chatting - and I got to see her DH and her three kids, ages four and six) who I haven't seen since before Covid (I have seen her though).

I can't believe it is almost 2023.

Hello Everyone! And hi there Em! What races are you going to do? I have a 15k coming up in February. I haven't been doing long distances - well, I did a half in November but I was in terrible pain and even walking was horrendous, so I am a little apprehensive about the 15k. I am enjoying shorter distances right now, supplementing with strength training, HIIT and the rowing machine. I've put on some pounds, so strange for that to happen to me as my eating is usually spot on, so I am cleaning it up to make sure everything is the best nutritionally and hoping these pounds leave soon!

Hello!!!! Becky, well that stinks about it being icy. No way would I go out in ice! I see all of these runners out in it like it is nothing. But even with my YakTrax, I don't think so. The problem for me with the treadmill, at least the one I have here, is that it is so old and not calibrated so I don't really know how far I have gone. My Garmin on the treadmill isn't accurate either. And if I walk on it, my Garmin won't work at all. Plus, the incline doesn't work on it either. I have been thinking about going ahead and getting a new one but I can go to the Y too, so I don't know.

Saturday I had to do five miles. It is not really cold but it has been wet and rainy. Saturday it was about 40 degrees and pouring. Back in the old days I would have gone out and run anyway but I decided to go to the Y and run on the indoor track. I think it was a good workout, just lacked the hills that I need. Then I did the rower for about ten minutes. Today I went with my friends and walked. I have a training plan for the 15K that I am trying to do and Thursday I am supposed to do four miles. It is kind of hard to do that kind of distance during the week with my work schedule. It would be easier if my pace was faster. I have to start so early - and it is dark.

Becky, eating was really out of control for me. I gained like ten pounds over the holidays - that has NEVER happened to me, I have been maintaining my weight for about then years. Just keep going, we can do this! I am really being careful about sugar and snacks, those are the things that cause me trouble!!!!

Hi Everyone!!! Hope all is well! Sharon, I have had terrible luck with running indoors with my Garmin....it could be on the treadmill, the indoor track at the Y, or whatever, it just doesn't work well. Indoor walking doesn't even register on my Garmin. I have a Garmin Forerunner 645. It's old and I will probably get a new one soon, but I just don't think Garmin has perfected the indoor running thing so I am not sure if a new watch will matter.

So I decided to jump in feet first and do a group training for a half marathon. I have done that a lot in the past as many of you know, even have been a pacer for Fleet Feet's half marathon and marathon training groups, usually for the 2:30 finish training group, or for the 5:00 hour marathon group. Of course it has been a few years since I have done that. But there is a huge running club in Nashville called the East Nasty's and every year they do a FREE half marathon training group. Although driving to Nashville is MEH, I decided to go for it. Last week we did a 45 minute run. Well, I have gotten so darn slow over the past few years that I cannot keep up with the group, which is a 2:35 group. Kind of sad. But I am sticking with it. Today we did five miles. I didn't keep up but still did a fair job and had a couple of others who were close to my pace who I was able to stick with. I did three mile runs in the mornings this past week - before work, in the dark, and I did that three times. I feel like my running is going okay and maybe I will start speedwork again, which should help me a lot with my pace. My next race is February 25th, and it is a 15K. Next half is April 1st.

I've still been going to the Y and doing strength training, HIIT, and doing the rower. And usually I try to do at least five minutes of stair climbing. Probably need to do more of that. But it is NOT fun, lol

Oh my gosh Becky, how is your mom doing? Is she better? I hope you didn't end up getting Covid from your DH. Sounds like you were dealing with all sorts of crazy stuff. Have you been able to run? Did you get anymore snow?

Here it has been okay, very cold sometimes, and there has been a tiny bit of snow but nothing that lasts long - I think it was Thursday morning when I went out there was a dusting - it was on the cars and roofs too. I went over to the office to walk for 30 minutes before work, and it was snowing lightly, but by the time my DH got up that morning, maybe an hour later, it was all gone. We've had cold and wind at times, but honestly, it hasn't been too bad this winter. We have some extremely cold days coming again but then after that I am hoping that we start to see a bit of a warmup.

I met up with the training group in Nashville this morning. I was so happy because despite having some back and knee pain lately, the run went pretty well for me. We did six miles. I don't know what is wrong with my knee. It was fine and I was sitting around at home and all of the sudden it hurt so bad. I could walk on it (or run) but I couldn't bend it. I iced and took some Tylenol and prednisone (my rheumatologist gives me prednisone to take "as needed" and I rarely take it because I don't like the side effects). Then I put some essential oils on it too. Later I took a hot bath. It is still sore and hard to bend. I just have no clue why.

My friends and I have been walking together on Sunday mornings but they say it is going to rain hard tomorrow so I think we might not go. I might try to do something inside - rebounder maybe.

Hope everyone is doing okay - spring is just around the corner and soon we will be complaining that it is too hot, lol

Hi Sharon, thank you so much for the link to this workout - it is PAHLA B! One of my friends from the maintenance group loves her workouts! I have saved this one and might give it a try. Of course I get frustrated with Garmin because it won't recognize indoor running.

I did my run this morning, just short of three miles (I like this route a lot but really, I need a whole three so I am not sure if I will keep doing it). It was so pleasant out, around 50 and kind of humid but it felt great. I am always slower than ever in the dark. Kind of afraid of tripping, especially if I am running on uneven sidewalk. A lot of the neighborhoods don't have sidewalks around here, but this one does. Went to the gym for my strength training class and the instructor, who is also a physical therapist, thinks my knee issues might be IT band, which really stinks, because IT band is so hard to fix! I can walk and run on it just fine, at least right now, just can't bend my knee much.

We are supposed to get freezing rain tonight/tomorrow, hoping it doesn't amount to much.

Oh gosh Becky, I have been thinking of you. You are dealing with so much right now. Is your mom going to eventually go to some sort of senior living place? You had mentioned before that there aren't any places available. It sounds like she needs more care than you can handle on your own.

My job is going fine, the other accountant comes back to work in a couple of weeks (from maternity leave) but I have been handling things just fine on my own. I am struggling to have time to do things outside of work (my house isn't as clean and organized as I like) and I am tired of course, but all in all, it is going well.

I had the Hot Chocolate 15K on Saturday. That was my ninth time doing it. I think in all of those years, weather has only been good once or twice. It is always so cold, or raining, or whatever. Sometimes it has been five degrees. One time it was 34 degrees and pouring. Just YUCK! So this time it was raining but in the high 40s. So not great but not the worst. My running is so slow right now, I swear, I keep getting slower and slower every time I run. But it went well, my back didn't hurt and my toes didn't hurt. I felt pretty good. The only problem really was that my hands were like ice. I had mittens but they were soaked. Luckily I wore some old retired shoes because by the time I got done, my shoes were so soaked and muddy. And there was thunder so I was afraid they would pull us off the course, but they didn't. Usually I pig out on the chocolate fondue and hot chocolate after, but I only had a little this time because I have put on about ten pounds and don't know why, so I am trying to avoid too much junk.

Otherwise, my running is going okay. I have been doing hill repeats and speedwork with my friend Renee - every Monday night. On Saturdays we are running with a huge training group in Nashville. On Wednesdays I just run by myself, a short run, before work. I need to do a longer run on Wednesdays and then I need to do a Thursday short run, but usually I am just too tired by the end of the week. I'm doing strength training twice a week and HIIT once a week, and the rower once a week as well. So I am staying busy but somehow I just can't seem to ramp up my running. But I am still trying! I guess that is what matters.

Hello!!!!!! Becky, it is always so great to hear from you! I know things are hard right now what with you mom needing so much help - and goodness knows your weather is leaving a lot to be desired. It sounds like your mom needs so much care and that is not possible for you to do on your own. But it sounds like you have settled in and you are getting your exercise! That is so important and I know it is tough, so good for you!

Our weather has been so very cold, way colder than normal. Our weather has been even colder than our usual January temps. This morning there were a few flurries, not enough to stick or anything, but still crazy. Yesterday I ran 3.5 miles and then went back to a meet & greet with our local running club, and during the ten minutes or so of the meet & greet I got so cold that I could barely stand it. I was supposed to do eight more miles. Well, I had to get in my car and run the heat at 85 degrees for 30 minutes. At that point I was okay but still not very warm. I got out and did six more miles, but I grabbed a warm hoodie and ended up walking those six miles. So not what I had planned, which was 11 miles, but goodness. Even after I started to walk I remained quite cold. Eventually the sun came out and I felt a little better but my feet never did warm up.

Today I went to yoga. I've been doing a variety of things, some HIIT, some strength training, the rowing machine, and a little bit of yoga. My half marathon is in two weeks, of course I won't be ready, but I will just go and have a good time, as usual!

Hello!

Becky, any word on an opening in the care center closer to home? But it sounds like your mom is in a good place and 30 minutes is not too far away! Is the weather still good? It's been mixed here, mostly colder than usual and one day when we ran in the morning I got so chilled and couldn't warm up. It has gotten warmer but then today was cold again. It's like winter doesn't want to let go. Are you ready to get started on your garden soon?

Yesterday did my half marathon, yep, eighth year for this one. It's a good race, very community oriented and I love it because so many of my friends are there. My course PR for this one is 2:35 but yesterday it took me 2:21. It has this humongous hill, called Whiskey Hill, and it's a mile long. It starts out as a slight incline but by the time we get to the top, it is crazy steep and barely even walkable. The race shirt is awesome, they also give socks and a hat. The medal is made from old whiskey oak barrels. The food at the end is amazing. I really love it. I had to walk a lot but I ran a lot too and felt good, not too much hip or back pain. Thank goodness! It was pretty warm yesterday but the wind made it feel really nice.

I'm thinking about signing up for some shorter distance races to keep myself motivated - and I want to work on my pace.