gotta run!!

got 13 minutes left of battery so I got to make it quick.

All is well here, I head home tomorrow night, and the boys are all rested and getting better! The Elder Child had an extreme case of sinusitis Friday evening and Saturday, which is what necessitated the trip to the ER. He woke us up at 4:30 AM with a blinding, stabbing headache, so I took him in to make sure that all was well and he didn't have meningitis or an aneurysm or some such (a certain friend's experience with that made me a little, um, dramatic about it, OK). But after a scan to verify, some antibiotics and a weekend of lots of rest, he seems to be better.

OWN -- Walking Away the Pounds video from Exercise on Demand this morning, when I was too lazy to get my ass out of the apartment. It didn't feel challenging while I was doing it, but I'm feeling it in my quads now.

tomorrow, I have a 6-miler in the park scheduled, even if it is freaking freezing outside!

9.7242 miles...

more or less. According to GMaps Pedometer, which is my new best friend since I'm sans Garmin these days.

Total time elapsed was 1:43:10, but that included a side trip and quick conversation with my in-laws when I saw their garage door open and stopped in to refill my water bottle. It also includes time waiting at stop signs, although that was negligible today. Even with all that, it still works out to 10:36 per mile pace, which is pretty good, considering I was running 1 mile/1 minute intervals, walking and drinking after each mile. That translates to a 2:18ish finish time in a couple of weeks in Austin, which would be faster than my last half, but well off my PR for that distance. No matter, I'm not in it to win it (shhh, don't tell the pros!) but rather just to get myself back in the groove.

I'm back to normal (for me) schedule this week, so I'm bound and determined to get the weekday runs in, and next week I'll shoot for 11 miles flat. I can then decide if I want to try for 13 the following week or do a lesser distance as a taper of sorts.

Can't report much more today. Maybe later I'll tell you about our 4:45 AM trip to the ER (all is fine, but it was a bit scary while it was happening), our continuing saga with the vet and the itchy kitties, and Pinewood Derby. Maybe not. Just depends on how much bandwidth I have. Right now, I must return to washing all the sheets and blankets in the house and airing out the rooms so that all the nasty germs residing will take a hike. And it's time for lunch, too! Gotta go -- have a great Sunday (what's left of it!!).

Home, Home at last!

finally took off at 10:15ish. I was at least able to get a window seat so that I could board early, finish the book (um, HATED it, BTW... I think I preferred 100 Years of Solitude) and then CRASH for the rest of the flight. Arrived at DFW at 1:00 AM, then sat until row 30 finally was able to get up and out. Then I got to wander around the airport and get from Gate D to Gate A, and get to my car at 1:40. Sigh.

Baby boy was awake when I came in, so I went in, gave him some kid's ibuprofen to bring the fever down and gave him a cup of pedialyte. He drifted off again and I climbed into bed at 2:30ish, only to find the covers askew and damp from Hub having sweated through HIS fever breaking. Sigh. Had a little mini-meltdown on the side of the bed ("All I want is to sleep in my own bed!! Is that too much to ask?") that I will be paying the emotional toll on for months to come I'm sure ("I'm sick! I didn't even notice I was sweating 'cause I was freezing! Sorry!"). I finally got to sleep for a few hours before waking up and taking Elder Child to school. It was way too short a night, and a couple of hours' napping on the couch with TDP DinoBoy this morning was very welcome.

I did manage to get some work done, then I ran around doing some errands before jumping on the treadmill for 3 miles. So I did get a run in, and I have to say, I felt good all the way through. Ended up that five days' recovery from a long run mighta been a good thing!! I'll get four in tomorrow before Pinewood Derby in the afternoon, and then shoot for 9 on Sunday.

Despite everyone around me being sniffly, coughy and achey, we are enjoying the time gathered around the living room watching Daddy Day Care and just hanging out. Gotta run!

Status

Status. It seems like my whole life is all about that word lately.

"what's the status of the project?"

"do you have preferred status with the hotel?"

"what is the status of the flight home tonight?"

"I have Platinum status. Does that help?"

"what's the status of the running plan?"

Sigh. Stuck at LGA. Again. My 8:40 flight was cancelled because of the ice storms coming into DFW tonight. So I got lucky and scored a seat on the 6:40, dashing out of the office right at 5:00 to make it here on time. Only to arrive and find our plane was in the hangar, getting mechanical issues dealt with. And then later to find that we're now delayed until another plane can arrive from Miami. It should be taking off from there any....minute....now.... Fu$%@#$ a Duck.

And normally, with the apartment here in the city, I wouldn't sweat an extra night in this situation. I would have just sat tight and hung out in midtown and grabbed the first flight out tomorrow. Except that this is the week of the sickness. In which the Elder Child had a croupy cough (no doubt exacerbated by FOUR hockey games this weekend) Tuesday and yesterday. And in which TDP DinoBoy came down with the flu last night. And I just got off the phone with Hub and he's achey and sore and scratchy in the throat.

Grandma dragged TDP DinoBoy into the doctor this morning, whereby he ran some tests and confirmed it as such for him. Poor baby hasn't had much to eat since yesterday except mashed potatoes and pedialyte, since he isn't much interested in much but sleeping and laying around like a sad sack of goo. And it kills me, because these kids are sturdy, most days, and of course, they go catching bugs the week that I have a particularly tough go at work, compounding the maternal guilt and twisting the knife in my back just... a... leeetle....more....to the left. Then, you add in a sick hub and it makes it that much worse. Bad mommy, abandoning all that you love to romp around in the big bad city (NOT!!). Still. Deep sigh.

Oh, and just to make me feel really good about things, I've not run a whit since Sunday's long run, and with me arriving at o'dark'thirty in the morning, it's not looking good for tomorrow either.

So, back to those questions:

"what's the status of the project?" RED. Not my fault, but still.

"do you have preferred status with the hotel?" Yes, but I'd rather have spent those 75 nights at home.

"what is the status of the flight home tonight?" DELAYED (better than CANCELLED).

"I have Platinum status. Does that help?" Not so much.

"what's the status of the running plan?" Don't ask.

On the upside, I have a Season 3 House DVD and a plug here at the gate, along with my nearly finished copy of Love in the Time of Cholera and my trusty wireless card. Wheee!

EDITED TO ADD:
You know that "there is no free lunch" saying? Well, apparently, there is no free electricity, either. And the cost for a plug at Gate D5 at LaGuardia, my bloggy friends? HAVING TO SIT NEAR THE OPEN JETWAY WHERE IT'S FLIPPING 28 DEGREES!!

And also, if you're curious, which you're probably not, but now you know anyhoo: The touchpad on a Dell Latitude does not work when you have gloves on to keep your fingers from freezing when you are sitting on the flipping runway. F$%R@%$!!

Back on Track

OK, so the "light run" scheduled for Friday evening. Didn't happen. somewhere between the time I hit "post" and 7:00 PM, I crashed. Completely and totally crashed. I think it had something to do with laying on the couch with a small fuzzy kitten on my chest, I can't be sure. It might actually have something to do with an 8:45 flight out of LaGuardia having an hour-long delay, and then just enough bumps from the headwinds to keep me from sleeping onboard. Or something to do with three 14-hour days in the office this week. I do know that I woke up at one point and transferred my lazy arse to the bedroom. 'Roundabout 7:00 ish the boys came in and told me they were ready to go to Grandma's. OK, fine. Let's hit it. 45 minutes later, I was back on the couch, dead to the world. When Hub came in at 9:30ish, I was still there and there I remained. Next thing I know, it's Saturday morning. Sigh.

And now, to make the Bat hungry, I have to disclose that I skipped yesterday's morning run to partake of pancakes from the Crack(er) Barrel. Pecan pancakes, of course. I had all intentions of running later in the afternoon, once the sun was fully out and the outside temp rose above arctic (yes, I know, it's not THAT cold. But it's Texas, for cryin' out loud!). But then hockey game and lunch and preparing for dinner club took over and I skipped the afternoon run to partake of a long, hot, long bath. It's not a choice I regret. OK, maybe I regretted it a little when I saw the praline cheesecake squares that were on the menu for dessert. But not enough to skip out on them entirely.

But today, I make amends. And I'm back on track. 7 miles in the books. Got up before the alarm went off and hit the streets. Had to dress in layers, cause it's still freakin' cold outside.* But I got to wear my new bright white vest again, over a tank and my Marine Corps long-sleeved tech shirt. I had my gloves on and a Bondi band over my ears to keep my hair contained and the ears a little warm. I should have had a hat on, but I did OK without it once I warmed up. The first two miles are always the toughest for me on any run, but especially when it's cold like today. I start making deals with myself, like I'll run to the corner and then back and that will make it a mile, then I'll do the other six on the treadmill. BS like that. BS that I never follow up with if I give into it. So I don't. I just keep running, heading as far out in one direction as I need to, guaranteeing that even if I take a shortcut back I'll still get my full mileage in. If I don't do that, I'm doomed. Doomed, I tell ya.

So today, despite the cold and the skipping of two runs this week, I was feeling good out there. I set the interval timer on my watch (have I talked about how much I love my watch? I LOVE my watch!) for 10/1s so I could walk at roughly every mile. I had found the beltpack, so I was able to carry my own water (20 oz in about an hour, with another 20 as soon as I got home). I finished initially in 1:08:45, but once I got home and mapped it out (still no Garmin... sigh), I found I was about .4 of a mile short. So I headed back out around the block to finish it up. It was significantly colder the second time out, maybe since my underlayers were wet, or maybe since I'd been in the house for about five minutes by then and had felt how warm and cozy it was inside. But no matter, it got done. So that added on another 3:40. So, total time (counting on fingers... need the toes... got it!) to cover 7 miles was 1:12:25, for an average pace of 10:20. Pretty good pace for me, all things considering. Next week, we'll shoot for 8.5 miles, then 10 the first week of February. That should be enough to get me through Austin comfortably, especially if I keep up the midweek runs appropriately and keep up with the stretching and icing routines.

Now it's time for a bath and breakfast, as soon as the biscuits beep at me. Later, I have a LONG appointment at the spa for some eyebrow shaping, facial, and a long overdue haircut. Gotta run -- hope you have a great day!!


*Just checked weather.com and it says it's just now 26 degrees, but feels like 21. Eeep! It must have been colder when I first set out right before the sun came up. SO glad I didn't check before I left, or I'd have hightailed it back to bed instead!!

Just like the commercial says

So the Elder Child had the day off from school, since it's the end of the semester (two weeks after Christmas -- what kind of bizarro scheduling is that anyway?) and TDP DinoBoy got off at noon. I spent a good two and a half hours on the phone in a couple of consecutive con-calls this morning, then hustled across town to get the little one and head to lunch.

The Cheesecake Factory had opened here by the mall (suburban living at its best, dontcha know!) before Christmas and we hadn't yet had a chance to go by. Hub is working late tonight with some focus groups, so I knew we wouldn't be able to eat dinner together later before the kids head over to Grandma's. So I decided CF would be a nice choice for a lunch date with my two favorite little boys. There wasn't much line and we ended up having a wonderful time together. We had nothing to do the rest of the day, and it was good to just sit together and chat and eat a pretty good meal. Nothing spectacular, but fun and a little fancier than what we're used to. And of course, we brought some cheesecake home to share later (was there any doubt?!)

When I pulled out the card to pay the tab, Elder Child smiled at me and said, verbatim, with no prompting from me:

Strawberry Lemonade: $4
Grilled cheese, fish & chips and fish tacos: $24
Cheesecake to go: $13

Lunch with Mom on a weekday: Priceless

I couldn't have said it better myself.


ORN: 20 minutes on the TM Tuesday night, almost 6 miles to/around/from Central Park Thursday morning.
Light run scheduled later tonight after I drop the boys at Grandma's and I'm no longer so full from lunch (I only ate part of the filling from the tacos after the first one, and left more than half of the rice and beans, but it was a LOT of food. Must burn it off and get back into the deficit area).

Hi there!

thanks to all for de-lurking. I appreciate y'all making yourselves heard and seen! And I have at least 8 official readers! I love it -- twice what I thought!! hee. Life is good, no?

anyhoo, not much battery time left here, but I did want to pop in and plug my new favorite place to eat in Manhattan. It is a place that makes me not miss my Tex-uhs home so much ('cause you can really get to hankerin' for Texas eats when you're gone four days a week!!). Seriously, this place is called Hill Country down in Chelsea, and it is a central Texas-style barbecue place that ships in Texas products like Kreutz's sausage (a little dab'll do ya, but once you have it you'll never forget it), Blue Bell ice cream and Big Red soda.* Definitely not a day in which I met my 1150 calorie deficit goal, but by virtue of having soup for lunch, skipping the peach cobbler and BlueBell dessert and walking from 26th back up to the apartment, I was able to still burn slightly more calories than I took in. But I don't eat like this when I'm home (honest!) -- in fact, I don't get this food unless we take a road trip down to Lockhart when we head toward Austin or San Antonio. And it was a special occasion, as I met a couple of my good friends from the project down there to catch up. We work within the same project office, but we rarely have a chance to talk during the workday -- the best we can do is exchange exasperated glances as we scurry from one meeting to another.

So anyhoo, there you go. I did get my walk in this morning to the office, then another 1.75 miles or so coming back home for my exercise. Tomorrow morning is a 3-4 miler (maybe outside), and then I've got a running date for the reservoir Thursday morning. Then I'm home and I shoudl be able to squeeze in a couple of miles Friday after my conference call before I get the boys from school. I'm still on track for Austin, with a long run of 6 miles this past Sunday, then a 7-miler this weekend.

That's all I have for now. It's getting to be late, and tomorrow is threatening to be a long day, so I best turn in for the night. Later, folks!

*Actual conversation overhead daily in Texas:
"Do y'all want a Coke?"
"Sure."
"What kind?"
"Dr. Pepper." "I'll take a Big Red." "Sprite, please."

De-Lurk, Dagnabit!

OK, so I have no idea whether it's true or not, but I heard somewhere that it is De-Lurking Day. I can't be bothered to actually research it to find out the veracity of this claim, but I thought I'd go along with it and ask, nay, DEMAND that all four of you post a comment and leave some evidence of your existence. I've actually been meaning to ask this for a while, at least since Hub asked me over the Christmas break, "How many people read that blog of yours anyway??"

So, how many people read this blog of mine anyway? Stand up and be counted. Just for fun, let me know if you're a runner/triathlete or not. I'm always somewhat concerned about whether the details of the mileage and the training plans are tedious to non-runners (somewhat, but not enough to actually stop posting them. It is all about ME, isn't it? don't answer that!!). Please? Don't let a girl down.

And, if anyone finds out for sure that it isn't really De-Lurking Day, don't tell me. I don't want to ruin the fun. Thanks!


OWN: 4.5 miles walking down to Pinkberry again, then continuing south to 14th Street before doubling back up B'way back to the apartment
Wednesday ORN: 3.5 miles around the south edge of Central Park after a friend stood me up at 5:00 AM. Turned out he woke up about half-hour too late and missed our rendezvous. He ended up doing 7 miles without me -- I couldn't have gone that far that day, so it worked out OK.
Tuesday ORN: 5 miles through the Park, around the Reservoir and back down to midtown. Clipped along at about a 10:00 pace, with my friend from the project. He runs an 8:30 mile on his own, but slowed down for me so we could run together. We plan to continue through the spring -- should keep me going on the weekday runs.

Here We Goal!

I've put it off long enough. Here's a look back at 2007 goals, how I did against them, and of course, a few ones for this year, along with the PLAN to make them happen. Here goes nothing:

1. Complete a workout (run/bike/swim) of 30 minutes or longer duration at least 5 times each week, for at least 48 weeks of the year.
   RESULT: I'll give myself a B- here. Even with the travel and job changes, which were significant, I was able to get out there and get a good workout in (mostly runs, but sometimes a swim and even now and again some weight training!!) most of the time. I did not have any weeks in which I did nothing, and no more than four days went by without a workout of some shape or form.
   
2. Commit to weight/resistance training at least three times a week. This does not count toward the RBS workout goals.
   RESULT: D. I did better on this when I had the trainer engaged at the end of the year. The new apartment does not invite this, as the weights situation in the exercise room is less than ideal. But I'm probably going to find a gym in NYC that I can hit during the week. And I did do SOME weight work throughout the year, which is an improvement over previous years.
3. Continue working with the nutritionist. The goal is learn to eat like an athlete so that I can fulfill my potential as an athlete.
   RESULT: F. Didn't happen. Because of the job change, I never got this off the ground. But I have the BodyBugg this year, and in the first week I've learned a lot about my pattern of eating. I think this is going to be a stellar year for the nutritional aspect of my training.
   
4. By working with the nutritionist and completing the workouts as planned, the weight will come off, so that I can meet my goal of 140 & change by June 1.
   RESULT: F. Didn't happen. In fact, I'm just about two pounds over my weight from this time last year. Phoo. But, see the approach for #3 above. This is going to change in '08.
   
5. Complete a fall destination marathon. Either Chicago or New York City. No time goal. Just enjoy the spectacle. For now, I'm leaving the door open for a possible 4th consecutive White Rock, but not committing to it yet.
   RESULT: Drop. Didn't get into NYC. Pretty glad Chicago was full by the time I realized I didn't get into NYC, seeing what transpired there with the heat. Didn't have it in me for White Rock again. But I'm going to call this a Drop rather than giving myself a failing grade, because I feel like I could have done White Rock if I'd made the trade-off of family time for training time. But I wasn't willing to make that trade.
   
6. Complete two half-marathons this spring. On the schedule are Cowtown Half in February and an inaugural women's race in Dallas in early May.
   RESULT: B. Did the Cowtown Half, but then with the job change the day after (literally) I did not maintain mileage to do the Heels n' Hills in May. Plus, by then, I was training for Danskin and spending a lot of time in the pool.
   
7. Swim well enough to finish 800 yards at a time without stopping. In water deeper than 5 feet.
   RESULT: C-. I can do this. My body can do this. The brain needed a little help. OK, the brain had a total meltdown. But I was able to swim up to 1500 yards at a time in the pool. This is a big focus for this year. I will do Danskin again. And I will not panic. And I will conquer the swim.
   
8. Complete three sprint-distance triathlons. Right now, I've got Austin Danskin in June, IronGirl in July, and Longhorn Tri in Austin in September penciled in on my schedule.
   RESULT: C+. I did Danskin, and the Grapevine tri the week before. But Danskin pretty much did me in for the summer on the tri thing, psychologically, so I didn't do the third like I wanted. Plus, the weekly travel to NYC kinda put a kink in the swim thang for me.

So, there you go. Less than stellar on the surface, but I'm OK with it. This year was about a lot of things personally and professionally and not necessarily athletically. I struggled to find balance in my worlds and with my family. I was successful sometimes and not so much others. But in the end, with the year of transitions, I feel like I made some good strides and maintained a decent base of conditioning. I had set out a goal of 1300 running for 2007, but looking at my log, it seems like I topped out about 1150.

So, now, on to 2008. What lies in store for me this year? I've had a few thoughts on this in the last week, but really, I've been considering this for the last month, since the White Rock expo back in December. Ready or not, here they are:

1. Run two spring halves and a full. Not for time. Just for the base that it will give me going into the summer. I'm rehabbing my creaky knee and putting a lot of focus on getting my fundamentals right. Right now, the schedule calls for Austin in February and Heels n Hills in May. In between, I will travel to OKC for the marathon there the last week of April.
2. Finish five sprint tris throughout the summer and early fall. At least two of the races will be open water. Danskin is on the docket for sure, but the others will be small local races, with pool swims. The only goals will be to finish and improve performance and confidence from one race to the next.
3. Run another fall marathon. NYC is on dock again, but if I don't get in, then I will find another the week after our birthdays. I may or may not do White Rock again. If I do, it will totally depend on what I feel like at the time. There will be no pressure to do White Rock.
4. Lose the weight, for once and for good. The bodybugg will help me get there, but in the end, it's all about the calorie balance. And moving my body. And eating the right amounts of the right things. I can get there. I will get there.
   
5. Do what it takes to stay healthy and uninjured. This means making the time for weights, stretching, yoga, icing, heat packs, rehab. massage, and regular chiro visits. My body will only perform as well as it can if I take care of it properly. I guess that goes for nutrition, too.
   
6. Never let the training get in the way of my life. This is the biggest one. I know what needs to be done to be ready to meet the goals 1-4 above. But at the end of the day, my family comes first and while they are more than ready to stand by me and help me meet my goals, they also are deserving of my time when I can make it available. So while I will be sure to meet the weekly goals and meet the schedule and training plans, they are all subject to re-evaluation when the family needs conflict.
   

So, not nearly as demanding as last year's, but still pretty sizable. And they are accomplish-able, given the right amount of attention and effort. Notice there are no mileage goals -- I'm going to be a lot more organic with those numbers, mostly to keep from getting OCD, but also to keep from getting an overuse injury because I'm so focused on hitting a number. So, here we go, it should be a good ride!!

5 miles

done. It's a lot like starting over. I haven't run a 5-miler in several weeks, maybe longer. It is a gorgeous, clear, crisp morning, with a slight breeze (OK, maybe a wind) and bright sunshine. Amazing weather for a run. And sadly, good weather for all the little projects that need doing in the garage and flowerbeds. Sigh. Must run or Hub will save the yucky jobs for me.

(Right now, he and Elder Child are fondling, um, err, washing and waxing the Mustang. Yes, it was a keeper. But apparently, we mere mortals are not allowed to ride in it, sit in it or heaven forfend touch it, lest we leave fingerprints or smudges or somesuch. Oy.)


Gotta run. I *really* am going to post 2007 recap and 2008 goals soon. Happy Sunday!

I'm in!

Your registration has been successful!

So, pond hockey tournament be damned, I just signed up for the half marathon in Austin. It's official! A concrete targeted date for the come-back! Next steps are getting in touch with Ellie and arranging the meet-up. Anyone else? Website said they're close to capping both the full and half, but both are still open right now. Come join the fun!

My physio guy says I'm all good to start inching up the mileage from a long run of 4 miles this weekend. That still gives me plenty of time to work up to a minimum of an 11 miler before taper without jeopardizing the cranky shin and knee, as long as I ice properly and stretch (stretch? what is this "stretching" you speak of??). I need the motivation of having actually signed up and spent $$$ to keep me on task. I'm not so worried about time results this go-round, just getting back into the running groove on a consistent basis. Cannot wait!

In other random news, guess what happens this year? My dear sweet hubby turns 40! He's starting to feel the itch of an early mid-life crisis. How can I tell? Because this:

is what he brought home on New Year's Eve! It's very pretty, and very racy, but not at all practical. And really, when we think about all the things he *could* start chasing at this phase of his life, I say, "Go for the car!"

I *really* wanted that Pinkberry...

so I've blogged before about the greatness that is Pinkberry. When I came into town early yesterday to meet up with my brother-in-law and his girlfriend (now fiancee, after New Year's Eve, but that's another story entirely) as they wrapped up their trip to NYC, we went to dinner up at Columbus Circle. I had wanted to skip dessert at Landmarc and walk up to 72nd and Amsterdam for the delightful goodness that is Pinkberry, but after five days of being touristy and hoofing it around Manhattan, they were not so game for it. So instead I had the lemon sorbet and pretended to enjoy it. I didn't really have to pretend, because it was yummo, but it wasn't Pinkberry. And tonight, when we left the office at a somewhat reasonable hour, I was still craving it. So I decided instead of running on the dreadmill up on the 21st+ floor of the building in the decrepit "gym" that I would go in search of Pinkberry. And I did. Despite the fact that it was 27 degrees out when we left our office. And probably colder by the time I got to the apartment.

I don't really have any cold-weather gear up here, since I took everything home for the week I was on vacation and haven't really brought it back yet. So even though I was layered with a tank, a tech shirt, and a long-sleeved shirt, I was still a bit chilly. OK, a LOT chilly. And I didn't have a hat, since someone at home had borrowed it and stuffed it in his locker before Christmas break, so he couldn't give it back to me. After about twenty blocks, I ended up ducking into a souvenir shop and paying about $10 too much for an NYC hoodie and a stocking hat. No matter, I was really freakin' cold by then. But not too cold to turn back without my Pinkberry. I was more than a little pissed when I got all the way down to 8th and 18th, got my fix and then heard the counter guy tell the dude behind me that there is another store on 35th, between 5th and 6th Aves. Dang! I could have been hitting that for the last two months! No matter, now I know and I can have it a little more often, without having to trek all the way down to Chelsea for it.

The upside of all the walking that I did, besides the fact that it culminated in a cup of Pinkberry, is that I ended up moving my body for a total of about an hour and a half. I had to duck into Duane Reade for chapstick, shampoo and lotion on the way back, so it wasn't constant movement, nor was it an outright run, but I did manage to burn enough calories to hit my deficit for the day. Go me. That's four days in a row (including New Year's Eve and last night's dinner out) that I've hit a deficit, even though the deficit wasn't as large on Monday as I had planned. So we shall see what the weekend's measurements and scale readings show us after all this. I can't wait.

Gotta run. Gonna try to watch Dave all the way through now that he's back on the air. And maybe stay up to catch Craig Ferguson. And I also have a presentation to give in the morning, too, that I should probably prep for.

That is all. I know I still have to go through my 2007 goals and set the 2008 ones in writing. Also must start up my 2008 log and close up the 2007 totals. All that is coming soon enough. Hang tight and peace out!!

Have a GREAT 2008!

Happy New Year! Hope your 2007 was good, and may your next year be even better for you and your loved ones.

Fitness goals and race plans to follow in the next week or so.

Can't wait to see what 2008 has in store for all of us. It's gonna be a good one, I can tell already!