Happy New Year everyone! Hope you had a good night last night if you celebrated.

I've just been out for 8 miles. My running log reset to zero overnight, and I don't like seeing that so it needed drastic action! I tried to do an interval workout using my Garmin - I downloaded a marathon training schedule onto it, and it had me down for 3 x 1.5 mile fastish intervals, with warm up/cool down/ recovery spells to take it up to 8 miles.

I didn't know quite what to expect, and was rather shocked that my main problem was that it kept on telling me I was going too fast - this was from the sub 3:45 schedule so I'd expected it to be a bit tougher. Still, it's good to know, even if the beeping did get a bit annoying by the end. I've never really done that sort of workout before - if I do intervals it tends to be shorter ones - about 800 metres - 1km at the most, so maybe that's why I needed to do them slower than I usually do. I also usually do them on the treadmill as I haven't been able to measure distance particularly accurately outside.

Mind if I join in?

I did a three mile short run today. My husband bought me the Nike+ shoes for Christmas with the gizmo that hooks up to the iPod, so I've been having a blast testing it out! It logs my distance run, time run, calories burned, and speed. Pretty nifty little gadget. You can program it to tell you when you've run a certain distance or reached a particular time goal, and it will count you down at specific intervals. Today, when I finished, Lance Armstrong came on and told me I'd run my fastest mile to date! (I've only run about fifteen miles with the thing since Christmas...) I did three miles in 25 minutes, 49 seconds, which is excellent for me!

How does your Garmin work? I got Tom one for Christmas but it's at his parents' house because they wouldn't ship it to an APO box. It would be cool to be able to get some runs for Europe on it so I know where to head when we get there in March. (I did buy the one that has the North American and European maps.) You'll have to keep me updated on how it goes for you!

Kara

Happy New Year, running chicks! 3.75 miles for me today... starting as I mean to go on and all that Moved my ticker back up to 184 to keep myself honest as I enter 2008... I am up three pounds, but I'd rather look at it as down four since the 1st of December!

Kara - I have Nike+ shoes, but never got the part to put in my shoe to connect tot he iPod... but if it's that cool, maybe I will!

Heather

Heather, it was only $29, and it's so cool! What is it that you like about the shoes besides that it has that option to connect to the iPod?

Kara

Happy New Year everyone! I started the year running - literally. I did a four mile race in Central Park that started at the stroke of midnight. It was SO much fun, and a really unique New Year's instead of the typical bars and booze experience (though, I did drink a bit while running, and then I hit the bars after, so it wasn't completely different). Felt great though to start the year like that, and I think it will serve as great motivation to run more in 2008.

What a fun idea, Laura! Wasn't it terribly cold? I've had to move my running indoors for a bit because it's getting quite frigid here - this morning it was 12* Fahrenheit! Yikes!

Kara

Kara - to be honest, I didn't actually know that I had BOUGHT Nike+ shoes until I got them home! They were shoes I had help choosing in The Running Room, and I bought them because they were super comfy and great support for my feet... I might make the effort though to get the iPod connector, then... although, I don't do much running outside - though that's no reason not to use it!

Laura - what fun, and what a great start to the year!!

Heather

Hi everyone! Yesterday, I went out for my second C25K session! It was 8 degrees with a windchill of 14 below! But thanks to reading the forums, I knew how to dress for it. I'm so excited. I had forgotten how much I love to run! I can't wait until I'm in good enough shape to go for a good long run! My goal is to run a 5K this summer.

I got in four miles today, although it was a really slow pace because I wasn't feeling top notch. Still under a ten minute mile, but just barely. I can't wait for my little runner girl in my ticker to actually move somewhere!

Heather, I like the Nike+ shoes also! I haven't had Nikes in awhile because they had been more pointy-toed than were comfortable for me, but these are squarer at the front and they're really cushy!

Chel, good for you getting that workout accomplished! You're a machine!

Kara

I hope you guys don't mind my jumping in here. I know I'm nowhere near where you guys are. But I do love running and am very excited about getting back to it. I went out for my 3rd C25K this morning. For those of you who did the C25K program to start running, did any of you go more than 3 times a week in the beginning?

Hey Cool Runners ...

I haven't posted here in a while because I'm such a short distance runner and only run 3x/wk, but I thought I'd pop in and say hi and wish everyone a healthy and happy running 2008 year ...

It was -25c no wind, clear, bright and sunny... I love this weather to run and ran only about 4k, I thought it was more but I was mistaken when I got home ...

Ilene, funny you should pop in, I've just found a triathlon I'm half considering. It's a 400m swim (inside, heated pool), 20k bike ride and 5k run. I'm officially the slowest cyclist in the world, and my bike isn't exactly built for speed, but it's just over a month after my next marathon and in the town where my sister and grandfather live, so I could combine it with a visit. Hmmm...

Hey I am back! So, my ankle is still weak but I have been running again for about a month and I have a 10K this weekend, will be a good place to see how much I lost from nearly 2 months of not running.

My plan for the year was originally to stick to 10K's and 1/2's and not do another marathon for awhile, but my running partner wants to do her first one so here I go planning on portland again.

In base building mode after the 10K

Ilene...being a short distance runner is no reason to stay away...we are COOL runners, and that you definitely are

Helen - I'll take you up on that "slowest cyclist" challenge. Last tri I did I was passed by several hundred on the bike and did not pass a single one. Doesnt help that I have a hybrid, but still.

If you guys are the slowest cyclists, then I have to be the slowest runner. Get this...this summer I was running on base and a Korean guy passed me IN BARE FEET! I was in a sour mood when I got home and when Tom asked me why I told him I couldn't even run faster than a guy with no shoes! He reminded me that at least I finished my run, and that I wasn't competing against anyone. Now it's a funny story!

Kara

Kara -- I'm right with you in the snail's pace runner

Ennay -- Nice to see you again... Sorry to hear that you hurt yourself...

Helen -- I still swim I haven't in a couple of weeks though but we will start again soon...A triathlon swim in a pool, that would be my cup of tea for sure... Around here it's in the river... I keep saying that I WILL try it... but August is my worst running month because of the heat I barely get out... I do bike a lot though the heat doesn't bother me on the bike...