Oh goodness, don't even get me started! Slipping on a patch of ice or wet pavement or something is my second fear about running a winter race! I am such a klutz, it could happen (for me)!!

My sister is also a runner, she lives in Montana and trains all winter. (She and her husband moved up there from Southern California to retire! Is she NUTS?!). She has this contraption called yak-tracks - they look like springs that slip over your shoes. Apparently they work great for running in slick snowy and icy conditions.

Now, MY philosophy is to live where there is NEVER any snow or ice, so it's not a problem!! Although I do visit snow and ice every so often ...

Here's a couple of photos from the weekend's race! It was a glorious day.

I train all winter in Canada and I've never fallen, I'm 52, it is a fear of mine but in 5 years of running I've never fallen in the winter. I am very cautious though, I always look down in front of me about 3 feet, when it's really slipery I run the wrong way on one way streets in the street, the street is wide and has two lanes so no danger of cars. I've never worn those spike things they would probably drive me crazy... Having said this though, I am not a long distance runner, the longest I run is 10k...

mbn, I'm glad you had a great race! You look so happy and confident in those pics. Way to go!

Eve - on onederland!

MBN & Cake - great races!

Back from a three day vacation in the mountains where I did no formal exercise at all and drank a good amount of wine. I went to the park when I got home yesterday and did 7.25 miles, planning on a Turkey Trot 5k this Saturday. Some weights and yoga today and tomorrow. Getting back into the swing of things.

Good day everyone!

Eve - congrats on onederland. Hold a seat for me - I'm down a half pound this week at 206.5 so I'm right behind you!

mbn - congrats on your race

As a Wisconsin native I take snow and ice seriously and would definitely opt for a treadmill on days like that...no chance in risking it is my opinion. Although others who are most confident and experienced probably can do it with no problem.

Another rainy day so planning on a good long treadmill run and some lifting at the gym today. Also, I wanted to share that Labor Day weekend near where I live there is a women's 4 mile race and I'm committing now to run it. That's further than I've ever run, and I want to run the whole thing without walk breaks. That's a big goal, but I am giving myself plenty of time to work up to it.

blue- You are soooo close! Keep going!
GO GOGO GO GO

Congrats on committing to a race! You will do great!

I have a short tempo run today. I hoping to do sub 33 at the Turkey Trot nest week. I did it in training, But I almost thought it was a fluke.

I hope everyone has a great weekend full of great running.

Shannon - WTG on the mileage. You are doing great

BRGirl - Congratulations ton commiting to a real live race! WTG

Cake, your picture is awesome! You look great!

I think I have my first injury....

Remember the platform I just HAD to jump up onto? Well after I fell straight back on my arse, I got up and felt a slight twinge in my lower left back region like right above my cheek. I shrugged it off and just took some ibuprofen and iced it like i've been doing any time my knees feel a little sore. It started to get better and it was barely noticeable. Then about a week later, I did my biggest loser cardio max dvd and during one of the exercises (a side lunge I think it was) BAM it starts panging alittle more noticeably. I took more ibuprofen and have been icing it and haven't done the darn dvd since but it hasn't gotten better this time. I was doing my usual cardio blast class at the gym yesterday and towards the end it starts hurting and not just a little.

I came home and medicated again and iced. (I've been taking ibuprofen every 4 hours and icing it since i fell). I couldn't get comfortable sitting on the couch while I was trying to read (ali vincent's book) and any time I tried to readjust it was PAINFUL. UGH! I finally went to bed but could hardly get any sleep because every position I tried I just couldn't get my back to stop aching.

This morning when I got up, it felt a tiny bit better, but just trying to bend a bit to unload the friggen dish washer hurt and once again I'm back to the situation of I can't get comfortable sitting or lying down. I can't get it to just STOP ACHING. Soooo frustrating! I'm taking a full rest day today. No darn exercise or anything, and continuing to medicate and ice and we'll see how I feel tomorrow. I really don't want to go to the doctor because first off There are no appointments available for my primary doctor EVER unless I want to wait another month so the other option is to just go the the ucc (urgent care center.) But since everyone's doctor is booked, the waiting room will be packed with people and the waiting time is usually 2-4 hours just to be seen by a grumpy ucc doctor that will say "just take motrin every four hours and wait 3 weeks" and dismiss ya. And secondly I do not want them to tell me to stop working out for a darn week or two. I am too stubborn and I do not want to lose all the hard earned progress I've made! Argh.....I really hope that this rest day will make a big difference.

Feel free to yell at me for being stubborn and what not. I just LOATHE not being able to exercise.

(Sorry about all the ramblings and run on sentences. lol I do that when I get worked up)

Eve, I would give you heck but honestly, I'm the same way (never claimed to be smart or nothin'! ) Any time I have an injury I tend to ignore it until I am pretty much knocked on my hiney from it. You would think after a few injuries I would learn to just let my body rest, but no. I hate not being able to exercise. Low impact stuff is good. Do you belong to a gym? The elliptical and stationary bikes helped me keep my sanity when I was rehabbing my knee. Also low impact (on the legs) weight lifting. Hope it feels better soon... I know how much it sucks to be taken down!

Cake - Good luck on your turkey trot! I have one tomorrow - my last race of the season. Just a 5k and it's a predict (you predict your time and the top 6 that come in closest win a turkey lol) so no PRs for me. You look GREAT in your picture!!!

I've logged quite a bit of miles this week. Looking forward to my rest day today... got the 5k tomorrow and that is it for the year for races. Is anyone else looking ahead to the next year for races? I have five picked out... I will probably sprinkle in some more I'm sure, but for now I am VERY excited to begin half marathon/marathon training in January.

I am SO happy what running has given me. I feel more confident about myself than ever, just in terms of what I could accomplish. When I started this journey it was difficult to walk up the stairs without getting winded. It's just really awesome to see how running has changed my outlook on life.

Where is MKROYER?? Earth to megan!!! Check in with us if you're around!

Thanks, skinny jeans! Running has done so much for me as well. I feel so much more confident and just overall better about myself! Congrats to us both for our success so far! I've been searching for races for the upcoming year like a mad woman! I have only been able to find 2 so far though. The half marathon I signed up for in June, and the new years day 5k. Other than that, nada. I keep looking often though, because I'm anxious and I wanna have more races to sign up for! I do have a gym membership and I think I will take your advice and get on the elliptical tomorrow!

I've been wondering about MK as well! WE MISS YOUUUUUU!

CONGRATS ON REACHING ONEDERLAND!! I kept meaning to post during the week but then the site wasn't working..argh. Anyway, congrats! You should be so proud of yourself!

Have you tried active.com for races? that's where I find a lot of mine, also on local running group websites.

Eve and Cake - thanks for your congrats! Eve, wow, a whole row of cheerleadery smiley faces. That's pretty motivating. Right now getting below 205 (being closer to 200 than 210) would be pretty thrilling.

Eve - sorry to hear about your injury. Can you do some upper body stuff like punches or push ups or anything so at least you could get your heart rate up? Maybe that would lift your spirits.

Fatpants - congrats on starting marathon training. I don't think I'd ever do a full 26.2, but I might like to try a half (after I do a 5k and 10k of course). You are an inspiration as one further along the journey than me!

Confession time - I didn't get my work out in yesterday and actually had a run-in with a bag of fritos today (just had a few and put them away...actually realized, 'hey these don't taste all that good...not worth it') but seriously in like 15 minutes I am turning of my computer and going STRAIGHT to the gym to lift and run. And I have a workout planned for tomorrow afternoon as well. Okay, I'm off! I can hear the body bar calling!

skinny- Thanks for the congrats! I just did a search on active.com and it only turned up the two I've signed up for, lol. I think I just need to wait until January before they will post more maybe. :P

blue- putting down those fritos because they didn't taste good to you sounds like a great NSV to me! Congrats!