Thought I'd get the thread rolling on this chilly December morning....

This may be the toughest month for me to make running/exercise a priority! I think we have something going on every single weekend.

Anyone have any races in December? I'm done until January, but I will live vicariously through the rest of you! Good luck to Momof5k on her first race! You will do GREAT!

im doing rudolphs revenge 10K on the 19th..... thats it for me....

One more than I have I meant to ask you in the other thread, what is a qualifying time for Boston?

Qualifying time for ME, being a female age 18-30 is 3 hr 40 min. now a MALE my same age would have to run it in like 3 hr 10 min!!! So im pretty grateful at the moment to be a girl!!!! 3:40 seems DOABLE (although im going to have to train just as hard as for my first marathon to knock 20 minutes off my time!)

My next HM is on Dec 13. It helps me not pig out too much at all of those holiday parties!

FINALLY out of November! THat month seemed to drag on! I have a 2 mile x-mas run on December 19th and a new year's day 5k. I'm sooo glad I did that Turkey Trot because now, I'm not afraid at all of my c25k long run days. I think 'hey, I was able to run for 40 minutes! 25 is no sweat!'

Yay, December! My favorite month of the year!! A belated congrats to everyone who ran Turkey Trots...if I didn't congratulate you already!!

Things have been pretty busy for me at work and home. I have been running faithfully and have one more 5K on 12/12. It's the Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis, and I'm looking forward to it lots. Hopefully it won't be too cold! This will be it until 3/14/10 until I do...my first 10K! In other news, I had received an ad for a half marathon on 8/21/10 at my Turkey Trot, and I have decided to go for it. I have nine months to get ready, I'm not planning on a time goal (other than 3:30 when they kick everyone off the course), and if I have to walk part of it, that's cool. I'm just excited about getting out there and DOING it!!! I'll be using a Jeff Galloway HM training program for beginners. If I like it, who knows, there will probably be another HM in 2011 sometime...

MK - Hooray, I'm so excited to hear about your marathon! I just have a feeling you will qualify for Boston...no prob!

Momof5K - Good luck with your first 5K! I KNOW you will do great and will have an AMAZING time! I walk/jogged my very first race in September, didn't even think about my time AT ALL, and I had a blast!

Eve - Yay for new shoes!! And yeah, doing a race will definitely build your courage in doing the longer runs at the end of C25K. Can't wait to hear how the coming weeks go!

Have a great week everyone!

crk, You will do AWESOME at the half marathon! I bought one of galloway's books called "Half Marathon, you can do it!"

Mk, You will be qualifyin' for Boston in no time! You rock!

So, are we allowed to join in here with you guys if we aren't quite off and running just yet...but will be one day? I hope so because I have been following your thread for awhile now and you girls are so motivating to me. You are what gave me the courage to commit to walking a 5K in March. I have big plans for the new year...want to walk the 5K, then a 10K, then a half marathon in October. I hope it will give me the confidence to start running more by then...or maybe it will happen sooner who knows!

Anyway, I have started training for the 5K and it doesn't feel that hard, though my legs are pretty sore and achy right now that feels so much better than a store stomach from eating!

Funny you should mention this book - that is the one I'm working out of! Great minds think alike!!

Purplefirefly - Welcome! We are happy to have you here! Sounds like you have a great plan, and I wish you all the best in your 5K, 10K, and HM training!!

Also wondering if I might join in with you guys! Been reading through your threads and love everyone's energy and enthusiasm!
I just started running the start of October this year. Ran my first mile Oct. 27th and was dead tired afterwards but I had never in my life ran a mile so I was full of pride and I feel like I just took off from there. Monday of this week I ran for 5 miles, I am still smiling Tuesday I knocked my time down by 5 minutes and finished at 55 minutes that was hard but I only had 55 min to finish before I had to go home so I did it! But afterwards my hips were killing me still a bit sore today and will only do weights and bike today, let my body rest. I was on such a high that I forgot to listen to my body.
Anyways, I am thinking of entering a kilomathon it is 16 mile race here and is in March of next year. I feel like I could do it even if I have to walk here and there. But I am nervous to enter. I am still really obese but I love that for the first time in my life I can run for more than 30 seconds without gasping and play tag with my kids and not fall over dying. Anyways, so sorry to ramble hope it is ok to join in look forward to it!! Thanks for inspiring!!

crk, I love that we got the same book! lol! I just skimmed thru it cuz I'm not done with c25k yet, but I noticed he suggests using something called accelerade and endurox r4. Anyone used these?

Welcome Purple and Mary! you both sound like you have great thing planned for your runs! You can do it!

Welcome newbies! Absolutely, you can join in!

In my view it all counts: run the whole way, run/walk, or walk. The important thing is to get OUT there and move! Fast, slow, or turtle, it doesn't matter. What matters is just being consistent, starting from wherever you are and working up from there. Most of us won't win races; that takes time, training, and the right genetics! But we CAN participate in races, we can improve our health and our endurance, and we can have fun doing it.

awww thanks for the warm welcome everyone

I have a question...what do you all use to track your miles? I have a cheap little pedometer from Walmart but I am questioning how accurate it really is. I do have a Polar heart rate monitor but it doesn't track mileage. Suggestions?

Welcome, Purple and MaryAnne! Someone on here once said if you have any desire, no matter how small, to run...then start! I'm glad I followed that advice, so I'll repeat it to you ladies... it has changed my life!

Purple, I am eying a Garmin Forerunner 305 and will probably buy one post-Christmas. It's a GPS/heart rate monitor. They are bulky but I think it will be worth it, especially as mileage is increased. I think the big benefit will be being able to run wherever and not have to map out your miles before/after. If you want to run 3 miles, just run in one direction for 1.5 miles and then turn around and run back - this is the huge benefit of the GPS. They have a 205 version that can just track the mileage/pace but not calories burned. I believe Polar also makes a GPS device (I also have a Polar HRM and I'm definitely more interested in the mileage vs calories now!)