<p>If there is anyone who doesn’t put someone down, it’s iDad. “We are not worthy” is just an expression (like saying “Yay”) and no one on this thread thinks running a marathon is any more “worthy” than what the rest of the group does. Most of the posters here are MUCH better than I am at controlling their eating and making good food choices- not to mention strength training! We all do what we do and have different challenges and interests. I know I’ve learned an awful lot and I NEVER feel that anyone is being “put down” here.<br>
As MaineLonghorn can attest, in the context of some of my other running “groups”, I don’t even make it on the charts!</p>
<p>If there was a put-down in interesteddad’s posts, I sure as heck didn’t see it. I feel he’s incredibly supportive of everyone’s own efforts, where they are at … and that’s one of the nice things about this board. “We are not worthy” is just an expression.</p>
<p>-sorry, crossposted with MOWC</p>
<p>Deb, I don’t think he was even remotely suggesting that! 
Just look at his post about personalized personal training. It was just a simple “kudos”!</p>
<p>It’s a pretty famous movie quotation:</p>
<p>[We’re</a> not worthy](<a href=“We're not Worthy!!!! - YouTube”>We're not Worthy!!!! - YouTube)</p>
<p>I stand by my post.</p>
<p>^^^ Sounds like a country song! :)</p>
<p>^I like it. :)</p>
<p>That’s what I love about the running community. With only one exception (a girl with the initials CS on RunningAhead, cough, cough), I have never felt put down by fast, elite runners. They always make me feel like I’m a real athlete, even when I’m plodding along at 13 minute per mile pace. I wish I had known that about 30 years ago, because I would have tried running then!</p>
<p>Congratulations on your 2013 running, MoWC! You (and all of you!) continue to inspire! </p>
<p>Gym day yesterday with running and weights with fit kid. I woke up with a horrible stitch in the rib area every time I inhaled last night. Tylenol and ibuprofen have taken away most of the pain, so I’m assuming it was a muscle issue of some kind. I’m taking it easy today.</p>
<p>Speaking of country songs, I think my family was about to take a hammer to the speakers with my selection of Christmas music: James Brown, Brian Setzer, Bob Dylan, Elvis, the Beach Boys, and my favorite, Dwight Yoakam:</p>
<p>[Dwight</a> Yoakam ~ Santa Claus Is Back In Town - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
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<p>Ouch. Hope it goes away as quickly as it came. I was hit by a back spasm completely out of the blue, early this week, just walking down the stairs… Took my breath away. Getting back to my usual stretching stuff yesterday felt SO good after a spotty attendance record over the last few weeks. I have really come to appreciate how much that stuff fends off aches and pains.</p>
<p>As for competitiveness in fitness pursuits, the great thing about being a geezer (as I rapidly approach 60) is feeling absolutely zero pressure to get faster or set a record or beat somebody else. Heck, I just wake up every day thankful that I am healthy and fit enough to exercise a little bit. There are a lot of people who aren’t so fortunate.</p>
<p>The reality is that, over time, I’ll get slower. So what? There are still little personal challenges that I use to stay motivated and keep it fun – a little steeper hike, three seconds faster on a set of half mile Airdyne intervals, bumping up to a bigger dumbbell every few months…</p>
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<p>ML - one of my closest male friends is someone who was a really good runner. When we worked together, I knew he was a serious runner as he’d take off and run during or after work, and I knew he did marathons, but I didn’t know how really good he was til recently. He used to train with the U of Chicago track team to run a sub-5 minute mile. He ran quite a few marathons, including Boston a few times, and his best pace was a 6:43/mile for 26 miles. When I started running and asked his advice, I was embarrassed because here I was plodding along at a 13:00/mile pace and my goal was to complete 3.1 miles without walking. And yet he could not have been more encouraging of me, said - you’re not a runner, you’re a racer! – and really made me feel that it wasn’t about competition with him or anyone else at all. It is really, really helpful, and it makes me hate my school gym experience all the more :-)</p>
<p>Wow, MOWC! That’s wonderful. Congratulations! I was wondering if the streak was going to end but it sounds like it will be continuing. If it makes you happy, I say keep on truckin’. I think somehow I managed to mix musical genres there. </p>
<p>One of my resolutions for 2014 is to keep better track of miles run. As of today, I have run 661.37 miles since April 1. I did some running prior but there is no easy way to go back and extract that data from Couch to 5k and Livestrong so I’m not going to fret over it. It’s more than I did in 2012, that’s for sure! </p>
<p>For Christmas, S got me a gift certificate to our local running store and D got me a pair of Nike Free Flyknit running shoes. My stocking had Body Glide AND Yaktrax Pro. My family does listen from time to time, I guess. </p>
<p>I love that we’re still here after all this time. Yay, all of us!</p>
<p>sabaray- that’s great mileage! The Flyknits are supposed to be really good shoes. Let us know what you think.</p>
<p>I put Picky Bars in stockings this year and got Girlfriend a whole box. She showed up with a box for me, too! They are my favorite sports bar. I use them pre-run and also for snacks- not so much during runs or races.</p>
<p>I plan to continue the streak, but not the 2000 mile pace. The streak has really not been that difficult. There are certainly days when I haven’t wanted to run or that I had to scramble, but on the whole, I can do a mile a day minimum. (fingers crossed that I don’t get injured or sick)</p>
<p>I didn’t really track miles ran, but as I look back at 2013 I can say I did this:</p>
<p>Lost 25 pounds and dropped about 3 sizes, necessitating the buying of new clothes
Tried hot vinyasa flow yoga and became addicted - now go at least 4 times a week
Upped my game significantly at pilates, moving to intermediate / advanced moves
Worked out with a strength trainer
Tried a boot camp, a kickboxing class and cardio
Took burlesque dance lessons
Took swimming lessons to improve my stroke
Took a deep-water running class
Did 2-hour tandem bike rides with H when weather permitted
Ran five 5K’s (3 Color Runs and 2 others) - and a “virtual 5K” in a hotel gym in China
Finally broke my Starbucks habit by judicious substitution of iced coffee (summer) and hot tea (winter), with one skinny hazelnut latte per week :)</p>
<p>Wow, I did more than I thought!! I’m giving myself a break, ha ha!!</p>
<p>Pizzagirl:</p>
<p>We’re not worthy! :)</p>
<p>PG, I like the variety of activities. Fun!</p>
<p>Pizzagirl- that is really impressive. Even more so since you NEVER thought you would be exercising and into fitness. Incredible weight loss, too.</p>
<p>Airdyne. What was I thinking? I am definitely not worthy!</p>
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<p>Decided to try something new: 1 mile intervals. Haven’t done the dreaded mile intervals for over a year and half (they are THAT “not fun”). They take 3 minutes, give or take. Three intervals, recover to 70% heart rate in between.</p>
<p>I intentionally set a slow pace, just trying to make sure that I could finish three of them. Average pedal speed of 62 rpm versus my fastest ever of 65 rpm on three 1 mile intervals). Mission accomplished. I did finish. Heart rate of 95% of my max on the third interval, but not the gasping, hanging on for dear life that I use to experience.</p>
<p>20 minutes total. 9 minutes of hard pedalling. Legs burning.</p>