<p>Quite the day, Alice. ;)</p>
<p>Wow Blankmind, that’s one for the record books! </p>
<p>Who hangs out at the beach with their 10 closest parrot friends!!! </p>
<p>Seems like it would be difficult for a parrot to do planks but I’m thinking that they might be pretty good with a single leg squat </p>
<p>Yeah, I really wished I had my phone with me because I would have loved to take a picture. He had 2 big parrots on his shoulders and one on his head. He was wearing an oversized coat, and the little parrots were kind of hanging on all over the place! He was walking around asking for donations for the parrots. </p>
<p>I was out of town all weekend and just now have my first opportunity to check in. I’ve gone from having tears in my eyes reading about sabaray’s marathon to laughing hysterically at Parrot Man. My husband thinks I’m nuts.</p>
<p>Sabaray-congratulations!!! What an amazing accomplishment! It sound as if the race went perfectly and you must be so proud of yourself. I am so happy for you and for one of the best days of your life!</p>
<p>A weekend visiting DH’s relatives - a veritable slug fest. I cannot wait to get back to the regular routine tomorrow. I did go for a 4 mile walk in the dark with the snow falling down when we got home just to get some exercise. It was beautiful (albeit cold!).</p>
<p>Just realized that calling the weekend a slugfest might give the wrong idea! Just meant that everyone sits around like a slug. No exercisers in this crowd.</p>
<p>I am so laughing right now C3Baker! And here I was envisioning martial arts or a boxing ring. Too funny. </p>
<p>Blankmind- I would need a drink after all that!</p>
<p>I needed 7.3 miles today (planned on 8) for a 30 mile week. It was 39 and raining, and wasn’t supposed to stop all day. I managed 5.3 on my treadmill watching boring Sunday morning TV for a 28 mile week. Substantial compliance. </p>
<p>Blankmind…sounds like the only thing your outing was missing was a scary clown 
Too funny! Do you carry bear spray?</p>
<p>Just finished reading “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, about an epic trek solo on the Pacific Coast Trail. Wow. She was total newbie and between sheer guts, and a little luck, she made it through.</p>
<p>Big exercise day yesterday and this morning. In a 24 hour period, DH and I raked the yard, cut grass in the front, and shoveled several inches of snow off the driveway. I hate Cincinnati weather. Seems like every fall we get hit with this triple whammy! :D</p>
<p>Well, snowshoe season has officially begun after a disastrous attempt at microspikes on my boots ;)</p>
<p>I should have realized this would happen…the spikes picked up dead leaves and packed snow and made walking tippy like high heels. After nearly turning my ankle six times, I abandoned and came back down the hill, nervously wearing the micropikes like bracelets and hoping to hell I didn’t take an impaling fall on the slippery slope ;)</p>
<p>Better go find my snowshoes!</p>
<p>Sabaray, you are amazing. I just read your first post, the one that started this massive thread and wonderful community, and think that where you’ve traveled, from wanting to do a 5k to running a marathon, is just awe inspiring. </p>
<p>Today I am going to run my very first trail run, joining the running group of a friend I am visiting. I’m nervous since I’m used to running on flat even surfaces. My goal is to not twist an ankle and not get really far behind in the uphills. </p>
<p>Condolences to those of you, like me, who may be unhappily waking up to snow this morning! 2-3 inches on the ground. Sidewalks mostly clear though. </p>
<p>Yikes! Be careful KMC! </p>
<p>Trail running is tough, fireandrain - not something I would feel comfortable attempting for the reasons you mention - the tree roots, uneven surfaces - too much for me. </p>
<p>We do have a great community here - it’s been a real support system for me. I could not have done it without all of you motivating and encouraging me. I think we’ve all had our struggles along the way and have pushed through them. </p>
<p>Went for a brief walk with H and the pups this morning - cold wet rain here. Miserable! Feeling pretty good though. </p>
<p>Sabaray, did you have many body aches/pains post race??? </p>
<p>I’m betting she is VERY sore! 
</p>
<p>Really just my quads. I feel worse today than yesterday and I can’t take any more Aleve. Going upstairs is fine…going down is the problem! Of course my office is on the second floor and no elevator. That’s okay, it was worth it! </p>
<p>Sabaray, fingers crossed, this nuisance pain should be over in a week or even sooner. Please be careful and don’t do the same stupid thing I did after my run - jump off objects or try to run long distances too soon. Aspercreme is a good remedy for localized muscle pain. </p>
<p>No worries, BB…going to keep with the easy walking for a few days; Pilates scheduled for Friday, then will probably do 3 easy miles on Saturday. Couldn’t jump if I wanted to! After a carb binge this weekend, back to the regularly scheduled diet. I thought about getting a donut yesterday but you all will be proud to know I didn’t. I’m working a short day today so will do some moderate stretching and foam rolling again today. I had thought about doing our town’s inaugural turkey trot but that would just be stupid. I looked at Hal Higdon’s 5 week recovery plan and I’m trying to stick to that - zero week “allows” me to run on Thursday but I think I might wait a bit longer. Next race isn’t until April, so no reason to hurry! </p>
<p>Go down the stairs backwards.</p>