December 4, 2007

Back...

Finally...

The new computer is up and running and I am officially reconnected to the outside world! Kinda cool actually 'cuz I'm using a 42" plasma for the monitor so I feel super techno-savvy when really I'm anything but.

Lots of stuff has been happening, both with family and with training/racing.

The troupe and I spent the weekend Christmas decorating. I love Christmas! We went Saturday to the tree farm an hour north of home where we've gone for the last few years and the kids picked their favorite tree. My mom, who was in town to watch the kids for me while I ran the Jinglebell 5k that morning, got to go with us to the tree farm. It was the first time she had gone with me to get a tree, and I think she was enjoying the novelty.

Anyway, Saturday was spent decorating the tree and house, and Sunday we set up our Polar Express train and Christmas village scenes in the breakfast room, which has yet to be used for breakfast despite 3 months in the new house. The kids love to make the whistle blow. OK, I admit it, I love to make the whistle blow too.

So the Jinglebell Run marked the 3rd race I've done in the last month - 2 10ks and a 5k. I continue to have occasional pains in my left lateral knee that seem to come randomly. I initially thought the IT was flaring but I've pretty much ditched that theory. Sometimes it will happen 4 miles in, sometimes 10 miles into a run. I've religiously stretched and strengthened my IT over the last year and NEVER have pain with stretching or lifting exercises.

Anyway, since I've been getting the occasional pains that I cannot run through, I have backed off the long runs and done more frequent shorter runs. I think this next multisport season will consist of mostly shorter to medium distance duathlons and maybe a couple tris. I've grown to love swimming, but for now it is such an impediment to me actually having any competitive results. So to satisfy my need for competitive results I'm concentrating this year on the du.

Back to the Jinglebell - I cannot get to 20 minutes for 5k. I wanted so badly to do it Saturday, but the Highland Avenue hills had other plans for me. I finished in 20:57, good enough for 3/30 or 40 in my age group and 26/500ish racers. The 2 10 ks this month were consistent if nothing else - 44:14 in the Vulcan Run and 44:21 (44:15 by my watch) in the JCC Montclair Run.

This weekend is the Village to Village 8k. Although it's hilly I'm going to try hard to get close to a 36 minute race.

Well, that's enough for now. I'm excited to finally be back in the blogging saddle, and thanks for joining me for My Daily Spin.

6 comments:

Donald said...

Welcome back! You're a plasma-monitor blogger now, huh? Very sophisticated.

rocketpants said...

Good to see you are back! That's a crazy big screen. Wow.

Bullet said...

What the heck? A 42 inch TV? That's a nice set of racing wheels! Good luck this weekend at the 8k. I'd love to run it, but I'm still training for the Mercedes and I have to go long on Saturday. Save some energy for the last hill. It's a killer!

TJ said...

Welcome back Jack!
Sounds like you've had some great races. I hear ya with the 5k. Breaking 20 minutes is a goal of mine also.

Iron Girl Nyhus said...

Good job on the runs :) Way to stay motivated!

Anonymous said...

Glad you are back! Pics of kids are great. I did enjoy the novelty of "going with you" to cut a Christmas tree, complete with hot chocolate and hayride. Brought back many memories. So glad to see you share my love of Christmas and are now passing it along to your kids. :)