tutu - Welcome! What I would recommend is return to the ball toe form of running and go run barefoot in a field for a little while, see how you feel. Do that a few times a week and see if the pain returns. http://www.barefootrunners.org/build2/ I would not recommend running heeltoe in vibrams :p I've run in classics and Bikilas I definately prefer the bikilas FWIW
rootz - Welcome!
loftmama :hug sorry for the drama
Cold weather. That I can advise. ;)
I'm with you on the dreadmill, err hamster wheel, err, treadmill.
I drink a cup of tea before going out, and put my hat, gloves, shirt, jacket over the heat vent while I get ready.
For high 20s and wind, I'd wear:
Wool socks (SmartWool PhD socks are worth it)
Lined running tights (zip at ankle to prevent any wind from getting up there)
Long sleeved tech shirt (cotton gets sweaty and then cold)
Windproof Bright Yellow running jacket
Gloves (I start with relatively heavy ones, carry lighter gloves in a zipper pocket, and swap before my hands get sweaty)
Wool hat.
Blinking lights on my hip and shoe (OK, not for the cold, but cold and dark tend to go together for me)
If it's 10 degrees colder, I add a windproof pair of pants, a second shirt, and a neoprene helmet liner under the hat.
And :welcome We know each other because we chat a lot. Jump in, and we'll get to know you. It's ok if you ignore the conversations that have been going on for ages. Lack of personals is just fine. ;)
I'm taking a break from Christmas shopping right now - hello Amazon prime!! :)
This house hunting stuff is crazy. We went to look at an amazing house for rent today, and we showed up to find out it was rented this morning. Yesterday we got a call for another house we planned to see today and it wouldn't be available til February. Doh! So we finally got a list of rentals that were new - found one we really like (again) and we have an appointment to see it tomorrow afternoon. Dear Universe, please be kind. I'm near break down.
JayGee ~ This moving near the holidays is for the BIRDS! I can't imagine the stress you are under mama. Know I am sending lots of goodness your way. ::hugs::
Loftmama ~ Sending you lots of love too! And your DH a swift kick in arse!
Jo ~ That entryway sounds great! I can't wait to see it all redone.
We celebrating St. Nicholas for the first time here! V found an orange and some coins in her Elmo stocking and an organic smoothie drink in her boot. :D Her face lights up every time she sees our tree. Christmas is going to be fun this year.
Okay, while she is sleeping I'd better get working on the laundry pile!
lofty 
and then 
and 
.
rootz, we know each other from here, and each of us was new once. Welcome! You too, tutu! 
I worked hard on the elliptical for 35min and then joined my sister for 20min running, so I feel a little better about last night's lapse in judgment. Making a nice green curry soup tonight (not exactly lite, ahem) and some pasta for the kids. It's a good thing I don't really like noodles.
JayGee, my sister is in the middle of bad mammo hell. She had the screen and the diagnostic...and now gets to wait 6mos for another diagnostic. She is also maybe an A, so apparently the diagnostic was a real picnic.
I also spoke with someone re: my professional relationship concerns. I don't have a solution (well I do, but...
), I don't expect it to be solved, but it was just something I wanted someone to know about. I feel better. Heard, if nothing else.
Tomorrow's plan is more elliptical and a good, hard lifting routine. I did fine today, but I let work emails slow me down and ended up late for my workout. Tomorrow I need to be on time, because I want a good, hard, 1.5-hour workout.
Mamas in the dumps, :superhugs (I know it's not real code, but imagine what it would look like.)
OK. Going to try and make it through the night without anything major and ugly...
ETA: JenLove, it will happen! These are gifts and warnings! Good luck, mama, and come on down. I have two weeks solo!
jooj ~ ugh for your poor sis. I think I'd be crazy waiting 6 months for another diagnostic. At least with the biopsy, I KNOW. Thinking of you during your 2 weeks solo.
rootz ~ welcome! My cold weather (anything under 20) includes: Thorlo socks over sock liners, long underwear with loose zip-ankle tights over, sleeveless base layer, wicking long sleeve layer, fleece pullover, neck gaiter, hat or ear warmers, lightweight running gloves with mittens over top until my hands warm up. That combo has worked for me even as low as -5 with windchill two winters ago. Brrrrr.....
tutu ~ welcome to you too! Im not a barefooter, although I think it would be good for me. I have a very short stride with a high cadence, and have been told that I'm a "forefoot" runner (ie. not heel-toe).
Lalalala ~ Dad is at Brigham and Womens at the Shapiro Heart Center, but he'd moving up to a rehab in Exeter, NH tomorrow.
JenLove ~ I hope and pray that this next house is "the one"!!!!
There must be a better way so that there is more calm and peace if not ease. I don't really know where to start but I would like to feel more in control and be more able to see the big picture or context. Does that make any sense?
Ok, this is making me cry because I had a terrible, terrible evening with ds, and although I try to get our mornings running smoothly it's always a struggle. (By terrible, I mean - he threw a tantrum and ran from me in a huge, big store ... I was trying to buy him sneakers and then we were both looking foreward to some Christmas shopping - I ditched the shoes and just yelled at him all the way back to the car. 
I didn't hurt him but I was also not kind (and was scared and angry in equal measure.) I hate, hate, hate this feeling and coupled with a bad marriage weekend I'm struggling. So sorry you're also feeling bad but it makes me less alone to know it's not just me. Thank you for being honest about how you are 'cause it's healing to me to feel less alone.
Lofty and eks, 
I should really, really run tomorrow, shouldn't I?
(And, um, welcome new dingos. 
We take turns with the being overwhelmed, so if you need to speak up, go right ahead...)
Uhhh, 19F with 7 mph wind requires the clothing I outlined above and more. Uhhh, something for the face would have been nice... But it made for a FAST hill run. The hill route, of course, is the only neighborhood run that keeps us off sidewalks entirely, which were icy. So a 4 hilly 8:41 min/miles it was. Pleasant chat with D. My next partnered run is Thursday. Gotta make due solo til then.
JayGee - what are sock liners? My Thorlo socks are really thick. Doesn't that all change how your shoes fit?
Final exam tomorrow. Then grading marathon. See ya'll on the other side!
Welcome, new dingos! Join the party. We love to run....and we also love to talk to each other about anything and everything in our lives...and sometimes running makes it all seem okay. Sometimes not. Sometimes runs are the necessary, can't-do-without-it reset/reboot button. And some runs just suck. Sometimes they are both at the same time.
WHERE THE HECK IS MY RUNNING BEANIE?! For crying out loud I just bought the thing two weeks ago, I had it on Sunday, I brought it home...and now it's evaporated. (along with, by the way, TWO ceiling fan remotes and my good running socks). I don't have a dog who runs off with stuff. My house is small and I've checked everywhere (I think). GAH. It's 40 frickin' degrees outside and very windy and I NEED IT.
Okay thank you for standing by during my vent.
Here's another one. I feel totally invisible in my marriage right now. It's making me sad. Like, dh should be totally impressed with me at the moment (well that is my ego talking but seriously, we just had the 20-yr anniversary of our first date, I haven't looked or felt this good in about that long) and he doesn't seem to notice anything about me at all right now. Except when the house is a wreck and dinner is nowhere to be found (sorry dude, I work full time now too and with 3 kids and getting up at 4 a.m. to run, every once in a while you have to pick up your own damn socks and make a PB&J for supper -- the kids think it's just fine, with some baby carrots and a salad, as long as they get their dessert). I didn't even rate a Chanukah present.
I'm rambling, sorry. Going to bed now, because you know, I have to get up at 4:30 a.m. to do the only thing I do FOR ME all day, which is run. Thankyouverymuch.
mommajb + penelope - I think there is something in the air. We had one of those days here this evening. I think I'm strange tho, days like this make me want to get out and run/workout, when things are good I don't want to go do anything other than be home and enjoy. What is the phrase "There has to be bad days or you wouldn't appreciate the good ones"
nic - Shame on him for not being impressed, I am! You are a speed demon in awesome shape! You're definately an inspiration! I hope he notices it!
No run to report here, I figured out why I'm having such a hard time getting out, DH has been coming home later so it's only about 20 minutes till dark. All my motivation goes out the window and I hate dreadmills, my feet always hurt after I run on one. I'm definately going to swim and with some luck fit in a short run tomorrow. I need some time to myself!
Nic, can't find your beanie -- probably hanging out with mine swapping stories, but I do have a solution for the ceiling fan remote. I glued velcro to the back of ours and attached it to the wall. Same with the kitchen radio remote.
I think Kerc has used charts for getting ready in the morning, maybe she could chime in. Maybe its time for a family meeting where you suggest a few chart/reward systems, so they can feel some ownership by choosing one? We did allowance for awhile, and I told them up front what allowance depended on, which included a short list of *chores* but also unchallenged cooperation (when I say take your dish to the kitchen, you do it right then). It was amazing how fast they did anything I wanted 
(I ended up having to do too much reminding and policing about the chores, so told them that when they are ready to take charge we can try again)... 
Nic, can't find your beanie -- probably hanging out with mine swapping stories, but I do have a solution for the ceiling fan remote. I glued velcro to the back of ours and attached it to the wall. Same with the kitchen radio remote.
3M makes a product that is ideal for this -- the command adhesive stuff found in the "hardware" section at Target. Great part about it is that it comes off the wall when you want it to.
to all who need it!!!
I probably lurked here for at least a month before I got the guts to join in, and now I can barely remember life before the dingos. 
Ok, so he was still in my bed around 6, but the kid was out like a light, snoring. He didn't even budge when my alarm went off and I got up and took a shower. Apparently our date yesterday wore him out or something!
WHERE THE HECK IS MY RUNNING BEANIE?!
It's probably hanging out with my menorah!
I don't think men realize how important it is for the day to day little things to be appreciated. Honestly, I NEED my DH to see, acknowledge and appreciate that I have a sink with no dishes, or that there is no dirty laundry. I need for him to see when I have piles and piles of folded laundry. I need the acknowledgment of the work that goes into those piles. I also need him to ignore it when there is a pile of dirty dishes, the dirty laundry is taking over our bedroom, and when the clutter seems to be coming to get us! He's pretty good about not griping about housework, but sometimes falls short on the acknowledgement part. It's something I struggle with.
And can I just add - Sparkle, I love you!
Cold weather gear - In 20's and below, I wear a pair of running tights, with a looser pair of pants over, I layer pretty heavily on top. I have an underarmour cold weather compression shirt that I love. I also have a long sleeve merino wool shirt that works really well as a base layer. I usually then put a short sleeve tech-t, a long sleeve shirt, and if cold enough, a fleece (I'm a wimp when it comes to the cold, though). I have a Buff that I LOVE. It works well for the face, neck, sometimes head and ears. I have a nice cold weather beanie that I love, too. Usually just running gloves, but if it is really cold (sub-10 degrees), I'll throw on a pair of mittens over that. The thing that is hard to solve for me is cold toes. The mesh on the top of my shoes make the wind just cut right in, and then I have blocks of ice at the bottom of my legs. Chemical heat packs are the solution for that! They have adhesive, so I stick them to my socks, and party on. It can get a little uncomfortable in longer runs (7+ miles), but I'll just stop and take them off then. By that point, I'm nice and warmed up, so don't need them, anyway.
Swimming is on the plan today!
Nic--I am way impressed by you! The shifting to full time work and all those miles you are logging!
Is the beanie stuck in some other laundry static cling?
Have to get out for a quick run before work.
Found the beanie this morning stuck under the floor mat in the car. 
After my run in the 34 degree cold. In Florida. 
So I clearly need at least a couple cold weather running things. What should I buy, considering that it probably won't go much below 30 (I HOPE?!). I have a pair of tights but they seem to be falling down a lot. I wore those, two long sleeve tech t shirts, and a pair of Asics gloves today. I was still kind of cold (windy). I might need a fleece lined beanie. But what for my legs and my top?
I still can't find the ceiling fan remotes though. Grrrrr....
Dh did redeem himself partially by asking me what i want for Chanukah and then only grumbling for a minute when I said I want a Nano. We'll see if I get it or not (I know that sounds so snarky but really, he almost never buys me flowers, gifts, etc....and when he does it's usually a dinner out or something. Which I enjoy but it's not usually what I really want, kwim?)
BRRRR Quick 3 miles in 9 degrees. Felt great.
Welcome to all newbies, it's a great bunch of women. I credit many here for helping me find my inner bad a** as a runner.
Dorky uv arm warmers are on my list. Last year I ran a very cold 10 mile race on Jan 1. Coming home with frost on the outside of my hat and pants is fun 
Who knows what I'll do. It is tempting but maybe not smart?
Helen can put her lunch together quickly if she has to do it before opening the advent calendar window, etc. I need something more 'regular' so that I don't always have to think about it so much and yes, I need them to take responsibility for it because I don't want to have to do all the remembering and reminding. It will come together; it has to.
cold weather here. brrr. I'm staring down a day of ugly tasks: take my oldest to the doc for a recurring BAD chapped lips/skin rash that might have a staph infection rolled in. Have I mentioned she is doctor-phobic since the urgent care-incident two years ago? oy. I also need to grade papers, take two giant boxes to the post office, and clean my bathroom. And since I need to take my kid to the doc it is cutting into my skiing time.
FWIW: I wear cold weather cycling tights (pearl izumi tights without a pad) from when it gets to about 50 and below. I just add stuff on top when it is colder: wind proofing mainly. I also only wear smartwool socks so my feet don't freeze too much if I sweat a lot. I have a jacket from college that I wear (it is 15 years old....), over the top of a windproof vest + polypro stretchy shirt.
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