'Mature' runners.

Hello again, i am still in the land of the living although my racing days are over, i'm waiting for the results of an x-ray on my left knee which will dictate just what happens next.

My family problems have been dealt with and the the best possible outcome has been achieved (although not ideal) 

I trust everyone is giving their best in training, given the terrible wet conditions we are all experiencing. York is suffering some of the worst floods in living memory with the Ouse over 14 feet higher than normal.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 

First things first and the first thing is to wish everyone the sort of Christmas that would be ideal for you. Hope you all have a great time.

MrsJJ and me will be in London for Christmas Day and then off to Essex on Boxing day so not much opportunity for posting anything.

TE
Sorry about the fall. Not nice. Hope you can still raise a Christmas glass or two.

OT
Never say never. I twice had knee ops in my 60s which I thought was the end of racing but I came back.

IW
Charly sounds as though he's thriving. Hope he's a winner too.
JJ

OT welcome back!

JJ the fall was horrible, I hit the ground so hard that  if it hadn't been in deep soft mud, I'm sure I would have broken and arm or a leg. I went down like a sack of spuds. It was my left arm that came off worse, so I am still able to lift a glass, or three, with my right hand.

The left arm is now almost completely ok, for which I am really grateful. Thoughts that my running career was over, had gone through my head.

Evening all,

OT, hello poppet.  Lovely to hear form you again and glad to hear things have been dealt with as best you could.  Fingers crossed for your xray.

TE, take it easy please.  Falls most definitely do shake you up.

JJ, going into London for Christmas Day?  That's proper posh, that is!  Unless it's at your daughter's house in which case it doesn't count as posh 

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone, whatever you do or wherever you may be.  I shall be running first thing, no matter what the weather throws at me.  I'll pop in tomorrow at some stage 

OT, I agree with JJ, never say never. I'm now on my way back from my hip replacement and have run 3 times (once today!)

TE, take care and just relax over Christmas.

Raining here too, it wasn't when I went for my run with the dogs but LJS is out now with Nemo running 10km, it's raining steadily. Charly is helping me with getting the Christmas dinner ready!

Best Christmas wishes to everyone!

Evening all,

Hope you've all had a nice day.  I'm stuffed!  I ran just 3 miles this morning in torrential rain which made me feel virtuous.  Tomorrow I shall have to run off all the excess calories I've eaten today 

Mark, congratulations to your parents!

IW, hope the doggies enjoyed their Christmas dinner too.

Red - oh yes, they certainly did! Turkey is one thing that Nemo can eat in spite of his allergies (beef, lamb, veal, chicken, reindeer, pork, rice, wheat, rye, egg, milk).

Have a very happy and peaceful holiday everyone.

Morning all,

Oh my, it's such a beautiful day at the moment with a blue sky and wintery sun.  Intervals for me at some stage later but for now it's craft-time 

Showers here still but very sporadic and light. Went swimming this morning, it was really busy even in the two fast lanes where we always swim. 2000m easy workout for me, 3000m for John.

Morning all,

Didn't run yesterday after all as we had unexpected visitors.  'Twas OK as I'd run 4 days in a row anyway. Intervals today instead to try and work off the lard! 

A belated Merry Christmas to everyone.

You can certainly have a day off Red. I'd planned both a Christmas day and Boxing day run, but had to abandon the idea, as I'm so full of post-cold mucus (sorry!) I need to fit in 8 miles before the end of the year to get to my 1000, and am sure I'll manage that somehow, even if slowly.

TE, bad luck on having such an unpleasant fall. Glad the damage turned out to be minor. I know how it can shake you up, and actually had a good cry the last time it happened to me, which probably helped!

Great that you're back out IW.

Nice to see you again OT, and I agree - never say never.

Good long run there sarnie.

I also really enjoyed Strictly this year. The final three were all really good.

Morning all,

Same to you Diana 

It is so dreary today.  Just as well my friend's on her way round for coffee, cake and catch-up!  Will run later and no doubt get very wet.

We both got very wet - in the swimming pool! Today was good, not too crowded and our fast lanes 1 & 2 only had 2 other swimmers when we got in - another 3 joined us later but still plenty of space for everyone to do their own program. We all swim up lane 1 and back down lane 2 so nobody gets in anyone else's way. I did 2400m and John swam 3800

Back in the land of the living. Had a major cold and cough all over Christmas and spent too much time sitting in M25 traffic jams. A 90 minute journey yesterday took 4 hours.

Hope all had a great time.

Redhead
'Twasn't at posh daughter's posh house. 'Twas at untidy son's untidy house.
JJ

Hope you all had a terrific Christmas. Spent the Christmas period with my Daughter and her fiance, and also spent time with my Son and his fiance. I took you good peoples advice, and didn't run at all. I did do some dog walking though.

I am now back to earth, and will get out into the forest tomorrow, to get back into serious training for next year.

Back home today after a really good Christmas (at Elder Daughter's posh house!). Ran on Wandsworth Common on Boxing Day and reached my 700th mile for 2012, so pleased about that. Managed to see all my children over Christmas (most of them on Christmas Day, Eldest Son on 27th as he and his wife had spent the day itself at her parents'). Ate a great deal, drank a lot more than I usually do, had a lovely time playing with 15-month old grand-daughter. 

Six of us played Monopoly on Christmas night, and at one point all my children were howling at me "Mum, you're a retard!" (even my S-i-L said I was a retard, which I thought was a bit thick - but he had had quite a lot to drink, and people get very passionate about Monopoly) ... But guess who won in the end?

TE, that sounded like a really nasty fall, but I see you haven't been put off by it.

OT, good to see you back. 

Columba, thankfully the fall hasn't put me off, and now after a few days of enjoying the festivities of Christmas, am looking forward to donning the trainers again tomorrow.

Afternoon all,

Run done, just 3 miles at 9 min miling, mostly into the howling gale!  Longer one planned for tomorrow but must get out nice and early as it's our wedding anniversary 

Nice to see everyone back safe and sound, although perhaps travel weary.

Columba, cheeky blighters!  Glad you beat them in the end 

JJ, Christmas + the M25 are not a good combo!

Hello, can I join you?  I got my bus pass 5 years ago but am still using my feet!  I need lots of support because I have a place in the London marathon 2013 and I REALLY want to do it. I have managed the odd half (slowly) in the last 3 years.  I have never finished one feeling that I could go much further so this is a challenge and a half!  Any encouragement/advice would be so appreciated.  By the way, I have posh daughters and untidy sons too. Is this a universal rule?!