Forty-One Days To Go!

So, as the weather finally 'warms' up to the low 30s today, I have been staring out into the dark window since about 3:30 a.m. Recovering from 4 days of flu has been a hassle, but knowing that both of my children have been battling the same flu (one with fever for 7 days, the other down for 5 days this week)reminds me how little I have to complain about.

It was only 1 week ago that I joined hundreds of other charity-sponsoring marathoners for a "16 miler" (actually a 17.1 mile!) run from Natick, MA into downtown Boston... I haven't run a step since, and am a bit concerned about getting my stamina back with only about 8 weeks to go.

Overall, I've not been training as diligently as I had by this time last year; but, in my defense, I was out there almost every day the week before last -- braving wind chills of 7 below zero and wearing a ski mask and hood to keep my head warm and my line of sight clear! Those were some brutal runs...ranging from the 3-mile "get-out-and-move" run to the several 7-mile loops and even a 16.7 miler two weeks ago today.

I often think about the homeless on the brutally cold mornings -- running last year's Marathon in support of the Pine Street Inn (http://www.pinestreetinn.org/) still humbles and motivates me. I remain grateful to those many of you who supported me last year, as I encourage you to keep up the effort, either for Pine Street Inn or for your local homeless agnecy.

thanks for checking in! Paul