Ran 5.2 miles on some of the most wretched footing ever. That snow we got last night is NOT helping my training - my winter route stays in our neighborhood, and none of our streets have been plowed. And it was COLD - 11 degrees, with a windchill below zero. My eyelashes froze!

I got on the scale today - argh!! That same (mumble) pounds that comes to visit every year has really overstayed its welcome. OK, it was never welcome. It’s all in my butt.

Knees OK, ankles are SORE, achilles are fine - mood is meh.

Ran outside. Temperature was 20 degrees, roads were snow covered and slick. Almost lost it three times on Tattersall! Think “whoopwhoopwhoopJEEZ”.

Ran 6.4 miles veerrrrryyyy slowly. Knees good, ankles twitchy, achilles quiet… attitude is EXULTANT.

LOVE. TO. RUN.

And the hat? It says, “Frozen Stupid” - which seems appropriate…

If all goes as planned, I should have something short to post up here every day, or most every day. I’ve discovered that I am less likely to wuss out if I start telling people I am going to do something. So here it is: The 2009 Master Race Plan.

Last summer was one of firsts for me competitively, and it really helped to keep me interested and challenged. I ran my first 5 Miler, then (gulp) a triathlon, and then a 10K. I am REALLY feeling the longer distances, so I’ll keep moving in that direction. Yeah, the tri? NOT feeling that. Nope. No bike. EVER again. Well…. maybe. Just to conquer that (insert many, many expletives) bike.

So this season, I want to do a half marathon in June (the Ludington Lakestride). Our cabin is only half an hour away from Ludington, so bonus!

I also want to do the Great Lakes Relay in late July. This is a team effort, and I am officially “calling all runners” - so far, I only have one other person committed. Each team member is required to run 24 miles over the three day race. See now, that doesn’t SOUND like fun when I type it like that, but it sure LOOKS like fun on their website.

And that brings us to the sticking point: to Tri, or not to Tri? I made every mistake in the book, training for the one last summer. And I STINK at the bike. And I HATE it. All of my tri gurus intone, “It is all about the bike!” Well. You see where that leaves me. But then I remember that cross-training (when it did not involve wheels) was great.

And so I waver.

I wonder how many millions of words the inaugeration ceremony inspired last Tuesday? Here are a few more: To those of you who would caution us against expecting President Obama to perform miracles -  we do not hope that HE will perform miracles, but that he will inspire US to. Our fate is in our own hands.