Amy
I assume you didn't have enough to do already, so you got your spin certification? Wow, you are an activity machine. You'll be fitter than all of us on the 2 Goofy days in January. Perhaps we'll bump into each other on the course both days. It always lifts my spirits to see friends on the course. Last January Steve and I hit the half marathon split on Sunday about 15 seconds apart. Steve passed me about 1/4 mile past this point, and somehow we didn't notice each other. Too weird and disappointing as well.
Liz
It's good to hear your injury is healing well, allowing you to get out there successfully. Good for you and Patrick.
Ryley
The Boardwalk area is one of my favorite runs. 1 loop around Cresent Lake, then down the path along the canal to the Studios, continue around the end of the turning basin, stay right along the fence, all the way to where the boat dock hits the sidewalk, then turn around and go back to where the Crescent Lake path intersects the walkway by Atlantic Dance, and you've done 2.33 miles. The sights, sounds, and smells of this run are a lot of fun. Enjoy yourself.
Swim Mom
Amy tells it true. As you get more experienced in your training you'll know what level of effort translates into distance and pace. If you run 1 mile in 12 minutes, and feel you are exerting the same effort on the eliptical for 12 minutes, absolutely call that the equivalent to 1 mile of running.
I seem to be getting my fitness back, now I just need to drop the pounds that got on the plane with me in Paris. Each workout is a bit easier and quicker than the prior one, and the weight work has done wonders for the "feel" of my legs. It's just amazing what the weight room does for strength and rhythm when I run. My runs so far have all been on the track, so I'd know precisely how fast I was going, and could judge my level of effort. Yesterday I felt a lot stronger, so I took off at a tempo that felt quickish and easy, 9:25 per mile. The first 5K of this was really effortless, but at 4 miles it got a lot harder. I discovered I have work to do before I can carry a pace like that for any distance, but it was encouraging to feel almost normal again. I need to get back on the trails, slow down, and stretch the distances.
Best
Craig