Martha, Debra, Angie, Amy, Judith Ann
You ladies are trying to balance training, and a pending 15K with tired bodies and injuries that range from nagging to potentially serious (I'm talking to you Angie).
Remember the most important thing you can do for May 4 is to step into the starting area (I understand no corrals this time) fresh and completely healthy. The race is 11 days away, and pushing your training now will not help you at all in the race. Pushing the training now, however, can put you on IR. I know you would like better results, and I know you are ready and willing to push for a few more days, but right now treat your body. Easy stuff, not too long, lightish weight work, stretch lots, ice the hurting parts, take the anti-inflammatories and treat your body.
We all have a number in mind which we are capable of hitting if trained to the edge on a cool and dry day. The problem is upping the intensity of training also ups the probability of injury. Paraphrasing the Sphynx in Mystery Men, "asking too much of your body in training only trains your body to ask too much of you." Or something like that. Work with me here.
Bill
Kindergarten, oh yes, do I remember that. Good luck in August. By the way, you are far too kind about your perception of my age. My parental kindergarten experience was some time ago. If you think I'm actually youthful, bless you my son. And since you made Lynnda pick up her own birthday cake, I suspect you need all the blessings you can get.
About that Philiosphical Question:
What is this group of people about? I would answer with one word:
Friendship.
I've always been a bit like Groucho Marx, I would never belong to a club that would have me as a member

. I think of myself as a bit of a free spirit (my inciteful Spouse calls it being my own person), so I'm always reluctant to jump full into a group, any group. I don't wear the colors because I feel like I'm more of a peripheral member of the group, particularly compared to the icons of the team like Lily, Anne and Mel, and in spite of that no one gives me any grief. Everyone lets me come and go as I like, is nice to me when I'm around, and understands my disappearances. Hey that's more than I get from my own Mother.
This Friendship manifests itself in many ways. With people like Steve, Colleen, Stephanie, Scott (both Scotts) and Amy it is as a virtual training partner. I really don't have anyone here to run with, so I train with my group partners in my mind. I know what they are doing, when I'll race with them next, and what type of result they are likely to get. This drives me to train so I can keep up with them and maintain their respect on the race course.
With my Friends like Cam and Carrie, it is support, totally unquestioned support. I respect them so much, and it makes me feel pretty darn good that they return the feeling. Earning the respect of people that you think highly of, man that's the most important thing in the world.
With so many others, and sorry but I cannot possibly list 50 names without an omission, it's about humor, understanding, laughter and presence. Bumping into Friends on the course is a total trip. Seeing those damn fools, I mean Friends, at mile 2 at 6:20 a.m., at mile 9 at 7:30 (still going strong here), at mile 20 on the Sun's anvil after I've died out there, and at mile 24.5 by the Beach Club when rigor mortis is in the legs means so much.
And to see Carrie and Scott bring the girl I married, injured and in pain, safely across the finish line at mile 26.22, heck that makes me cry. Well, not cry, per se, since obviously I'm a man and men don't cry, how about "get misty-eyed?" That sounds better.
I'll see many of you in a few days. Happy and safe training.
Craig