Happy Birthday to the K's!

The weather on January 3rd was miserable, and being out of town without gym access, I took the day off. I was still sore from my hill workout the previous day, so this was not an entirely bad thing. I came back and ran three great miles on the treadmill today.

Rockford Marathon training will begin in earnest on the 10th. I am planning to use the same Hal Higdon training regimen as last year, and while the distances I'll be running are the same, I can already tell I'll be running the distances much faster this year. I find that I am regaining my cardio fitness more quickly than expected after my approx. 3 month lay-off. My lungs feel great, and I'm easing my muscles and joints back in at a gradual pace. So far nothing even close to an injury (knock on wood), which is great after the battle I waged with a chronic knee injury last year. Hopefully it lasts.

Happy Birthday to Kristen, Kate, and Kara, celebrating their closely grouped birthdays today! Wish I could have been there.

Watched some great football the past two days. Yea! for Arizona and Philly, Boo! to San Diego. Though Mandy has family in San Diego, I enjoy watching Peyton Manning and the Colts play (including former Iowa boys Bob Sanders and Dallas Clark), so was sad to see them lose.

I plan to get in a couple days of hard work-outs before my work week starts up again on Wednesday. Looks like I'll be in the gym, however, as the forecast has the temperature remaining below freezing, meaning no respite from the ice. O well. The treadmill is easier on the joints, and I'll get all the outdoor running I want come Spring. Hopefully it gets here soon! I've already had enough of this 4:30pm sunset madness. Least favorite time of year.

WORKOUTS

• 1/3 (took the day off)
  
• 1/4 3 mile run, Pilates