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After the usual dry autumn, we are having our usual wet January. This is that time of year when we can expect the lake to fill up for summer. And that's a good thing. Sometimes it even gets a little carried away and over-fills to the point of leaving the back yard a sloppy mess. I hope it stops short of that this year.

As is often the case, I am about to begin an off week and the weather calls for rain almost every day. I suppose I will try to make the best of it. Rather not much of a day for road riding until Thursday or Friday. Mountain biking will be a sloppy mess. That leaves running. Maybe there will be enough of a break to get in a long run.

The weather is warming a bit, so my 6 mile run this morning was much more comfortable. I'm getting more and more intimate with the trail out there. I will have quite a number of combinations for distance. Today by beginning at the Berm parking and running all the trail clockwise except the Lake View Loop, I did 6.2 miles. I did a nice 8 mile run the other day by running all the loops counter-clockwise and adding 0.33 miles back around toward Bill's Creek, then doubling back to get the even 8. We still have another week of waiting for Mr. Black to reopen the trailhead. Once that happens, I should be up around 10 miles for my total run. If I were to run it all but omit Cogs and Lake View, that will put me at 12 miles. I would probably have to use the road to cut cut a little more out. Anyway, I am itching to do the whole enchilada. I believe I could do it right now but I am thinking that would be a little premature. Better to do the intermediate runs and be really read for it com

Today was my scheduled 8 mile run. Gratefully, the temperature rose into the 40's for me to run. The warmth of the full sun blessed each opportunity to run from under the shade of the pines. There was a stiff breeze that kept me zipping my jacket tight each time I turned toward it. But in all it was a very successful day. I began the run feeling a little tired. Whether due to the poor sleep spent in the tent with each Grandson doing the "camp-in" or possibly due to the caloric restriction started to lose the weight gain from the relaxation of discipline over the summer and fall, I don't know. But once I was under way, it all seemed to fall into place. I remember being at this point last year when I changed shoes and calamity befell. No such mistake this year. I'll go forward with the small incremental increases till I get to the half-marathon goal, then start a marathon training program with the intention of doing a full marathon sometime in the summer. Then the M

Here we are at the beginning of another calendar year. Just another trip around the sun. Nothing particular about this year. Christmas is officially over. We put the decorations in the garage except for the front porch garland. That will come down today. Christmas eve and day were nearly an overload for me. Should have faced it with more cheerful spirit but I got pretty wound down and found it hard to keep my sense of humor. I didn't lose it with family. It seemed that everyone was worn out with all the rushing about and irritation but I remained patient with all of them. I did lose my patience with my co-workers. Perhaps I can mend that when I go back Monday. I got an early start with my nutrition the day after Christmas, but today begins the official push to lose that 25 lbs I gained. I also have a strong goal for 2012 of running the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington. By March 7th I'll know whether or not I am able to do it. Then I'll have to get registered. Who knows i