Back on track - in mind if not in body..

I was weeks behind on my blog reading. Why? Work, kids, home and oh yes - that !@£$$%%^&* knee thing which you've all heard enough about. Reading everyone else's running blogs seemed to just remind me of what I couldn't do at the moment.

But enough! Enough of the ego! I like all these blogging buddies of mine too much and I was dying to see what everyone was up to so I got over myself (and about time, I can hear some thinking). And don't you know - I've been rewarded. What an incredible bunch you all are! Adam's thought provoking link to Jill Bolte Taylor on Tedtalks had me mesmerised last night. Adam first put me onto This American Life as well and his podcasts and blogs constantly inspire and challenge. Then Peter's post about his family was just so raw, so angry but above all - so honest. Unflinching in his directness, it shows what blogging has that journalism so often lacks - the truth about someone's reality. Shirley Perly's blog about why she wants to be on Team Evotri just blew me away - this is someone who is confronting her biggest fears and anxieties head-on. Her courage is incredible. Susan, also sidelined with injury, has not whinged, moaned and felt sorry for herself (unlike someone else I know all too well) and has instead used the time to reassess her life options and has set up her own business. Go girl! Maddy - great friend and my marketing guru has her ear to the ground and posted some Nike commercials which just make you want to go out there and COMPETE! Wake up spirit! Melisa, meanwhile, has really got the running bit between her teeth now - 20M per week and she's aiming to end up at 50! Woot girl - you are totally on top of the game! Kevin just got back from the beach with his gorgeous family and the snapshots are wonderful. (Incidentally - Kevin wrote to me weeks ago to go and see a podiatrist as he'd had very similar problems in the past - I'm hoping I'll be as succesful as you were and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your advice). Jade Lady - another athlete who's been sidelined with injuries writes of her progress with her exercises and makes me vow to keep at it - she's really moving ahead (and losing weight!) so she's an example to be followed. (I'm not alone - and other people are handling things better than I am - noted everyone..). Maritza is currently in Ireland - I can't wait to read what she got up to there. I'm due to meet up with Maritza and Jen next month - how cool is that? Jen is running Boston this year - the woman is so fast and her training is going so well and I know she too has battled injury in the past - it's good to see where I might one day end up.. (though Boston is a dream I don't yet dare to have..). Greg ran his first marathon recently and just has the racing bug - he's about to run through the Lincoln tunnel and it reminds me of how much fun road racing is - I love the sense of the group of runners running where, at any other time, cars reign. Jessica over at Pieces of Me never fails to amuse - any woman who will post pictures of herself in a bathing suit to motivate herself to lose weight is a woman I like. She's just been to Fiji (nice life for some) and posted some great pictures of herself getting a mud pack - I think? And now she's talking to her childhood imaginary friends to get herself motivated to train - she totally cracks me up! As does Terry who's saga of the ass mirror is just hilarious and it just keeps on going. Amazing marathon Chris makes my time poverty seems like a holiday - on top of a young family she's working 60-70 hours per week at the moment and still fitting in some training. Her attitude is so positive even when she doesn't get every single run in - again, something I could learn from. Lizzie Lee, over in Seattle (and Washington DC) gets her inspiration from Frederick the Great - king of Prussia "One does as one wishes with the body - when the soul says quick march it obeys"- no kidding Lizzie! Check out her speedwork! Wonderful Drusy is 3 weeks away from London - I will be cheering her on every step of the way. And finally - last, but certainly not least - Charlie has committed to running Chicago and is SO well prepared. If ever anyone was ready for the marathon it's Charlie - his weekly mileage has been amazing for months now! - but he needed some convincing. Charlie - I'm going to get this knee sorted and I will join you at the start!

I've caught up with most of you now - and I can't tell you how much more positive I feel. I realise I'm not the only one facing some challenges, I'm not the only one busy, and I am simply not going to have another week without knowing what you're all up to! Keep it up everyone and keep blogging about it. I will be checking in...

Finally - just a quick link back to ShirleyPerly again. She needs you to vote for her to get onto Team Evotri. Check out her post and then vote for the girl here!