Walks: Sat-Wed, Jan. 12 to 16

Great turnout for our first alternative walk location

Hope you didn't put away your shorts. The weatherman predicts 11˚C on Saturday. I'm unsure how I feel about that and hope it isn't a bellwether for a hot summer. Come on out, anyway, for the distance you please. If you want company for more than 8K-ish, put out feelers in the comments.

Monday and Wednesday nights, it's business as usual, for maintenance walks of about 6K.

Unless you're doing the Hypothermic Half in February or the Chilly Half in March (and I know you keen machines often train by your own schedules), real training doesn't kick in for a few weeks. Bob has created a spreadsheet of coordinated race schedules for the four half marathons I mentioned in the last post, and it's now linked on the blog beside the interests list. (Click the + magnifying glass in the toolbar on the schedule page to increase the tiny type size.)

If you need a schedule for a different long race, you'll find our Generic Half Marathon schedule under the Racing Links tab at the top of our blog. Let me know if you need help tailoring it to your event.

Speaking of races, congratulations to Rainer (2nd walker overall) and Norma (4th walker, 3rd female) for their showings at the 9K Hair of the Dog 2013 in what I understand were icy conditions. There was also a mix-up between the 3K and 9K women's powerwalking race results, meaning that the wrong people received the awards for the 9K. We'll award you in our hearts, girl!

Now, as you can see by the turnout, our first-Saturday alternative route idea for January was a success (thank you, Trish!), and we already have volunteers for two more months. Details later. This will never replace Tim's 1 as our spiritual home, but offers those who seek variety, well, variety.

Very sunny birthday wishes to Jan – have a wonderful day!