I know some folks were having troube downloading the podcast (you need Quicktime to view it) so I created a You Tube video to make it easier to view (with permission of course, from Rick Hancock at Fox 61 News!). Thanks for all the support and compliments. This experience really brightened my spirits!

I hadn't mentioned this sooner, because I wasn't sure about the time line of the events...or quite how I felt about it. But now that it's out there, I thought I should share my experience with the family that made it possible.

*insert dramatic pause*

Thanks to our very own Jeanne, I had the opportunity to talk about blogging to one of the local television news stations!

Apparently, while Jeanne was frolicking in Toronto last month, she happened to sit next to a reporter from my area of the country. She also just happened to mention a certain orange-hat wearing blogger to him, since he has a weekly news feature on technology and websites. (Interesting side note: the reporter, Rick Hancock from Fox 61 News, also works in a Connecticut town that Jeanne once lived in!)

I was very nervous about the interview, but was also really excited to share my blogging-experience with others. Rick was very easy to talk to, and I regret that we didn't have a chance to talk more. I had plenty to say (shocking!)- and there were a MILLION other things I wanted to mentioned - but I was having a hard time being video-taped. Apparently, I suffer from performance anxiety in a variety of settings.

Initially, I thought that I was a horrible interviewee! I rambled like an idiot and completely failed to answer his very easy, very direct questions. But, with the magic of EDITING, the interview turned out to be not-so-bad. I have to admit, I'm especially pleased with the late afternoon autumnal lighting.

To watch the segment that broadcast on the news, head to this page and click on Rick's RSS from 11/09. I'm at the end of segment, after the pet web page and the iPod information. If you'd like to watch the whole interview, click here for the official podcast.

Hope you still respect me in the morning.

In case you haven't been over to visit the amazing hip lately, I wanted to make sure you noticed his latest post about a fitting way to pay tribute to Ryan Shay. You can go read the original post or, if you are lazy like me and hate to click on things, you can just read the text of his post right here (stolen with permission):

ryan shay 5.5 mile memorial run

most folks out there that are reading this that are runners themselves are familiar with the untimely death of ryan shay over the weekend at the 2008 olympic marathon trials in new york on saturday, november 3rd. ryan collapsed at mile 5.5 and was pronounced dead at lenox hill hospital shortly thereafter.

this news has rocked the distance running community, as ryan had an incredibly promising career and had already set many records in his years at notre dame and proved himself at distances ranging from 10k to the marathon. at 28, the prospects of him representing the us in future olympics looked good.

sure, the loss of a talented distance runner is a tough pill to swallow for the united states, who has only recently started to have a resurgence of talent at the marathon level. what is harder to swallow, though, is the thought of those that are left behind trying to make sense of the empty space that he once occupied. his wife, alicia. his training partners, meb, deena, josh, etc. his numerous friends and family.

join me in support of them as they process their loss and dedicate your own 5.5 mile run next saturday, november 17th, in memory of ryan. run the exact distance, or dedicate a 5.5 mile portion of a longer run in his memory. take the time to recognize life's frailty, to think about those in your life that you need to tell that you love and most of all, pray for those that will feel ryan's absence the most.

thank you.

I'll be making time for Ryan next weekend; hope you will too.

Even amid the chaos that has become routine around the Running Chick household, there are still bright spots that make me smile. This week was a tough one academically, but I managed to find many reasons to smile:

1) Two words: Red Sox.

2) During my pre-dawn run on Wednesday, I heard a whistle come from behind. I was slow to turn around, as I initially thought it was my cyclist-neighbor doing his insane speed-interval circuit. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was another runner! He told me he didn't want to startle me, which I greatly appreciated. We exchanged a few quick words about training as he passed me by and then I watched his long legs carry him effortlessly away from me.

3) Little kids in costumes make me smile, almost to the point of weeping with joyful happiness. Almost. Mostly, I just giggle at them. The pictures that some of you posted of your squids, frogs, pumpkins, transformers, princesses, and flamingos...totally made my day.

4) Three of my classmates and I have dubbed ourselves 'The Nerds' - and we've become close friends in a short period of time. We had a lot of challenges thrown at us in the last week, and we pulled each other through with grace and courage. I cannot imagine surviving this experience without them, and I look forward to standing with them at our pinning ceremony in December 2008.

To those of you running the NYC marathon this weekend - Susie, David, Danny, et al - I wish you a smooth and strong journey all the way to the finish line. GO RBF GO!!