A Few More Photos from Chi Town

Here is the link to a few more photos of us in route and doing the "Chicago Chi Chi." We are a brave and noble group, but some of us got a little strange (or stranger)and wrote inspiration on our hands and arms! Been taking too many pain relievers...

I did manage to pull out the camera while moving so you'll see a few that are a little blurry. Copy and paste the link in your browser and then click on the photo to start the fun.

If you can't see the whole link below then go to the Message Forum on the Marathon Makeover Website. I left it there also.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=wjwwct7.3w99n1qf&Uy=w92628&Ux=0


Debra

Top Ten List -- Apologies to David Letterman

Top Ten Reasons to Be a Marathon Runner In Training!

10- To experience the joy of seeing a deer with a large set of antlers staring at me after I have assumed a somewhat awkward position in the Fox Bay woods.
9- To experience the peanut butter and jelly on a cinnamon bagel at the Beagle Bagel at least once a month.
8- To appreciate those "special" people like the one who threw a full bottle of Gatorade out the window and into our path as Suzanne and I crossed the Causeway.
7- To feel an uncontrollable desire to pick up mushed Sports Beans on the trail with the desperate hope that they will speed me up.
6- To see Carol sprinting from the Fox Bay Fire Station bathroom and back onto the trail, and still beating me to the finish line.
5- To run alongside Chuck, Phil, and Kelvin and laugh so much I have to slow down.
4- To feel like the luckiest person alive when I finally make it to the first bathroom stop at the boat ramp.
3- To run at 5 a.m. in the dark, wearing a headlight with Sally beside me wearing sunglasses.
2-To spend time with strangers who have become great friends, but can't remember each other's names when we're fully clothed and not sweating.
1- To enjoy the best group of people I will ever hope to meet and be a part of fighting the good fight and remaining strong to the end.

22 Miles of Photographs and Counting Down...

Great compliments to photographers Robin and Matt for those exciting and sometimes hysterical photos of us on the 22 Miler! I knew all the time that Carol was a Delta Beauty Queen, and drum majorette! She has the waves and kiss throwing down pat! It's a wonderful sequence of the Lady Runner in action.

What a great time we all were having even if some of us like me were a little slow, a little worn and a lot happy! Our community of people is the cream of the crop. As we say in the Episcopal Church -- Thanks be to God!

Debra

22 Miles and 22 Days Till Chicago

Did anybody realize that our 22 Miler today is also Day 22 on the Countdown to Chicago? I bet Mark and Robin did. I just noticed it on my Widget Counter.

Today was absolutely wonderful weather. We're all looking good out there. I felt like I was walking past an ocean view when I crossed back over the Reservoir with that cool breeze floating overhead. What a day!

This week's newbalanceconnections.com weekly tips/quotes really summed it up for me:

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement." - Steve Prefontaine, an Olympic runner who had one leg longer than the other (a common condition that does not affect running speed), and had been told to give up on his dream of being the fastest runner on earth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Prefontaine

Have a great week!

Debra

27 Days....Excitement in the Mail

There is always a little excitement when the mail arrives at the home/office of the self-employed. Usually it's because one of us is expecting a "check in the mail." Today, however, there was something different. And,hopefully my neighbors didn't look outside when I danced my way into the house with the mail. My CHICAGO MARATHON CONFIRMATION TICKET was THE highlight! Now, all I have to do is keep up with it. It's very cool with all kinds of great info.

And, I guess I'll have to confess about my ebay buying frenzy that so far has netted me two identical Chicago marathon windbreakers from ebay. They were in the mail also. You see,it's all Suzanne's fault...
She told me about getting a couple of great deals on Chicago marathon apparel on ebay. Now, I must admit that she didn't tell me to get on ebay the night of the day that we did the 20 miler. But,apparently I did. I do remember placing a bid on one windbreaker, for sure, and maybe 2 because I wasn't sure I would win even one auction. But, so far I have paid for four. The two that came today are in a color that I wouldn't quite call fashionably muted orange. They look more like what you would wear if you wanted to be rescued in the mountains and you wanted the rescue helicopter to see you for sure -- screaming neon dark orange, maybe a tad toward Tenn. Volunteer Orange with an extra dose. I'll definitely keep at least one and my son has first refusal on the others. The moral of the story is: Shop ebay when you're awake and avoid it on 20 miler days.

Now, I gotta go memorize all the details in my Confirmation Ticket! Looking forward to Saturday. It puts us a "few" more miles closer to Chicago!!

Debra

Thanks for coming...

Thanks to my own personal Press Agent Suz mentioning in her Blog that I had a show at Fondren Traders. I really appreciated seeing those familiar faces. But it is hard to recognize people in their daytime clothes without hats, ipods, bottles of propel, garmins and sweaty faces!

My photography will continue to be up at Fondren Traders (in the Rainbow Co-op building) for awhile. O.K., that is the last free advertising I'll inflict on you.

Debra

32 Days Left and I Saw the Guru of PT

Hey!
I'm back from my NYC experience. I had to keep up the pace of my 17 year old son, his sister and her husband. We covered plenty of ground though I didn't officially train. It was great weather. I hope we get just as good in Chicago.

My knee has been bothering me again. Thought my ITBand stuff was behind me, but it has reared it's ugly head on the left knee. I saw the GREAT Marathon Guru Wayne Jimenez today. He reassured me that my leg wasn't going to fall off, but I did need to ice and do more intensive stretches to get back to my "not bothering me" stage.

If you've been putting off seeing Wayne -- now is the time. He worked me into his schedule on short notice and gave me a game plan. He is the BOMB!!! Email him at wjimenez25@aol.com

DebraF

36 Days Left...

According to my widget counter it's 36 days until Chicago!!

I've been on the road this week, and trying to put out forest fires in my office so my son and I can leave town tomorrow to visit my newlywed daughter/husband (married a year in October) in NYC. We'll fly back in on Tuesday if the airline gods keep their promise.

I'll miss seeing ya'll tomorrow, and being in the Marathon pack. It's become quite a habit.

Have a great run. Be safe. Don't play in the traffic. Watch out for alligators. Remember, if you hear one coming up behind you there's only one thing to do -- RUN FASTER.

Debra

Starting Slow Works -- At Least this Time

Everyone did a great job on Saturday!

I put the "start slowly as a warm up" advice to the test for my 20 miles. I started at a brisk walk with Jody and Sally, and we picked Suz up as we crossed the Causeway (well, she started walking with us -- we didn't actually carry her on our shoulders).

I didn't start running "Debra Intervals" until I got on the trail headed to Fox Bay. That was more than an hour of walking before running. I ran 2:2 intervals for a bit with Ann and Merrel, and then went back to my own thing along the way. Amazingly enough, I still felt pretty good on the Scenic Drive portion though my walking intervals were more frequent than running. I managed to finish the course in 5 hours, which certainly isn't a fast pace, but my Saturday goal was really to see if I could stay on my feet for 5 hours.

I felt plenty tired a few hours later and slept 5 hours on Saturday afternoon and was again ready to sleep that night. Suz and I rode bikes for a few miles on Sunday. We have found that it's a great help for those stiff knees, and is a really fun way to get in some cross training.

So, it's Monday morning and I cannot believe we did 20 miles over the weekend. Amazing! The slow starts appear to have helped me survive and finish the mileage, plus I feel sure it also improved my recovery time -- at least this time.

Debra
FStop

Got me going...

Those Fast Delta Girls -- Supa Carol and Movin Sally got me going at 6 a.m. today, or maybe I should say they tried. I don't know if it was the thick humidity, or the list of things going on in my head, but I just couldn't make the 2:1 pace work. I managed an hour walking and called it a day.

I know this sounds strange, but I really kind of like our long runs starting in the dark. There's something almost meditative when I shut everything out but that piece of ground in front of me. Yeah, I know Chicago won't be dark but based on what the MM veterans say there will be plenty of street entertainment to keep me occupied.

Speaking of dark -- the 5 a.m. longrun will be here before we know it. Think I'll carry an extra set of batteries. Sunrise is 6:28 a.m. Based on Mark's 5 hour plan that's still a lot of sunshine coming our way. Maybe a cool front will have moved in by then.

Best of luck to everyone on Saturday.
And, Supa Carol, don't get too excited and try to work in some run time when you go down the aisle as the MOG (mother of the groom). Those fancy dresses don't have enough Race Ready pockets to carry your gels anyway. However, you might consider accessorizing with the Garmin. It could come in handy: "I'm sorry, my Garmin has a Bore Alarm, and it's telling me that it's time to move on."

Debra

Made it to Clinton.

Thanks to Supa Carol, I made it to Clinton. Something woke me up at 2:30 a.m. instead of 3:30 a.m. so I was sort of in la-la land. It didn't help that a policeman circled me a couple of times at the Walgreen's meeting spot at 4:15 a.m. He finally came over and I explained that I was waiting to get a ride to go to Clinton to run. (yeah, sounds pretty lame to rational people). Then he told me my car tag was 6 months expired. I guess I was too pitiful to bother with at that point. He just shook his head and drove away.

My Clinton time wasn't so bad but I sure am glad I had my headlight on. That subdivision run is a scary thing in the dark. Luckily, the person in front of me knew where she was going.


Debra

Sleep Helps on all Levels

I've been reading that getting enough sleep is as much an asset to preparing for the marathon as getting practice time in. I'm finally giving that a try in these last weeks of preparation.

I'm usually awake by 5 a.m. and by 5:30 a.m. I'm either in front of the computer, hitting the road for a photo shoot, or meeting other marathoners to get in that hour of time on the trail.
CarolK (or Super Carol as I mentally call her) and I did a 6 a.m. jaunt yesterday morning, and this morning I slept in until 6 a.m. That may not seem like alot but it's amazing how 30 minutes or an hour more of sleep can help throughout the day. Tomorrow I should be ready for an hour practice at 5:30 a.m. at Lakeshore with Suzanne, Carol, Sally, Jody and anyone else who is up for it. At least at 5:30 maybe we won't need our headlights.

I've also learned that I'm in a better mood with more sleep. Imagine that... My husband and son are appreciative, and so are the 3 dogs: Poobear, Sam and Pumpkin. Charlie the Cat doesn't notice unless I forget to feed him.

Debra
FStop

Weird Lights in the Night

I bought a headlight to wear tomorrow morning. Well, I bought two actually. I realized that Suzanne probably needed her very own since we BOTH got Jody on the wrong track last week in the dark. But, that's another story...

The music from Close Encounters of the Third Kind keeps rolling in my head. Somehow the idea of all those marathoners out there with lights bobbing around in the dark reminded my of the space ship landing and that tonal music playing....Could be we'll be mistaken for aliens. This marathon thing sure was an alien idea back in January.

See ya in the dark.

Debra

Busy Week Trying Not to Melt

It's been a busy week on the road in the Miss. Delta, Arkansas and Louisiana. The heat requires me to be on location by 7 a.m. so I can photograph my subjects before they start melting. I used to describe my work as "shooting farmers" until one of my daughter's friends heard me and got this stricken look on her face. So now I try to be politically correct when I talk about my work: I am making environmental portraits of individuals in the rural countryside for editorial projects.
I am from the Delta and do have rather a redneck. Who could blame the kid for thinking I was carrying a gun instead of a camera?

I didn't blog after the 18 miler. I wanted to give myself a few days to see if I was actually going to survive, and also hit the road on Monday. I didn't have the bad blisters on my feet, but my legs were covered in this yucky red diaper rash stuff until yesterday. Nothing seemed to make it better except time.

Yesterday as I was driving back from Rayville, La. I decided to pull over at the Vicksburg Outlet Mall. It was too early for the mall to open but the outside walking area is completed covered. The whole strip is L-shaped and faces west, so it's shaded in the morning. I walked up and down the area for at least 30 minutes several times, and their public bathroom was even open. It was great training, and the added bonus was I didn't find a thing that I needed to buy.

This morning Suzanne and I met in the dark at 5 a.m. We took a brisk hour walk, and discussed the need for a light source on Saturday, especially when we enter the wooded trail.

See ya there!

Debra

Warning: You May Laugh Out Loud.

We are all worn out with the heat and the prospects of Saturday + August humidity = Kinda Scary. What's a girl to do? Look for something to laugh about, of course!
In a desperate attempt to at least read about marathoning (sort of but not quite the same as training outside) I sat down with a copy of Runner's magazine that Suz passed on to me.

Now, LISTEN up! I found the event for you! You can't do it this year because it's October 6, but next year I can definitely see Chuck, Kelvin, Phil, Floyd, Mark and Clark and you other guys entering this event.
On October 6, Bethel, Maine, hosts the North American Wife Carrying Championship!!! It's a Scandanavian tradition. A man carries his wife or other random female, 278 yards over log hurdles and thru mud pits. (You should be laughing by now.) The Winner, and this is big, gets his wife's weight in BEER! Believe it or not. Check it out. There's a UTube Video, and according to the website they also WILL let the female carry the male.

http://www.sundayriver.com/summer/wifecarry.html

Told you it was a Laugh Out Loud.

See ya Saturday!

Debra

Is there an Alligator chasing me?

Yesterday went well for many of us, and I'm finally getting Mark's point about the mental challenges as well as the physical. I was thinking along these lines for the past 24 hours when coincidentally, the newbalanceconnections.com email sent out a note about positive mantras you should have in mind when the marathon going gets tough.

Now I have nothing against the Chicagoans who came up with these suggestions but their idea of positive mantras was: "you are feeling great, you are accomplishing something most people only dream of, because you started slowly you will finish strong, etc."

Maybe it's cause I'm from the Big Three: the South, the state of Mississippi and the Mississippi Delta, but I gotta have something a little more folksy and visual to tell myself, like:
"Get the lead out sister, you're falling behind."
"You can do it. You can do anything. You been married to the same person for over 30 years. You can do it."
(or if positive mantras don't work -- saying this to the person in front of me)"Hey, I think you dropped something. You keep looking for it. I'll go ahead and sent help back."

But, my all time FAVORITE (and it works) is the visualization of one of those legendary 15 foot alligators crawling out of the Rez and hustling down the trail after me. I'll throw him a bag of jelly beans or maybe a gel or two but he keeps on coming! Now this really works well when I still have a little ice left in those saddle bags with bottles (hydration belt) cause I keep hearing the rattle and thinking something or somebody is coming up behind me. It's an Alligator, Debra -- RUN FORREST, RUN!!!!


Debra

We all scream for Ice Cream!

So what does a tired marathoner do for entertainment? Go to an Ice Cream Eating Contest!
I even saw Calvin and his son there. My son was "coaching." And, one of his two buddies won! Yes, folks, Juan, the one in blue ate 2 plus quarts of ice cream in 10 minutes. Kyle, the one in white, suffered from extreme brain freeze during the 2nd quart. But guess it was all worth it. Juan won the whole thing, which means he gets free ice cream for a year. But, I don't think he'll want any this week.

I think this is sort of what we look like on longrun days!

Debra

Slacker Blogger

OK, Carol, this blog is for you!
I don't have much to say, but you're right. We all seem to be slacking off of the blog routine.

So we got the Fleet Feet run done this morning and the sun never beat down on us! However, that humidity was another story. I don't know how this is affecting the rest of you but I am feeling the mental challenge as well as the physical. I'm trying to pace myself during the week without obsessing over training. I actually felt better this past week, and I did more walking to train than I did running. I'll be on the road working in the Delta and in Memphis Tuesday thru Thursday, so I hope to get some running time in on Monday, and that may be all I get in before next week's 16miler.

And, I have another item to share. I promise I won't keep doing this but I want everyone to know how helpful the newbalance website is even if the video of the Chicago course makes you woozy. I registered for the free training and nutrition tips, and they bonus is that they also throw in helpful hints about how the marathon will work. This one arrived in my emailbox yesterday:

If you’re not already doing it, start training with a sport drink. As you increase your miles, you’ll benefit from the carbs and the electrolytes. Use the sport drink that will be on course in Chicago (Gatorade® Endurance). On low-mileage days you might want to switch off between a water bottle with plain water and a water bottle with your sport drink. For longer training runs, rely more on the sport drink. Keep monitoring your pre- and post-exercise body weight to make sure you remain in your hydration zone. Remember, staying in your zone means not losing anymore than 2% of your body weight due to fluid loss during exercise. If you’re falling below you zone, bump up your fluid intake. To increase your access to fluids while training, run in a loop past your car or home, run a route where you have access to water fountains, or consider investing in a fanny pack with a hydration bladder.
Good Luck with your training, remember to log on to New Balance Connections for more training tips.


Debra

Watch the video, if you dare!

I've been needing some inspiration to pull me out of the fear and doldrums territory. And, I found something that at least put me on a higher level of fear and/or excitement.

Maybe I'm the only one who hasn't seen this but you can actually watch a video of the whole Chicago course. I was poking around the chicagomarathon.com site when I found a link to training info sponsored by New Balance. Go to:
http://newbalanceconnections.com/default.aspx

Once you have registered for the free training program, then click on the word multimedia in the bar at the top, then click video/commentary and the page comes up with the click to play video.

See ya Saturday.

Debra

Splish, Splash...

What a rolling party we had on Saturday!!
A chorus line of marathoners danced to our own beat through 15 miles of rain, wind and smiles. Yeah, the aches and pains were there but have you ever felt so good about finishing something that looked completely impossible a few short weeks or months ago?

I know the phrase is getting over used, but Life is Good.

Debra

Humid or Humiliation?

Suzanne and I ran the Watermelon Classic on July 4. It was a very humid event. Have you ever noticed how similar the word humid and humiliation are? Yeah, the humidity slowed us down but we got it done with a minimal amount of humiliation! (there's a lot of i's in that word) And, most importantly we both came home with t-shirts! There were several of us marathoners getting in our training time. Saw Chuck in the crowd taking photos of his family as they ran. He had the right idea.

And, I still had time to clean up and put on my newly won t-shirt and join the 30th annual Mill Creek Place (our subdivision) 4th of July Parade. As you see in the image, our float was rather minimal. I was the designated driver for my son and his buddies. They call themselves the "Mill Creek Mafia" -- apologies to the Italian Americans in the audience! Suzanne, please don't call Tony Soprano...

Debra

Luck

I've been spending plenty of time at St. Dominic's lately. My nephew was injured in a 4-wheeler accident on June 23, and he was brought to Jackson last Monday. Fortunately, it wasn't a head injury (I know that's what I was thinking.) but his right foot required extensive plastic surgery yesterday. He turned 13 while laying in a hospital bed last week. It's been tough on everyone.

Sitting in a hospital certainly gave me time to think about luck. You make your own or you share in someone else's. And, then there are days you just don't have it or get it. I want everyone to know that the day I signed up to join the marathoners was a really lucky day for me. Gaining the gift of new friends, who I look forward to seeing and/or reading their blogs, has been wonderful. Like Carol said, reading the blogs is a daily ritual. I'm self-employed and eventually the dogs run out of things to tell me, and my husband is taking care of interview business most of the day. We don't get much "water cooler" visiting done around here.

Suzanne and I will be at the Watermelon Run to get our training done in the morning. Wish they started earlier than 7:30 a.m. Hopefully, it will be cool late into the morning.Then our neighborhood, Mill Creek Place, will host it's 30th annual 4th of July parade at 10 a.m. And,I might just lounge in front of the tv with the a/c blasting for the rest of the day.

Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July. And, Carol, you be careful in that Dallas heat on Saturday! We'll be thinking about you.

Life is short, but it is deep.


Debra

Ms. Business Journal

Today's Ms. Business Journal link to brief about the Blues Marathon on January 5:

http://www.msbusiness.com/article.cfm?ID=4909

Saturday 7.5

A few of us plan to put in our 7.5 miles at the Rez on Saturday at 6 a.m. We'll follow last week's route: start at Lakeshore Park, cross the Causeway, go all the way to the Boat Dock and return to Lakeshore Park, plus do the Lakeshore Circle if that's not quite enough. If you decide to join us, please take care of your own hydration. We'll see if anyone is up for breakfast at Beagle Bagel when we're done.

Debra

First-Time Advice from Expert

Hey!
My non-business emails have been stacking up and I just got around to reading one from LaSalle Bank/marathon update from 6/7. I thought this quote was worth repeating:

Hal Higdon, author of, Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, did a Q&A on the web page:

Q:What is the one piece of advice you would offer to a first-time runner?

A:Choose a finishing goal significantly slower than your ability would seem to indicate . That ensures you will a finish. After that first race, you can work on improving your finishing time.

Land of the Zoombies!

Glad to be back among the living!
Just finishing the Half became a mighty effort but getting thru the rest of the weekend in some state of consciousness was not easy either. My knees refused to let me run much of the last segment. I could still walk but no running, and probably the most comfortable moment was when I fell into a pile of pine straw beside the Chevron station! No kidding, if you had to fall that was the place to do it.

I had company come in 2 hours after the race. Fortunately she was worn out from traveling and we took it easy thru the weekend though she didn't sit around with ice on her knees. I managed to walk on Sunday and Monday, which was a very good thing. It really helped work out the stiffness. My company leaves today. Unfortunately, my nephew was injured in an accident over the weekend so I maybe doing some hospital sit time at St. Dominic's this week plus try to keep business going as usual.

See ya Saturday!

Debra

Heads Up! Temperature Report

According to weather.com, Saturday Sunrise is at 5:54 a.m. with an expected temperature of 71 degrees at 5 a.m.

Remember the Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner(i only remember one line) when you're running the Causeway:

"Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink" OR was it "Water water everywhere, so let's all have a drink!" No, I think the second one was Homer Simpson.

Pack your water and start hydrating now!

This information brought to you in honor of all the English majors out there!

Debra

Pull the Camera Out -- I'm a Rain Maker

I've been needing to get out and do some shooting (photos) to add to my vanishingdelta.com and southern-images stock collection. I left Monday morning at 6 a.m. without an agenda. Something wonderful always happens when I just start driving. This time it was rain. I've been accused by farmers of being a Rain Maker when I show up and the thunderclouds move in. I should have been out there sooner. Some places got 3 inches of rain in the Delta.

I made stops in Canton, Lexington (where I met Sally's husband Phil, who owns Cohen's Department Store), Pickens (a very short stop - there's a pink house there with a flower-decorated bycicle mounted on the outside wall ), Acoma (yeah, that's how you spell it -- even shorter stop), Greenwood and back around to final destination of Rosedale. I was searching for old store signs and those beautiful tiled store entrances that still exist in some of the small towns. Lexington really had quite a few. And, in addition to to that I make some macro portraits of a worm chewing his/her way into an ear of corn. This is why I'm not a wedding photographer: You can pinch the head off a squirmy worm but it doesn't go over well when you try it on an unruly bride!

So, I'm back and will try to get in some practice time on Thursday afternoon to prep for Saturday. Suz has set the big Garmin for 2:1. That sounds like a good cruising time to me. I'm voting for an overcast day on Saturday. Maybe I should bring the camera/rain maker along.

See ya,
Debra

A Golden Day...

Six miles + Overcast Morning + Breakfast + Visiting with Fellow Marathoners = Golden Day!

I hope everyone enjoyed Saturday morning as much as I did. I took it easy today. Suz made up for it with her 13 mile bike ride!

So next Sunday when I will feel completely hammered by our Saturday Half Marathon, I'll go back to this blog and read it to remind me that LIFE IS GOOD!

See ya'll.

Debra

Cooler at 6 a.m. or 7 p.m.?

I did the Thursday afternoon run with Suz since it seemed to work better with my work schedule yesterday. And, you know what, I think 7 p.m. on Thursday was cooler than 6 a.m. on Tuesday?!! Could have been my imagination but there's something about the sun going down as I'm finishing as compared to the sun blasting forth as I'm finishing. And, as the sun set, so did my stamina. But everyday is different. I'm just glad to have running companions at either time.

O.K., Suz, crank up that "Little Sucker" (your Garmin)and Chuck and I will be right behind you tomorrow. I'm saving the "little red wagon" for the Half Marathon.

Debra

It Should be Cooler at 5:30 a.m.

You would think just hauling ourselves out of bed to be ready to run at 5:30 a.m. would mean a "cool air" reward. Don't believe it. There was no cool breeze in the air and there certainly was no coolness factor in the way we huffed and puffed this morning. I looked like a drowned rat and I was walking part of the way. Drank one bottle of water and poured the other one over my head. Carol and Jody inspired me to keep going but I was sure ready to be done with it today.

Can't wait till Sat. or better yet the real deal Half on the 23rd. Suz and Chuck -- I've lined up a red wagon to take with us. I figure if one of us gives out then we can trade places in the wagon while the other two pull. I get the first ride!!

One thing about this weather it inspires me to do my cross training free weights without complaint since I can stay under the a/c. The treadmill is definitely going to get some workout time as an alternative to the heat.

Debra

Tales of Saturday

I'm Back. And, based on the blog tales, Saturday was a challenge in the worst Mississippi extreme of heat and humidity. I'm greatly relieved that Suz's fall didn't leave her down for long. I need that Garmin Toting Girl to lead me down the road -- especially for the Half! Ya'll did a great job of hanging in there and inspiring me to follow in your footsteps the next round.

And, Carol -- running from Merigold to Cleveland and back without someone chasing you -- that needs to go in the Believe it or Not category. Great going!

The MIAL awards ceremony was wonderful. Got to listen to artist William Dunlap read and talk about his book, which won in the painting category. My work continues to be on display for awhile at Turnrow Books down the street from Greenwood's Alluvian. Yes, there is yet one more independent book seller in Mississippi with a really cool building. I managed to hold it together with my speech, and everything went well. By the way, Morgan Freeman didn't show. He decided it was better to be working in Chekoslavia (spelling?)rather than accepting an award in Greenwood. His wife was there and she also received a lifetime award for costume design.

Well, time to get back to everyday work and keeping my feet on the running trail.
Look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday.

Debra

It was Dark Out There...

O.K. so I jumped at the chance to be at Lakeshore Park at 5 a.m.!! Yeah, right. Carol couldn't make it but Sally was there along with a great guy, whose name has disappeared from my head. We walked for awhile and then Sally had to push off. But with great company I got in run time (and some more walking) and went all the way to Waterwood and 2 circles of Campfire Circle for 9 miles. It was so much cooler than even 5:45 a.m. but I'll have to pic my times to do it. Hard to work into the schedule.

The bonus is that I somehow had enough energy to meet Suz at 6 tonight and we did a 4 mile walk routine along Scenic. So, I don't feel nearly so bad about missing this Saturday's run.

Hope ya'll have a great day on Saturday. Maybe a cool front will move thru just when you need it most.

Debra

Early Running

I joined Carol and Group this morning at 5:45 at Lakeshore for 5 miles around Camp Fire Circle. The weather felt great. I was slow this morning or maybe it was just watching Carol shoot off in the distance! She's a Fast Mover -- kind of like watching Spaceship Enterprise jump into Hyperspace! I gave her 4:1 intervals a try, but I think I'm better off with my 3:1 scenario for the moment. I'm really glad I got the time in early. In fact, it wouldn't hurt to be out there a lot earlier. I'm not sure I want to run in the dark but the temperature is certainly better than late afternoon. And, it's almost like exercising in your sleep. By noon, my early morning run will be a memory (well, not for my aching muscles, perhaps). Hopefully, this monster drink will keep me going hard all day. The fabulous news is that the IT cord kept quiet for the whole run.

Debra

Saturday in the Delta

I didn't get to run on Saturday with ya'll but I sure had a busy day. I was in Greenville Sat. morning helping with the DSU Archive's Delta Photo Roadshow, which is a project to scan and document vintage photos and stories of the Delta. You hear some great stories and see lots of interesting history.

Then on Saturday afternoon/evening I had an assignment to shoot the Indianola Blues Festival. They had a huge lineup of acts, including Homemade Jamz -- 3 kids from the same family whose combined ages are 32! They were fabulous. The band is made up of two brothers on guitar accompanied by their 8 year old sister on the drums and their Dad comes in on harmonica while Mom keeps an eye on everybody. Will share a few photos when I get them culled and cataloged.

The work was great but I really missed running with the marathoners! And, I'll be out this Saturday also. I'm trying to get plenty of time in this week, but don't know if I'll get a long run done. I started the week right by getting back into my free weights as part of cross training. I haven't really done them for several months so got 30 min. in today plus couple of miles on the bike late this afternoon. Hope to see some of you in the morning at Lakeshore for an early morning run.

Debra

Out on the Rez

Since I don't have Suzanne Toting her Garmin this week, I had to use the car to estimate mileage at the Reservoir. I parked at the Boat Dock by Palisades and did my run/walk from there to Hwy. 471, which ends not far from the Fox Bay entrance. I thought the round trip was at least 8 miles but it was 7.6 miles. It was humid enough this afternoon that I could have believed it was 10 plus, so don't tell me if you think I actually ran less. That maybe the extent of my running this week since I will have to miss Saturday. It really was enjoyable, but I missed having the Marathon Momentum, which certainly helps move things along when we're all together.

Suzanne is traveling this week. Do you think she carries a card that says: "Have Garmin, Will Travel"???

See ya'll later.

Debra

A Cool Plan

That Garmin Toting Susanne and I had a plan. If we start at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning then the weather will be cooler -- and most importantly, it will "look" like we were keeping up, maybe we would also "look" cooler.

We met at Fleet Feet and hit the trail at the planned time. I started popping those jelly beans when we walked out of the parking lot and kept it up until I had polished off two bags (do you think I can get a discount on those little suckers?) They finally kicked in after the half way mark and I just couldn't stop myself. I was running like Alice's Bunny -- "I'm late. I'm late." Suzanne, on the other head, was having a heated discussion with herself and took the slower speed for a little while. But, all is well, she revived and we made it back in enough time that we really didn't look so bad.

Today, the body knows something important happened yesterday. I've tried not to say 10 Miles out loud because I might fall asleep. But all in all I do feel pretty good. My son refers to my looks (or the smell or both) when I come home as "Mom, you're in Beast mode." I take that as a compliment. No need to get more information on that one.

Ran into lisathehornplayingturtle/Lisa D at Borders yesterday. Great to visit with someone who has done the marathon adventure before. She's headed for a Disneyland Half marathon. Sounds like lots of fun.

Going to have to miss two Saturday runs in a row. Have to be in Greenville to help with a Photo collection project on June 2. And, on June 9 I'll be in Greenwood at the Mississippi Institute for Arts and Letters Banquet where I collect my award for their photographer of the year. Now, I'm not dropping any names, of course. But Morgan Freeman is supposed to get his Lifetime Achievement award that night also. I'll see if he'll autograph my hand.

Have a great week everyone!

Debra

The Eagle has landed!

After our great run on Saturday I jumped into final preparation for my son Aaron's Eagle ceremony on Sunday. It was a great day and he is now officially an Eagle. Also, school wrapped up on Tuesday. Life just doesn't get any better for a teenager.

Aaron did have a heart to heart with me last week. I thought he was going to admit to some bad doings when he said, "Mom,we need to talk." My heart fluttered. And, then he said, "Do you think you could hang your running clothes and underwear somewhere besides the front bathroom? I have friends coming in there, you know?" OK -- tables turned. He was actually telling me to clean up my room! So, I've cleaned up my act and the bathroom is clear of that embarrassing underwear.

I managed to get in running on Tuesday. Had to leave early yesterday morning to get in some photo stock shooting, so training has been cut short this week. But I've kept up the exercises for my knee and feel great. Will be at the 6 p.m. Lakeshore site for this afternoon's training.

Debra

Today was Spectacular!

Can you believe how cool it was out there? And, the Reservoir was just beautiful. Nine miles this week was not exactly easy, but certainly more pleasant than last week. Thanks to Suzanne for keeping the 3:1 intervals going, and Chuck for slowing down now and then to join in.

I did see a physical therapist this week just so I could make sure what was causing my pain just below my knee. Turns out it's the iliotibial band (i-t band) that Mark diagnosed 4 weeks into training. That was great news since I needed reassurance that I wasn't hurting anything. The PT gave me a set of stretching exercises to do daily and before and after runs, plus icing. It's been amazing how much better I have felt and I could certainly see the improvement today.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Debra
debra@southern-images.com

Got an hour in this morning -- a little run, lotta walk. Felt good at 5:30 a.m. but this later morning heat is turning into a killer early. And, it's taking awhile to cool down in the afternoons already.

Debra

Nine Miles and Moving Forward

Nine miles never felt so great. Saturday was terrific. I decided to walk more and slow down on the intervals and it turned out to be a good thing. I didn't push the knee too far and I got to enjoy visiting with Vicky and Kathy and several others along the way. I kept Suzanne and Chuck in sight until the first water stop. My radio came apart so that slowed me down. It was a great day to "run my own race." I'm icing the knee or possible shin split -- no matter, icing and stretching appear to be helping either one. Looking forward to training this week. Hope everyone has a great one.

Debra

Stop the Moaning, Debra.

O.K., I'm officially gonna stop moaning. Remind me of this statement.

I did take it easy this week and the knee isn't back where it should be but I did put in 5 miles walking yesterday with the Thursday Lakeshore 5p.m. Gang. Suzanne got in run time and kept an eye on me as I ambled down Scenic Drive. Yeah -- I was still there everytime she looked! Matt and Debbie put in their runs. Hopefully, Debbie made it back to the car before the heavy rain fell since she was running extra because she has to miss Saturday. I looked for her but she moves so fast that I must have blinked and she was gone.

Will be there tomorrow. Will probably be walking, not walking and running. Will be better because I get to see all of ya'll. Will not moan. Did I say to remind me of this final statement?

Not to beat a phrase too heavily, but Life is Good. I forget that sometimes.

Debra

Knee Hell

I think I'm in Knee Hell. I've used the ice, the stretch, the alleve and alot of cursing and it still hasn't gotten me back in the road since Saturday. It seems to be a common malady among us bloggers this week. I haven't been to a doc since I went thru this in the 4th week and at Mark's suggestion did some stretching of that cord thing or muscle thing in the upper part of my leg. It cured it and now it's back. Only this time it's more a tightness, uncomfortable feeling with swelling now and then -- particularly the right leg.

I have to leave town for a business trip for a couple of days, and hope that resting it will help. Like everyone else I don't want to damage anything permanently.

Debra

Photos by Matt

Hey if you wanna see a lot of people smiling, make sure you watch Matt's slide show at the link below. He got some great photos of the Cannonball Run! Made my knee feel better -- could be a new form of medical treatment!

http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s126/broomatt/Cannonball%20Run%2010K/

Knee Ache

The knee aggravation is back. I had it several months ago and stretching, ice and not pushing it helped. Hopefully, that will get me thru again. It was achey on the Raymond trail run and I took it easy but looks like I'll have to ice and stretch for several days and stay on the alleve. The rest of my body is ready to go but I'll try to remain patient. Funny, all it takes is one ailment, and you suddenly start questioning everything.

Debra

Branches and Brambles and Interesting Smells

Raymond was certainly an interesting location for the 10k plus 2 miles today. Suzanne and I got there early. I told her to tell the story but gosh, I've got to tell my version. Besides, my daughter, Sarah who now lives in Manhattan, enjoys reading Mom's exploits on the marathon trail. (Hi, Sarah and Josh!)

We got there before the crowd and immediately needed a bathroom, of course. The man at the convenience store sent us to the laundrymat next door. It was not one of your more high tech laundry mats -- the rabbit ears on the tv were a hint. I went into the bathroom first and was ready to make a quick exit when the door knob came off in my hand. I don't enjoy small, confined spaces especially when I know the door is locked. I yelled for the Calvary. Suzanne came to the rescue and had to body slam the door (which was not in great shape to begin with)and I very calmly (yeah, right -- we were in hysterics)handed her the knob and and said I would stand right there. Then she yelled and it was clear I had to come to her rescue. Unfortunately, my rescue caused a little more damage to the ancient door. We made a quick exit and proceeded to the Start Line.

Running is always a challenge for me but I sure wasn't prepared for the civil war trail into the woods. Between the mud, rocks, roots, etc. we felt lucky to come out without falling. Pavement never looked so good.

Hope everyone has a great week. It's almost 6pm and I'm thinking bedtime will be early tonight.

Debra

Lakeshore 5pm Group

Met up with the 5 p.m. group at Lakeshore Park today. Suzanne, Micah and Debbie were ready to hit the trail when I got there! It was great to be among friends and get those practice miles in. My knees were complaining a bit so I was very glad it was a practice and we mixed in some walking time with the running intervals. I'm feeling good now but going to keep alleve and ice nearby tomorrow.

See ya in Raymond!!

Debra
debra@southern-images.com

Back out there + training t-shirt

I enjoyed the weather this morning about 6. I put in the hour run and applied ice immediately after I got back in. There's no swelling in my ankles or knees but those knees would rather have been sleeping.I'm taking alleve and icing down often.

You might want to check out http://newbalancechicago.com and click on Chicago Marathon under the Shop By Category list. For $21.99 you can get a cool "In Training 2007" marathon t-shirt and it's even got the entire route printed on it.

See ya,
Debra
debra@southern-images.com

Mystery Swelling

I got in my running time early yesterday morning. Then last night I realized my legs were swollen from above the knees down into my ankles. It was uncomfortable but no pain. I was not swollen this morning but decided to take it easy today just in case. There was plenty of office/desk work to be done. About 6pm I realized that my ankles were very swollen but knees and rest of legs were not. Again, no pain. I used ice and put my feet up but can't figure this one out. I haven't started any new medication or made any other signifcant changes in diet, etc. Well, except that I'm training for a marathon! Any ideas?

Thanks,
Debra
debra@southern-images.com

Bike Ride

Did my bike riding early today. It was a beautiful morning and I enjoyed the ride. If you've been looking for an alternate cross-training idea I recommend a bike. It's a whole different perspective and it's fun! Don't forget to wear your helmet.

Debra
debra@southern-images.com

Seven Miles!

Seven miles! Naw! It's not possible. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the marathoners did it today at the Rez. What a great walk or run we had with plenty of good company. Hope everyone is feeling no pain.
See ya on the trail.
Debra
debra@southern-images.com

What a Week!

Yesterday I really enjoyed the company of marathoners who turned out at 5 p.m. to get in a practice session at Lakeshore Park. It's wonderful to hit the pavement with friends. The time flies by. Thanks, Suzanne, for keeping the timed intervals going. And,it was a great news week at our house. My son Aaron Taylor officially got his Boy Scout Eagle last night, and this morning I was notified that I won the photography award for the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters! If you're curious, here's the link:
Scroll down to photography nominees list
http://www.ms-arts-letters.org/nominations.shtml

Debra
http://www.vanishingdelta.com
http://southern-images.com

Got the Bike Out

Suzanne inspired me to pull my bike out for cross training. This morning I got in some free weight time and then spent the rest biking the neighborhood. And, yes, I did wear my helmet. It was a nice change but I'm sure my new sore place will have to do with the bike seat! We've got one hill that requires serious leg action. I'm hoping it's building up the running muscles. Sure is nice to hit the streets wearing shorts at 6 a.m. I'm glad to be done with 45 degree mornings for awhile. Don't remind me I said that when July gets here. Signed up for the Canon Ball 10k. Looking forward to seeing us "marathoners" make our way through the Raymond battleground.

Debra
http://southern-images.com

Hyper Space

Saturday was outstanding! Never would I have believed that 6 miles was possible for me at a pace much faster than a walk. I managed to do the 2:1 and it's amazing how good I felt and how well it went. Kind of like when the Star Trek captain says "o.k. ya'll, let's go to Hyper Space." Yeah, I know the Captain never said "ya'll" but I'm sure SHE thought about it. And, this morning on my 5:30 run I was amazed how much further I could go in the usual hour's time.

I am very thankful that this opportunity came along at just the right moment in my life. It's a pleasure to be a part of the group on our Saturday runs.

Debra
http://southern-images.com

Old Music for the Road

I listen to all kinds of music but I do love the Beatles old stuff. I know that's a rather dated thing to admit but it's so happy and fun. So, last night I finally got my son, Aaron, to upload a batch onto my ipod. What a great time I had this morning! And it was my first full workout at 2:1 instead of 1:1. I managed to keep the Beatles low enough that I could still hear the lap alarm. Next play list is Bruce Springsteen! Gotta gear up for Saturday.

Debra

Thankful for my Treadmill

I managed to get 30 minutes freeweights done and 2 miles biking the neighborhood on Monday. But on Tuesday I had to go get an antibiotic for a head cold that was not slowing down. Guess the meds for congestion got me going because at 1:30 a.m. today I was wide awake. Finally, I gave up and got on my treadmill for 45 minutes at 3a.m. I should be alot of fun at work today. Got 2 photo shoots to do, plus office stuff. Could be my head will hit the desk at some point.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at 7:20 a.m. on Saturday at Lakeshore Park. Guess Mark wants us in shorts and looking like true marathoners! Now, that's a challenge. Good thing the filming will be done before the run and not after.

Debra
FStop

Marathon Addiction Discovered

Yesterday morning looked like a great time to start running -- about 6 a.m. but, as we all know when we got together at 8 a.m. the bottom was about to drop out of the sky. Thanks to Suzanne and Shannon I got off to a good start but fear of lightning was too strong. We stopped.

I kept feeling like part of day was missing. That's when I realized the sad truth -- I had developed an addiction for this marathon thing. I had to get in that time. Suzanne had returned to our spot, and gotten her 5 miles in before the sky fell yet one more time. It was up to me. Since I live very close to Spillway Road, I really didn't have an excuse once the weather cleared. I drove by our marathon route on Scenic Drive and dropped a full water bottle directly across from an American flag in someone's yard as my landmark.

Leaving from Lakeshore Park, I did my 1:1 for most of the 5 miles though I slowed down now and then. And, my water -- well it was there but I had missed the point that there were 3 flags in trees on Scenic Drive. Who would have thought it? It's not even July! And, of course, my landmark flag was the last one. I was very glad to see it, but decided not to knock on the owner's door and tell them they had the most beautiful flag on the street.

The run went well but, I missed running with the group. It does make a difference.

By the way, Jana, I enjoyed your painting. It was a nice surprise to see in the Blog.

Muggy Morning

It was muggy this morning at 5:45 but I needed to get in that additional workout so I made it to the street and put in the hour of 1:1 time. I think my run time is actually slower than my walk time. That's kind of embarrassing but maybe I'll outdo myself at some point. I'm using the Timex Ironman set for the laps. Since it's so early and so quiet I can actually hear the alarm go off. That's a bonus.

Energy has Left the Building...

I put in 60 minutes of 1:1 run/walk this morning before 7am. Now I can't seem to get enough coffee in me to get thru the afternoon. Think I'll purchase a 6-pack of Monster drinks for these "special" occasions. I'm counting on my stamina building so these sessions during the week won't wear me down at all. Knees are working fine. Looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday at the Reservoir. Snce that's only 5 minutes from my house I surely won't have an excuse for not being there at 7:45am!

Great Day in Clinton

What a great Day! I wasn't excited about the cold, and looking at Mark in shorts made me want to get him a blanket. But, doing the full 4 miles with my watch set at 1:1 was wonderful. Some of those Clinton hills were challenging and once in a while I let the watch "run" a minute by itself instead of me joining in but it really went well. This was my first time to seriously do intervals and use the watch. It's the basic timex marathon. I do hate that the alarm is so quiet, and no I don't think I'm loosing my hearing. But between my heavy breathing and that much too "polite" and wimpy alarm sound I really had to listen closely.
The meeting was very helpful. I hope Robin makes a full list of the gear in her belt available on the website.
The great news is that it's past 4:30 and I haven't yet had to stop for a nap. I don't think I can credit that to increased stamina without mentioning I did have a Monster drink after practice.

See ya,
Debra

Saturday was Fabulous

I did fastwalking for 3 miles and on the fourth I attached myself to a group of 3 who were doing a 1:1 walk/run. Amazingly enough I did it with them for the mile. My knee was a little touchy but it's been o.k. this weekend. It really was a big help to slow down and let my knee catch up. I'm still going to be careful with it. Got terrible leg cramps on Saturday night. They didn't last long but man, they hurt bad. Did some weights this morning. Hope to be out early getting walking done in the morning.

Oh, the speakers were wonderful at the meeting on Saturday. It was great to hear their "war" stories.

Back in the Groove

My knee is much better. I've got to get it stronger by walking rather than jumping into the running intervals. Thanks very much to Mark for the helpful stretching hints. I've learned that the stretching before after (and sometimes during) really does make me feel better. Saturday was great in Clinton. I kept up a good pace walking and didn't try to push myself to go advanced. Patience has not been one of my virtues. Apparently, I need it as much as the stretching!

Got in an hour walk yesterday at 6 a.m. and another one today. I've got to be out of town on business tomorrow and Thursday so wanted to get some walking time in before I left. Will get back to cross training with the weights and biking as soon as I can.

Hope everyone is having a great week. The weather is remarkable.

Knee Pain

After 45 minutes yesterday morning I felt a knee pain that wouldn't quit and still had to walk home. I'm icing it and am hope it's a result of using my shoes too long. Maybe I can be back out tomorrow but for sure on Saturday after I hit the shoe store.

Walked early morning in the dark neighborhood. 53 degrees felt great at 6 a.m. -- even with the time change. Put in about an hour and then did some weights. Looks like a beautiful day. Hope to be out again before the day is over. Will have to see if I can get out of the office early but at least there is an hour more daylight to give me more time.

Today was fabulous weather and I loved my walk in Clinton. I did the circuit route twice. It was certainly lonely the second time but I know I've got to work on the stamina in order to make this work for me. Really enjoyed visiting with people today. The learning name circle was very helpful. Sure hope those folks names I learned wear the same clothes next week.

I put in 6 miles on the walking trail near Palisades on Thursday afternoon. It was a beautiful day. Mostly I fast walked. Still got an average speed of 4mph. I think it's going to take running and fast walking to build up enough speed to do the marathon.

Tight Schedule This Week

I put in an hour on the treadmill averaging 4mph this morning. The schedule is tight this week so hope to get back to it by Thursday. Looking forward to Saturday in Clinton.

The Levee was Great!

I left town for business on Wednesday and didn't get back in until Friday night so wasn't sure how the 4.5 mile trek would go for me on Saturday. It was great! I walked most of it with a little jog thrown in here and there. The levee is a great place especially with all of us doing it together at whatever pace works for each of us. I try to keep in mind that it's not how fast I go that counts but building up stamina to keep going as long as I need to.

Yesterday I rode my bike and did some weights. Suddenly it was cold again late yesterday afternoon. This morning at 5:30 a.m. it was 29 degrees so I did my 4.5 miles on the treadmill.

I did four miles of fast walking at the Rez trail yesterday. Just can't seem to break out of 4mph. Running for any more than 1 minute is not going very well.Got to figure out how to build the stamina.

This morning early I did a mile on the treadmill and 3 miles on the bike. Maybe if I build up leg strength then I can work up to a little more running time. I will be out of town tomorrow and probably won't get a chance to workout.

Walking at the Rez

I walked 3.6 miles on the trail from the Reservoir water front around Palisades, Bridgepoint and crossing to Windward Oaks. Thought I had gone 4 miles when I stopped at the bridge below Windward Oaks but turns out I needed to go to fire station. The weather is fantastic today and that trail is so enjoyable, plus don't have to worry about cars except at the crossing. The bathroom at the parking area on the water is a bonus. I did a little running in trying to keep up my pace and increase the speed.

The Saturday Clinton meeting was fantastic. I'm really glad that I'm a part of marathonmakerover.

Clinton - 4 miles

Clinton was great on Saturday. I did all 4 miles of my walk/run. The 2nd half was definitely slower than the first half, but I'm coming along. Going to go out today and get some walking time in.

Four Miles

Four miles is more than I thought I would do this morning, but things went well and I kept going. That's four miles walking for the most part. I'm throwing in a little running so I can quicken my pace and stamina. Feeling good. Looking forward to tomorrow in Clinton.

Cross Traing Day

I worked out with my weights, and then took a mile plus bike ride. Warm weather is an inspiration.

Working on Stamina

Though the weather was warmer this morning at 54 degrees, I decided to stick to the treadmill in an effort to increase my stamina. I did 40 minutes walk/run for 3 miles with average speed of 4mph. Looking forward to moving outside but may finish this week on the treadmill. Feeling good.

Feeling Good

Saturday was great weather for walk/run on the levee top. I managed 2 miles, most of it walking. Left town on Saturday so didn't get back to exercise until this morning. Did 3 miles run/walk on the threadmill and felt great. Moving up slowly is working well for me.

I hit the wet street this morning but the energy level wasn't as high as I would have liked. I walked more than I ran but did keep going for at least 30 minutes. Supposed to be cold again tomorrow so wanted to enjoy the 50s while I could.

In the Dark

It was 48 degrees this morning at 5:50 a.m., which felt very warm compared to Saturday's temperature at 10 a.m. So I hit the street in the dark -- walking fast/running slow. Managed to stay focused for 35 minutes. My new watch is supposed to glow in the dark but it's too early to focus on those little numbers. That should improve as the daylight comes earlier and along with it my capacity to run more than I walk.

Debra

Clinton

I've never spent much time in Clinton, and certainly didn't expect to find myself walking/running on a cold, cold morning near Mississippi College. It was a beautiful day and I finished the short course.

Decision Made

I finally signed up for marathonmakeover. The deadline is tomorrow. I've been running/walking on the treadmill for the last 2 weeks in the hope that it would give me a jumpstart. Now, it's time for some milder weather to inspire me to hit the streets.

Sunshine would be good.

Debra