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