What's Not to Like

Wednesday I got things cranked up on all fronts. We had a nice time at work. The day started with my Employment Readiness class at 8:00 a.m. Kathy Manning, a financial advisor with Edward Jones, graciously agreed to speak to the class. She covered the waterfront on her work history, on financial matters, and investing. That was nice. Then Culinary fed us lunch: rice and sausage etouffee. It was good, yeah. We enjoy like at the Greenwood Center. 

After work, I took a short nap, ate some peanuts, and made my way to the pool. My yardage has been way down for a while so my swim fitness is down also. Consequently, I mostly did a straight swim. I went 1,800 before turning over on my back and doing 50 back. That was enough, 1,850 yards.

I went back home and watched some of the Paul Finebaum Show. Since I finished mowing Tuesday, all I had left to do was workout and that I did. First, I performed some pulling, mostly on the chest-supported row machine, and then I hit legs like they were my enemy. Between sets of squats, I ran shuffled on the treadmill amassing a grand total of 1.65 miles. Yeah, I'm bad like that. 

So there you have it. An enjoyable day on the job, a swim, and good times with Pee Wee at the gym. What's not to like? Thank you, Jesus.

Not Real Fun

Monday and Tuesday were decent days for training. Tuesday was, anyway. Monday I worked late then took my wife's truck to the oil-change place. That did not leave much time to do more than a short run and mow the front lawn.

Tuesday we had our MDCC Greenwood Center 5K. Yeah, that. We met in front of the Crystal at 2:00. The weather was perfect, sunny but only around 79 degrees with a dew point of 43. How often does that happen? There were nine of us, which is our best turnout in a time or two. My goal? I wanted to go under my 10:41 pace that I ran at the Oaks. Did I make it? No. My legs died and my belly was full of cookies that Bad Kate placed in the hall that morning. It wasn't even necessary to beat me so why did she do it? She did it because she is BK, Bad Kate.

I ran the first mile in 10:41. Bingo. But then things became more difficult. Mile two was clocked in 11:01. I just thought I was getting tired. Mile three hit me like a linebacker on Friday night. I shuffled that one in 11:40. The total distance was 3.03 in 33:37 for an average of 11:06. Not bad but a bit disappointing. Still it was good work. I walked over, did the 3.03, then ran another 1.49 miles home. Once there, I did some more.

The more was to lift at Plate City and mow the back yard. Doing the mowing, I got in another .4. So for the day, I walked 1.57, ran 4.52, and lifted weights. That is enought to keep an old man from getting too old. Thank you, Jesus.

Who won? Well, it wasn't me and it was not even Bad Kate. She finished second behind some student who burned the course up in about 20 minutes. I was third, passing several front runners along the way. It was real. It was fun. But it was not real fun.

An Old Friend Named Lynn

It is amazing how you can meet up with an old friend, one from decades ago, and you pick up like you last saw each other yesterday. This happened to me Friday, September 23, 2022. 

We were good friends in high school. Lynn Watts, Charlie Turner, and I ran together, coon hunted, chewed tobacco, drank beer, and shot cars. The memories are deep, wide, plentiful, colorful, hilarious, sinful. We graduated high school in 1974. Things change after that; they always do. I married within three years, and Lynn moved away. First, I think they were in the Tupelo area, then somewhere near Jackson. I did see him some. He, along with his brother, Jackie, stopped by our house on West Monroe Avenue a few times before our first child was born in 1980. That's how I know the last time I saw him was around 1979. Then he quit coming by.

Charlie saw him a time or two after that. But Lynn drifted away and neither one of us knew where he was. Often I thought of him. Being very fond of Lynn, I wondered how he was, where he was, what he was up to. Periodically, I would ask Charlie if he had heard from Lynn, and the answer was always no until it wasn't. Somewhere along the way, the answer became, "I think he's dead." Charlie heard that Lynn was under a truck working on it and the truck fell on him and killed him.

Although this made me sad, I never completely gave up on the idea of seeing my old friend again. I searched Facebook and came up with about 75 Lynn Watts. I checked out each profile and was able to eliminate all but one of them. The one I could not eliminate had only one Facebook friend and one post. What does that tell you? Right, this is somebody who rarely gets on the social media site. 

This Lynn's one post was something about the Mississippi State Flag. The About information contained nothing. From the flag post, I concluded that he might be from Mississippi. There was a birthdate which was about the right year. So, I had the possibility of someone named Lynn Watts who might be from Mississippi and who was about the right age. It was a possibility. Oh, the profile picture, a bass boat. That could be Lynn. He was always an outdoorsman.

To make a short story long, I sent this Lynn a friend request. It was a long time, six months, or was it a year? before he responded. I opened Facebook not long ago to see a notification that Lynn Watts had accepted my Friend Request. Not only that, but he had commented on a post of mine, one that showed Penny and me at an MDCC football game. He asked, "What happened to that red hair and that red beard?"

I never had red hair, but my beard was red once. This was after high school and before it turned blond so very few people would remember this: maybe three, Lynn Watts being one of them. "Are you the Lynn Watts I went to high school with?" I asked in response. 

His answer was, "e9t, CT and his coon hounds. Class of 74."

My mouth flew open, my heart rate increased, and I knew Lynn Watts, the one I went to school with, was alive. Nobody but Charlie Turner, Lynn Watts, and Zane Hodge knew about e9t. That's a long story that I won't tell here, but it was all the proof I needed.

Gosh amighty. He looks almost exactly the same.

We chatted a little and made tentative plans to get together the next time Penny and I were in the Jackson area. That wasn't long, only a week later, when Penny took a Friday off work and we went south. We made plans to meet Lynn at Berry's in Florence, Mississippi. This was September 23 at about 5:00 p.m. We drove up and parked beside his Toyota pickup. He climbed out, and I said, "You look pretty good for a dead man."

There are no words to describe how happy I was to see him. Those old friendships don't die. Inside and at our table, we talked about the old days, of course. Those forty-three years since we last saw each other collapsed into nothing, they did not even exist anymore.

It's really him. He's not dead; he's alive.

We talked and talked. He talked and talked. Our server never asked us to leave, but she was giving us the eye. I don't know how long we were in there, but it was a long time. We could have stayed all night. Finally, I just grabbed the ticket, got up, and headed for the register. I didn't want to leave, but we needed to get home. 

I can't stop looking at this photo. Lynn, my
old friend. He's alive.

I don't know when we will get together again, but we will. When I am off work, I will probably make a trip down and Charlie Turner and I will get up with him. I think we are old enough now and Christian enough now to stay out of jail. We were some terrible trio back in the day.

9/19 - 9/25

It was a difficult week for me to get my training in, but I did the best I could. Monday, I did not training at all. I thought to rise early and swim, but a poor night's sleep left me lying in bed until time to get ready for work. I had a repairman by the house after I got off work on my long day, and then Penny and I had Over 60s so there was no time to run. Instead, I ate too much and put on weight for sure. Yes, I could have run when I got home, but being full of Larry's fish makes that a little dicey.

Tuesday I did make it out of bed and into the pool before work and got in a solid 1,700 meters before being run out of the pool. A monster bug convinced me to get out earlier than I had intended. That afternoon, I shuffled for 10.3 miles.

Wednesday, I did my leg and treadmill routine. I totaled 1.29 miles on the treadmill and hit some big squats. This left my legs wobbly the next day and the next.

Thursday I only swam. I drove up to the little pool while one of the three amigos did. His crew was out so I swam 1,800 yards in there where there were no monster bugs to worry about. Then Friday, Penny and I went south. I will write about that tomorrow.

Saturday I watched college football, took a longish run of 9.22 miles, and did full body at Plate City. I had fun out there, pulled some heavy weight, and watched the end of the Tennessee verses Floriday game. That was something. If you missed it, you are not likely to ever see another like it.

For the week, I

  ran 20.81 miles,

  swam 4,220 meters,

  skiergged 4:05 minutes,

  walked .55 miles, and

  lifted weights two times

That wasn't a bad training week, but not a banner one. I was surprised at how hard the tem-miler plus the weight session hit me. But, I am over it now so full-fledged training is back on. 

Thank you, Jesus.

Near Cardiac Overload

Saturday was a super day, the kind of day you dream about during the summer heat. Although it was still hot, college football was on and Plate City was at its highest state of development.

I slept in, studied, and of course I drank coffee. Finally, I dragged out for a run when it had already gotten hot. Nevertheless, I struggled through 9.22 miles in-- according to my technology-- was done at an average temperature of 96 dgrees. Huh? Yeah. Summer has decided to go down swinging. 

After the run, I cooled down and watched some football. Who? Everybody. Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and the one I got into was Tennessee verses Florida. I watched that one at Plate City where I began my workout with a circuit of bench presses, skierg, and heavy bag work. I recently purchases a new pair of MMA gloves so I could go straight from lifting to punching with no down time. Between sets, I walked a short distance on the treadmill to allow my heart rate to come down before doing it all over again and again and again. 

When I finished the upper body work, I shifted to squat for my lower body warmup. I only did two sets before then going to deadlifts and farmers carries. Saturday has become my deadlift and strongman day. On the trapbar deadlift, I worked up to 270. I started to go for a PR, but thought better of it. On the farmers carries, I worked up to 98 pounds per hand. On the ball game, I was pulling for Tennessee and the almost impossible comeback by Florida came close to putting me into cardiac overload. 

Well, Tennessee won. So did Mississippi State. And I got in a good run, in the heat, and a solid full-body workout at the State's best backyard gym. Thank you, Jesus. 

Not a Bad Way

On the way to the pool Thursday morning, I received a text from Tyler that he wasn't going to make it. Great, I thought. I'll have to fight the monster bugs alone. But when I drove up at Twin Rivers, however, Michael Boler was getting out of his truck. He, Rob White, and Jack Matthews swim the little pool from 5:45 until 6:30. They usually all show up about the same time so I stopped, rolled my window down, and asked, "Is your crew going to be here?"

Just what I thought and just what I hoped. They were out so I was in. Yehaa, no monster bugs today. In the little pool, I swam

  1,500

  4 X 50 fast

  100 back

  total: 1,800 yards

That's not a bad way to start a day. 

At work, the police officer was not given a key so we were locked out until 8:00. Not a bad way to start a day. Coffee had to be made before teaching could be done. It was good, the coffee, and so was class. 

BK (Bad Kate) asked me what I was headed for when I was leaving work. "A nap" was my reply. And that is exactly what I did. Around 3:00, I tried to get up and take a run. But .05 down the street convinced me that I needed a day off. I went back home and back to bed. Yeah, not a bad way to end a day.

In-Class Writing

I'm sitting in class and we are doing in-class writing. Getting the students going is like herding cats. They rather talk. In fact, the mood here is antsy. Everyone is tired and wants to be somehwere else. Me included. I want to go home and take a nap. 

But I only have a few more hours and that is what I will do. Plus mow the lawn. Maybe. We are entering that time when the grass growth slows. Thank you, Jesus. I mowed Friday the 9th of September. Until you hit September, you have to mow once per week around here. Now the grass, while still growing, is slowing to the point that once every two weeks is sufficient. When October gets here, it will be once every three weeks. Then once in November seals the deal.

Well, that seals the deal for this writing. I am getting them started on something else. Actually, they are going to read one of my old blog posts, a narrative, and then write something like it. Yehaa!

Monster Bugs and Monster Lifts

Wednesday is always an interesting day for me. It is more than Hump Day. For me, it is the day before Friday (with us being on a four-day schedule). Not only that, but I have usually done my longish run, sometimes I have swum early in the morning, and I only need to lift some weights and run a little on the treadmill.

Well, I did swim Wednesday morning. I fought bugs first, fishing out five monster bugs but only killing two of them. When I started swimming, only a small piece of moon kept the sky from being totally black. After swimming for twenty minutes, the outline of the trees to the east of the pool became visible. After another ten minutes, I could see the sky through gaps in the trees. Then the sky turned blue and slowly light came. After 1,700 meters, I saw one of the monsters on the west wall that I was swimming beside. I crawled out on my belly and fled the scene. Or was that Tuesday that the swim happened? Really, I am not sure.

I am sure that I lifted weights. Since Monday was Over 60s and Tuesday was long run, I needed to lift for everything. And since the temperature hit an official 100 in Greenwood, I waited until 5:30 to get out there. Then I did it. I pushed, pulled, and squatted. Not only that, but I ran some on the treadmill between squat sets. In short, I worked this body until it yelled, "Calf rope." Then I went inside and hung out with CC my sweet, violent cat. Thank you, Jesus, that wonderful gym and our cats.

Monster Run

It wasn't really a monster run, but for this time of week, it was long.

Monday I did not do any training. I slept in instead of going to the pool because my rest that night was poor. Usually, I sleep well. Not this time. Then, I did not get off work until 4:00, and I had someone come to Plate City to work on the treadmill. Not only that, but we had Over 60s that night so instead of running, I went to Itta Bena and ate too much.

Sigh.

Tuesday, however, I was determined to make ammends. I swam early and fought monster bugs. When I was finishing my 17th lap (I wanted more), I saw one on the wall I was swimming next to. I immediately climbed out, scraping my delicate chest on the concrete. 

After work, it was very hot so I waited until 4:30 to head out Money Road and into the sun. I ran 10.3 miles because I needed it. That is all I did: a swim and a ten-mile run. Isn't that enough? It was for me. Thank you for that, Jesus.

MONSTER BUGS!!!

monster bugs

haunt my swimming soul,

I fought them this morning,

two vanquished, smashed, murdered.

two escaped

no three

one drove me from the pool

Chicot Challenge VIII: The Comeback

I was fooing around inside my blog the other day and found this draft from 2019. Huh? Yeah, I don't know why I never published this. Notice that the font is different. I am beginning to think that the fonts always revert to the default after a certain period of time because everytine I look at an old post, I find it in a font I haven't used in many years. And 2019 wasn't that many years ago. Anyway, since it was worth writing the first time, I thought it was worth publishing.

The countdown has begun. I just got off work for the summer and not a moment too soon. That old stirring within my gut has begun. I love that feeling and accompanying it, the feeling of purpose, of having a mission. Chicot gives me that. It makes me think, plan, pray, promote and train. It makes me train hard, very hard.

This year, I am back as a swimmer to swim the whole course, but not to bump last year's heroes out of the water. They, Wilson Carroll, his son, Spence, and MJ Staples of Atlanta, Georgia all plan to return and do some swimming. I am curious to see if I can keep up with young Spence. Probably I can't but what difference does it make? We aim to have fun, get a good workout, and leave the lake wanting to return next year.

The route for this year's swim is the same as last year. A "one way" as we call it now. Most likely we will start at the State Park, but in the event of a windy day, we may reverse course and first motor to Ditch Bayou and then swim back.

As always, I invite whosoever will to come join the fun. I think our pontoon we will get from the State Park is full. However, if you have a boat and want to come over and see this spectacle first hand, be our guest. One person, Rob Spiller, has mentioned to me that he might do just that. I hope he does. It will help the effort in several ways.

One way it will help is to give us greater visibility. An extra boat will add visibility and an extra layer of protection between the swimmers and the boaters on the lake. Generally the boat traffic is a bit light out there, but sometimes they have bass tournaments on Chicot. We have done the swim when a bass tournament was ongoing and those guys drive fast and a bit reckless. Worse than bass tournament fishermen are the jet skiers. I am told that I was almost killed by one once. I didn't even know it.

Furthermore, another boat will add eyes on the swimmers which will contribute to our sense of security. Recently I wrote about how when I did my first open water swim this year, I got spooked and left. The presence of one single person out there besides myself would likely have calmed me enough for me to continue swimming that day. Having people around gives a sense that one is being looked after.

Besides security, extra eyes will mean a better performance from the swimmers. That might sound vain, but it just works that way. When you have an audience, you put out a little more. I have experienced this over the years. With a GPS watch, I have gone back later and looked at splits in runs and found that I ran faster in sections where there was a crowd even though I did not try to run faster or feel like I was. I also experience this in the indoor pool at Twin Rivers. My watch reveals that when other people enter the building, I swim faster even though my conscious intention is to ignore them and do what I came to do.

So I am getting excited. We are now in the last three weeks before the swim. These next two are the big-yards weeks and the third is the taper week. My stomach is churning right now thinking about how all of this is rushing towards us like a tornado. This swim forms the structure of my athletic year. Everything builds towards this. All other events are fun outings or cross training or both. Chicot is the thing I measure myself by. 

If you are interested in keeping up with the swim from afar, there will be not Spot Tracker this year. However, you can follow me on Facebook and my wife should make periodic updates. Bear in mind that part of the lake has no cell coverage so if you want, you can call the boat at 662-453-0020. Maybe a text first would be appropriate so Penny will answer the call.

9/12 - 9/18

Since Saturday was the Oaks, I started the week with leg work at Plate City. I hit them pretty hard and then did 1.55 miles of running. Tuesday, I ran 6.87 miles in an attempt to get some distance in and still be able to get a little fresh for the race.

Wednesday I cut the run to 3.15 miles and lifted weights for the whole upper body. Thursday I did a short 2.02 mile shuffle before Penny and I went to the ballgame at MDCC. I wrote about the burgers already.

Friday I was down to 1.32 miles and finally my legs began to feel better. Also I swam 1,900 yards in the little pool. Saturday, of course, was the race. I finished third in my age group which was 60 to 969. Thanks, Oaks. When I turned 65, all the races I do dropped the 65 - 69 age group and went from 60 to Methusela. No Joke. The same thing happened with Senior discounts. They used to start at 50. Then I turned 50. Then they started at 55 until I turned 55. Then they started at 60. You guessed it: when I turned 60 they went to 65. I turned 65. Thank God, this time they didn't change.

After the race and walking back home, I rested a bit and late in the day, I went to Plate City. I worked full body but hit the legs the hardest. I did Farmer's carried along with heavy deadlifting. One day I am going to be strong.

For the week, I

  ran 21.06 miles,

  swam 1,736 meters,

  Skiergged 2:00 minutes, and 

  lifted weights three times

So it was an OK training week. Actually, I planned it as a drop back week for running to allow me to get fresh for the race and recover from all the miles I have been putting in. Now I will rebuild for a few weeks preparing for the Mississippi River Marathon. The full. And then a 50-mile race. Have I mentioned that before? Yeah, I am dreaming big. Or crazy. Crazy keeps me from going insane. Thank you, for that, Jesus.

300 Oaks Race Report

Friday did not provide me with much to write about, but Saturday did. Saturday was the 42nd running of the 300 Oaks Road Race, an annual event I used to look forward to. Now it marks my slow decline into advanced age. Hey, at least I am still out there.

Forrest began his comeback by showing up 
racing the fat lady.

I woke up at 6:00 after a frightful night of cat fights and poor sleep. CC was on a mission to stop River from even entering the room. He had slept on me the night before. In her place. There was no violence then, but she made up for it all and then some Friday night. She took her spot early and descended from her perch three times to fight River. Things got pretty bouncy.

 

My MDCC compatriot, Siram Nillani.

I ate my breakfast at 6:00 and then lounged a bit waiting on my food to digest and my bowels to move. I know, TMI. At 7:25, I started my walk over to the start at the boat ramp on East Claiborne. Once there, I began to look for Forrest. He arrived at the last minute without his race bib. I saw Katie, Cindy Saia, Vicki, and a few other people. We took some selfies and then the race started.

The three Grenada amigos plus one.

I really had no plan but to finish and try to have fun. Once we started, however, it became a race. Vicki was a little ways ahead of me and Forrest, whom I thought I would run with, was way out in front of me. Eventually, I caught Vicki and we ran together from there. If anything, she is steady. After about three fourths of a mile, we caught Forrest. He said he was running eight minutes and walking two, so we kept going. 

O'Ryan Patterson, the cycle legend, chef, and 
budding runner.

After a little over a mile, we saw a fat lady up ahead. When I pointed her out to Vicki, she responded, "We have to beat her." So we did a slow stalk, making up distance a little at a time, and we passed her at the two-mile aid station where she stopped to take fluids.

After that, I just focused on trying to maintain pace. I We did a pretty good job at that. In the past, I always started falling off at four miles. The legs wanted to this time also, but we held on. According to my Garmin, the splits went like this:

  mile one - 11:00

  mile two - 10:38

  mile three - 10:31

  mile four - 10:35

  mile five - 10:59

  mile six - 10:37

  last bit - 8:47

If you had told me ten years ago that I would feel good about those paces, I would have been suicidal. But I am proud that I ran hard and did not give in late in the race. You can see how I did slow in mile five. But look at mile six. I fought back and passed a guy I thought might have been in my group. Then I finished strong and felt good about my effort when it was all over.

I last ran this race in 2020. I was three minutes faster then. What about next year? What about it? Lord willing, I will be there. Slower? I don't know. I only know I plan to toe the line, and see what I can do. Thank you, Jesus, for what I can do.

Good Burgers and a Nice Time

My tired legs were no less tired Thursday than they were Wednesday when I could barely shuffle the speed of a slow walk. Sigh. After work Thursday, I went out on the turnrows near home and shuffled along for 2.02 miles. That was all I could stand because I could barely stand (see what I did there?). I think Saturday will be a doomed day.

I did not go to Plate City, having done both push and pull Wednesday. I did not go to the pool because the wife and I decided to attend the football game at MDCC. I am in my 19th year with the school, and I am ashamed to admit that this was our first game.

The wife and I in the stands at MDCC

The atmosphere was great and yes, we bought a burger and popcorn and a drink. I had to take out a mortgage on our home to pay for that. No, actually it wasn't that bad. The burgers were only $5 bucks each. Huh? Yeah, I remember paying that at North Sunflower twenty years ago. They were good, yeah. I can't wait to go back, not to watch the game, but next time I'm eating two burgers.

I saw some of the kids I taught in summer school. One of them had told me he played wide receiver. I kept looking for him. Finally I found him on the track, holding a megaphone. He's a cheerleader. Dude, there is no shame in being a cheerleader. Why did he think he needed to tell me that?

Our view from the stands before it got dark.

The game? Well, we didn't do so well. Penny and I left after the third quarter. The mosquitos were beginning to get to her, and we were down 41 to 10 to Cohoma. I kept hearing one name on their team over and over: Simmons. He ran back kickoffs and punts and he played defensive back and maybe even offense. At one point, I turned to the stranger beside me and said, "If we had that guy and they had a worn-out shoe, we would be OK."

But we weren't OK. But that was OK. We, Penny and I, had a good time. And I left thinking about those burgers. We are going back. Not to watch the game. To eat burgers.Thank you, Jesus, for good burgers and a nice time.

Latest on the Gym

Wednesday I finished up at Plate City. Well, I finished up the wall that you see in the video above. First, however, I ran. My legs felt terrifically terrible. The big leg session Monday followed by the 6.87 miles Tuesday has me moving slow and slower. Maybe now I can start frshening up for Saturday.

While I was putting the finishing touches on my latest project at the gym, I lifted. I dd upper body, push and pull. I enjoyed the ambiance of the gym and hanging out with Pee Wee who was happy. Plate City is palace. Thank you, Jesus.

More Plate City

Package two of my shipment came in Tuesday, and I finished my little project at Plate City. I say I finished, but I still have a few little details that I plan to attend to. After working out there, I went for a longish run about 5:30 p.m. The run was only 6.87 miles, but remember that I lifted legs hot and heavy Monday. Usually I do my longish run and then lift legs the following day. So as I type this, my legs feel like they have been amputated and sowed back on. Saturday and the 300 Oaks, here I come.

I said I would post some pictures, and I will. Once I started working, however, the work was all I could concentrate on. I am proud of Plate City, and I have more plans. I am thinking of selling a couple of pieces of equipment and replacing with more usefull machines. Also, I have plans for the other mini-wall that Simon installed. It won't cost much and it will improve the gym.The best gym in Greenwood in Mississippi in the South in America in the world just keeps getting better. Thank you, Jesus, for Plate City, for good health, and for the desire to work this body you gave me. 

PC Moves Ahead

Monday after work, I went straight to the hardware store (now also a woodyard) on Park Avenue and bought some 2 X 4s. Five bucks a piece!!!!!!!!! How can anyone build anything now?!?!?! I only purchased five so I did not have to rob anything. But it was still a hit. 

A couple of months back, Simon put me up two sections of wall on the open side of Plate City. Finally I am doing my work, adding some 2 X 4s to mount some plate holders. Also I want to get a couple of bars off the floor. It's going to be palace, trust me, palace.

While I was out there, I did leg day. Since I am racing running 300 Oaks Saturday, I wanted to get in my heavy leg work Monday so I could get some sort of recovery going before the race rolls around.

Between sets of squats, I measured, cut, and nailed. One piece of hardware I need is still on the road between here and California. Despite that, however, I was still able to get a few plates off the floor. It's looking better and getting gooder. I'm so excited to go out there everyday that I almost pee my pants. Pee Wee does pee when I arrive. He loves it when I am there. It's our time together.

Pictures will come soon and maybe a video. That would be better. And I shuffled 1.55 miles. Good day. Thank you, Jesus.

9/5 - 9/11

I had another strong week of training that started with a Labor Day run to Hillbilly Heaven. With some walking mixed in, I finished with 10.75 miles of shuffling and 3.5 miles of walking, and I got in some heat work.

Tuesday I was back in the outdoor pool for 1,300. Yeah, I can be lazy like that. But after work, I shuffled 3.88 miles and lifted weights.

Wednesday I was really not wanting to do anything. I forced myself through 1,000 in the pool. Since it was leg day, I shuffled 2.06 miles on the treadmill in short sets of .4 between sets of squats. 

Thursday, I slept in and let my whole body rest. After work, I let my legs rest and then mowed the lawn. I didn't go to Plate City so I let my upper body muscles rest also. Rest is my friend.

Friday was my big day and I was running walking at 6:23 a.m. I walked the first two miles to let my breakfast finish digesting while I slowly warmed up. I ran to Craigside, took a side road, and explored some turnrows south of Little Zion MB Church. Finishing with 13.35 miles of running,and 5.48 miles of walking, I was done for the day.

I had intended to run Saturday, but since I already had my 30-mile week completed and I was tired, I took a short swim (1,300 in the little pool) and did some serious deadlifting at Plate City. I pulled 260 as well as doing some squatting. All in all, it was a strong week of preparing for future contests and challenges. For the week, I

  swam 3,488 meters,

  ran 30.06 miles,

  lifted weights three times, and

  walked 8.98 miles.

That's good training right there, I don't care who you are. And I dropped two pounds. I know what you are thinking: look down and I will find them. But I can tell a difference, a little bit. So I am on the way to a bunch of fun and suffering. Life is better with some suffering. And the suffering is better if you chose your own and inflict it upon yourself rather than be blindsided by it from the outside.

Semi-adventure Run

Another Friday has come, and I took a semi-adventure run. Semi-adventure run? Yeah, I went out Money Road and made a couple of detours. I learned a thing or two. It wasn't as profound as my run out by the catfish processing plant, but it was still nice.

Hey, I got out early. I finally learned that once I start that first cup of coffee, I'm not leaving the house until it is all gone. So I got up a bit earlier than when I do to go to work, ate breakfast, and started getting ready. I was running by 6:23. At that time of morning, it is still about half dark now. The nights are now much longer, and the air has more time to cool off. It was 68 degrees cool when I began shuffling towards Money Road. 

Once on the Road, I exhulted in the coolness. If you are thinking 68 is not cool, try running all summer in the mid to high 90s. And we have had some crazy dew points this year. I have done a lot of running with heat indexes in the triple digits. Now even temps in the 80s feel great.

The gravel road at Craigside

When I got to Craigside, I made a spur of the moment decision to turn right onto the gravel road. I have little experience with this road. I think I once drove through in my truck, and maybe I once ran about 100 meters on it. This time, I knew I didn't have time to go all the way through. But I wanted to run some of it, and I went about a mile and a bit before I turned around. While out there, I saw what looked like some hunting camps and a really pretty tupelo gum break.

It doesn't show clearly in the photo, but there
is a pretty little Tupelo gum break in there.

Back on Money Road, I turned north for about a half mile in order to get some more distance. When I turned around and went back south, I determined to take to the turnrows once I got to the church, Little Zion, where that singer who sold his soul to the devil is buried. Having tried and failed to get to the church on turnrows in the past, I was hoping to be able to run through from the church to some roads I knew.

I found myself on a nice road beside the river, which was lined by some really tall timber. Slowly, I wend my way farther and farther from the highway and was eventually faced with a choice: keep following the river or turn inward. I chose to turn, and eventually I began to zig and zag on what I presumed were property lines because each time the road zigged, there was a big post with a bucket on top. 

The road beside the river. This is nice running.

You guessed it. Eventually, I came to some roads I knew, and I made my way back to the highway at the radio station. I turned back north for a bit more distance. When I turned back south, it was to go straight home. I was like a well-cooked steak: done. I stepped onto my wife's driveway with 18.83 footmiles: 13.35 running and 5.48 miles walking. Enough. Some fun. Learned a little. A few nice sights. Thank you, Jesus.

Day after Laborious Day

Tuesday began in the dark at Twin Rivers. I swam a paltry 1,300, but that is better than a poke in the eye. There is something neat, spooky, and weird all rolled up into one about swimming before daylight in that pool. When John and I used to do it, I always saw bats circling above when it began to break daylight. I have not seen anybats this year, but the monster bugs are a real menace.

I then went to work and taught my three writing courses. I was delighted to see one of the ladies there. Both have been ill and I feared our office would be closed all week. 

After work I needed that short nap I took. I think I did not make a big enough fuss over CC because that night, she followed me into the living room and turned her back on me. When she does that, she is speaking loudly. Yeah, I was right because she did not sleep with me that night. I tried to make up with her and she let me pet her, but she slept in a dirtly clothes basket. 

Sigh.

After that, I hitt the streest for 3.88 miles of roadwork. It was hot out there, and my legs were tired from Monday. But I shuffled along and acheived my goal of doing just a little more than last week. Oh, speaking of last week, I wrote that last week was my biggest run week of the year. Well, I was flipping through my training diary and found that I had run thirty-plus miles twice this year already. This week, I go for the real record. 

Next, I hit the gym for some weight work. Pee Wee was happy as he likes to see customers in the gym. I did a push workout for my third exercise bout of the day. Yehaa. Three is always a good number. I have done four, but that is a bit much even for me. Thank you, Jesus, for good health, a good gym, and good spirits. I remain gruntled for several days running now (see what I did there?).

Laborious Day

Labor Day is for laboring. Since you have the day off, you have more time to work. Out. So that's what I did. I worked. Out. Actually, I ran from home to Hilbilly Heaven. Well, I walked some of it, but I shuffled 10.75 miles and walked 3.3 miles.

I didn't start early like I needed to. The coffee was good, the cats sweet, the bed soft. Okay, I am sorry like that. But I finally hit the road about 9:00 a.m. Thank the Lord for some cloud overs because it never got really hot, but it did get warm. 

I walked the first two miles because brakfast was still a little heavy on my stomach. Then I began to shuffle. I went 8.5 miles straight before I walked the rest of the way up the big hill. From there, I alternated between walking and my old-man shuffle. I finished at Hillbilly Heaven with 10.75 miles of running and 3.3 miles of strolling. Not a bad way to start the week. And to make it even better, I did not overeat. Thank you, Jesus.

8/29 - 9/4

I had quite a week. First, I started Monday in the pool and on the road. Before work, I swam 1,700 meters. Then after a long day at work, I ran 3.72 miles.

Tuesday, I started with 2,000 in the pool. That afternoon, I shuffled 8.9 miles. Yeah, I'm bad like that.

Wednesday I continued to kick butt and take names starting with 1,800 at Twin Rivers. At Plate City, I did legs and pull accompanied by 2.01 on the treadmill. Yeah, the numbers were building.

By Thursday I was weary but nevertheless, I swam 1,500, lifted weights, and spun 12:00 minutes on the stationary.

You have already read about my adventure run I did Friday. I ran 14.01 miles, went some new places, and saw some new things. Yeah, I have fun like that.

Saturday I ran and easy 1.56 miles, and did full body in the gaym. For the week, I

swam 7,000 meters,

cycled 12:00 minutes, 

lifted weights three times, and

ran 30.21 miles

That is my record high weekly mileage for the year. My plan is to break that this week. Did I tell you? I am registered for the full marathon at the Mississippi River coming up in February. The road has to take precedence. Thank you, Jesus, that I can still run.  

Friday Adventure Run: "It was fun until it wasn't"

My goal was to be running by 6:30 a.m. I made it out the door at 6:38. The air had a touch of cool to it, and I looked forward few hours of adventure running. I had seen from the highway and found on Google Maps a road I had never traveled. Beside Heartland Catfish is a road that looked like it would go through to the paved road that runs east and west from Highway 49 East to Highway 49 West. I had to go there. I needed to go there. So I went there.

I got on the levee near home and ran west, across Poplar, across Grand Blvd, and eventually I crossed Highway 82. On West Claiborne Extended, I begin to get that feeling, that feeling of being free. I love that.

I crossed the river channel and headed out the busy highway. I used to hate running on the side of a busy highway. Now I only dislike it. That is progress; that is character development. Eventually I made it to Heartland Catfish, and I ran onto the road that I had never travelled. The road crosses a heavily treed ditch and on the other side of the ditch, I found something: an enclave of houses that is not visible from the highway. I counted four trailers and fifteen houses. Full of illegals I bet. But not my business, not my concern.

When I passed the hidden subdivision, the road turned dirt, turned into a four-lane turnrow. Huh? Yeah, check out the picture. I stopped a passing farm hand and asked him if this road would take me through to the paved road over there, I pointed. He answered for me to follow it on around. Around? Turns out that the road turns ninety degrees and passes two houses and some grain bins. 

The four-lane turnrow. Really, you
have to see it to believe it.

Then I found a small, inviting road that went north. It was tree lined, narrow, shady and the kind of place I like to run. I was afraid, however, that it might be a driveway. I took the chance and found that the road only went about a mile or less before coming out on the paved road I was looking for. 

The delightful little road that took me
where I was going.

There I turned right (east) and headed back towards Highway 49. Out there I again got the feeling of being free and of the delta's feeling of space, a feeling you can't get just anywhere. On my left was a rice field that seemed to go on forever. It reminded me of a song we used to sing in grade school, back when Americans were proud to be Americans.

 

"Oh beautiful for spacious skies/
For amber waves of grain . . ."

I shuffled down that road until I came to Highway 49 and then crossed over onto a little road that runs to the river. From there the road turned back north, but I turned south onto a rough turnrow. That led me to a disced field that I walked across to get to a little patch of trees that I believed covered an Indain mound with maybe some graves on top.

If you live around here, you have seen this
just north of Greenwood off Highway 49.

I walked the freshly disced earth and pryed my way into and through the vegetation and found an eight-foot high mound with a series of graves on top. I did not look at them all. I did, however, notice that one was buried there in 1880. The biggest headstone is pictured below. 

All I can say is that I found this interesting.

From there I tried to get to that church, the one in the corner of Highway 82 and 49. I had some difficulty, however, due to the fact that the turnrow disappeared which meant I had to walk though the freshly plowed ground back to the highway. I eventually did make it to the church where I layed my sweat-soaked shirt out on the front porch of the church to let it dry. I lay down and then the weariness of the day hit hard like a pitcher's misdirected baseball on a batter's body. I had covered a little over 13 miles. That might not sound like much, but I had been up early every moring, had run 8.9 on Tuesday, and lifted big for the legs on Wednesday, and was cutting calories at night. Not only that, but I was almost out of fluid.

Whom could I call? When my shirt dried, I headed back to the highway and began a slow shuffle over the bridge and back towards town. On the bridge, my tired legs had trouble balancing me on the tiny catwalk against the wind with eighteen-wheeleters passing inches away from my right shoulder. On the frontage road at Fort Pemeberton, I knew I needed a ride. All my friend were at work. My brother-on-law lives in Minter City. I thought about Katie Jones. I didn't want to bother her on her day off, however. I couldn't call my wife at work and ask her to come get me. That would get me beaten up. I used to call my dad, but he died in 2013.

Then I remembered: Vicki. I bet she will come get me. I sent the text. She picked me up and drove me home. On the ride to Crockett she asked why I do these things. "Fun," was my response. 

"You don't look like you had much fun," she looked at me sideways. I was sweaty, my legs covered with dust, and I'm sure I looked like I was about to pass out.

"Well, it was fun until it wasn't."

And that's the way it is. I traveled some new roads, I took some cool pics, I saw some nice views. And I had fun until I didn't. Yeah, I'll do it again. Just give me a little time.

Easy on the Legs

By Thursday morning, my early morning activities had caught up with me. I did, however, get up and swim anyway. We, Vicki and I, did

  500 warm up

  3 X 300 with a floating 100

    1 - 6:48

    2 - 6:36

    3 - 6:37

  100 100 cool down

  total: 1,500 meters

After work, I went home and waited for a Commonwealth reporter to come by. He had contacted me about an interview. He showed up at 2:00 and we went to Plate City to talk. I think he is writing something about physical fitness and he wanted to know my typical routine and what advice I had for people who are not in shape but want to change their condition.

Later, Vicki came by and did legs. I worked pull and finished with 12:00 minutes on the stationary bicycle. So I took it easy on the legs in anticipation of what I like to do on Fridays. You know. If you don't, stay tuned and I will write about it tomorrow.

Too Stuborn to Stop

Where?

Busy. I have a job. But I am back now, back to tell you about all the fun I have been having this week.

Monday I got up and went to the pool. Vicki met me there and we swam 1,700. I think it was a straight swim, but I don't have my training log in front of me. I am dependent, right now, on Garmin Connect. Yes, Garmin Connect can and did confirm that it was a straight swim. I worked until 4:00 and then went home and ran 3.72 miles. No, I did not go to the gym. I was wore. How about that for a new phrase? I was wore. 

Tuesday morning I met Big Tyler at the pool, and we swam 

  100 (then T showed up)

  1,500

  200 for time 3:53.6

  200 cool down

  total: 2,000 meters

That afternoon, I ran 8.9 miles. Yeah, I was wore. 

Wednesday morning I met Vicki at the pool for another easy swim. For me, it was 1,800 non-stop. That afternoon, I went to Plate City. Pee Wee was beside himself. I did push, legs, and some light treadmill running (2.01). 

So there you have it, what I have been up to for the past three days. I am training, especially on the road. And I am proud of myself for getting up three (now four) mornings in a row, although my distances in the water aren't that good right now. But I am out there too stuborn to stop. Thank you, Jesus.