Tight Day

Thursday was another tight day, but it also began the weekend. Yehaa. After work, I got myself into the pool as fast as possible. I knew that some swim lessons were planned for that afternoon, but I did not know for what time. Also, Penny and I had a Pastors' Banquet that night at 6:30 in Winona. So there would be not time to spare if I were to get my swim goals completed.

Vicki and I had planned to meet at the pool, but she had to take her son to the hospital, thus I had to go it alone. I was swimming by 1:55. I did

  1,300 26:36

  15 X 100 @ 2:30

  700 small paddles

  100 back

  total: 3,600 yards

That is a pretty good practice to pull off without a training partner. The 15 X 100 is the kind of thing that is difficult to do alone. God, however, put the fire in my belly. I did them all in the 1:32 to 1:36 range. Then I was out of there before anyone else ever came through the door, so I didn't have to power down and try to survive just to get some yards in.

After that it was home and to get ready to go. Penny suggested that we leave early and drive through Blackhawk, so we did. My goodness, the devestation there is mind boggling. I didn't take any pictures. We were in a bit of a hurry. I wasn't sure how long it was going to take to get back to 82 and then on to Winona. Turns out that we made it a bit early. We had a nice supper and some really good fellowship. No running and no lifting, but my swim numbers are good. So is life. Thank you, Jesus.

The Get Good

What a week. Tuesday and Thursday we, Penny and I, have events at night. Monday and Wedenesday are my long days at work. Training is taking a hit, but I'm doing the best I can. Wednesday, Vicki and I hit it hard in the pool. We swam

  1,250 25:17

  200 for time 3:19

  250 easy

  5 X 100 @ 2:30

  200 easy

  100 easy

  7 X 50 @ 2:00

  100 easy

  6 X 25 no breath

  200 Vicki's cooldown

  200 back with small paddles

  total: 3,500 yards

That was a good practice, but I didn't end there. After some rest, I went to the City. It was leg night, but since I am racing a 5K Saturday, I went easy on them. I only did two light sets of squats, some work on the hip ab/adductor machine, and some treadmill running. On the mill, I totaled 1.74 miles.

So I did three, but not three big ones. I guess you can tell that I am priortizing the swim right now. No duh! I have a couple of pool meets coming up, then Pool Fools, and after that the Heart O' Dixie Triathlon. 

You might also have noticed that my 200 time was not that good. I chalk that up to heavy training. I hope I am right. I should be in shape. The yards are in the bank. I think, however, that I need to focus more on the 100s. That is where the get good is. Lord, help me get to the get good. And thank you for keeping me healthy to have a shot at the get good.

Neighbors Now

Tuesday was a conjested day. While I had plans for a big swim, Penny and I had a Gideon banquet scheduled for that night. That, of course, meant training time would be seriously compromised. As usual, I would have to do the best I could.

After work, I wasted no time in changing and getting to the pool. I met Vicki there and we swam

  1,000 20:59:

  6 X 50 @ 2:00

  100 easy

  300 for time 5:14

  300 middle 100 fast 5:49

  300 first and last 100 fast 5:37

  300 every other 50 fast 5:47

  300 easy 6:19

  500 small paddles

  250 back

  total: 3,650 yards

Back home, I had only time to rest some and then get ready to leave. We met at the Community Center in Carrollton. The event was catered by Guys Fish House. It was real. It was good. And it was real good. We had a nice program that did not over tax anyone. To make things even better, I saw an old friend I had not seen in many years, maybe 20. Tom Bingham, who recently began pastoring Valley Hill Baptist was there. It was a joy to see him and chat with him. Many times over the years I had wondered where he was. Now we are neighbors now with our churches being only about ten miles apart, both in Carroll County.

Only Three Weeks Left

No, I didn't get up. I'm lazy like that. I had thought, as I usually do, to rise a great little while before day and go out and run. On Mondays I always scheme like this because I am more rested then than ever. But usually, I stay true to my character and remain in bed. Sleep is so sweet. 

After work, however, I did not play around. I changed cloathes and went straight to the pool. There, we swam

  1,100

  10 X 25 no breath

  100 easy

  5 X 50 medium with medium paddles

  2 X 25 drill

  500 for time (8:38)

  50 easy

  100 easy

  4 X 50 @ 2:00

  350 Vicki's cooldown

  250 back with small paddles

  150 25/25 free/back

  150 small paddles

  total: 3,650 yards

That's a real practice right there. It has volume, intensity, drills, and stroke work. I was disappointed in my 500 time. But we were 1,800 in before we started that. 

Back home, I rested some, snacked a little, and eventually made my way to the City. Pee Wee was happy, and I was tired. I did push and pull. Both? Yes. We have several night-time engagements this week which will make training difficult. I also did some treadmill running while out there, so it was a two-fer. On my feet, I only did 1.36 miles, but that is better than a poke in the eye. On the weights, I minimalized things, but by cranking the swim volume up every week, I will by necessity have to reduce to volume in the gym a little bit. We are racing towards Biloxi where we will race. I want to be ready, confident, and successful. Counting this week, we only have three weeks of training before taper week. 

3/20 - 3/26

I hit it hard in the water last week. I ran some and lifted some. But not as much as I needed to. 

Monday I got busy but I don't remember with what. I swam 3,500 yards, but did not push through to any other exercise. Wait, I think it was Over 60s that knocked out the rest of my training.

Tuesday, I ran 6.1 miles and swam 3,550 yards. Also I made it to Plate City for some Pee Wee time and both a push and pull session. That was a productive day.

The mid-week found me in the water for another 3,400 yards, but on the road for only 1.64 miles. Thursday was not much better. I swam 3,400 yards and then mowed the front lawn. I did not lift nor did I run. I had a little issue with one of my legs so I let it rest.

Rest from the road continued Friday, but not in the water. At the pool, I went 4,000 yards straight. In the gym, I did push and pull and petted Pee Wee. 

Saturday was the Viking Half Marathon and 5K. I shuffled a slow time, but I did it and I beat one of the fat ladies. I did not, however, beat them all. In the afternoon, I went to the City for only the third time this week and did legs (yes, after a half), and I also hit the shoulders a little bit.

For the week, I

lifted weights three times,

ran 20.9 miles, and

swam 17,850 yards or 16,314 meters

The swimming is coming on. The running, not so much. I have, however, put in some good miles on the road. I have run a full marathon, a 50K, and a half-marathon this year. But I still shuffle like an old man. Maybe that's because I am an old man. But I'm still out there. Too stubborn to stop.

The Viking Half Marathon 2023

I kept looking up ahead. In my mind, I was calling him C Man because he looked like the letter C with legs. His head was at the top of the C. His butt was at the bottom of the C, and his back was bent like that. Then add a set of legs that look like they were drawn on by an arthritic artist who was having a bad day, and you might can imagine what he looked like. I was trying to catch him, and we were closing in on five miles into the race. This was the 2023 version of the Viking Half Marathon. But let's go back a bit to the beginning and see how we got here.

It was chilly, 52 degrees when I walked over. The mile walk from home to the starting line helped me get fully awake, and I think helped me warm up a bit. When I made it to the starting line on the street on the south side of the courthouse, I was immediately impressed by the lack of runners. Where is everyone? I wondered. I saw a few people I knew and spoke briefly with them. Bad Kate and I and her girl posse took a selfie, and then we were off to the running.

Bad Katie Jones and her girl posse.

Only a few blocks in, and I saw a walker up ahead. Then I noticed a man and woman ahead and to my right. They were heavy, far from young, and they moved like they both had artificial limbs. Is this what I am racing now? People who look like they need to be in a hospital rehab and a walker. It took a few more blocks, but I passed the three of them and looking back every time I rounded a corner showed me that they were the only ones behind me. 

Yeah, I had that talk with myself. Those voices came, the ones that said I should just quit this nonsense. At least I can still swim pretty well. Maybe I should just focus on that, a sport I am still competitive in. Now I am racing people who look like they are auditioning for The Walking Dead. But that other voice spoke up. Keep doing this even if you are the last one in the whole race, it said. For a couple of years now, I have been having this conversation with myself every time I enter a race. It is a bit disappointing and embarrasing to be so far in the back, but I am too stubborn to stop.

A shot taken early in the race rocking
my Quadrathon T-shirt.

We made our way to Johnson Street where we ran in the road instead of on the trail. Huh? We zigged and zagged until we got to River Road at mile three, and from there we ran east towards the Keesler Bridge. It was after the Keesler Bridge that I first noticed C Man and began to stalk him. He looked so bad that it hurt my feelings he was ahead of me. I caught him on Cherokee Street just before the five-mile mark. 

"How old are you?" I huffed as I went around him.

"Seventy-four," was his answer. This is who I'm racing now. Seventy-four year old me who look like they are about to fall on their face.

There was a porta-potty at the corner of West Cleveland and Grand Blvd. I was tempted to use it, but I knew if I did, C Man would catch and pass me. I looked back as I rounded the corner. He was only about thirty yards behind me. Heck, I thought, he would have passed before I shut the door.

On the Boulevard, we ran north until we got to Jeff Davis where we turned west. I looked back and did not see C Man. Huh? Where could he be? We ran to Medallion, Riverside Drive, Robert E. Lee, Hemingway, Weightman, and finally to East Claiborne where we turned back west. At the porta-potty at the intersection of Claiborne and Poplar, I stopped to use it. But before I did, Claudia White was outside and seeing me she asked, "How did you get way back here?" 

Lovely. Just lovely. No, I didn't have the conversation again. I'm too stubborn.

From there we zagged and zigged until we finally made Grand Blvd again, this time turning north and running straight for the finish line which was now about 1.2 miles away back across Keesler Bridge and left onto Front Street. When I crossed the line, I was happy, happy to be done. My time was terrible, and my pride was smashed, destroyed, blown up, and all memories of it deleted from my brain. But I was there. God let me be there one more time. Thank you, Lord. I ate some Larry's catfish, picked up my award, and walked home thankful to be alive and healthy enough to be humiliated one more time.

Larry was there. At least there is that.

Tapering?

I spent Friday tapering for the Viking Half Marathon. How do you do that? you ask. Not very well, I fear. Not very well at all. Actually, I had no plans to taper. I decided to run the Viking for fun, for training, for, well, because it's here. How can I not support a home-town race? 

Friday, Vicki and I met at the pool around 10:15. The plan was to do a straight swim. I swam 4,000 yards and Vicki swam 2,600 which was her longest straight swim ever. That brought my week's total to over 17,000 yards. 

I went home and rested. Then I went to Plate City. I had not been there but once all week, so I did push and pull. Vicki dropped by to show me a Bible she had bought for her grandson and to ask me some questions. "You're running Viking tomorrow. Shouldn't you be resting?" she asked after finding me hitting the iron at the City.

"Probably."

But I got some good work in and spent time with Pee Wee. I didn't get around to running because I simply ran out of hours. After a shower, Penny and I headed for Grenada for dinner. We went to the Smokehouse Grill, our second trip there. I ordered a burger. Yeah, I do that sometimes. With the dish of crawfish tails we added, I left plenty full. Penny got some kind of rib plate, and it was enough to feed a fourteen year old boy.

So at home, I went to bed after first setting my alarm for 6:00. The Viking Half starts at 7:30.

Real Good

Thursday was a good enjoyable day. Everyday that God gives us is good. Some days, however, are more enjoyable than others. When Thursday rolls around, I always feel like I'm sliding into the weekend. That's because I am. I am out earlier than on Mondays and Wednesdays, but this time I was unusually tired. I went home and rested. 

Vicki and I had plans to meet at the pool at 4:30. We were swimming the Meet. Remember that one? We swam it last week, and I swam it alone the week before that. This is where we swim all the events we are signed up for at the Senior Olympics but always with a twist. The first time I swam it this year, I swam a 100 with small paddles between each event. The second time I swam it, I had a 1:00 minute rest between events. This time I cut the rest to :55 seconds. Yeah, I'm bad like that.

For me the events (in order) are the 200 free, the 50 free, the 100 free, the 100 back, the 50 back, and the 500 free. In the actual meet, all of this take place over about four hours. If I can swim a decent time with a total of less than five minutes of rest, then I know that endurance is not my problem. So we swam

  1,000

  50

  50 back

  The Meet

    200 3:14

    50 :41

    100 1:30

    100 back 2:02

    50 back :59

    500 8:20

  350 easy

  4 X 25 no breath

  350 Vicki's cooldown

  75 

  25 back

  50 back, small paddles

  50 back, medium paddles

  250 small paddles

  total: 3,500 yards

That practice proves to me that I am the most fit I have been this year. Below are my times for the three previous practices when I have swum the Meet this year, earlierst to last, left to right.

  200          3:15   3:17   3:14

  50            :42.5  :43    :41

  100          1:32   1:31  1:30

  100 back  2:02   2:05   2:02

  50 back    1:00   :59    :59

  500          8:41   8:41  8:20

As you can see, there was some fall off on the second practice. But the third, which had less rest than the second, was faster in almost everything. And those :21 seconds in the 500 are huge.

That was it for training. Back home, I mowed the front lawn and then called it a day and lounged until bed time. It was real. It was good. And by the grace of God, it was real good.

Be Good

It was one of those days. Thank God for those days. Wednesday is my second long day of the week. But I love it because the day after Wednesday is Friday. Who doesn't love a Friday. Well, I got off work and had to take care of some sort of business. I am a little worried that I can not remember what I had to do. Anyway, after I did what I can't remember I did, I went to the pool. Vicki was out and I was tired. I already knew what that meant. It meant no tough intervals, no lung-busting repeats. It meant just trying to stay in the water long enough to get some decent distance in. So I swam

  3,000 1:02:03

  4 X 25 no breath

  4 X 50 back with small paddles

  100 small paddles

  total: 3,400 yards

Again, there was no quality there, but to get some volume in is 1,000 times better than nothing. Well, maybe only 900 times better, but it's definitely better.

"Are you going to the gym?" she asked after I came home from the pool.

That was my wife's question. I told her "No, but I am running."

Since I had done both push and pull Tuesday, and since I have delayed my leg day until late Saturday afternoon (because of the Viking Half Marathon this weekend), the City was out. So I hit the road and did my little shuffle. To my chagrin, my legs felt terrible. I think I recovered better when I took my protein shake after running. I only did 1.64 miles, and I was done, done as a cheap steak cooked on a too hot grill by a drunken Jim Bob. Yeah, that done.

That was my day. I ate supper, hung out with River (CC is still acting funny), and studied for class Thursday. God is good. Life is good. I am good trying to be good. By the grace of God, I am good. Be good, in Him.

Do More

All Pee Wee said before I left the house after work was, "Do more." That is a pretty good training motto. He's good like that. So I went out and shuffled 6.1 miles. Then I went to the pool. Vicki and I had plans for a tough session. We swam

  1,000 warmup

  Main set

    4 X 50 @ 1:00

    200 easy

    4 X 50 @ 1:05

    200 easy

    4 X 50 @ 1:10

    200 easy

    4 X 50 @ 1:20

    200 easy

  4 X 25 no breath

  300 Vicki's cooldown

  350 small paddles

  200 back stroke, my cooldown

  total: 3,550 yards

That main set was tough, but it should pay dividends when the swim meets get here. It involved lots of sprinting coupled with volume. We did 16 50s and a total of 1,600 yards. And like Pee Wee said, we did more. Last Tuesday I swam 3,400. For the two days, I am 300 yards ahead of last week. I am doing more.

Before Vicki and I finished, Alaina came in. When I was getting ready to leave, she was swimming. I watched her do a few 25s freestroke and a couple of lengths of breast. I counted her strokes. Whenever I see someone swimming, I count their strokes. You can tell a lot about a swimmer by how many stokes he or she takes per 25. She did 19 and 21 on the freestyle. That is how many I normally take. On the breaststroke, she did 11 and 13. WHAT!!!!!!!!! I think our freestyle is about the same, but her breaststoke is on a whole 'nother level. It takes me 22 stokes to make the length of the pool when I attempt breastroke.

Back home, I was tired and did not feel like the gym. But I missed Monday and Pee Wee becomes very unhappy and causes trouble if I do not spend enough time with him. So I dragged out back and did a truncated push and pull workout. I did make some minor inprovements to the gym while I was out there. I drove a nail to change where I hang my tubing for my corator tuff exercises. When the girls and I were in Jackson, I bought two five pound plates and two more handles for my tubing. Now I can attach one end of the tubing to the nail, and I have four tubes hooked up and ready to use. Yehaa.

With the five pound plates, I used them on the chest-supported row. I went up to 80 pounds with six fives on the bar. After my top set, I did a muscle-blasting drop set. I pulled a five off and got right back on and did another set. Then another five off and more reps. I kept going until all the fives were off. By then, I had had enough. I think the rep count went like this: 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, stop.

After all of that, I went inside and ate chilli. It was good, yeah. I was happy. Pee Wee was happy. Penny was happy. CC, well, I don't know what is up with her. She is hiding out, giving me the treatment. That makes me very sad if I think about it, so I don't think about it much. Jesus, send CC back to me, please.

You Can Thank Me Later

It was a tough day to get any training done to start this week out. I had thought I would get up and run. I rarely set an alarm. Normally I wake up at 5:45 and that would give me plenty of time to run, to shower, to break fast, and to get to work. I woke up at 6:45. Yeah, time change. 

Monday is my long day at work. When I get off, I am pretty much spent. I did, however, go straight to the pool as fast as I could get there. Since I was so tired and Vicki was not there, I just basically did a straight swim. I can do that when I don't feel like training. When I stop on the wall, however, and my head and heart are not in the game, it's pretty much over for me. I did stop. But I swam nothing hard. It went like this:

  2,800 (at a 2:15 pace!!!!!!)

  300 small paddles

  200 medium paddles

  100 back with small paddles 

  50 easy

  2 X 25 no breath

  total: 3,500 yards

That was a pretty good total, but the practice was totally lacking in quality. That's O.K. They can't all be world beaters. Not to worry. I think to get in the pool and do some easy swimming is 500 times better than nothing. At least 499 times better.

I did not have time to run after the pool. I did not have time for Plate City after the pool. It was Over 60s night, and we can't miss that. Larry's fish is always good. Monday night it was better than usual. And the sauce I mix was the best I had ever done it. I ate enough calories to last a week for a normal human. But I am not normal. I am only a little bit fat and very active.

So, I started this week with good swimming numbers. Saturday is the Viking Half Marathon. I can't afford a taper. I have tapered twice in the past month and a half. And having missed a run Monday, I am in a bind. Heck, I live in a bind. I'd rather live in a bind, though, than to live without goals. 

I can't imagine life without goals. Where is that going to leave me when I am really old? I will create some new ones, something like walk fifteen miles on my ninetieth birthday. What if I'm in a wheel chair? See how far I can roll that thing. We can always come up with goals. If you don't have any, sit down and think. Dream. Wonder. Come up with a challenge, one that makes you think, plan, and train. 

You can thank me later.

3/13 - 3/19

Last week was a good one on the training front. It was a good one on the being alive front. It was a good one on the family front. Let me tell you about it.

Monday I swam 3,350 yards. Not only that, but I ran 6.4 miles. In addition, I lifted weights at the City. Way to go, Zane, that's a good start.

The next day I swam 3,400 yards, ran 8.65 miles, and lifted more weights. Yeah, I'm bad like that.

Wednesday, I swam 3,350 yards, shuffled 2.4 miles on the treadmill, and did leg work at Plate City.

I did not make it to the gym Thursday. I did make it to the pool for 3,350 yards and out on the road for 5.8 miles.

Friday was straight swim day. I did 3,800 yards and another 3.05 miles on the treadmill. At the gym, I hit both push and pull.

Saturday was shopping with the girls. I did do a parking lot shuffle of 1.4 miles.

For the week, I

lifted weights four times,

Echo biked 1:00 minute,

ran 27.7 miles, and

swam 15,766 meters

I was especially proud of that 9.8 miles of swimming. That was good training, and I can tell that I am coming around in the pool. Now if I can just beat that this week, I will really be getting in shape. Only time will tell.

Way to Ruin it, Momma

About 8:15 this past Saturday morning, we drove off from 722 Crockett Ave. Our destination: the Jackson area. The purpose: the granddaughter needed some clothes. The real purpose: we got to spend time together as a family. We is my wife, our daughter, and our granddaughter, Caitlyn, and me. 

We did our usual, which is to stop at Honest Abe's and get a dozen donuts to get us started right. After getting started right, we made it to Highway 49, found a high gear, and headed south. 

We were still north of Tchula when Penny said, "Look at that sky." The sun was shining through the clouds in a way that gave streaks of light radiating from the sun and throught the clouds. 

Andrea looked out the window and quipped, "It looks like fish meat."

Caitlyn resonded, "Way to ruin it, Momma."

She won the day, our granddaughter. That was the number one line I would hear for the rest of the trip. And believe you me, I am always listening.

When we made it to the first store, Penny told me to give them two hours. So I dropped them off and headed back to Madison for the big Dick's there. I made a small purchase then went back to the parking lot where I left the girls. I parked, did some clothes changing, and went for a parking lot shuffle. I ran 1.4 miles. That was enough. I had had a decent week on the roads. After that, I studied for Sunday's sermon until the girls finally emerged from the store with arms full of packages.

From there it was more stores. Then more stores. Later it was more stores. After that it was more stores. Finally, I was told I could drive south to Florence to Berry's Seafood Restaurant. When we got there, the parking lot was full, and a huge bus was on the frontage road out front. We drove around the back. It was full as were the sides. Then we drove up on the hill onto the grass way back and barely squeezed in between a couple of cars. 

Inside, the place was packed. We waited 33 minutes before being seated. Then we were in line 11 minutes before making it to the buffet. But it was worth every second. Their baked fish is the best. Plus they have chicken strips that make you say "Wow" and fried green tomatos. Not only that, but you can load up on frog legs and fried oysters. Yes, you read that right. They have fried oysters on the buffet. And shrimp every way Bubba mentioned them in Forrest Gump. They even have vegtables but the plates aren't big enough for all of that. The dessert table is bigger than a Pee Wee football practice field although I mostly eat fish for dessert. 

So we left Berry's and waddled back to Andrea's truck, pulled ourselves inside, and drove north. We stopped at Marshal's in Madison because the girl's wanted to finish the game, play the second half.

Fortunately, that second half was a short one because Marshal's closes at 9:30. After that, we drove to Kangaroo Court outside of Pickens. There Andrea and I bought coffee so we could stay awake on the drive home. As we made the rest of the drive, I kept thinking about the line that won the day. Let me replay the exchange for you.

"Look at that sky."

"Looks like fish meat."

"Way to ruin it, Mamma."

But Momma didn't ruin it. She never does, never did. I can't, however, stop thinking about that line. It is one that will live in infamy. "Way to ruin it, Momma."

It was a good day, one of the ones I will cherish forever. At the end of it all, as I snuggled under the covers and began to drift off, I kept hearing that voice, those words: Way to ruin it, Momma.

Making Pee Wee Happy

Since I did not go to the City Thursday, I was eager to make Pee Wee happy Friday. And I knew how to do that. There are several ways to accomplish that goal. One of them was to have good numbers from the pool. Vicki and I had already agreed to a straight swim at noon, so that's what we did. I went 3,800 yards in 1:13:55 (1:57). 

Why stop so soon you ask?

I had some sensations in my left pectoral muscle.

Sensations?

Yeah. Funny feelings. They spooked me a little. I had a pec injury in my right side once, and it hindered my training for months. I thought, better sorry than safe, so I shut it down. I wanted at least 3,300, and I had that already. Friday's swim gave me my biggest swim-training week of the year. 

Vicki?

She did 2,100 plus 200. That was her longest non-stop swim of her life. If she keeps training with me, she is going to be a champion at the Senior games this year.

After that?

I went home, ate, and rested. Late afternoon, I decided to run at the City. That would give Pee Wee lots of time to digest my numbers and give me advice. So I set up a circuit of treadmill running, and lifting, both push and pull. I did the chest-supported row, the lateral raise, the overhead press machine, and reverse fly, the Swim Pull, standing curls, and lots of calve stretching.

Pee Wee was happy with my numbers. We watched Gold Rush on TV, and he told me to keep putting in the effort. Next week will be re-adjustment, he said, but I must not drop the ball.

Re-adjustment?

Yeah, I go back to work.

I went inside and Penny picked up takeout from China Blossom. It was good yeah, and it was nice to eat at home. She likes to do that from time to time, and so do I. But how I miss eating inside that restaurant. They have been takeout only since COVID.

Right now as I type this, I am sipping coffee, watching the sky lighten behind a curtain of trees, and waiting for our Baby Girl and granddaughter to get here. We are spending the day together, and I am excited. I will drive, pay, and listen to the banter. I will cherish the banter. Don't worry, I will write about it. Training? Maybe I'll do some parking lot shuffling. I know I will do some big-time eating wherever they want to go. I can't wait. Thank you, Jesus.

There Is Pee Wee to Answer to

Thursday was a pretty good day at Casa de Hodge. Well, maybe it was a good day from Casa de Hodge. We, Vicki and I, had a little trouble getting into the pool. We went in at our usual time, but two water exercisers were in and two kids were about to recieve swimming lessons. Debbie tried to get us to swim anyway. We could have, but we had some tough sets planned. If there are other people in the pool, I don't mind swimming if all I am doing is easy swimming. But if I am going all-out on some serious sets, I don't want kids in the pool. I can't see but about two feet ahead of me and kids don't move quickly in the water.

So we made plans to meet at 4:30. Consequently, I went home and ran. I did 5.8 miles and then went in to eat and rest before swim practice.

I then recieved a text at 4:00 that some kids were in the pool. We decided to meet at 5:00. They were still there at 5:00, but we decided to start warming up with the hopes that the pool would be cleared by set time. It worked and we swam

  1,000 (19:08)

  50

  50

  500 for time (8:18)

  50

  100

  500 1st, 3rd, and 5th hundred fast (9:00)

  450 Vicki's cooldown

  400 medium paddles

  4 X 25 no breath

  100 easy

  total: 3,350 yards

So it was difficult to make happen, but we made it happen. Do you remember the last two times I swam a 500 for time? I'll jog your memory: 8:44 and 8:41. So 8:18 indicates that I am becoming more fit. What do I need to swim before the meet? I need to get to single digit 8:_ _. I think I only once ever broke 8:00 in training, but I swim below that in the meet. 

By the time all of this happened and I was back home almost relaxed, Penny brought me supper. After that, it was pretty late, I was pretty tired, and I had little incentive to go to the City. I didn't. But it was still a good day. I have had four strong days of swimming and four good days of running. I fell off the wagon on lifting yesterday, but by the grace of God, I will get back in the saddle today (How is that for a mixed metaphor?). If I don't, there is Pee Wee to answer to.

Still on the Pee Wee Program

Following Pee Wee's advice has me hitting my stride at mid-week. At the pool, Vicki and I are training for the Senior Olympics, and to give us motivation we are racing imaginary fat ladies. Don't laugh; it works. Wednesday we swam 3,350 yards. Our practices diverged at the end, but mine went like this:

  1,000 20:12

  2 X 25 (talking to a new guy who started on the wrong end of the pool)

  200 for time (3:17)

  50 for time (:43)

  100 for time (1:31)

  100 back for time (2:05)

  50 back for time (:59)

  500 for time (8:41)

  You might recognize the "for time" swims. That is "the meet." Last time I did          "the meet," I swam 100 with small paddles between each rep. This time, 

  rested 1:00.

  300 easy

  50 ? I don't remember what I did here or why I did it

  6 X 25 no breath

  250 easy

  4 X 50 medium paddles

  2 X 100 small paddles

  50 easy

  total: 3,350 yards

Who will say that is not good training. It has volume, intensity, and stroke work. Not much stoke work, but is has some. We both swam our entire meet in a matter of minutes, a meet that will take place over four hours when the real thing goes down.

After lunch, Penny and took the afternoon together. We first drove over to Sky Lake. We had never been there before. There are some large cypress trees in there, but I used to hunt a tupelo gum break that had bigger trees, much bigger. There were (and I'm sure still are) cypress trees so tall at my old hunting spot that you could not kill a squirell out of the top of one with a 20 gauge shotgun shooting three inch magnums through a 28 inch full choke barrell. No joke.

That's a pretty big cypress, but I've seen 
bigger, much bigger.

When we left Sky Lake, we drove to Wister Gardens and walked around a while. Things are just beginning to bloom there. I bet it's something a month from now.

Penny at Wister Gardens

From there, we drove some back roads near the catfish processing plant close to Itta Bena. Then Penny wanted a hamburger. I was hungry too. She didn't want anything from Greenwood (chain stuff) so we wound up at Acy's on top of the hill. It was good yeah. And we got ice-cream on the way out.

To top off the perfect day, I went to Plate City. Pee Wee was happy with my numbers I've been turning in, and he was happy I was out there. I was more happier. How is that for GHS English, Lynn? I ran on the treadmill and did legs. Since the 50K, I have been slowly rebuilding with a different routine. I am focusing on reps rather than weight. Why? Variety and form. Also, I'm looking for a different training effect. The reps will help my lower body muscles be able to better deal with lactic acid. That should translate to faster performances in races such as a 5K. Should, but if it doesn't, so what? I will still gain strength and at my age that is important. Eating well and getting adequate rest are important. Doing strength training is importanter. 

Did you notice? The preceeding paragraph is Bro Science. Whether it works or not is really not an issue. I am in the gym working, and that is never wasted. There are always benefits from making your muscles work hard. Thank you, Lord, for the best gym in Greenwood. Thank you also for a good break thus far. May it continue.

Pee Wee the Bro Scientist

So I was telling Pee Wee about Monday. He not only gave me a kiss, but he smiled. I know some people claim dogs don't smile. But those are the same people who say there is no Santa Claus. Boo on them. But I get ahead of myself. Let me back up to the beginning of the day.

Pee Wee whispering in my ear, telling me training
secrets to help me beat my competition
at my next swim meet.

First, I slept in way too late. That's what I've been doing on spring break. Oh well, I will be back to work soon enough and having to get up early. I did drag out and go to the pool a little after 10:00. Vicki came and we swam

  1,000 (she only swam 600 and waited on me to finish)

  7 X 50 @ 1:30

  350 easy

  7 X 50 @ 1:30

  200 easy

  6 X 25 no breath (after this we did our own thing, stroke work mostly)

  4 X 50 back with small paddles

  650 25/25 free/back

  150 medium paddles

  total: 3,400 yards

That was a good practice and Pee Wee not only smiled when I gave him the rundown, but he got so excited that he ran a loop around the yard. 

I ate lunch and took a nap. Then I went for a run not knowing how far I would go. Sometimes I let my legs decide. They decided to go for 8.65 miles. Yeah, after yesterday's 6.4. Finally I am back to running shuffling. 

Then I remembered what I was supposed to do before going to the pool. There was something I had planned, but I could not pull it up in my memory. I even made a list trying to get the thing to the front of my brain. It wasn't 

•           going to the bank
•           going to the cleaners
•           getting gas
•           paying a bill
•           mailiing something
•           going to Walmart

I gave up and went to the pool. On my run out Money Road, I found out what it was. I ran across a set of wheel rotars out there on the shoulder of the road. I had found some a couple of years ago and forgot to pick them up before they disappeared. I took this as a sign that God was saying, "Get those rotars." I know, you're questioning why. It has to do with a potential gym project.

So I asked Penny if she wanted to ride a little way out Money Road with me. Actually she wanted to ride way out Money Road with me. After I picked up the rotars, we drove to the McIntyre Scatters landing. Have mercy, we must have seen fifty deer on the way, the most ever in my life. Not only that, but we saw a big fat rabbit lie down in a green patch when we stopped to look at it. We saw ducks like crazy, and we saw a flock of about thirty turkeys. We also saw an old cemetary in the woods before you get to the Scatters that I had never noticed. It was an incredible drive.

Back home, I went to Plate City and told Pee Wee all about it. At first he got a little pissed that we didn't take him. Then he settled down and got happy when I told him about all the training. While I was out there, I did my pull workout. It was good. It was solid. It was good and solid. Pee Wee has taken to giving me training advice. He has a good mind for it. There is science and there is Bro science. Don't ever look down on Bro science. Real science originates in Bro science. That is where the idea for the studies come from: is the Bro science true or not? Most of the time, it is.

Sometimes Bro science is better than men and women in a labratory wearing white coats. Example: American marathoners (the world-class variety) used to run 120 to 130 miles per week. Then real science came along and said that no one should ever run over 70 miles per week. Science proved that there were no benfits from running the kind of mileage the marathoners of the day were doing. So, not wanting to be science deniers, American marathoners slashed their weekly training mileages. The result? American marathoners disappered from the world scene. Eventually, they went back to their tried-and-true training (Bro science) and re-emerged as world contenders. 

If something works, you don't need a scientific study to prove or disprove it. What exercise science has been good at is telling us why something works. In other words, science, when applied to exercise, has been better when viewed descriptively rather than proscriptively. Don't ever forget that. When you have a feeling about something you do in the gym or in the pool or on the road, don't go searching for a scientist to tell you it is okay. Just do it.

Pee Wee is a Bro scientist, and I listen to him. One thing I learned long ago is that good advice is where you find it. Don't ever forget that either.

I Took Pee Wee's Advice

I never realized how wise Pee Wee was until we had our chat the other day. He gave me a lot of advice, and it was all good. First, he said I should try to get back to my three workouts per day. Heck, I already knew that, but it was good to hear it and, it gave me a shot in the arm, so to speak. Next, he told me that he had rather I come to the gym everyday for a shorter time than to come for a long time for only a couple of visits per week. I agreed with him. You can put more into your workout when you divide things up like push/pull/legs repeated for a total of six workouts. Last week it was push, pull/push, pull, legs. Ouch, that hurt. You not only have time for more sets, but you also have time for more assistance exercises when you have a good split. In addition to all of that, he told me to get back on the road and to not let that hard-earned leg endurance slip away.

What can I say? He was right about everything.

So I hit the pool Monday morning in an attempt to get things started off right. While I was warming up, I kept rolling over in my mind what I was going to do. I thought about 2 X 7 on the 50s. And I thought about 500 for time. I even thought about a long straight swim. I haven't done one of those in several week. I wound up doing a medium straight swim, 3,350 yards at a slow(2:05) pace. It was good yardage although not the really long one I would have liked.

I did follow Pee Wee's advice again and hit the road for 6.4 miles. I even tossed in some multi-pacing. Just a little. But those were good numbers, and it set me on track for my three.

Penny made it easy for me when she went to some woman's meeting. Then I could go to Plate City and stay as long as I wanted without any feelings of guilt. I only did push, but for the first time in weeks, I did some seated rows in addition to my overhead presses and some flys on the new Titan machine. Pee Wee was happy, and when I came back inside the house, my shoulders and triceps were speaking to me. I liked that.

Thus, by following Pee Wee's advice, and by not being a sissy like he said not to, I did three workouts, all of them good ones, and have a strong week of training started.

How did I feel about the weather? you ask.

I loved it. I tried to enjoy the cold air because I know it will soon disappear, and we will long for some cooler temperatures. Enjoy what we have now because it will change very soon. The heat will be relentless and oppressive. I will try to enjoy that also. Thank God for the seasons. They keep life interesting.

I Talked it over with Pee Wee

We had a long-time hangout Saturday, Pee Wee and I. There is a reason for that, and the reason started at the first of last week. Monday I ran short on time, or was it energy? Wichtever it was, it caused me to not run, but more importantly, to not lift. That meant Pee Wee did not have his jam session with me. I did swim for 2,400 yards but nothing else but lazy lounging with cats. Pee Wee patrolled Plate City Gym alone.

Tuesday I only swam 1,450 yards. Maybe that is why I did a small run, 1.15 miles, and went to the City. Pee Wee scouted for monsters and other trespassers while I did both push and pull on the weights.

The next day I hit the pool for 2,400 yards, but for some reason, the gym lights remained off and neighbors did not see me on the streets. Maybe it had something to do with recovering from a 50K.

Thursday I had another good swim practice (2,600 yards), but Pee Wee remained alone outside. I shuffled on the road for 2.68 miles.

Friday is usually long day: long runs or long swims or long gym time or all three or two of the three. I had a pretty good swim, but not a really long run. Normally, I do a straight swim on Fridays. I was, however, inspired to do sets since I have a swim meet coming up in a little over a month. I swam a total of 3,400 yards which should be enough volume to aide in endurance as well as speed and stamina. I am working hard on stamina right now which is both the most inclusive training as well as the most gruelling.

I did it all Saturday. I went to the pool for a solid swim of 3,300 yards, then went to the City. Pee Wee was over the moon. Sweet boy. We talked about my eating problems. Remember, I had to get a to-go box when Penny and I went out Friday night? That was a first for me, and it both hurt my feelings and caused a little concern. Pee Wee said not to worry about it, that I was recovering from a 31-mile race and that changes everything. Besides, he said, sometimes he doesn't eat all his food, and look how fit, fast, and hansome he is. Good point, I answered.

It was one of those combination workouts: I combined everything. I lifted push, pull, and legs. That means full body. Tough. And I ran between sets on the treadmill. I kind of like the running at the gym, and I kind of don't. I'm weird like that. So I was out there a long time, and we talked a bunch. He told me how frustrating it was to bark at squirrels he has no chance of biting. I told him to keep doing his job and one day he would get one. On Monroe, he caught them routinely. Well, I finally dragged back into the house leaving Pee Wee forlorn and gazing into the trees in the neighbors' yards. I know your frustration, Little Man.

I think Pee Wee was right. I should not worry about this abberation of last week. It did follow a 50K, and I am not a young man. You can't be on the mountain top all the time. I just want to get up there once in a while. Once. 

For the week, I

  lifted weights two times!!!!

  ran 7.07 miles!!!!!, and

  swam 14,212 meters

Only the swim numbers were good. But it is a new week, I think I have recovered, and I am off work. Boy Howdie how I hope to work hard and hang out with my hound. Thank you, Jesus, for hope. It keeps our heads up and our feet moving. If you are reading this, get out there and do something.

I'll Talk it over with Pee Wee

I was up at 6:00 a.m. Sometimes that happens. I wake up at the time I usually get up and I know any attempt to sleep is futile. But I did lounge long, write a blog post, and hang out with Baby Kitty. I want my CC, but she is giving me the treatment. I have no clue what I did.

I dragged out and went to the pool about 10:30. It was empty, and I swam

  1,650 32:49

  200 for time 3:15 (1:38)

  100 easy, small paddles

  50 for time :42

  100 easy, small paddles

  100 for time 1:32

  100 easy, small paddles

  100 back for time 2:02

  100 easy, small paddles

  50 back for time 1:00

  100 easy, small paddles

  500 for time 8:41 (1:44)

  100 easy, small paddles

  50 long paddles

  2 X 25 no breath

  50 medium paddles

  total: 3,400 yards

I know what you are thinking. What the heck was that all about? Okay, I'll tell you. First, I did a long warmup. I like long warmups for two reasons. First, I like them. Second, they train part of the fitness system, the low end endurance, the oxygen utilyzing ability that everything else is built on. After that, I did some "for time" swims with a 100 easy with small paddlesbetween each one . There may appear to be no rhyme or reason for what I did, but you're wrong. What I did was the swim meet I will do in Biloxi next month. Those six "for time" swims are the six events I will swim in competition (and in the same order if my memory serves me correctly). The 100 easy with small paddles was me doing active recovery, my body repaying the oxygen dept while swimming and although the swimming was easy (it had to be), I was pulling the water a touch harder than normal due to the small paddles.

I have done this type of training before, and I am convinced that it works. I am not sure, however, that I have done it exactly like this. In the past, I had it programed into a Garmin watch which allowed me so much time to complete the swim and then a little wall time. As my fitness progressed, I would shorten the send off time thus condensing the work load. My Garmin, however, (that one, an old referb I purchased for that purpose) won't boot anymore. I thought about using the pace clock and giving myself one minute of rest between each swim, but I like a lot of volume on Friday (I usually do a straight swim) so I went with the easy swim between reps.

So the result was that I did a lot of volume while also doing a good bit of intensity. Volume plus intensity equals a strong practice and improving fitness. And I got to practice, to experience, the discomfort that those fast efforts produce. The more you do that, the less they seem to hurt. My 500 time was a little slow, but I was pretty tired by then. If memory serves me correctly (I could look it up, but I'm lazy like that) that is about what I did them last year when I swam "The Meet" as I called that practice. I will swim one later when I just warm up and then go for it. 

I went home to rest and Penny made me two really nice sandwiches for lunch. Then she wanted to go to Greenville for some shopping and to eat at the Cow Pen. That's what we did, so I missed my run and my gym time. Poor Pee Wee. I'll hang out with him today for a long time. I have lots of lifting I need to do. Oh, how was the Cow Pen? It seems they have two names now. One is Table on 82. We ordered a steak and for the first time in my life, I had to get a to-go box. I don't know what's happening to me in my old age. I'll talk it over with Pee Wee today.

Last Day

A festive atmospehre wafted through MDCC's Greenwood Center Thursday like food smells coming from the culinary division next door. The police officer was smiling when I walked through the door a bit before 8:00. Most of the students were tardy and distracted. They had that far-away look in their eyes like they were dreaming of upcoming vacations. Oh, wait. They were dreaming of upcoming vacations. And so was I. It was the last day of classes before Spring Break. 

Yehaa!

I have three classes on Tuesday and Thursday in contrast to four on Monday and Wednesday. That makes the last day of the working week shorter and easier and gets the weekend started right. When I left school Thursday, I had just a touch of that freedom feeling that I cherish so much.

After a little rest, I went to the pool and started warming up. I told Vicki I would be there at 4:00, but since I like long warmups and she likes short ones, I got in a little early. I swam

  1,000

  500

  300

  250

  200

  150

  200 medium paddles

  total: 2,600 yards

The 1,000 was a warmup, mine. The 500 was a second warmup, Vicki's. The 300 -150 was my main set and was swum hard with 1:00 minute rest between each rep. That was a solid set and the kind of swimming that will pay off come meet time. While we were there, a mom and her three (or was it four?) kids came in. They left after a minute or two, but they would have filled the pool up for play time. Increasingly, we are finding children playing in the pool. I'm not talking about swim lessons. We can co-exist with swim lessons. But kids throwing everything in the building into the pool and having no idea that you can't see them is a problem. In the summer, they own the big pool. Sometimes they still come into the little pool. You can't train with kids playing in the pool.

At home, I rested only about thirty minutes before going out for some roadwork. I shuffled 2.68 miles, only my second run since the 50K. My legs felt a little better. My feet felt a lot better.

I didn't go to the gym because I did my last push and pull workout Tuesday. I'm due for an upper body session Friday.

Three Things

Wednesday was my second long day of the week. I have been having an auditor sit in on my Old Testament course. I hate to admit it, but that has made me do a lot more preparation for class. I want it to be worth her while. She asked me if she could bring some friends. I said, "Heck yeah." 

I was washed out when I left campus and went home to rest. I hung out with Baby Kitty. CC has not been coming into the bedroom with me. What is my sin? I can't figure it out. She is affectionate in the rest of the house, but she has not been hanging out with me for about two months now. This hurts my heart. When I pet her in the rest of the house, she acts love starved. Keeping these cats loved up is a bigger job than I can handle.

I met Vicki at the pool about 5:00 p.m. We swam 

  550

  12X 50 @ 1:30 (the first three were decline 1 - 3)

  250 medium paddles

  6 X 25 no breath

  550

  4 X 50 back with small paddles

  100 easy

  total: 2,400 yards

That was pretty good training. When I got home, I thought I might run on the treadmill. But Penny had supper within minutes so I took another night easy on the legs. They, and my feet, are still recovering from Saturday. Today, however, I will run.

Next week is Spring Break. What to do? Three things: train, train, and train. Added to that are cats, cats, and cats. In addition is coffee, coffee, and coffee. I might even spend some time with my wife. Just kidding. Penny and I will do something. If I can get my training done in time. We will probably eat, eat, and eat.

First

Tuesday was a day of firsts. At work, we had mock interviews for my Employment Readiness class. I had done that before but with only me as the interviewer. This time, for the first time, we had a committee to interview the students. I think it was a really good exercise as it had a real feel about it. 

Another first was at the pool. It was not an all-time first but the first time I did over ten 50s in a practice this year. I did twelve. That was good training but a little straining being alone in the pool. 

Then I did my first run since the 50K. It was a short, slow, and uncomfortable affair of 1.15 miles. My legs were not there but my feet were. Sore. My feet are still sore. They get 6% better each day. At least I shuffled some and am on the road back.

Finally, I did my first workout on Plate City's newest piece of equipment. Since I did not lift Monday, I did both push and pull. I worked up a circuit of

  external rotations

  lateral raises

  Swim Pull

  Overhead press machine

  Fly machine

  reverse flys

I did four rounds of that and then it was time to go inside. So I had a long and productive day. God was good to me and for that I am thankful.

After 50K

How did you feel? 

Better than expected except for my feet. They are still sore, and I am walking gingerly. I did not run although I had planned to. Time got away from me.

How did that happen?

My latest Titan Fitness purchase came in. Plus Mondays I work late, remember? I thought I'd put the box around in the back so I could put it together later. Then I decided to unpack it. After that, I thought it would be a good idea to get just a couple of pieces bolted up. Well, I bet you can guess how this went. Yep, I kept doing one more thing until I put it all together. Then I played with it some and by then it was after 5:00. I got into the pool about 5:30 and swam

  1,500 

  12 X 50 @ 1:30 (using that new pace clock),

  200 medium paddles

  2 X 25 no breath

  50 back with small paddles

So, did you lift after you went home?

No. I ate supper and then began preparing for Wednesday's classes.

You mean Tuesday's?

No. I have Tuesday covered. Wednesday will be a big day with two lecture classes, one literature class, and one writing class. 

OK. So what about today?

I hope to lift a lot and play with that machine. And I really want to take a short  run. My feet might not allow it, however, but I'll take a shot at it.

2/27 - 3/5

It was race week, so there was a big drop off for much of it. Monday, for instance, I got tied up with something and barely got a swim in (1,400 yards) and then some gym time. No running whatsoever.

Tuesday, I did a good swim and my long run of the week (besides the race) at a whopping 3.25 miles. In the pool, I hit 2,200 yards with some nice quality. I also lifted some weights. 

Wednesday, I swam for the first time with my new pace clock. I hit 3,000 yards, then ran 2.18 miles, but skipped my leg workout to freshen for the Mississippi Trail 50 Saturday.

Thursday, I did not run. I did swim 2,300 yards. That was all. And Friday, I hit the road on the way south so there was no training whatsoever. 

Saturday was the big day. I did the 50K at the Mississippi Trail 50. I made a conservative estimate that I ran 21 miles of the 31. That's what I gave myself credit for in my training diary. I had fun at the race. Of course there was some discomfort. There always is. But already the pain is shifting to the background and what remains are good thoughts and nice feelings about the whole event. Next year? I don't know yet. I am not sure I can ever meet the cut-off for the 50 miler and that is the distance I want to conquer next. I had hoped to do it this time at the MS Trail 50.

For the week, I

swam 8,134 meters, (way down)

ran 26.43 miles, (a little low) and

lifted weights two times (very low)

So all in all, it was a light week plus the one big effort. That 50K should add a little endurance back into my legs. Not only that, but now I can really focus on the swim. That is the next big thing things. I have the State Senior Olympics, the State Games of Mississippi, Pool Fools, and the Heart O' Dixie Triathlon coming up. Strength and swimming will be the order of the day with a little running thrown in. 

Priceless (50K Race Report)

Generally, I am a non-judgmental person. When I see a someone warming up for a marathon, however, I judge. When I see a person warming up for a 50K/50-miler, like I did recently, I judge harshly. Tell me you are stupid, I thought, without telling me you are stupid. I was at the start of the Mississippi Trail 50. It was March 4, 2023 at 5:45 a.m. But I get ahead of myself. Let me back up and begin at the beginning.

I left home about 8:00 a.m. Friday morning and headed south. I stopped at St. Dominic's Hospital to visit a church member. Then I drove to Florence where I had plans to meet my old friend, Lynn Watts, for lunch. We met at Berry's and had a nice meal while I listened to Lynn talk. He's like our daughter: you don't talk to Lynn, you listen to him. I didn't mind. That's my stong suit anyway.

"CT takes two days to answer a text," he complained.

"Like you?" I responded.

"Well, I'm OK now."

Lynn looking like a bomb blew up inside his head.

I was glad to hear it. More importantly, I was glad to see it.

After I left Berry's, I shot south for Hattiesburg where I wanted to stop by Play It Again Sports. I made it there and found a used pair of 25 pound plates. Gosh, I like that store. Then I headed for the start/finish line of the Trail 50 to pick up my packett. I used my phone to get me there, which is in the Desoto National Forrest outside of Laurel, Mississippi. As I was driving in, I saw two guys running on the trail, 100 milers. They have a 100-mile race now, and they had started at noon. Hungry wolves, I thought. They look like hungry wolves.

I got my packett, and then used my phone to get to my brother's house which is near the Myrick community. At Myrick, I stopped at the store to pick up some ice-cream. Myrick is an "a" town. Everything there starts with the letter "a." There is a store, a Baptist Church, a school, and a house. The clerk told me where the ice-cream was and called me "Baby," not in any flirty sense, but in that old-fashioned, quaint, Southern courtesy that is almost non-existent now. I liked that.

At my brother's, Rebecca cooked spaghetti, and it was good, yeah. And it was good to hang out with them and their son, Haywire who came by with his dogs. I liked his dogs, Rose, a hyper half lab, half border collie, and Maisey, and sweet, shy Mountain Cur.

Satruday morning, I was at the national forrest and parked by 5:30. I don't know how many people were in the race, but it was a nice crowd.

There were as many people behind me as
in front of me.

At 6:00 a.m., we were off. But before we started, I saw Dennis Bisnett, the race director. Years ago, at a pre-race meeting, he told us that alcohol was prohibited in the forrest. "If you get caught," he said, "I will prosecute you. I am the Assistant District Attorney for Jones County."

I said, "Dennis. You might want to announce before the start that my brother will be parked on the gravel road handing out free beer." 

It was like I uplugged his brain. It took him a few seconds to reboot, then he snapped, "He can't do that!"

After the start, we shuffled along in silence while my mind tried to read my body. I was not confident. A month ago I had done a marathon. But since then I had trained little and felt poorly when I did. Very early, my legs felt tired. I am in trouble, I thought. 

About mile three, I started running with an old man. "How many marathons and ultras have you run?" I asked.

"Eight hundred and twenty eight."

"Really?"

"Yeah. There are ninety people in the world who have run more than me. But those ninety have run way more. Some of them are in the 1,000s."

Mind officially blown.

Then my right foot hit a root. I yelled loudly as I went down. Rich, the 828 man, must have turned and watched my descent. "Nice roll," he said afterwards. "I learned to do that in the Army Airborn. If you roll, you never get hurt."

One of the many small creeks we had to cross.

After about eight miles, I realized, I can do this. Then I focused on listening to the birds, and glimpsing the trees. Believe you me, Desoto National Forrest has lots of trees.

The 50K course is two large loops, 12.4 miles, and one smaller loop of 6.1 miles. By the end of the first loop, I was feeling better. That is unusual for me. Usually, running is always a slow descent from the start. Maybe it had something to do with the aid stations. At one of them, they had bacon. You read that right, bacon.

I finished my first lap in 3:10. That got me to thinking that maybe I could do the 50-miler. If I do the second loop in 3:10, I can pull it off. This race allows you to go up or down in distance But about 18.5 miles in, things got hard. And this time, they didn't get any better.

There was an out-and-back section on the big loop on a gravel road. At the turn around point, there was a generator operating a sensor. The race director had told us, "If the sensor does not pick you up, you didn't do it."

What comfort.

At the aid station where the out-and-back started, I asked one of the volunteers, "Is that thing supposed to beep?" because usually they do. "It didn't beep with me so I kicked it real hard and then it made a funny noise." Oh, my gosh. The look on his face.

The sensor I claimed to have kicked.

It was two miles later before I stopped laughing. Once, I had to lean up against a large pine tree to keep from falling down. Right now, my whole mid-section is sore.

Bunnies and bacon. It doesn't get any better.

Before I finished lap two, I knew the 50-mile option was a no go. Starting the final small loop, however, I was encouraged by the fact that I was going to finish 50K. Then I came upon a young man stretching. Never a good sign. We got to chatting. He asked my how many 50Ks I had done. I asked him if it was his first, suspecting that it was.

"It's my first anything," he said.

"You're kidding," I shot him a look.

"A friend talked my into it. I'm stupid."

"How much did you train?"

The look on his face told me. "You're kidding," I almost shouted.

"I'm stupid."

I stopped to take a pee, and he told me he had not peed all day.

"You're kidding!" I yelled. I gave him an electrolyte pill. "Take this now and start drinking." 

We became seperated for a mile or two then joined up again. "Have you peed?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Was it bloody?"

"No."

"Good. You might live."

By then, the miles were slow and difficult. I shuffled a little, walked some, and prayed a lot. Quinton, my brother, texted me and said he was at the finish line. "I'll be there in a few minutes," I answered. And I was. It felt real good to be done, and I was touched that he and Haywire, my nephew, had shown up.

With my brother at the finish line.

That night we ate Boston Butt that Quinton had cooked all day along with mashed potatos and backed beans Rebecca cooked. It was good, yeah.

Driving home Sunday morning, I thought over the past two days. They were good days, days that will live in my memory forever. I thought about the price of it all, the price of the training and the financial cost of going to and competing in an event like that.

Entry fee: $90

Gasoline: $70

Eats on the road: $45

Running shoes: $160

Running watch: $450

Running cap: $10

Running shorts: $40

The look on that man's face when I told him I kicked the sensor: Priceless!