I missed my friends. I had a nice time getting away in Dallas but didn't get to read your blogs or run with you on Saturday. Or even maybe get in a bike ride early this morning. Mind you, I probably needed a change of pace. I did nothing on Wednesday and most likely will do nothing today but will be back in the saddle tomorrow, I presume! Must mow the yard at some point.

I did run/walk around 5 miles Thurday morning in Dallas. It was overcast so not too hot even though I started later than I should have. Saturday was a different story, about the heat, for sure. The plan was to drive out to White Rock Lake and do the 15 out there. There is a Marathon in Dallas by that name so it sounded like a plan. It's only 9 miles around the lake so I new I'd have to figure out how to do more. And, they said they had a group run beginning at 7 am but I didn't want to start that late as I HATE the heat. But, I failed to reset the alarm on my phone from the Sunday before and didn't even wake up until 615 am!!!! And, White Rock was 39 minutes away! But, I was determined to get it done so off we went. I had found an old Jeff Gallaway book of mine and I reread it on the plane and in Dallas and it was truly very helpful to me. Mainly about doing the LSD--Long Slow Distance, that is. I know, Mark has been preaching about that to us but it was going in one of my ears and out the other. But, I had been having the awful back pain which got really terrible earlier this past week so I wanted to take it easy so I could finish the mileage. And, I knew it was going to be hot and lonely out there, and tempting to stop once I got around the 9 mile lake. So I ran as slow as I could. And, I took in more calories than I usually do--ate PowerBar during the first hour, and then had a gel and Sport Beans. And Endurox recovery drink when it was all over.

So, I did it slow and easy. And, amazingly, I felt SO much better as I ran. Almost no soreness in my legs and very little shortness of breath. And then the heat began to mount. I wanted to do 5:1 intervals for the first 9 miles but gave up around mile 8. Wasn't even able to do 2:1's. Almost went in the men's bathroom but caught myself JUST in time! Made it back to my starting point, got a new bottle of Propel and decided I would walk the last 6 miles. We decided to try to walk with the dogs which I thought was fine until I realized that I was way ahead with the ShihTzu and couldn't find Howard and the Golden Retriever. This fiesty little ShihTzu wanted to run and keep up with all the bikes on the trail. So, we turned around and found that the tired, pleasantly plump Golden Retriever was resisting moving and had plopped down in the middle of the trail, much to the chagrin of the many runners and bikers. So, I forged back on to the trail alone. I walked most of it with a few jogs here and there when there was downhill or shade. And thank goodness for water fountains along the way as one bottle of Propel was about a third of what I needed. And they had sprayers that you could spray yourself with to cool down which was nice. So, I guess I finished about 11:15, proud, not too sore, with Howard saying it really wasn't that hot outside. Now, he was sitting in the car with the airconditioning on with the two dogs so I don't think he gets a vote on this one!

But, I was worried that I'd only do 9 miles and then feel compelled to try to do 15 sometime during this week so I'm VERY glad it is over and done with! And, I'm proud that all of you managed to do your 15 even in the rain! Actually, I think that the cooling effect of the rain may have been a blessing even if it did mess up your shoes. And my pretty new shoes got messed up, too, as there were segments of the path at White Rock that were muddy and under water and I had to slosh through to get around the low spots. Shoes and socks not looking so good. But, it is an awesome place to run--really two roads and a path to choose to run, walk, or bike on but it was FULLL of people and a little scary with many, many bikes.

I think I am a Mississippi girl, through and through!

Blogger boredom

Well, I'm just doing this blog so there will be one of there for someone to read because there aren't any on there for me to read. Since I have no life and reading blogs is a big part of my daily entertainment, I am bored!!!! I do worry that I am missing lots of your blog names in my reader but I keep going to the MM site and can't figure out which ones I have and which ones I don't. I know I don't have Floyd--Debra mentioned that you have one--what is your blogger name so I can put it on my list?

I am pretty bummed out about having to do three of the upcoming long runs on my own. And not neccessarily in fun or cool (as in temperature) places. This weekend, I'm gonna have to gut out 15 miles in Dallas if they aren't flooded everywhere--they've had daily rain forever I think. On June 23rd, I'm planning to go to New York to meet my son and his wife to be to check out wedding plans and places so I'll have to do that one up there. And, on August 25th, I'll be getting my makeup and hair done for their wedding that night! Don't think I want to be limping or exhausted for such a glorious occasion so I don't know what I'll do about that one. Maybe I'll do it on the Monday or Tuesday after I get home. I'm leaving on the Wednesday before the 25th so doing it early isn't such a good option either. And, you know, I DO depend on being with y'all to survive these long runs so I'm now pouting big time. But, we are marathoners, and I'll figure out something.

I'm pretty flattered that Mandy appears to be shocked that I am into the second half of my first 100 years of life. And she wonders how old I am. Now, I'm not one of these women who is ashamed of her age because I am grateful and happy to be alive and well! I have lots of friends who've lost siblings at a far younger age than I am so I celebrate getting older each year with gusto. I am doing the Half Marathon at Disney next January to celebrate my double nickel birthday--let's see if Mandy can figure that out. I know she can. And, I am old enough to be your mother, Mandy! My oldest son is 28 and I was finished with medical school when he was born! So there.

Oh, the joy

I'm astonished that I am enjoying this year in Marathon Makeover as much as I am. For two reasons. I remain proud of myself that I am exercising regularly, striving for a goal, and getting fairly fit. And, this is a BIG thing as, when I don't have someone to meet, or a reason to exercise, I usually DON't. For the first 50 years or so of my life this was my pattern.

And, the second thing that is so fun and good for me? I love all the new people that I am getting to meet and know. People who I probably never would have had the opportunity to ever be around even though we most all live in this metropolitan area. And people to meet and exercise with and go out to eat with and be friends with. And be a support group with. Oh, what bad grammar I am using--my old English teachers would certainly not be proud.

I actually am and was a VERY shy person. As a child I was painfully shy. I'm better now but still not too good at making conversation with people I don't know. But, somehow, knowing that we are all part of this marathon family, I feel like we all have something in common and are all rooting for one another and there for one another.

For some reason, today's run wasn't too bad, I didn't think. 8 miles still isn't anything to sneeze at but it seemed quite doable compared to last week. Several of us did the run at the Rez, and it sure was nice to be finished when we got back to the Y rather than having to go another 5 or so miles up to Campfire Circle and back! And, I switched back to my 2:1 interval because my back was sore before I even started, and I did NOT want a repeat of last week's physical challenge. Jody, Suzanne, Debra, and I sat down in the grass at the Y and stretched and talked for a few minutes and then went for breakfast together which was nice. And, we three girls are going to meet in the morning to ride bikes which will be a treat. You see, I've never had anybody to ride bikes with before, and I usually will not go to the trouble to take my bike out to the Rez to ride although it is a much more protected place to ride than in my neighborhood. Because, once I leave my immediat neighborhood, I have to share the road with cars and trucks and that is scary!!!!

Enough going on and on. But, isn't it impressive now that we not only say and think that 8 miles is a short run but that it seems "easy" compared to that 13 miles we did last week and the 15 we gotta do next week?

And now we have to listen to Mark and Clark fight for bragging rights about their butts.

We are living in a time of awesome developments

Now I will pontificate on things TOTALLY unrelated to marathon training. One of the things that I think is awesome in our lives is the internet and the ability to research and learn about almost anything. And look at how all of us are able to communicate with each other even in Marathon Makeover. I also just read here at work (yes, I'm still here) about an unresectable lung tumor that will be treated with radiofrequency ablation--zap it without surgery which this patient would not be able to tolerate. But, the real reason for the blog is about insulin and all the stuff I learned today. And, I am a doctor but obviously rusty since I work for Social Security Disability. Boy have things changed! Indeed, my brother does have to take insulin but it is so much easier than is was years ago that it almost seemed like a breeze. An injectable multidose pen with a teensy needle and the stuff doesn't even have to be refrigerated any more. I am so relieved and the doctor thinks he is going to feel much, much better once his blood sugar is under better control. He had been totally against going on insulin and all of us have been worried about it for all the reasons I had mentioned in my prior blog. But this amazing little gadget is easy to use even for someone whose manipulative skills are a little impaired from the Parkinson's. The doctor we saw today, Dr. Dyess was awesome and I am forever grateful for his help and explanation of all this. And all sorts of new ways to take insulin are on the horizon, and there already is inhalable insulin but he felt that this pen was so easy and pain free that it would be best. So enough rambling on for me but I am pleased for all the diabetics in this world that their lives have been made easier by this Insulin pen and by the easy diabetic monitoring meters that are available now.

I think I got my MoJo back

Now, I don't know what Mojo is but I like the sound of it. If it's something nasty, y'all just let me know. But, after feeling like my marathon running days were over while struggling on Saturday and being a fine couch potato for most of both Saturday and Sunday, I was pleased as punch to have a good run today where I did not feel like I was gasping for breath--and my back wasn't hurting. Now, mind you, I was sort of okay for the first five miles on Saturday, too, but I was definitely encouraged by being able to run without feeling like a beached fish on its way to dying.

We ran into Shannon and Debra Milstead today running at the reservoir so now there are several of us out there early in the morning if anyone else is game and tired of fighting the afternoon heat. They started at 515 I think and we started at 530 this morning which is our usual starting time except for every other Thursday when Sally has an early meeting at work. I'll try to remember to post on here when we are starting before the sun comes up! Meeting my two diabetic brothers at the endocrinologist in a little while so everybody keep their fingers crossed that my brother who has been so sick doesn't have to go on insulin. The reason we are so worried about this is that he lives by himself and, as far as I know, can cook only microwave popcorn. We joke that the only time that his oven has ever been turned on is when someone's butt accidentally hits the knobs while they are standing in the kitchen talking! But, we are working on educating him on easy, healthy things to fix and how to grocery shop.

The first Annual Simpson Half Marathon

Just finished reading the blogs from people who finished their first half marathon yesterday and to all of you, including those who haven't blogged, CONGRATULATIONS! I thought it might justg be old hat to run 13.1 miles again, but running it with such a fun and nice group of people and in such a festive way ending with much-needed chairs and Baptist water made it quite memorable. And, I love my medal. Somehow both this medal and the one from the infamous Goat Milk Half two years ago in Utica or Raymond (I can't remember) are more special to me than the fancier ones from Chicago. I guess because they came from Mississippi? Or because they were hand made by Mississippians??? I don't know. But, I'm proud to have it.

The stars didn't line up just right for me yesterday and I just couldn't get it all going. Short ness of breath and bad back pain hampered me all along the way. I thought about quitting when we got to Lakeshore Park at eight miles--I think I would have if the water stop had been in the parking lot but decided to carry on since the water was along the path. I think maybe I have a little virus as I wasn't very hungry Friday or yesterday. But I am going to survive because I'm back eating today! Although very sore and tired. Slept in this morning which felt great. In fact, I'm still in bed although I have been up and down with the dogs and read the paper and eaten breakfast.

The party was fun--we sure had no shortage of food, did we????? The Lake Caroline clubhouse was a great place for the party, finally, we have all seen Clark's butt!!!! And, I'll just leave it at that. We should share some recipes, either on this Blogger or on the MM site where we post! And, who knew that Matt could sing??? Or that water had a religion?

Aren't we proud to have our aches and pains and black toenails and blisters today? And only five more long runs until the real thing!!!! Now you know you can do it. Despite enduring heat and pain, you finished the half and you will be able to use this same inner strength to finish the whole in October!

I need to get up and do some yardwork but I'm not sure it's gonna get done today. Maybe this week deserves an extra rest day, huh Homer and Robin????

You might be a Mississippi marathoner if. . . . . . . .

. . . . you think sleeping until 6 am is getting to sleep late.

. . . . you'd rather run at 5 am than 6 am just to avoid the heat.

. . . you are so dumb that you can't buy a bottle of tequila to go in the bucket of frozen margarita mix.

I went to Sam's last night and bought 2 buckets, one for me and one for Sally to bring to the party--thinking one sure won't be enough. Then, went in the liquor store right by Sam's to buy the tequila. There were two large bottles, two different flavors, and I picked the original lime flavor. Went home carefully measured out 750 ml of the "tequila" to go into each bucket, stirred it all up, and then noticed that the bottle said "margarita" and not tequila. This was a bottle of ready to drink margaritas--I've never seen nor heard of that. So, hopefully I will manage to get by the liquor store today to buy a REAL bottle of tequila to add to the mixes or we will certainly not got tipsy on these. Probably better anyway, considering the law enforcement!!!

And, on another note, still doing the back exercises. Getting carpet burn on my knees and elbows from doing them and glad that no one is at my house to watch this. Some of these moves are a bit suggestive!