Running, Taper, Etc.

Gathered with Stillwater runners at the tennis courts at 7:00 this morning for our Saturday morning run. What a sunrise!
Then about a dozen of us walked into a local restaurant for the annual breakfast to send off the folks who go south for the winter.

And then myeloma information/support group, food shopping at Whole Foods, lunch at home.
I had bought "Men's Health" to read for my Sweetie ... but the thing stinks with cologne ads.
Then "Runner's World" came in the mail (same publisher). Let's keep "Runner's World"
fragrance free!

Interesting article about taper: Some guy tapers to 85 miles the week before the marathon. Well, anyway, I guess the point is taper, but keep doing some of whatever you have been doing??!! Best of luck to us all.
Seriously! we do love love "Runner's World" magazine!

Sweet hummingbird at the feeder. And then my Honey snapped a butterfly at the hummingbird feeder.

Gateway 7 1/3 miles

Shhhhhhh whisper the poplar leaves in the wind. Breezy in the high 50s ... a pleasant taper run for the love of being out there.

We remembered to hydrate... why has that taken so long to learn?

It is a good day.
To enlarge, click on the picture.

"It is not always the understanding of life that is important, but rather the believing in the wonder of it." ... Flavia

8 1/2 miles on Gateway Trail

Well, he just left the room, singing!! Masterpiece Guy is running again. Yea.

Sweet Pea and I had a nice run today. The temp was in the low 50's ... our absolutely favorite weather for running. We carried both water and Gatorade ... managing good hydration... but then I guess that is easier when it is cool.
Another restoration project: saving the magnificent oaks.
Today we saw only a few bicycles. Some days.. especially on weekends, there are baby stollers, roller bladers, lots of bicycles, and horses. In the picture at the top, you can see the horse trail beside the blacktop trail. Some runners use the horse trail for trail training. There are trash cans for recycling and for trash. No excuses for littering .... and litter is rare.
Good words from "BOSTON LEGAL" tonight...
We live very good lives.
Seize the silliness.

Also a good case for not trusting research funded by businesses with a vested interest in the outcome!

Myeloma Race for Research.

This one is for Don! He has myeloma, and he did the official measuring to certify the 5K distance around Lake Phalen in St. Paul. Picture below: putting up a mile marker sign just before the race. We covered the whole 5K race course putting up signs and then did the race... for lots of Weight Watcher points. Shoreline restoration project to save the lake. Flowers growing along the shore. Myeloma survivors in orange shirts. We think maybe 500 folks either raced with timing chips or simply participated by walking. Don and his supportive friend. Details about the shoreline restoration. Pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.

16 Miles on Gateway

Maples are turning. We heard today that the fall will be even more colorful because of the several inches of rain a couple of days ago.
Sky was cloudy on Thursday, but the sumac was brilliant. Horses grazing, none on the trail that day. One egret.. almost time to fly south.
Had hoped to do 20 miles, but my left knee is painful... along the outside. We were disappointed that there were no warning signs that the trail was being totally excavated at mile 10, but we could have gone partway up to the other end again to get in the distance. I think we actually drank enough this time. Well, it was probably only about 60 degrees, so not difficult. It was breezy when we started out and a couple of women on bikes, and with jackets on, said we looked cold. Our kind of running weather.

Master Gardeners in Their Mid-90's

Gorgeous home-grown tomatoes and peppers and cucumbers... produce of the garden of my Honey's parents.
Seven decades of gardening in this lovely place. Note healthy bell pepper plants and carefully staked tomato plants. Beets, and the beet greens are a vegetable too, dill ... to go with the cucumbers for those wonderful dill pickles they give away at Christmas, carrots have already been made into salad, potatoes, and the favorite of all broccoli family fans: Brussels sprouts. High fences have been devised to keep out the four-legged salad eaters (pesky over-abundant deer).
Summer squash and winter squash. For years, when their gardens were far larger, they raised the best sweet corn in town. Brussels sprouts for anti-cancer dining.
And oh, the flowers and flowers. Honey's Mom is an award-winning arranger of bouquets. She was an active key member of the local garden club until the other members got too old to continue.

High School Reunion

That's me.... 2nd row, 6th from the left.

We celebrate the lives of those who have died.
After reading the names of the deceased members of our graduating class, I gave this prayer of blessing before the dinner:
(They repeatedly specified "short" prayer.)

"Gracious God of all Creation,
We celebrate your generous gifts.
We are grateful for years of living.
Bless our meal.
Bless our time together.
And grant us all safe passage home."

Sunday morning we attended worship at the church where I grew up.

Moose Mountain Marathon: more favorite pictures

Sweet Pea surveying fall color. Lake Superior, in the distance, reflects the color of the mercifully cloudy sky. In the 50's all day, it was our kind of running weather.
I'm still right on the trail here: rocky, with the water running right along beckoning another opportunity for pictures. Our cameras are digital, and taking pictures doesn't slow us down much.

This is the trail... rocks, roots, and relentlessly up. But isn't it beautiful?!

Can you spot my Honey down on the bridge, taking a picture of us?
We 3 all took pictures. Cross River, Temperance River: magnificent shots. Sweet Pea loved the sound of the rushing waters, as we approached and as we hiked along the banks and over the bridges.
Catching a breath on the way up.
More lovely noisy rapids.
Signs kept us informed.
Do you know the way... to Oberg Parking Lot...? No clue about distance on the sign... but we made it to the final aid station, where marvelous volunteers served Sweet Pea and me hot chicken soup. And after nearly 9 hours and 21 miles on rocky trails, encouraged and photographed by Sweet Honey Runner, we 2 accepted a ride to the finish. We had a trail run of a lifetime.
My Honey at the finish: He did the whole thing... a full marathon on the Lake Superior Trail. Soaking wet with rain and sweat, he laughed with delight.
For more details and photos about our run, click these:

• minnesotadon.blogspot.com/2007/09/moose-mountain-marathon.html
• minnesotadon.blogspot.com/2007/09/more-moose-mountain-marathon-pix.html

Moose Mountain Marathon on Lake Superior Trail

Mouth full of ginger cookies!

BE SURE to read Make It A Masterpiece for the real scoop on the Moose Mountain Marathon.

Sweet Pea and I got all the way to Oberg Aid Station for a great 21 miles.
It made the day to have my Honey stick with us for as long as we could make it. What a great experience!

Trail Run in the Park

Teddy Bear Park, Stillwater MN

Located near downtown, Teddy Bear Park is designed for children ages 7 and under.
You may hover your mouse over each picture for details.
Click on each picture to enlarge.

Victory Races

On Labor Day, in the Camden Webber neighborhood in north Minneapolis, the 5K and 10K Victory Races draw great participation. The event is a great opportunity to see friends and celebrate a good or not-so-good running season. The neighborhood organization is supportive.. with free hot dogs, etc. Families come to cheer their runners.

The "CharitiesChallenge" races people were there to invite folks to the first annual "Challenge Aging" run and race walk ... a certified 5K around Como Lake in St. Paul on Sunday, September 30. www.CharitiesChallenge.org

Buckshot Races for Eau Claire Area Special Olympics

Pipers and color guard, plus the National Anthem before the starting gun.

The 5 mile and 2 mile races are held every year on the Saturday before Labor Day in Carson Park, along the banks of the Chippewa River.

At the starting gun, 800 runners are off on the 5 mile race. Another 800 or so, including many children of all ages run the 2 mile race.

The courses are on paved trails through pine woods. Strollers are allowed, and participants are of all ages.

My brother and sister-in-law, as well as my Sweetie and I all received age group awards in the 2 mile race. Sweet Pea came in before more than half of her age group.