For the first time since Sunday, I got out and ran this morning. I am so very glad I did. It was real foggy but not smothering. As a matter of fact, I ran 5 miles! I haven't run that long in a while. My pace was slower than usual but I really didn't care. I wanted my pace to be slower to achieve a good calorie burning run instead of speed one.

Kent ran a while (for time, not distance) and worked out at the pool afterwards. I usually run longer than he as he can do his swimming and be ready about the time I've finished. I was glad to see my lady friends when I went inside to be with him. They are the sweetest ladies and we seem to have a kind of bond. There's one in particular that I always look for and she does me, too. She is in her 80's and has arthritis real bad. I don't know how she makes it there sometimes due to the pain. She still drives and is very faithful to the water aerobics class. These ladies all seem to watch after one another and check on each other if they don't know why they aren't there. It is so nice to know that women care for another as they age. I hope I will be blessed with friends like these when I reach those decades. It is truly a blessing from God!

Hot & Muggy

I don't know how he does it but Kent can get out and run when you can hardly draw a breath! I have not run in the last couple of days because it was like someone stepping on my chest when I went outside. But he is faithful......guess more than I ever will be. This is encouraging for me and hope I will get on that dratted treadmill sometime today and do "something"!! I feel so much better when I run but days like the recent ones have been difficult at best! Hope I overcome this "monster" that's got me held down. Have a good one all of you out there that are so consistent...keep up the good work and great examples for others like me!

JCJC Run

We participated in the JCJC (Jones County Jr. College) 5k Race yesterday held on their campus. It was different, at best. It was difficult for me as it seemed like I ran uphill the entire way until I got to the stadium where we ran almost a lap around the football field. This uphill tromp was hard on me and it seem to wear me down within the first mile and half. My time was horrible! Guess I met my challenge, huh?

There were over 200 participants! I knew there were a lot but couldn't believe that many were there. It was suppose to be 70% rain, but we only felt a couple of drops before the run started and no more. As it turned out, Kent won 3rd place in his age group and I won the Women's Grand Master! Beautiful fruit was served and it was real refreshing after a hard run. We really enjoyed the fellowship with other Pine Belt Pacers after the race which was a great way to end the morning.

First off are our awards. The first one is of the RRCA State Championship Grand Masters Award from the Labor Your Legs Run on Labor Day. I wanted a close-up picture of it as it is so pretty. (See the previous post for details.) I'm so proud of it and still can't believe I won it!! What an honor!


Here's Kent at the Awards Ceremony. Also, is a picture of his medal. I thought the stop watch embrazoned on it was real unique. Well, both awards were quite snazzy!



Here's me with my award and a close up picture of it.



Me & Neil...Grand Masters Winners


Us after the race

Candid Shot of some Great Pine Belt Pacer Runners


Janis, Charles and me

Labor Your Legs Run

This was a great Labor Day for me! Kent & I ran in the Labor Your Legs Labor Day Run in Hattiesburg this morning. At first, I thought it wasn't going to be a good day for me. It was foggy, muggy and a little hard to breathe...and on top of that I hadn't run since running the Trek the Trace last Tuesday - a week ago!! So I hesitantly went out with the mindset that I was going to do the best I could and not worry about any times or anything. The road race was flat and a very good one; one of the best I've run in in quite a while. It only had one hill that was very close to the 3 mile mark. BUT...and I say, BUT...it turned out to be a great race for me! None of the elements above bothered me at all. My splits were good and I felt so rejuvenated which inspired me to run faster than I thought I could. Of course, the excitement of a racestart kicks in some adrenalin and helps, too. When I made my last turn going into the last tenth mile I was able to speed up a good bit and run hard. I'm so glad that I did. My finish time was 26:17! That is an 8:27 pace...yay!! I was way beyond excited! When the results came in, I found myself holding the RRCA State Champion Grand Masters bevelled mirror award! It is so beautiful and I could hardly believe it.


This was the largest number attended in Hattiesburg history! Congratulations to all of the winners! And, by the way, everyone is a winner. Any time you get out and run in a race, YOU are a winner. Just being out should inspire you to do YOUR best regardless of what that is. And for those that might need a little extra push to get off the couch and run or walk, just check out this "little" incentive ...

Number 134 is a 3-year old running the 1-mile race! Hey, I said 3 years old!! Thanks, Sweetie, for inspiring me!!! I look forward to seeing you for a LONG time...

Last Trek the Trace

We were able to attend the last Trek the Trace event of the summer. It was held at the USM Longleaf Trace Station. This run entailed predetermining your end time for 2 miles. You could not use your watch (of course) and should not go over the time you estimated. It did not matter who crossed the finish line first only who came the closest to their guessed time. You were to shoot for a Personal Record time on this course. I have been using my daily training course as my best time but in this case, but this was a documented course time. My time was 17:24 with a pace of 8:41 per mile. Now, I have a "real" time to start from. I came in 26 seconds better than my guess and Kent came in 35 seconds better. It was good for both of us.

Our faithful race recorder: Nestor, doing a fantastic job!

Page 1 of the finishing times.

Page 2 of the finishing times.

After the run we enjoyed great food. I'm glad you couldn't see our plates!!

More Trek the Trace Pics

Here are a few more pictures of us at the Trek the Trace last Tuesday, 8/25. Don't know who took them, but we appreciate them. For more details of the run and more pics, please see the August 27th post below.

Prior to the Race



Preparing for our Pilates class




Ready to Trek



This was a lot of fun!