I’m a soft heart.  I really am.

Over the last year, I’ve run for the shooting tragedies in Paris, Orlando and Chattanooga.  I’ve run to bring awareness and benefit to the folks suffering through a water crisis in Flint MI.  I’ve run to raise money for colon cancer awareness, cures and support.  And as always, I’ve run in honor of our military, and in remembrance of 9/11.

And now once again, I’ve run to help aid folks in distress.  This time, it’s for the folks in the Smokies, who’ve dealt with the biggest wildfire tragedy in that area in a century.

The images and videos folks have posted, especially of Gatlinburg, have been heart-wrenching.  It looks otherworldly.  The mountains there are covered in fire, looking like something out of an apocalyptic filmmaker’s story.  It just doesn’t seem possible that this is happening in east Tennessee.

When Vacation Races and Virtual Running Club sent out an email blast about this race over the weekend, I knew I had to sign up.  I needed to do something to help.  And with this race, 100% of the proceeds are going to one of four charities that are active in the area.  I chose Dolly Parton’s “My People Fund”.

Saturday, I did my miles for this race, taking things slow, as this was my first time out on trail after my calf blowout in Tulsa.  I followed my rule of petting every dog I saw, which kept my pace down.  And although I felt a little tightening in my right calf, it wasn’t too bad.  I believe I need to get out there more this week, and put a few more miles on my leg to see how I’m recovering.

And in fairness, that’s what east Tennessee is gonna do, too.  They’ll assess what’s happened, pick up the pieces, and go right back out there, doing what they do.  I know that the any resilience that I have came from being raised in that region.  It’s part of the very air there, and I know they’ll recover, and be stronger for it.

This event benefitted Dolly Parton’s “My People Fund.”

Race Course

Today was likely the last tune-up before the Route 66 races in Tulsa this weekend.  With the unseasonably warm weather (about 70° today, and close to 80° tomorrow), I’m pretty sure that anything I do is gonna feel weird when I get to Tulsa, and take on races where the temps will be closer to 30° when I start.

This was also the last of the Star Trek anniversary medals I had squirreled away.  Much like the Back to the Future anniversary last year, I hung quite a few Trek anniversary baubles from my medal shelf.  I’ve thought a couple of times about taking ’em all down — and that’s a HUGE effort — and grouping like medals together.  Maybe some day!

It was a glorious day, with loads of sunshine, and several other folks out enjoying the midday break.  I changed my route a little, and took the path down Wren Trail.  It’s been a little bit since I’ve been on that stretch of pavement, and I’d forgotten how nice it was.  At midday, there’s plenty of shade to keep you out of the sun, but still enjoy the breezes.  It was really a cleansing, refreshing time spent out in nature.

I’ve been gathering up all my goodies for the races this weekend, and as I write this, it dawned on me to see how many events I’ve done between last year’s half marathon, and this year’s.  And that number?  Seventy-four.  Seventy-four times over the last twelve months, I’ve laced up my shoes, gotten my stuff together, and headed out the door to put miles behind me, generally to the benefit of some group or another.

That may be a pretty normal cadence for more avid runners than me.  For a kid that never put the word “run” in his vocabulary until he was 48, I’m thrilled that I can still do this, and that I’ve stayed interested enough to keep picking ’em up and putting ’em down, all in the name of good causes.

This event benefitted Team Mill Hollow.

Race Course

In theory, I was supposed to run this on Election Day, but I couldn’t pull myself away from the news of the day, so I ran this a couple of days after.

I set out after work, trying to clear my head of all the awful stuff I was seeing online and in the news — so much hateful rhetoric, from any side you can think of!  With the return to standard time, the sun sets much earlier, and I was gifted with a crisp day on which to take a slow, contemplative walk.

With music in my ears, I ambled down my regular course, and really looked at what was around me.  I stopped to pet an old dog that walks the neighborhood (Elvis is his name!), and chatted with his owner.  I continued on around the neighborhood, seeing the triplet deer that we’ve been watching most of this year, and watching the Canadian geese soaring overhead.

And, ya know what … I found a little peace.

Whatever we silly ol’ humans are doing with politics — and you can make your own call about the impact of that — nature remains.  I’ll still enjoy my quiet walks and runs through God’s glorious creation, and know that no matter what happens — ugly, awful, wonderful, righteous — it’s in His hands, and I’ll just keep on plodding along, one step at a time.

Race Course

I hate running in the summer.  It’s too hot, and I melt.  That’s been well-documented here.

Ordinarily, our weather indicator here in Da Lou flips from summer to fall during Jeepstock weekend.  However, that didn’t happen this year.  In fact, summer held on for another week, with highs well into the 90s and heat indices approaching 100°.  Not exactly running weather for your intrepid author.

Sunday night, however, the weather changed, and suddenly, our temps dropped by about twenty degrees, settling the Midwest into fall.  With the busyness of the work week, last night was the first night I’d been able to get out since fall fell.

When I headed out, it was cloudy, with occasional breaks that let the sun shine through.  Temps were in the mid-60s, and the wind was blowing.  Perfect shorts and t-shirt weather for me!

This was the first time I’d been on the path in two weeks, and while I could feel the stiffness in my joints that comes with extended spans of not running, the lack of blazing sun and scorching temps made last night’s trek (get it?) so very easy.  With fall firmly in place (I hope), I certainly expect that I’ll have more runs in the books over the next few months.

And I need to, as I have some long races coming up.  I’ve signed up for the Route 66 Half Marathon in Tulsa (November), Mississippi River Half Marathon on the Mississippi/Arkansas border (February), and Gasparilla 15k/8k in Tampa (February).  And, I’m looking for another half to do somewhere between Route 66 and the Mississippi River half.  So, why would I do that?  Well, I have a desire to join a group called the Half Fanatics, and membership is gained through running a number of half marathons across a span of time.  For me, it’s three halfs in ninety days.  We’ll see what happens there.

So, welcome back fall!  I’ve definitely missed you, and look forward to enjoying your cool, wet weather over the next few months!

This event benefitted the Space Camp General Scholarship Fund.

Race Course

With Sunday came another opportunity to get out there, celebrate the close of the summer Olympics, and put some miles on my new shoes.

Wait… new kicks?

Yep, new Nike Vomeros.  If you’ve read my trials and travails since late last year, I’ve been struggling with shoes.  I wanted new shoes before the Route 66 half marathon in November, and that’s when I put my feet in a pair of Hoke One One Bondi 4 Wides.  Very cushy feel, but I ended up with a black toe, and early this year, got blisters in Chattanooga.

Then I moved to a pair of New Balance.  It’s the first time I’d tried that brand, and while they felt good, I consistently got a blister on the back of my right heel every time I ran.

So, I went back to what I knew, and got a slightly wide Nike Vomero, and I love ’em.  They fit nicely, are comfy, and have the right kind of feel at the back of my foot.  Woot!

The air temperature was fantastic when I got up — about 61°, rare for August in Da Lou — and I shoulda gone out then.  However, I had to get my coffee, Crunch Berries and British soccer going.  Becky also had a CGC trial in the morning, so I waited for them to get on the road before heading out.

Despite the later start, it was still only 67° when I headed out, and even without a cloud in the sky, it was the best morning for being out in more than a month.  My feet were pretty fatigued from Saturday’s run and five hours on my feet at a Jeep show, so I took it easy, and just did a fast walk.

It was a glorious day, with just enough wind to take the edge off the sunlight.  And again, I had a great outing, with only one obstacle…

This time, it was a german shepherd puppy.  That little guy just came up to me like I was a long-lost friend, and laid on my foot while I petted him.  Wonderful!

All in all, a good weekend, with two events done, two puppies played with, and some mileage building.  And why am I building miles?  Well, like a crazy person, I’ve signed up to go to Tulsa for the Route 66 half marathon again in November.

Yeah, I’m nuts.

This event was sponsored by Virtual Run Events and benefitted the Rally Foundation.

Race Course