Week ending March 18

Mon 3/12  3 miles easy

Tue 3/13  5 miles easy on Cottonwood. The first two runs of this week turned out to feel good after my head agreed with my body about pace. I felt pretty tired from Sunday, but when I slowed down enough the miles dropped smoothly.

Wed 3/14  8 1/2 miles at Croft. The Chapters run “backwards,” as we say. I still felt a little tired, but again got comfortable with an easy pace. All of my training has been faster than what I’ll average at Terrapin, where long and sometimes steep climbs slow the pace. And oh yeah, it’s 31 miles.

from Dairy Ridge: Palmetto to Chapters to Palmetto

Thu 3/15  3 miles easy. Another early morning run to start a long day.

Fri 3/16  4 miles easy on Cottonwood

Guest spot by Christy: My Edgar

I met a man who said he was Ned. I said, What is that short for, I have never met anyone named Ned before. He responded, Nothing, it's  not even my name. 

My Edgar shares his name with many of the past. Tonight I listened to two of them share many laughs and the intimacy that can only be that of father and son.  I am  blessed to know them both. 

Ned ran his 68th day straight today; his father is in the hospital going through rehab, turning 81 today. The goal to beat Parkinsons high on each list. Ned is running for a cause, EO is living with struggles that are affected and effected by this disease on a daily basis. 

One can't run from the other without running closer together. As we all participate in life we are all in for the same fate. Wouldn't you want to better yourself by bettering someone else? 

Happy birthday, EO!

Karen Russ, ©2007 HGIC, Clemson Extension

Sat 3/17  14 miles at Croft. Beautiful day, though warm, especially for March. I wore short shorts, and ran most of the time with no shirt, mostly because of, um, some chafing issues. I took my time, stopping a few times just to look around at the emerging spring. The Carolina jessamine was blooming high in tree tops. Blooms fell scattered on the trail, but to find the source of the blooms I had to stop. The purple-pink of the redbuds dapples the woods; the beech trees still hold on to last year’s leaves. 

from Dairy Ridge: Palmetto to TC’s to the little lake trail to the Lake Trail to New Edition

Sun 3/18  3 miles, including one mile barefoot. After a long day of Snidely music in Angelo’s recording studio in Asheville, this one came at 8 pm. 

Total: 41 1/2 miles in seven runs


I should clarify my barefoot running: all of these barefoot miles come running around a couple of practice fields at the local high school. Though the Montrail Rogue Racers I wear are lightweight, they have a relatively normal 9 millimeter drop from the heel to the toe; in other words, not very minimalist at all. They are also pretty well cushioned. It’s the lightweight (about 8.8 ounces for men’s size 9 according to the Montrail website) and the super-flexible last that make it my favorite shoe in a long time.