My Morning Run. Yes Thanksgiving, No Tecumseh.

Make room for the bird run Thanksgiving morning 2013. 

It was fun to have these two (plus Courtney, Clara and Jacob) home for Thanksgiving. Lesa and I had accepted the fact that we'd never have family join us in Charleston for Thanksgiving but with Ben and Courtney living in Hunstville and Erin getting engaged to a Chicago boy, it happened.

And, does did all this happen...

Feast of Thanksgiving

Rocket Launch

Cookies!

Hanging out.

But, this will not happen.

The 2013 Tecumseh Marathon has been cancelled. I registered for it but due to lack of recent training, the weather, and distance I wasn't planning on running it anyway. But, if they reschedule it...maybe!

My Morning Run. First Snow.

My Morning Run. 11 miles, 5 hills, 2 quivering quads.

South of Charleston just past Kickapoo Church

At the top of hill three.

My Morning Run. I Run For Days Like This

Sidewalk in just west of Buzzard Hall

South entrance to Blair Hall

Old Main in pink

Scenes like this are my reward

I run EIU

Our Afternoon Ride

So Lesa and I drove to Effingham to go for a bike ride today. It was a pretty day. Windy, but pretty. The fall colors weren't as vibrant as we would have liked but it's fall so we'll take it over summer. 

This is the north end of the trail. We actually started in the middle and road up to this point.

Nice smooth cement path the entire way.

Local organizations had stuffed "people" along part of the trail. I don't know if this was from a Cubs fan or a Cardinal fan? But, Go Cubs!

The End.

My Morning Run. Trimmed down, not me.

Old train station. I think I'll buy it and turn it into a Mexican cafe.

Brush, bushes and some trees removed from the sides of the bike trail. No more nature stops along here. 

Trimmed trail. 

Fox News lives here!

"You can't fix stupid". Okay, but what can you do for narrow minded ignorance?

View from the deck during cool down. Autumn is coming!

My Morning Run. Fall Break.

No classes today because of fall break? I think I'll go for a run. 

"Little Pink Houses" - John Courage Mellencamp

I Run Because My Introvert Is Greater Than My Extrovert

Back in August, the Huffington Post listed 23 signs your secretly an introvert. I think these 10 apply to me. Among other things, I think running helps me with numbers 5 and number 8.

1. I find small talk incredibly cumbersome. (I’m fine, the family is fine and the weather really isn’t that bad)
2. Networking makes me feel like a phony. (Why do I even have a Linkin account?)
3. Downtime doesn’t feel unproductive to me. 
4. Giving a talk in front of 500 people is less stressful than having to mingle with those people afterwards. (So true!)
5. I start to shut down after you’ve been social for too long.
6. I’d rather be an expert at one thing than try to do everything. (If only I was an expert at one thing…)
7. I actively avoid any shows that might involve audience participation.(It makes my skin crawl just thinking about it)
8. I have a constantly running inner monologue. (So I like talking to myself.)
9. I look at the big picture.
10. I’m a writer. (Or, I wish so)

Not all these apply to me but some are spot on.

My Morning Run. Sunrise in Autumn.

My Morning Run. Global Warming, Yuck.

No I didn't run at night.
 It was 5:30 a.m. on October 5th and 72 degrees outside.
Yuck.

This is a new walk-in medical clinic in Charleston. Nice to know for a jogger. Just in case.

Charleston. What we don't need are anymore buffets.

Wal-Mart oasis.

Kiwanis Park. Fun to run through. Wish it was longer.

The Getto house. We lived here from 1992-1994. It looked worse then. 

The new porch railing really spruces up the place.

Two weeks post-TOU marathon with Erin and Lindsey. 

Today I ran 12 miles today in preparation for what-I-don't know. The Indy Memorial Marathon's registration is $110. Really?

My Morning Run. I Run EIU

Yeah, I run EIU. No doubt. 

My Morning Run. Post-marathon

A flower bed of fall colors on EIU campus. Welcome back, autumn!

Top of Utah

Top of Utah

Last night I found out the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, AL forbids the wearing of headphones!

Kill joys! I run so I can listen to music. So I'm looking for another marathon to run before the end of the year. 

1. St. Jude marathon in Memphis is sold out. 
2. Tecumseh is a possibility but I'm not sure I have patients to run a single tract trail run and might prefer a nice flat road race. 
3. The Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in early November is charging $100 to enter. Really? It's Indianapolis. 
4. There's the Chicago Lakeshore 50K which is flat but it's three, out-and-backs. Although, it is along the lake and I hear Chicago has great pizza. 
5. Speaking of Chicago, theres the Prairie State marathon in Libertyville, IL but it's only three weeks away. 

Top of Utah Marathon, September 2013 (#29)

When: September, 2013  
Who: Erin and Me
Recall: "I'm running a marathon!" "It's my first one!" "I'm going to get a medal!"
Overall: Running with Erin, the great support team, and the beautiful course made it one of my top 2-3 marathons ever. 
Rating: 5/5 carbs   

Carbo loading the night before at Beehive Grill in Logan. 

Thank-you mom for the dinner!

1. My way for representing Illinois. Go Cubs! 

2. No one else would be wearing one so the support team could easily spot me.

A pep talk note from coach Molly. 

No fear.

Starting in the front row...not.

Kristin, Bill, me and Erin. Go Emmetts!

You couldn't tell it was her first marathon.

Lovely day, lovely day.

Beautiful course!

Erin, Lindsey and Kristin

Of all the gorgeous scenery the moon was most impressive.

Mile 22 and going strong!

"Hey, it's Tom, Shelly, Sam, Mac and Alex!"

All I heard over the last two miles was these two telling the world,

"I'm running a marathon!" 

"It's my first one!"

"I'm going to get a medal!"

And I loved every minute of it.

Welcome to the club, Erin.