Monday a.m.

Good morning! And just how are you this morning? It looks like this week is going to be a little cooler but still dry? We just keep missing the rain at my house. I know it will come eventually, so we wait patiently. Waiting. Patience. So much of life is about those things.

How was your weekend? Well, since you are not telling me, I will go ahead and tell you about mine. Let's start with yesterday. Yesterday morning involved the usual: get up early, prepare, meeting, class, worship, and family lunch. Yesterday afternoon was a little unusual. There were 2 people in the hospital that I needed to see, and then there was a wonderful couple in Shoals that I wanted to visit. Then our life group did a service project for a 94 year old lady. Then we had to eat at El Compadre. The afternoon was a little busier than usual, but it was good.

Saturday was busy and good too, but in a different sort of way. I got up early and then made my way over to Parkview to run. A small group gathered at 7 a.m. Everyone was kinda doing their own thing, as far as distance was concerned. A couple were doing 14 miles and had already done a few of those. Others were going to do 8, and I wanted 10. We all took off together to do the deer loop, which if done fully is 10 miles. There are options, of course, to cut it short, making it whatever you want.

I was struck pretty quickly by how humid it was Saturday morning. We all ran together, more or less, for 5 miles. Then we started separating into to different groups. I decided to run with Jim and Dan, pictured above. They were doing 8 and going at a comfortable pace. We finished their 8, and then I added a couple of more to make my 10. My clothes were totally soaked. I talked for a while with someone, which allowed me to stop sweating. It took quite a while.

Next up was a 30 mile bike ride. I was a little concerned about it because of the humidity and rising temps. I thought I had re-hydrated enough, but I was a little concerned about nutrition. I was going to get a smoothie at Heaven's Gate, but Heaven's Gate was closed to this old preacher. Hmmm. I would ride without a smoothie, and ride turned out to be not so smooth for me.

We rode into a headwind--Jim, Dan, Bill, and me--all the way to Orleans. I was working pretty hard and sweating harder. I was drinking a lot, I thought. We took a little break at Huck's, where I didn't get a drink, opting for a PayDay candy bar instead.  After a few stories and little time to rest and cool down, it was time to roll back to Lighthouse. A tailwind awaited. I got delayed in the parking lot. A guy in an old car was seemingly intrigued by my bike (or was it was my amazing body?) and wanted to know how far I was riding. I tried to be nice as I watched my friends ride out of sight, knowing I was going to have to work to catch them. Not what I needed.

I did catch them, just in time to have work up the little rollers west of Orleans. I was struggling. An unusual amount of traffic passing us separated me again. By the time we turned west I was behind again, so I worked hard going downhill, instead of coasting. I managed to catch up and latched onto some wheel to pull me through. Once we crossed 37 I was in trouble and Bill picked up on it. He came back and helped me through, giving me a couple of Endurolytes. Fortunately we had a couple of miles of slightly downhill, heading into Mitchell.

By the time we turned our way through town, I was feeling a little better. We hit the highway and Jimmy pulled me through at 30 mph. Once we got back to Lighthouse, I was relieved. I still didn't feel well, but I was OK. Next up was the soap box derby type race in Mitchell. Ben and his football buddies made a car, so I went to see it and watch some of the race. This was after I got a chicken sandwich and a large coke at Wendy's. It was so hot at the race. I wasn't feeling well, so I headed home.

I took an hour long nap, after drinking some more water. I didn't even shower. Once I got up and cleaned up, I weighed myself. Even after drinking and eating, I was still down 4-5 pounds! I had lost a lot of fluids and didn't realize how much. At least I know why I was feeling so rough, and at least it was not in an event. As usual, I should have drunk more and taken my Endurolytes. Bad boy!

After doing a few other things Saturday evening, I went to bed early. Then I dreamed all night about swimming in a triathlon. Three folks from our group participated in the Columbus tri on Saturday. All three, Tim the Elder, Rand the Man, and Wendy (sorry no clever name for her) all won age group awards. It was Wendy's first official tri, and it was a half mile swim. Pretty impressive. I am looking at a tri on August 18th, if the low water levels and algae problems don't cancel the swim.

OK, busy day ahead and a long post already, so see ya!