The Junco 5

I ran this standard 5 miler through the fields to top off the month with 105 miles. Got a brief glimpse of a Dark-eyed Junco which is an early sighting of this Winter bird. The run was autumn cool at 73 degrees at a time of 47:03 at 9:24 per mile.

toadshade


-- Post From My iPhone

The Heron Way Tempo

I ran this tempo in 55:15 at 9:12 per mile. It was 80 but not too humid. All of these hot weather runs paid off in this faster time. This is what you train for. All those runs that make you feel old and tired tone those muscles and build endurance. Today I felt 10 years younger and got 100 miles on the month.

Toadshade


-- Post From My iPhone

Fall Blooming Yellow Jessamine

Fall Blooming Yellow Jessamine
Originally uploaded by toadshade

Went on my 4 mile hike today with Ann-Marie and we did a nature walk and tried to study the plants and birds along the way. Ann-Marie was carefully taking pictures and notes along the way. It was misty at times but no real rain. The gem of the day was this fall blooming Yellow Jessamine that I mentioned a few posts ago. The one pictured is twining around a Red Oak Branch. Also saw some red Patridgeberries that also flower in the Spring. We had a great time just sharing and learning for about 2 hours or more. Ann-Marie is learning about Brown-headed Nuthatches and Catbirds and how they sound. Nature was just lush, wet and wonderful.

When I got home there was a first year male Red-breasted Grosbeak on my feeder. The wheel turns.

toadshade

The Mistflower 12 Miler

Mistflower
Originally uploaded by toadshade

I used my usual faulty logic to justify this 12 Mile run today. I figured since I was going hiking in the morning with Viv and Ann-Marie, I could do an 'easy' 12 after work. Saturday morning is when I usually do my long runs and since I've done a couple of 10s, it would not be too much of a stretch to do a 12 miler. The only snag was the 91 degree humid weather which depleted me completely and made for a real slow, sloggy run. Weighed 170 before the run, 166 afterwards. So if you want to lose weight, try running all the fluids out of your body on a hot day when you should be inside next to the AC with a good book risking heat stroke and heart attack, or drinking tons of alcohol and not eating for days on end until you require medical attention. I've done them both with equal insane intensity. My time was 2:04:52 at 10:24 per mile.

The only sane thing I did was take a picture of this beautiful Mistflower around Sunview Lake.

toadshade

Reed and Sunlight

Reed and Sunlight
Originally uploaded by toadshade

Went down the Southeast Park today to walk. I went my usual 4 miles and took this picture of a reed catching the evening sunlight. It was a nice walk even though it harkened back to the humid summer and I was sweating like a hog with the slightest effort. Saw some nice birds - a Great Egret hiding under the boardwalk, an Eastern Phoebe and a Wood Pewee, both Flycatchers. Ran into some guys playing soccer in the meadow. They posed for a picture that's on my Flickr account. Saw a real unusual small, orange spider. The big treat of the day was a fall blooming Yellow Jessamine. The hike took about one hour and sixteen minutes for 4 miles.

toadshade

The Fritillary Four

Variegated Fritillary on Heliotrope
Originally uploaded by toadshade

Took a quick tempo hilly run today to keep toning up. It was a little humid with 85 degrees but nothing stifling. Stopped to take this picture of a Variegated Fritillary on some Heliotrope. Lot of these flying around today. My time was good and 37:48 for a pace of 9:27 per mile. Will walk at Southeast Park tomorrow and, hopefully, start building up my marathon mileage with a 12 Mile on Friday after work. Hope the temperature drops by then!

toadshade

The Henbit Goldenrod 5 Mile Tempo

Ran my standard 5 flat miles in 47:46 minutes at a 9:34 pace. My pace is picking up in the cooler weather even though 86 wasn't exactly cool; but it was more of a Fall heat than a Summer heat. Took some pictures but they weren't up to the standard my readership expects so I'll be more careful next time. Did see a Cattle Egret and few Eastern Meadowlarks along with a few Doves and Crows. They were going after all the corn stubble and grain left in the field. Expect to see a lot of field birds down there this Fall and Winter. Better start taking my binocs.

Started getting a scratchy throat at work where the Flu bug is running rampart. Took some Airborne before the run and felt strong throughout. Hope I don't get sick since the only thing I can do when bedridden is watch reruns of Forensic Files and Charmed and I'm sure you all don't want updates on that!

toadshade

The Stress Blow-out Tempo 5 Miler

Went out for a quick 5 miler to blow off some stress due to trying to troubleshoot my computer (to no avail) today. At least the run was rewarding and fast. It was a little humid so I was sweating freely but my pace was strong and steady. The hot weather runs are paying off. My time was 47:38 at 9:32 a mile.

toadshade

4 Mile Hike with Ann-Marie at Southeast Park

Fall Morning Glory
Originally uploaded by toadshade

I finally got someone to come out here and enjoy this little Tennis Park so close to home with so much nature to offer. Ann-Marie, whose stepping up her training program to include more workouts during the week, came along and I pointed all of the beauties of the natural world that I could identify. Late summer is just beginning to transition into early fall and some of the Maples are showing their reds and yellows. Goldenrods, which were occasional last week, are everywhere this week. Gerardias, Firewheels, Fleabanes, Silver-leaved Grass, Rabbit Tobacco, Meadow Beauties, Beauty Berries, Wild Senna and Winged Sumac were plentiful. The Hickories, mainly Walnut and Pecan, were sharing their fruit with the earth and I gathered a few for my altar. Ann-Marie commented that it didn't seem like a 4 mile hike and it didn't. Mainly because of the diversity from wildflowers fields to Live Oak groves, Sweetgum-Hickory, Loblolly Pine woods, to open fields. All of this is crammed into a very small area of land; and I have to give the park staff credit for making the most of what they have. On the bird side we saw a lot of Eastern Bluebirds, heard some Brown-headed Nuthatches, heard a Red-shouldered Hawk, saw plenty of Mockingbirds and Brown Thrashers and saw a beautiful Great Egret land in the rushes beside the pond. To top it all off, we had a beautiful Autumn Equinox Ritual at Viv's house reflecting the divinity of the changing seasons.

toadshade

Tinge of Autumn on the Trailwood 5 Miler

Tinge of Autumn
Originally uploaded by toadshade

I took this seldom used route (which goes over the same territory around Sunview Lake from a different direction) at a leisurely pace to see what changes are taking place in a lakeside environment. Mainly the Goldenrods are becoming more plentiful and showy along with the Eupatoriums beside the lake. The Maples are beginning to turn here and there but no great outburst of fall color yet. The run was good and it was good to be outside in the changing oneness of everything. My time was 47:41 for a 9:33 pace.

toadshade

TURKEY FRAUD!!!!

It turns out that the picture I took of the Wild Turkey a while back turned to be a hoax!! When I ran by it the other day I saw the Turkey sitting in the same spot with grass growing under him with freshly mown grass all around him. Guess they didn't want to wake him!! The owners of the house were on the front porch trying to smoke out a wasp nest and running around the yard like crazy. They looked like the type that would perpetuate such a hoax. So one of greatest photographic and blog triumphs now turns to my greatest blog humiliation. But I'm not going to erase it from my blog. It will stand as a reminder that there are a lot of dumb asses out there, including your humble blogger . . .

toadshade

The Heron Way 6

Ran my standard 6 mile around Sunview Lake. This run has a great change in elevation that gives you a challenging uphill in the 5th mile. It was more humid today than yesterday but I ran it at tempo pace for a time of 57:52 at a 9:39 per mile pace. Lot of the fall 'yellow flowers' like Goldenrods and Camphorweeds are growing everywhere. Just saw some Woodland Sunflowers the other day and expect more. Will try to get a picture next time because my vast readership is reluctant to rely on just 'hearsay.'

toadshade

The Harvest Henbit 5

Ran my standard 5 miler across the fields today at about a 10 minute per mile pace. They're still working on leveling the field and clearing it out for Fall and Winter. The Sicklepods are still there among the corn stubble. Pretty soon the Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks and Orchard Orioles will be going (if they haven't already since I haven't heard any) and will be replaced American Pipits from the fields of Canada and Eastern Meadowlarks will be flocking with them. The humidity of summer is hanging on but the cool breezes and high cirrus clouds let you know fall is on the way.

toadshade

The Corn is Gone 8 Miler

The Corn is Gone
Originally uploaded by toadshade

The corn was finally harvested and the field has a scenic view again. I was getting a little claustrophobic running between those tall corn rows. But it was good to see the cycle of nature at work at a place so close to my house. I've seen this field with wheat, soybeans and fallow and, for the first time, with corn. I've found the first breeding Dickcissels (at the time) in Columbia. I've seen the gamut of field birds and hawks from the four seasons. It's hosted blue and gold wildflowers in neat little rows covering the whole acreage when the fields were fallow for a year. I think I've learned about the variety of nature in a place where most people see 'just a field.'

It was a good run today after my 5k race yesterday. It was a pretty good pace for the 8 miles which I did in 1:20:33 at just over 10 minutes a mile.

toadshade

The Other James Wilson Dry Run 5k and Marathon Plan

Did the Dry Run in 27:45 at 8:56 per mile. It was a little cooler this year and a lot more comfortable out there than last year. Took a picture of James and his son Raymond who is responsible for this run and a lot of the pro-recovery activities around the Midlands. We're talking about trying to do Myrtle Beach this year. James did it last year after a long layoff and had a pretty tough time of it. I was training for Ellerbe last year and got injured. That's the main reason I started this blog. I think we both feel we can do better with a little more training well in advance of the run.

Thanks, James, for the run and all you do for the recovering community!!

toadshade

The Southeast Stretch 4 Mile Hike

I went out there today to walk off the stiffness in my legs from the 10 miler yesterday. Not much to report except I'm keeping pretty true to my diet exercise program and am dropping a few pounds. The weather has been fall like and beautiful. Makes the runs and hikes a lot more enjoyable.

toadshade

The Blue Curls 10 Miler

Blue Curls
Originally uploaded by toadshade

The first sighting of these Blue Curls that show up about this time of the year. I got it just in time since an obnoxious city mower wiped it from existence along with every growing thing out there. To top it all off I had to put up with this clanging, grating vehicle for about 4 miles since he went at about my same rate. Almost got run over by drivers going around him. The driver (if you can call it that) was probably listening to Leonard Skinnard or Hank Williams Jr in his headset while he was doing everything he could to destroy that piece of city property. And making as much noise as possible in the process. It wasn't a job to him, it was a vendetta.

Otherwise my run, the toughest 10 miler I could think of, went well at 1:43:07 at 10:12 per mile. Have lost 6 pounds since I started this program. Will run in the Dry Run 5k on Saturday.

toadshade

Southeast Park Wildflower Verification Run

Ran around 6 miles today around Southeast Park to verify whether it was a St. Andrews Cross or a St. Peter's Wort that I was seeing. Turned out to be a St. Andrews-cross. I know my fans were worried that I would let a mistake like that go uncorrected. Anyway the run was good and strong but I did feel a little tired from all the exercise. Need to take a rest day tomorrow.

Toadshade


-- Post From My iPhone

The Southeast Sumac 6 Mile Saunter

Winged Sumac
Originally uploaded by toadshade

I went out there today and combined a couple of hikes to get 6 miles on the day. It was nice out there and I was greeted to a few glimpses of a Hummingbird, Pine Warbler and a first year male Summer tanager. The Walnuts and Pecans are falling and there were some cool breezes along the way. This is the same Winged Sumac Bill helped me identify earlier in the year. I barely worked up a sweat at a brisk pace. I realize I'm gonna have to study St. Peter's-wort and St. Andrew's-cross a little more carefully since they look eerily similar. According to the Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (p 710), St. Peter's-wort (Hypericum stans) has clasping leaves. That should give me enough to ID them. And what I thought was Golden Asters turned out to be Silver-leaved Grass (Heterotheca graminifolia). Plenty of Wild Senna out there with a few Sicklepods here and there. Lots of Clouded Sulphur Butterflies along with Buckeyes, a Pearl Crescent and a Gulf Fritillary. Saw a Mississippi Kite and one of the Red-shouldered Hawks that seem to live there. My time was 1:45:06 at 17:31 per mile.

toadshade

The Easy Does It 5 Miler

I decided to do a moderate 5 rather than a quick tempo 3 today. Ran my usual Dickcissel Fields which was beautiful as always with the late summer butterflies and wildflowers. I figured I'd better up the ante and make my short runs a little longer to prepare them for more long distance runs in the cooling weather. Don't want to move too fast and injure myself like last year. Still haven't decided on a marathon and won't have much money in the fall since I have to re-credential to keep my certification up. I'm thinking either Myrtle Beach or Ellerbe or both. My time was 50:21 at 10:04 per mile.

toadshade

The Virgin's Bower 10 Miler

Virgin's Bower
Originally uploaded by toadshade

I decided to go for 10 today even though the temperature was creeping up into the upper 80s. I figured if all these college football players could dress up in all those hot pads and go at full steam, then I could do a leisurely 10 miles. Of course they're 40 years younger than I am but reality has never been too much of a determining factor in most of my life changing decisions. Still it turned out well with a few cool breezes along the way, lots of late summer wildflowers like the Virgin's Bower (Clematis terniflora) pictured. This is a beautiful vine that grows most everywhere during the late summer in the Midlands. Along with it were Queen of the Meadow ( Eupatorium purpureum) and Round-leaf Eupatorium. I IDed the Round-leaf Eupatorium earlier this season but had to wait til I got close enough to the Queen of the Meadow to ID it. Its been growing for a couple of weeks. It's also called Joe Pye Weed. I'm sure there's a story there but I don't know what it is.

The run went well at 1:43:17 for 10 miles and 10:20 per mile pace. This will complete a week where I exercised every day either by hiking or running. Not bad for an old man.

toadshade

Checkered Skippers on Burley Cudge at Southeast Park 4 Miler

Checkered Skippers on Burley Cudge
Originally uploaded by toadshade

I went out to Southeast Park on this gorgeous late summer afternoon. It was a balmy 81 and this time I took time to smell the roses or, should I say, photograph the wildflowers. There was plenty out there and I ran across a couple of things I've never seen before. Like St. Peter's-wort and Georgia Savory. Found an Elephant's Foot out there and may have found some Golden Asters and/or Beaked Hawkweed. The bird life was plentiful if not unusual. Plenty of Bluebirds and their fledgelings in various stages of molt and growth.

One note of interest is that the Winged Sumac is fruiting. I took a picture (which I'll probably post the next time the park is the subject) of the same one one I photographed earlier in the year when I wasn't sure what it was. The Checkered Skipper was quite beautiful on this grass or sedge. Maybe Bill or those with more knowledge of grasses can help ID this. A very beautiful day with a lot of change in the air and light.

toadshade

The Neighborhood 4 Mile Scamper

You can tell I'm running out of names for these runs. This was a quick tempo run taking advantage of the cooler temperatures. It's my suburban run through areas close to my house. I felt good but a little tired from the day before. Time was 38:14 at 9:32 per mile.

toadshade

The Burley Cudge 6 Miler

Burley Cudge
Originally uploaded by toadshade

Found this attractive wildflower growing in the ditches and pond banks and can't seem to find out what it is. Hence it wins the Burley Cudge prize of the week. The weather was great today. 80 with low humidity. The run felt wonderful and all those hot sweaty days of slogging through the soppy air payed off in one of those glorious runs that is something more than the runner's high. It's more a result of the change in the air, the tilt of the sun and cool breezes that are becoming more frequent as the summer season gives way to the coming fall. My time was 58:16 for 6 miles at 9:42 per mile.

toadshade

Live from Southeast Park

Went down here today to check out some hiking routes using my GPS. Did a loop that was 1.77 miles and tweaked it the second time for a perfect 2 mile loop. Walked a little more to make it 4 miles for the day. Lot of wildflowers and birds to make this a very interesting hike. My pace was 19 minutes a mile.


-- Post From My iPhone

Toadshade

Workplace Wildflowers

One of the neat things about my workplace is that it's on a small lake out here in North Columbia. Many wildflowers are growing out here now like Smartweeds, Rose Purslane, Sida, Water Lilies and a few Burley Cudges. Makes this place a lot more bearable and effects the attitudes of the staff and patients.

Toadshade
-- Post From My iPhone