Mainly 50 Award

Monday, Monday.

Long commute day prior but Day 4… your boy’s a well-oiled machine.

Shower, Applebee’s steak dinner, race-clothes prepped, 6 hours sleep.  Motel coffee early a.m. — ready, ready to run.  Crystal Cove Park, South Sioux City NE.

Welcome turn in temp.  Yesterday’s rain forecast wasn’t missed, just delayed ’til nightfall.  15-20 degrees cooler than Kansas — it’s still summer, but highs in the 70’s?  Unexpected gift.

Lost my run-bud Angela to the work week so no excuse this day.  Another quick first Half, running lotta miles with a raccoon exterminator from Ohio.  Conspiracy theorist.  New stories, new energy. I’d lose him at the Half & kept steady strong.  Music blaring, sunshine skies, a competitive marathoner from Columbus GA actively right on-my-tail.  Would cut an hour-half off my best Prairie time but still finish distance a lap after this guy’s marathon.  He’d razz me tonite at dinner, asking why I tanked a late walk-lap — fully deserved, but tomorrow’s his Day 2.  We’ll see man 🙂

Nebraska Welcome Sign: ‘the Good Life’.

That sums Day 4.  50K every day.  Living a mighty good life ❤️

Prairie Series — South Sioux City NE

[Asked a local runner, why GOOD life?  He said in Nebraska its not a GREAT life.  LOL>]

Kansas Recap: No rain, 88 degrees — yep, it was WARM ☀️

3 blocks not, one block east – 2 minute total commute to Red Hawk Stadium.  Another great nite of sleep, big fan of Hiawatha.  Cool morning temp that would disappear early.  Pre-warned, no trees in Kansas — flat, exposed grasslands course, hugging the local high school’s football stadium.

Went out fast & stayed quick for 16 miles.  Last 8 miles a social walk with Angela, Ed (Day 1) & Missy (Day 2).  All my faves now together.  Last day for lotta folks as the weekend’s over & non re-wired peeps go back to work.  Faster finish each successive day.  Said my goodbyes.  Rural KS road awaits.

USA Heartland.  Soy beans & corn.  Interstate 29 North — an hour of Missouri then Council Bluffs & Sioux City.  3 hour+ commute but no parking-lot coma.  Saving sleeps for my Nebraska-based hotel. HAHA!  Would be here 3 nights, opting for a dark-hour morning drive last day/stay in the same bed.

Met new runners as I checked in.  How far?  50K every day.  They’ll catch on — it’s what all the cool kids run.  LOL>  Dinner plans tomorrow.  Nebraska/Iowa courses within 10 miles of each another, allowing downtime for lotta runners before early sleeps & recoup regimes.

3 days in, 5 states to go.

Prairie Series – Hiawatha KS

Word of the Day: Social Running

45-minute drive from my hotel in Hiawatha KS.  Bestest experience!  Kind older couple bought & fully-renovated this spot, top-to-bottom.  2-nite stay.  Clean, QUIET.  Unpacked, got organized for an hour after a long hot shower then slept a solid 6 hours.  Highly recommended.  FANTASTIC!

Early a.m. truck-stop coffee.  Ready, ready to run.  Was in St Joseph 2 years ago with Sis.  Tornado hit our destination race in Brookings SD, so… we last-minute jumped into this run.  That day was super hot on an exposed path near the riverboat casino (they used an alternative route due to flooding). Today’s riverwalk course, right along the Missouri River.  Trees, shade, short hill, pedestrian bridge — all beside a Nature Center.  Would be the prettiest course on the Prairie.  Go Missouri!

Afternoon temp high 80’s — goal to run a Half, walk/run/jog a Half.  Stayed on target first 10k, felt good.  Met my one: Missy, a physician.  Wore a St Jude’s shirt.  My first Tennessee race was St Jude’s. Had chose Memphis for Graceland; left with forever memories of children standing outside the hospital @ Mile 9.  Missy began running as an outlet.  Mother of twin daughters; one a patient, brain cancer. Rest of our walk/jog… her story.  But WOW, folks — I was blessed ❤️

2nd Half got warm, crazy humid.  Buggy when ya hit shade.  Slower finish time than day prior but left pumped, inspired, FULL.  Never know what a person is going through, their personal walk.

Talk.  Smile.  Laugh.  Interact.  Life is meant to be lived.

Prairie Series – St Joseph MO