Days 1427 and 1428 -- Jogger's Progress

	Trip	YTD	Aug
Distance	8982.1	969.1	116.9
Time	62 days, 10 hrs, 00 min	7 days, 7 hrs, 18 mins	21:09
Days	1428	162	21
States	34	11	2

Another month down. Not a particularly spectacular one. Good, but not great. I suppose the important thing is to keep on keeping on.

That's been a challenge these last two days. I've barely been able to drag myself out of bed, never mind get out on the road and run. But I have, making about four miles each day. Predictably, I've felt pretty good at the end of those runs. The half hour or so right after a run is usually the high point of my day. It's all downhill from there.

Day 1425 -- Weston

This is the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, WV. Don't worry, followers, they closed in 1994. Now they are a museum, which apparently goes in for a bit of mystical claptrap. You can take a "ghost tour", if you wish. The photo itself is from this site at the University of Vermont, which tells the history of eugenics in the U.S. Apparently, the good folks at the Trans-Allegheny didn't mind a little forced sterilization. No wonder they are haunted.

I didn't run Saturday, because I was lazy. Then yesterday, I went kayaking with my friend Rob. We are training for the Kickapoo Valley Reserve Dam Challenge Triathlon. Well, "training" is probably too strong a word. We're planning to participate, and Rob has taken me out on a kayak a couple of times. I'm now more or less proficient enough that I might not totally embarrass myself on kayak leg. Anyway, yesterday we got in about six miles. The kayak leg of the tri is seven.

Today, I ran a good solid seven miles. After two days off in a row (the kayaking doesn't challenge my legs at all), I felt pretty sharp.

Day 1424 -- McWhorter

This is Iden McWhorter on the porch of his store in McWhorter, WV. I got this photo from a high school project by Kristin Snyder. She says the photo is from the 40's or 50's, but I suspect it's older. Kristen has young eyes, so lime green lettering on a black background doesn't make her head hurt. If you are my age, don't click through.

I ran six miles today, in the hilly part of town. It was cool again, so not a bad run. I'm thinking tomorrow will be a day off.

Day 1423 -- Lost Creek

It says here that Lost Creek, WV, is one of the "ten best smallest towns in America." I know that United Country Farm & Home, LLC is trying to sell property in Lost Creek, but still...they wouldn't lie about something like that.

I ran my Thursday 5K this morning. It was cooler, but I still wasn't able to run very fast. Nonetheless, it's always nicer to run than to not run.

1423 -- Craigmoor

I am near Craigmoor, WV, so I did a Google search. Near the top was this football player from WVU Tech. I clicked on it, figuring it was probably a guy from Craigmoor. But no, his hometown is Hinton, WV. I puzzled for a minute, and then I noticed his name. Ladies and gentlemen: Craig Moore, Jr, a freshman offensive lineman.

I was all set to run yesterday. I was changed and ready to go. I got upstairs, and there was lightning and thunder. I admit, my first thought was "Yipee!" In any case, I didn't run. But this morning I got in a slow five miles.

Day 1422 -- Clarksburg

Hungry for a hot dog? You might stop in to Ritzy Lunch in Clarksburg. Of 14 people at Roadfood.com who rated it, 85% gave it a positive rating. "Ritzy dogs are lovely little pups buried deep inside a steamed-soft bun and topped with a zesty ground-beef sauce that is gently peppered and earthy-flavored." Sounds great.

An easy 4 this morning. It was good weather again, but I was still tired from Saturday.

Day 1421 -- Race Report: MMM III

The story of the third annual Madison Mini-Marathon is mostly the story of the prerace.

I got up early, and headed out of Joggerville by about 5:00, where I was greeted by distant flashes of lightning. I don't like to mess with lightning, of course, but it was still two hours to race time. Also, the lightning was already in the east, meaning it would be blowing away from us. And, of course, I didn't want to miss the MMM, having run both the first and the second. So I pressed on.

I arrived in Madison by about 6:30 and parked the car. At this point, it wasn't even raining in Madison, never mind storming. I walked over to the starting, line, but I had to stand in line for a while for the porta-potty. I was cutting it a little closer than I normally like, but I was starting way back in corral letter I, so I had time. Just as I was finishing up, about 5 minutes before race time, an announcement came that they were delaying the start because more storms were coming through. They told everyone to take cover, and promised they would get us all out and organized before the start.

What could I do? I went into one of the official shelters, staked out a comfy piece of floor, and sat. And sat. And sat. And sat. I projected a delay of at least an hour. We had to wait for a storm to blow over that hadn't even blown in yet. And I figured at least 20 minutes after the all-clear to line up and get started. I decided that if we weren't running by 9:00, I would bag it and go home. The Little Joggers were actually home alone, and I didn't want to leave them too long.

I needn't have worried. The all-clear came at 8:15, and it only took 15 minutes to get us lined up and sound the gun. Which was just as well. The storm was done, but the rain wasn't. So I was wet, stiff from sitting for over an hour, hungry, and I had to pee again. It wasn't the most auspicious start for a Pikermi.

I actually came out fairly strong for the first six miles or so. The rain let up within the first half hour or so, and I found a convenient porta-potty (although I had to wait a short bit to get into it.) At mile seven or so, the sun was out, and it was already getting on for 10:00, so it started to heat up, which sapped my strength a bit. I did a fair bit of walking between miles eight and twelve. Right about mile twelve, the 2:30 pace group caught up to me. That spurred me into action. I took off and ran the last mile and change, beating the pace group by a couple of minutes.

Overall, it wasn't a great time, but that's OK. I covered the entire distance, and didn't die.

One thing I love about the MMM is that you can sign up a year in advance. I registered this afternoon for MMM IV, on August 18, 2012. See you there.

Day 1420 -- Uffington

This photo of a rusty crane was taken somewhere along the Monongahela River somewhere near Morgantown. But it showed up when I searched for Uffington, and it was just too cool not to post. Thanks, Flikr user ToneMapped.

I ran my Thursday 5K this morning. It was a great morning for it, and I got a good time. That will be my last run before the Madison Mini-Marathon. It looks like the weather won't be too hot, but it may rain. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do if there is lightning. I don't want to skip the run, but I don't want to get struck by lightning, either. I guess I'll just cross that bridge if and when I come to it.

Days 1417, 1418, and 1419 -- Morgantown

I spent four days in Grandma Jogger's town with three of the Little Joggers. I ran three of those four days, for a total of about 18 miles, but I wasn't able to post. I brought my work laptop, so I didn't have my cut-out to paste into a picture of the UWV Campus. I could have posted a photo without me, but I also seem to have forgotten my password for Blogger. It's automatic on this computer.

Days 1415 and 1416 -- Rock Forge

As I approach Morgantown, I thought I would stop in Rock Forge to help out the Morgantown Area Meals on Wheels. These are volunteers at the Rock Forge pick up location.

I ran my Thursday 5K yesterday, as planned. It was nice weather, and I had a decent time. Friday is a scheduled day off, but the weather has been so fabulous, I couldn't stand to not run. Before you know it, the weather will heat up again, or we'll get thunderstorms, or snow (or all three in one week). So I ran today. I only meant to run about four, but by the time I was done, it was over five. I'll probably have to take tomorrow off, but it was worth it.

Day 1414 -- Cheat Neck

Not really to Cheat Neck, yet, but that's OK. This web site doesn't seem to be there, either. No real clue as to what this web site is about. It has this photo (sans Jogger), and some tags, including Cheat Neck.

It was a wonderful morning for a run this morning. Cool and dry. Four and a half miles just flew by. My watch said that it took 48 minutes, but I know that it couldn't have been more than 10 or 20.

Day 1413 -- Bruceton Mills

From Roadfood.com, Olivia's Restaurant in Bruceton Mills, WV. It's a converted gas station, complete with the pumps still in the parking lot. The reviewer said it was good food, and not too expensive.

We have finally gotten a genuine cool front. It was a very pleasant morning for a run. I got in six miles in just over an hour.

Day 1412 -- West Virginia

I should have hit West Virginia back in 2006. If I had passed form Pennsylvania to Ohio further south, I could have hit the WV panhandle, and then I wouldn't have to hook back to get it now.

On the other hand, thanks to AARoads, I got the exact "Welcome to West Virginia" sign that I would have run under today if I were really running where I claim to be running. Interstate 68 Westbound out of Maryland.

I ran eleven miles this morning. It was humid and still when I started out, and I wasn't sure I was going to make it. But the breeze actually picked up, and blew a little of the humidity away. It wasn't exactly cool, but it was OK.

Day 1411 -- Selbysport

I googled "Selbysport, MD" and found this nice old railway station. Unfortunately, it's from the Garrett County web site, and it's not clear that this place is in Selbysport. It might be in the county seat, Oakland, which is well south of here. Or it could be in Accident, Bittinger, Bloomington, Crellin, Deer Park, Friendsville, Grantsville, Hutton, Jennings, Kitzmiller, McHenry, Elk Garden, New Germany, Keysers Ridge, Loch Lynn Heights, Ashor Glade, Avilton, Elder Hill, Hoyes, Thayerville, Sang Run, Shallmar, Swanton, Table Rock, Redhouse, Gortner, Alamont or Bayard. The web site isn't real clear on this.

I ran about six and a half miles this morning. It's a little cooler, but I still managed to work up a sweat over that distance.

Day 1410 -- Keysers Ridge

Here is a kindred soul. This guy walked across America last year. I mean, actually walked the whole thing. He did it to support Kiva, "the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website".

I did my Thursday 5K this morning. It was a good time, but not a great one.

Day 1409 -- Jennings

A little south of Grantsville is Jennings, MD. I'm not running south; I'm running west. But there ain't a whole lot just west of Grantsville. So I picked up this photo of Jennings from a web page dedicated to the Castleman River Railroad.

I did an easy four this morning. The weather continues to be humid, even in the early morning. So even at a sedate pace, I managed to work up a sweat.

Day 1408 -- Grantsville

Not much time to blog this evening. Just a quick peek at this photo of a nice split-rail fence near Grantsville. I ran almost six miles this morning, in heavy humidity. It felt pretty good, but was naturally pretty slow.