Bellagio Roses

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This past weekend I was supposed to go to the Boundary Waters, but my group decided not to go because of the fire ban. So instead, I booked a ticket to Las Vegas to visit my grandpa. I don’t have photos of stunning wilderness, but I do have a few from the gardens in the Bellagio.

runnings

Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective

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This week I went to Movie and Music in the Park to hear Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective. I wasn’t familiar with him, but wanted to go because while I was in Belize, my friend and I went to the Lebeha Drumming Center. Here children have the opportunity to learn the traditional Garifuna drumming. The website states
“It is not a therapeutic drum circle, it is not the more commercial Punta Rock style (exemplified by stars such as Pen Cayetano and Andy Palacio), and none of the kids is forced to practice. If nobody shows up to listen or to dance, the boys play for themselves with just as much vigor as they would at a major festival.”
Andy Palacio’s style may have chanced since this was written, however. It the jacket of the cd and on his website it states
“About five years ago, Belizean producer/musician Ivan Duran, Palacio’s longtime collaborator and founder of Belize’s pioneer label Stonetree Records, convinced Palacio that he should focus on less commercial forms of Garifuna music and look more deeply into its soul and roots.”
While I enjoyed the music of Andy Palacio, listening to the boys play at Lebeha was more of a treat. Of course, sitting on a patio in Belize with the drummers and maybe ten others easily outweighs a more formal audience of several hundred at home.

runnings

Desipte The Rain

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runnings
It has rained all weekend. My friend I’m training with for the 10 Mile is up north where there has been less rain so when he sent me a text yesterday saying he’d gotten his run in, I knew I had to get out in the rain. The temperature was good for running, but the rain was a constant drip with a few stints of steady rain. I was certainly wet when I finished my 8 miles, but it felt great and was one of my better runs lately. Of course, when I finished, I had to text my friend to let him know I too had gotten out for my run despite the rain.

Shoe Mileage

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runnings
I recently discovered my back-up pair of running shoes has fewer miles on them than my current pair. I kept thinking I needed to buy another pair to start rotating them, but my frugalness kept me waiting for them to go on sale. Instead, I now believe I’m about at the point of having to buy two pair to rotate. I’ll continue to search for a bargain for a few days though!

My New Visor

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runnings
Today I gave my latest running attire a try. My new visor. I don’t like running with a hat but I needed something to keep the sun off my face. Visors aren’t my favorite fashion statement, but they may become a staple amongst my summer running wardrobe. The humidity was down this morning but the sun was out and I’m sure the visor helped make it a good run. I have to get used to the band around my head, but so far it’s better than the bright sun.

Up An Hour Late

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runnings
One more hour. If I’d just gotten up Saturday an hour earlier my run would have felt a lot better. I knew I had to get up, but mornings aren’t easy for me so I didn’t get out for my run until about 8 am. By the end of an hour running, I was fantasizing of putting on a pair of tights and a performance top or two while running through snow. It was only in the mid seventies, but according to weather.com, it was almost 90% humidity when I stared my run. I try to tell myself this is part of training is though. The weather by October is going to feel great. Now hopefully the 10 miles will too.

Start of Training

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runnings
Training has begun for the 10 miler. I’ve been meeting a friend in the mornings who is also signed up for the 10 mile. I’m not sure how often I’d be getting out there if we weren’t training together. Lately, after each run, I’ve been a pool of sweat from the 70 or 80 percent humidity. But I am happy to be forced out into my least favorite running weather.

35W Bridge

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I’m not going to try and write something insightful, deep or dramatic. Instead, here are some links:
Video at Minnesota Stories
An article (although slightly cheesy) echoing many opinions that things don’t happen here.
A slightly disappointing account of crowd reaction on flickr.
Some other flickr sets.

runnings

Black River Water Falls

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This past weekend I went to Hurley Wisconsin with a friend of mine. We made our way into Michigan and did some hiking at the Black River Water Falls. It was beautiful, but the waterfalls definitely showed the lack of moisture.

runnings