Running

Well, I haven't updated my running for a while now so here is a quick update. Last week I think I got 6 miles in. This week so far I have 9 miles. On Easter Sunday I struggled through 2 miles in the evening after eating too much junk earlier in the day. On Monday then I went to McDonnell Park, where there are some tough hills and did a slow 4 miles. I figured it was kind of punishment after the struggle on Sunday. Then Thursday I did 3 miles at Stacey Park at just over 12 minute mile pace, still slow and need too many walk breaks but at least got it in. Probably won't have a chance to run tomorrow but maybe Sunday.

Sunday is the St Louis Marathon, I haven't done anything there now for 3 years I think. I had done something for 5 straight years, first a relay, then 2 halfs and then 2 fulls, then nothing. Every Fall I think about a Spring marathon and maybe start kind of training in Dec but just kind of slip off of it the last few years. Oh well, hopefully I will get some good 5ks in this year and see what comes.

A Life on the Road--#21 finished

I remember watching Charles Kuralt's show on Sunday mornings on CBS and really liked his segments where he showed normal people doing interesting things. I really enjoyed this book also, brought back some good memories of his show. I really don't remember any certain segments but just remember that I liked watching it. This book isn't really an autobiography but he does cover large parts of his life and what went on as well as mixing in what he was doing for CBS. A really interesting career and an interesting person. He certainly could have competed for the Walter Croncikes(however his named is spelled), and Tom Brokaws of the world but instead figured out that traveling the country and meeting everyday people was more enjoyable. I am really glad that I read this book.

There are already 35 copies of the book on PBS so I don't expect it to be going anywhere but will leave it on my bookshelf for a while I guess.

Rules of Vengeance--#20 finished

This was the next novel after Rules of Deception by Christopher Reich. Both books were good, I probably liked the first book a little better though at least from what I remember. This I do like the two main characters Emma & Jonathan Ransom. Emma being the spy and Jonathan the doctor that thought he had a good marriage going only to realize his wife's life is a complete lie. This book goes more off course with Emma now being a double agent for Russia, when in last book she was a US agent. Of course the end of the book now makes it seem like she is back to the US side while putting one over on the Russians. Kind of confusing. Also realism really got stretched on this book with Jonathan being able to stay a step ahead of everyone while tracking down his wife. Still a pretty good page turner so overall a good book. A 3rd in this series is coming out sometime this year & I have it on my WL.

This book is wanted by around 45 people so I will probably be mailing it out in the next couple of weeks. I mailed 7 books last week and order a bunch also so I am in no real hurry to do a lot with my account right now. Will just kind of let everything make its way around before posting more to mail. Of course I could get a request for a book and I might post this one just so I can take two to the post office also.

I am reading The Yacoubian Building still, going slow only 64 pages in so far. Reading The Shelters of Stone the next in line of the Clan of the Cave Bear series, only 110 pages in & so far good stuff. Finally also reading Charles Kuralt, A Life on the Road. I remember watching him on Sunday mornings & really liking his stories each week. So far the book has been interesting, even with it being dated, published in 1990. I am 204 pages into with, so about 130 pages to go. I might grab another book right away also, will just have to see.

Rising Tide--#19 finished

This is a book about the 1927 Mississippi flood that really devastated parts of Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. The upper Mississippi and it tributaries were also flooding but the major damage and the focus of the book was on the South. It is a really good book, lots of good information and very interesting things going on throughout. It is not a book that is a quick read though, I was some where over a month in reading it. I really liked the beginning where he talked about James Eads and the Army Corp Engineers and their fight on river control. I really only knew the Eads name from his bridge in St Louis, I didn't know how interesting his life was, I will have to find a good book on his life, should be a good read.

The two main areas of focus of the book were the Delta region in Mississippi and New Orleans and talked about how the river affected them book leading up to the 1927 flood. Obviously the river was the main focus of the book but another major topic was the black sharecroppers and field hands and their treatment during the flood. The way they were mistreated, forced many to slip north--slipped because the landowners needed them to work fields and tried to keep them through many different means--mostly plain old force though. The book also talked about Hoover who was in charge of the relief efforts during the flood. It really put Hoover in a bad light with his dealings with the role of government and especially the treatment of the displaced blacks. Hoover really paid lip service to the conservative black leaders to keep some of the mistreatment out of the news and also to secure their support for his presidential aspirations. It was a disgusting time in the US and while Hoover wasn't a southern Democrat pushing segregation, his unfilled promises and outright using of the black leadership was terrible.

This is one of those books that really makes you think and reevaluate some of what you thought you knew. I am looking forward to another book that I have by this author about the 1919 influenza outbreak. This book has 3 WL for it so I will probably be posting it in the next day or two. I just mailed 4 books off today and am waiting for one more WL book to be accepted--Bright Shiny Morning.

Right now I am reading Rules of Vengeance and The Yacoubian Building. I have just started both, so only around 50 pages or under on both. I will probably look to add a 3rd tonight as well.

The Cost of Doing Business--#18 finished

An interesting & good book. It is the second book by John Tarlton and I really liked it. It was a short book of only 174 pages but I thought the characters were interesting and the action flowed nicely. I am interested in knowing more about the characters as well. There is no other book by the author showing up at paperback swap, but the author info mentions an earlier novel and some short stories. The book was published in 2002 so I am guessing there is no 2nd book coming with these characters, oh well.

There is 1 copy of this book already on paperback swap so I have posted this book but really no guess as to when it will be moved. I would think it will go at some point though since it really is a pretty good book.

I am still working on Rising Tide, somewhere around 50 pages left. Also just started The Yacoubian Building, only around 20 pages in. Will look over my books and maybe start a 3rd tonight also.

Head Games--#17 finished

An interesting book about a former police officer/detective that has a brain tumor. Unsure if he will get surgery or not since his life has basically fallen apart--2 ex-wives and a teenage daughter that doesn't really like him, make him wonder if continuing is worth it. Another ex-officer is a lead security guy at a boy band talent agency and needing someone to locate a missing major talent. Story goes from there. Not a bad story, a few twists and turns and the whole time Mike is also dealing with complications from his tumor. In the end it basically works out as best as it can. He finds the singer who agrees to do one last tour, his daughter thrown into the mess comes out okay and loving her dad and the ex's even seem to like him. Kind of unlikely but a nice ending is not always a bad thing either. Looks like the author has also decided to continue this as a series so there is that also. By the way Mike even decides to have surgery and hope it works out so his life will continue--since there is a second book it must for a while anyway.

This book is on 2 WL so I will be posting it and hopefully mailing it off in the next few days also. I will probably also post Bright Shiny Morning with it and maybe another as well. Hopefully all get accepted quick so I can just do one trip to the post office.

Forest Park Run on Saturday

I was able to get a run around Forest Park in on Saturday. It was a good 6 mile run. The pace was around 11:45, so about 1 hour 10 minutes overall. Pretty happy with it, it had been a while since I went that distance.

With the weather turning nicer, I really want to get 3 to 4 runs in a week. It would be nice to get into decent shape to do a good 5k--good as in a decent time like closer to 30 minutes or even below.