Celebrate July 4th with Parade, Concert and Fireworks

Join Decatur's July 4th Pied Piper Parade as it winds through downtown Decatur. Decorate your wagon, ride your bike, skate, or walk in this event.

The City Commissioners will lead the parade in the mini-firetruck. Neighborhoods and organizations are encouraged to make floats and join the fun.

Parade line-up is at the First Baptist Church of Decatur at 5:30 p.m. The parade begins at 6 p.m. It ends at the Community Bandstand on the square with a presentation of colors and the Star Spangled Banner.

The concert, featuring the Callanwolde Concert Band, begins at 7 p.m. in the Community Bandstand. Fireworks begin at dark (approximately 9 p.m.) and are shot from the top of the DeKalb County parking deck.

  

Decatur July 4th Sidewalk Sale

Before (and after) the fireworks, there’s plenty of fun around the square and all over the City of Decatur at the annual sidewalk sale. Click here for a list of participating shops.

Roswell Rise’n Run 4th Annual 5K Run/Walk

4th Annual Roswell Rise ‘n Run 5K Run/Walk, which supports our Emergency Financial Assistance Program for North Fulton Community Charities.  The race will take place on September 19, 2009 at 7:30 a.m, starting at Hembree Springs Elementary. This will include food, fun, and a great time and anticipating more than 300 runners.

09registrationform.pdf

Gike and his Pedicabs

I found this article about one of our own, Gike, aka Mike Gerke.  A runner, triathlete, Ironman, and all around good guy who I keep on running into.

Pedicabs find niche in Decatur, but going is slow elsewhere in area

By Jamie Gumbrecht

Friday, June 26, 2009

There’s a new way to get around in Decatur, different even from the bicycles, scooters, rent-by-the-hour cars and mass transit that already make the city unique.

It involves a pair of pedicabs — bright yellow boxes large enough to seat two or three passengers, attached to an adult-sized tricycle — powered by Mike Gerke’s legs. For a few bucks, he runs short tours around town, takes tired event-goers to their parked cars or provides easy trips home after a long night out

Read more here....

Silver Comet 6.2 Mile Trail Race

2009 XTERRA GEORGIA TRAIL RUN SERIES
June 28^th, 2009 (Sunday)



XTERRA Georgia Trail Run Series
"Silver Comet 6.2 Mile Trail Race"
Silver Comet – Paulding County
(3.1 Miles On The Silver Comet - 3.1 Miles On The Paulding Co. SORBA "Off Road" Trails)

Click the picture link for more details on the Dirty Spokes website.

This Weekend in Decatur

I found this from the Decatur Minute blog site.

Tonight: Allagash Beer Tasting at Palate from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online for $15. Visit www.palatewinebar.com for more info.

Friday: Fab Friday in WePo. Visit the shops along West Ponce de Leon Avenue for a special shopping experience. Participating shops include Boogaloos, Heliotrope, Sawicki’s, Kaleidoscope, Peggy’s Boutique, Nathalie’s Fish House, Tastings, Eviva, Fabutique, Cafe Cliche, Decatur CD and Whit’s End.

Sunday: Church Street Staycation, 1-4 p.m. The merchants of Church Street have planned a Sunday afternoon of summer fun packed with entertainment – kid activities, live music, street performers, cool treats, special discounts, trunk shows, artist demonstrations and door prizes. Participating shops include Mingei World Arts, Java Monkey, The Seen Gallery, Leon’s, Hoopla, and Taste.

Haskins, Vall dominate at Xterra Deep South

I found this article in the local paper about our local speedster Emily Vall.  From The Weekly...

Haskins, Vall dominate at Xterra Deep South

June 8, 2009 (Jackson, GA) – The XTERRA Georgia Trail Run Series continued on strong as almost 200 runners from six states raced over 15 rugged kilometers through the Dauset Trails yesterday. As the fastest growing season in the 2009 XTERRA Trail Run Series, Georgia has developed a faithful following of extreme, off-road runners, and competition remains fierce. 
Coming through with the wins were Nathan Haskins and Emily Anne Vall taking the men’s and women’s races in 54:33 and 1:08:34 respectively.

Mid Summer Music Fest 5K

 

About the Race
Name: Mid Summer Music Fest 5K
Distance: 5K
Date: June 20, 2009, 10:00 a.m.
Location: Atlanta, GA - Candler Park

Race Details: Mid Summer Music Fest 5K Run/Walk in Candler Park. Race starts at Mary Lin School, 586 Candler Park Drive, Atlanta 30307. Hang around after the race to enjoy great music in the park – see www.candlerpark.org for more information. View the race course.

EXTEND YOURSELF

I found this article online at runnersworld.com.

Tips for Beginning Runners

EXTEND YOURSELF

Double your endurance in just six weeks.

By Jeff Galloway

Image by Per Breiehagen

From the June 2009 issue of Runner's World

Imagine running twice as far as you do now. Mission impossible? It's easier than you think. And there's good reason to try. Adding more miles can boost your stamina, help manage weight, and help you get more comfortable on the road. Here's how.

Shoot For Three
A three-day running week is the best way to run more and stay injury-free. When you rest before and after a running day, your muscles feel fresher and you'll have more energy to go farther.

Make Every Mile Count
Giving each run a purpose will help you keep up your routine without getting stale. Designate one day for a "maintenance" run (an easy-paced run that helps maintain fitness), another day to run long, and a third day for speed play (aka "fartlek"). On this run, set out at your usual pace, and pick up the tempo when you feel ready. You might accelerate to a landmark you see ahead, like a tree. Then jog to recover. Take off again when you're ready.

Slow Down
On your long run, slow the pace from the start to cut your chances of getting exhausted—or hurt. Your pace should be about three minutes per mile slower than it is on a maintenance run. So if you usually run a 10-minute mile, aim for a 13-minute pace when you run long. Take a one-minute walk break every one to three minutes.

OurSong Bon Appétit Concert

OurSong, Atlanta's only gay and lesbian mixed chorus, comes full circle with Bon Appétit, the last concert of the 2008-2009 "Eat, Drink and be Merry" themed-season, June 19 and 20, 8:00PM at Emory University's Cannon Chapel, 515 Kilgo Circle, Atlanta.

Surely Julia Child is looking down and smiling appreciatively, wielding her paring knife like an orchestra baton, delighted that OurSong is molding her signature yodel of "Bon Appétit" into another scrumptious musical smorgasbord. They have saved the best for last, as the chorus serves up both cutting comedy and somber reflection in each musical selection, with two major themes: food and marriage.

In response to the passage of Prop. 8 in Calif., OurSong presents their own version of the "Funny or Die" website hit, "Prop. 8 The Musical," written by the composer of "Hairspray," Marc Shaiman, who is openly gay. The video version, starring Jack Black, Allison Janney and John C. Reilly has been an Internet smash, with 1.8 million hits the first day it was uploaded.

Though there are lighthearted musical selections in Bon Appétit, including songs about ketchup, celery and potatoes, the final show for the season takes a more serious turn, not only with the topic of gay marriage, but with other serious themes surrounding food and aspects of marriage in general.

With selections such as 'Famine Song,' along with melodies set to the words of poets such as Emily Dickinson--'Fame is a Fickle Food,' OurSong proves, again, that a concert can be entertaining and thought provoking at the same time.

Tickets for OurSong's Bon Appétit concert are $20 and are available for purchase from the OurSong website, at the door each day of the concert, or from any chorus member. OurSong's CD entitled, Out of a Dream, is also for sale at the website and will be available for purchase at each concert.

OurSong Bon Appétit Concert
June 19, 20, 8PM
Emory University's Cannon Chapel
Directions

Decatur Beach Party

  
Beach Party
Friday, June 19 • 5 p.m.-midnight
Decatur brings in 60 tons of sand and turns the square into a beach for this annual event. Live music, boardwalk games and more! Sponsored by the Decatur Business Association. Proceeds benefit downtown improvement projects and DBA events.

Saba in Oakhurst

Recently Saba, a pasta joint with traditional and creative dishes, opened in Oakhurst.  It's located in the space that was once Calavino's.  Saba has handmade pastas, great sandwiches, homade desserts among other things on their menu.  Dinner, brunch, and lunch is available but check first, Oakhurst doesn't have lunch hours.

I write about Saba because we went to the one in Emory Village.  We've gone there before and we will make it to the one in Oakhurst soon.  We left full and content.  We had the 4 cheese ravioli and the eggplant ravioli in Vindaloo and pesto sauce.  The eggplant dish was creative especially with a mix of vondaloo and pesto.  I also had a bowl of their gazpacho which is one of my favorite soups, ever!  Add to that a side of homemade potato chips and chocolate chip canoli's; we were hapily full.

So try out Saba if you haven't already.  Support the local Oakhurst businesses.

Second Sunday Strolls at Decatur Cemetery

I found this from the Decatur Active Living blog site.  Since we run though the cemetary a lot (when it is open), I found it to be very interesting.  Enjoy!



You are invited to come out to the Second Sunday Strolls this Sunday, June 14, at 2:30 p.m. in Decatur Cemetery. This 30-45 minute historic walk is led by volunteer and Cemetery expert Cathy Vogel. Whether this is your first visit or your 30th, you'll learn something you didn't know about metro Atlanta's oldest public burial space. Meet at the well house gazebo (pictured above) off of Commerce Drive.

And if you can't make this Sunday's walk, here are the remaining dates for 2009:July 12August 9September 13October 11

-The Friends of Decatur Cemetery Committee, a project of the Decatur Preservation Alliance

AJC PEACHTREE ROAD RACE EXPO

WHEN: July 2nd & 3rd
11 AM -- 8 PM both days


WHERE:  InterContinental Hotel
3315 Peachtree Road NE


COST:  FREE!











AJC PEACHTREE ROAD RACE EXPO

THE ANNUAL AVONDALE ART-B-QUE - ALL DAY SATURDAY JUNE 13

Happy National Running Day!

June 3rd is National Running Day.  If you go to the National Running Day website there are a listing of Running Day events inj your local area.  The ORC has added theirs to the list.  Here's our event.

So go out and run, come join us in Oakhurst at One Step at a Time this Wednesday night.