Zip Drives and Permissions

Hi Gang;
I am trying to learn C programming and using the Zip disks to
store my programs on. Have no trobles creating directories
and storing the source and executibles on the Zip disks. It is
when I try to execute the program I get "permission denied".
That is for me the owner and su to root. I can copies the
execicutiable to my /home/clay and it possible to execute
the program. What am I missing in the permissions that
can be corrected?
TIA Clay