My good and great friend Kristyn brought a magazine over to the house the other day. It had Dean Karnazes on the cover. Dean is the King of the ultra marathon. His book (mine will be better, and that is a stone cold promise, it won't sell as many copies, but it will be better), "Ultramarathon Man, Confessions of an All Night Runner," was a bestseller for a year. He has won Badwater (135 Miles starts in Death Valley, in the summer, and goes 1/2 way up Mt. Whitney,) and Vermont. Dean has run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. He is an accomplished runner. Anyway the January 2007 issue of "Outside" Magazine listed him as America's Greatest Runner! Quite a title, for quite a guy.
No offense Dean, but phooey! In 2002, I met America's Greatest runner. I met him at mile 50 in Vermont. He was 58 year old Ron Balow. I looked over at Ron as we were running and he was just grooving, I said "Ron, there is nobody in America running any better than we are right now!" I then left Ron behind and finished not 1st but 76th.
In April of 2004 I met America's greatest runner again. This time her name was Becky and she was floating past me at mile 29 of the April Fools 50K in Croom Forrest. Becky went on to set a masters course record that day.
This last October I met America's Greatest Runner once again. This time I met him at mile 80 of the Arkansas Traveller 100. His name is Ted Bidwell and the 57 year old Colorado native finished 8th in the race.
Today, I met America's Greatest Runner one more time. I ran 30 Miles in the Florida Sun with three good friends. I talked I laughed, I made the most out of the situation.
Tomorrow who will be America's Greatest Runner? Who will get the most joy out of what they are doing? Who will glide along? I hope it will be you!
AndyMan
Thursday- Gym, 5 sets of weights.
8 mile run in Temple Terrace with Becky and Davo
Body Weight 181
Friday- 4 miles off road bike
Saturday- 5 AM - 11:30 AM 30 Miles at Croom with Becky, Jon and Julie
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3 comments:
Another nominee: Andyman, for taking the time out late in the Bighorn 100, with a time limit bearing down and the sun beating on us, to be sweet to his daughter at an aid station. I said hello to my wife and moved on ... Andyman hung out and was attentive and actually pleasant ... or at least for him.
Good luck muh-man, I too have rededidicated myself, I let myself get soft, and that won't happen again, even doing those (ick) leg workouts in the gym. If the lottery is good to me, I'll see you at the start of the WS, if it's not, I'll see you at the start of Leadville ...
chase
Chaser,
Hey, don't forget, it's either AT or Heartland in October. I'm leaning towards the AT, because like a true government worker I have neither the 5th nor the 12th of October off of work. I do however have a 1/2 day of work on the 12th, well, if I am going to use one of my two personal days, I want to use it by taking the full day off, not some gyp-off 1/2 day, saavy?
AndyMan
ps, was I being sweet before or after I puked at the aid station?
Ahh...how sweet..however..NOT feeling like a great runner at all..just determined. Thank you for ALL Of your encouragement and willingness to run with me no matter WHAT time of the day it is! I have 12 hours of ipod ready...12 more to go...
OH..www.theprobar.com check it out and look under "community/sponsorships"
ya never know! you could be IT for 2008!!
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