Post 101

Post 101....
It sounds like an American Legion Baseball Team. Or a fort in the days of the Indian Wars. It could even be a New York public School. But it is the 101 post since I started this blog in June. Wow, who would have thought that I had 101 things to say? not me! and not... wait a stinking minute, I can hear you now, ok Woody, what do you mean, I could have cut it down to 3 good posts?!

I agree, we could have done without the video of the toenail being yanked, but....

What about the 180 pound fish in Vermont? (course that fish is 170 now!)
What about Arkansas, Arkanseen? Had to tell yall about that!
And where would my now bald head be without Bean Screen?
And there is the Porcupine. He's cool.

See there, I needed at least 4 of those hunert plus posts!

AndyMan
...................... 101 posts!.......................

oh, yeah, and the flowers, you guys loved them, or least the Puerto Rican did...

I Can't Overtrain for Them

My Cross Country Team has its district meet on Thursday at 5 PM. We should do very well, we may even win! Wow, I train alot, but I never win. Conversely, they win some, yet they really don't train that much. Not of one of them are going in overtrained. Too bad, unless you've overtrained at least once, you can never say, "Perhaps I trained too hard. Maybe next time it would benefit me to train less."

'Course if you've never overtrained, then you've probably never trained as much as you could have. As the English say, "It's a sticky wicket!"

It Shoulda Been a Book Title!

Harley and Me.... It should have been a book title.

Anyone every read that book, Marley and Me? Total suckfest, let me give you the skinny, cute dog, lovable, gets into trouble, but still you love him. Gee, that's like every dog ever. Take Harley... please! He is up for adoption. (Cute guy, he's 9 his owners ended their marriage, so I end up watching Harley. That aint right, but it just is, so, if you know anyone that can give Harley a good home, he deserves it.)

Anyway, Harley is cute, he is lovable, and he definitely gets into trouble, but he is helping me. See, Harley is a born runner, but he is late getting into the sport. At nine he is just starting to run, but he's already up to 2 miles, and he's fast! I run, I'm not fast, but I run almost everyday, I often don't want to, and I would bag out, but when Harley starts the walk, it turns into a run, and when we're done, I am already sweating, I'm warmed up, and I can almost always fit in a couple more miles.

Anyway, Harley reminded me that a running partner is a valuable commodity. The days I want to run, I run, but on those days when I don't feel like it, he cons me into it. Come on, let's just go for a quick walk to the park, next thing you know we're jog a couple of steps, then a couple more, and viola! we got our run in.

So thank you Harley, I love ya buddy, even if you are the inspiration for this bumper sticker:

Harley and Me

It shoulda been a book title.

Anyone read that book, Marley and Me? That book blew chunks! Guy hadda dog, dog was a cute loveable F'up. Welcome to every dog in the world..... Except Harley that is, he's really not that loveable. He has some qualities, even give his limited ceribral capacity (below is a bumpersticker I'd like to see)

Harley does have a couple of great qualities, he's a good looking boy. That kind of just is, I don't really think that's a quality. Er, he likes to run, and he's good at it! This 9-year old pup (who is up for adoption by the way) that I'm watching while his owners are play out their various irresponsibitlities, turns every walk into a 1 - 2 mile run. He's new to this running thing, but he's already learning pace, and he rarely knocks me down.

I Thought I was Crazy...

I been thinkin' that I was crazy, I been thinking I saw a Tarantula Spider while I was running Arkansas, but I thought, that's crazy talk. Tarantula Spiders are only in like South America. I asked around, and it turns out that I don't know any ultra runners that are experts in Arachnids. I asked our Zoology teacher here at school and he gave me a "I think so." So I looked it up on line, and it turns out there is an Arkansas Chocolate Tarantula. Who knew? I AM NOT crazy I did see a Tarantula running Arkansas. He DNF'd I beat him!

No High Anxiety in Tampa Town!

As an applicant for the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, I could let the e-mail I got today from WSER RD, Greg Soderlund, worry me, but I choose not to. Here's a snippet of the e-mail:

Your entry has been received. Thank you for completing your qualifying run and getting your application in on time. If you are not an automatic entrant, you will be going through the lottery (http://www.ws100.com/lotteryresults.htm) on Saturday, December 1st. The lottery takes place in Auburn, CA, in the Placer High School cafeteria near the WS finish line. The lottery is followed by an informal training run starting at Placer High School. Distance varies from nine to 15 miles. No aid stations and no trail markings. If you're not familiar with the trails, buddy up with someone who is. Lottery hours are from 9 a.m. to noon. The WS website (if all goes as planned) will be updated with lottery results every ten to 15 minutes. If possible, I encourage you and your friends to attend the lottery. The anxiety is high, but the coffee is hot, the pastries are sweet and comforting, and the entertainment is free.

Sentence 3 (in bold) has me putting this e-mail in the archives and not worrying even a little bit. Just 3 short (very long) years ago, I was sweating this bad boy. Man, I wanted to run this race soo bad. That 1st Saturday of December came around and BAM! I was a training fool, I had gotten in. Course, I had no idea it was such a big deal. I didn't know I'd be shelved for the next two years.

Anyway, I know that Roger, Chase, Chris Wedge, and Jon Docs also got this e-mail, and I am hoping, perhaps even praying, that they'll get the Go-Go Ahead on December 1. Good luck fellers! (I need the training partners :)

...........Best of luck to lottery folks, I'm going for a Run!.........

Wrong Turn at Albuquerque?

WTF? From Chase's old employer, the Associated Press, comes the story of the disassociated (or disoriented at least) ambulance driver.

Ambulance Aiding Dying Runner Got Lost
22 hours ago
CHICAGO (AP) — The ambulance crew who picked up a dying runner during the Chicago Marathon apparently got lost on the way to a hospital, authorities said. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g6lvSE-82tor9o87GWW2hM_C-PiA

I hear there are going to start using a combination of Onstarr, GPS, and Ernest at the local Sunoco to direct the ambulance drivers working next year's marathon. These guys could botch a one-car hillbilly funeral! I'm wondering, are these the same people in charge of Rockies World Series tickets?

Please tell me these guys aren't working the Grand Slam!

What Matters?

What Makes you Tick?

I'm a jerk, ask a lot of people. Chase will tell you, that dumbass in Arkansas that said that it's a "fact" there is no global warming (oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were the world's smartest person. Perhaps I should read your book, "Where God went Wrong.") will tell you. A string of ex-wives will tell you (ok, one). SuperDave can tell you. Now, one of my beloved Cross Country runners can tell you that as well.

The Scene:

Two of our top runners are out. This person, usually our 7th runner, is our 5th runner. We have a chance to well in a big meet. Our top 4 runners (the top 5 score) all run great, all she has to do is run OK. Sometimes you don't have it, I understand that, but darn it, you should try. After she all but walks to the finish, as two runners pass her right before the finish line and the clock clicks from 27:59, to 28:00 and she finishes in 28:01. Coach Mathews was not happy.

"I could never do that." I tell her.

"What?" she asks.

"Run an :01"

"What?"

"If I'm that close, I'm charging, forget about the two people that passed you at the end. How can you see that clock and just trot toward it? I'm not letting that happen. If I ever run an 01, I'm bursting a lung going for a :59."

.....................There's a Time I can Live with!.............

She didn't get it. Maybe you don't either, and that's OK. That clock which ticks also makes me tick. It is just one gauge of my effort.

Boy I hope I am charging life's clock like a race clock!

Local Role Model Can't Quit

Local Role Model, Can't Quit (Darn it all!)

Hey, I'm no Chris Wedge, and I darn sure aint Dave Harper. I'm no Dean, I'm no Chase, or Jim Sullivan; those cats are all over the newspaper. But, I did get a little PR the other day.

My school's Alumni newsletter (yeah, I don't know the name of the publication, but I'm going with the Crusader) wrote a little piece on my recent run in Arkansas. So, for the let's see 100 X 30 years = 3,000 people who graduated from Tampa Catholic, wait... Alumni in good standing which the alumni affairs office can locate (1486), , err, a, Alumni in good standing that actually read the Crusader (614). So for you 86 people spread about the globe, that read the Crusader and don't just look at pictures and search for your own name, that's me on the bottom right of page 3!

And how has this acclaim changed my life? Well, I was going to skip cross country practice yesterday. I was so tired I was making 3 tracks. I was just going out to my car to but some junk away then I was shooting across the street to tell my runners to jog 4 miles and I'd see them tomorrow. The best laid plans..... The principal stops me, shows me the article in the alumni mag, gushes over me, I feel guilty, can't bag out of practice, run the 4 miles with them (plus one more, now it seems I'm a stinking role model). Oh, well, I'm definitely bagging out today (shoot, we have a meet today, can't bag out, whoa is me..... I must have the hardest job in the world!)

Bank Guard in Alaska, the second hardest job, "Heck, everybody's wearing ski masks" Dennis Miller, 1987 (back when he was funny!)

Booze Monkey it IS!

Move over Scott Boe, I just made a T-Shirt!
So, it looks like HFUU is now represented by Booze Monkey. Hey, if it's ok with Chase, it's ok with me. I reckon if you ever feel the need to harden up you feel like there is a Monkey on your back. This will serve as a constant reminder.

I'm all for it, bending final approval by Chase that is. Ok, Now that I have that Monkey off (er, I guess I mean on) my back, I can get back to running!

T-Shirt by Scott Boe and Ultrascreening.

No Love for Faber

Whatch you talkin' about HFUU?

Since Faber's Cross Country Program folded in 1988 to give more money to the Mongols football program, I thought the Mongols could be an excellent mascot for our University. But NOOOOOOO! This could be the best mascot, but you're going to make it the worst!
I can't believe that such a hallowed (hollowed?) institution (see below): Can't even manage one scrawny vote! Heck, some of you (er, me) are voting for two (actually 4) mascots. You can't trow a Mongol a bone?

Shoot, the Blowfish even got two votes (only one of them mine!) The cute MUT got four (I don't think any of them mine.) And Joey Sixer is whizzing up the charts! Well, as the Witch in Monty Python and the Holy Grail said (well we did do the nose), "It's a fair cop!"

Relax, Booze Monkey, Relax!

Update: The Monk pulls back ahead, e-ee, e-ee, (that's a monkey noise, course Boozer may be, e-hick, e-hick!)

Dear Booze Monkey,

I always knew you had it in you, I never thought that there was a reason to be concerned.

Enclosed is my favorite picture of you from my friend Chase's leg. Many people saw it as they tried to keep up with him in Arkansas.

Best of luck as you seek to become the HFUU Mascot. I just wanted you to know that I believe in you!

Andy Man

Yall you get on line and vote! Shoot, nudge a colleague out of her chair boot up her computer and cast that (those) ballot (ballots :)

The Rubber Meets the Off-Road!

Ok, prospective HFUUers, it's time to name your University.

Had several good suggestions. Narrowed it down to the following:

The Animal
Blowfish
Booze Monkey
The Ex
Joe Six Pack
Mongols
MUTS

I'll do a quick lobby for each one below, then I'm out! That's right it's up to you to stand up for your Mascot.

The Animal: I like this a lot. Why? Well, there's the Chrissy Furgeson comment, "If you finished today, then you're an Animal!" Well, both Chase and I did; therefore, made of wood! Also, on my B'day run, my brother called me an animal, I liked that. In addition, always liked those mascots that don't end in S!

Blowfish: I like the picture I downloaded. I liked Angie's grit, moxie and sticktoitiveness (I promise never to use that word again! It's like synergy, it just gets up there beside you) and it was her idea.

Booze Monkey: Gotta be the early favorite. Booze Monkey is cool as the other side of the pillow, besides, the Chaser went through much agony to get him forever implanted on... er him. Plus, do you really want to meet Booze Monkey in a dark alley? I'm thinking not. Plus, our shirts and banners will be the coolest.

The Ex: It there anything we fear more? End of story

Joe Six Pack: And no, that's not our abs! That's a ham n egger that works all day, lives hard, drinks out of the can and may wear them inside out to get an extra day out of them. Do yourself a favor don't piss off Joey Sixer.

Mongol: Invaders, Faber already used it. Don't vote for this one

Porcupine: Sticky bastid! Always liked that joke: "How are a Porsche and a Porcupine different?" Porcupine's got the pricks on the outside! Shirts would be cool, you'll have to lobby if you want this one, because it's not my fave. Er, yeah, I sorta left this off of the poll, now a real darkhouse, will have to run on a write-in campaign.

MUT: Hey, the Mut, he's loyal. He's unpredictable, he's hungry, he'll pee anywhere. He also stands for Mountain Ultra Trailrunner. As Fla's 2006 MUT of the year I sort of like this one. It's in my top 3, as a matter of fact, I'd like to think we're all MUTS in the eyes of the Lord. Go MUTS, GRRRR!

..Kibbles n Bits, Kibbles n Bits, I'm gonna get some Kibbles n Bits..

There you have it. I may edit and add graphics later, but get those comments and votes rolling in, gotta place the shirt orders soon!

VOTE EARLY and OFTEN!!
Did I mention that you can vote for more than 1? Well, er, yeah, you can-can.

Knowledge is Good

Thank you Mr. Faber! Knowledge is good.

Here's a piece of it for you, one of my little pearls that the students are all so very (not so very, don't like all) of:
"It's nice to know yourself so well that you don't need a clock; you don't need to know what place you are in; you just know what your effort level is. You know you did well without the aid of any outside source."

I said that, I said it last night, it came to me over some Shrimp and mixed veggies (still meat free after 4 months). This was me at Arkansas, this was Chase at Arkansas, this was Angie at the John Holmes 50K, and with a little training and much crash testing, this could be you too!

Hey, just so you know, the Faber Mascot is the Mongols, not bad. Any votes?

Honors Grad Speaks Out

Yall, this just in from Angie Arnst, recent HFUU Honors Grad:

My vote for the Mascot is the Blowfish- During my recent visit to HFUU the Blowfish was the one that gave me the tour and stayed with me during my visit. If you make the Blowfish mad he blows past you and leaves you in the dust and other days the Blowfish is full of heart. Not to mention that the Blowfish sure can put down some beverages.

Don't want to influence you, but the girl rings true. Blowfish makes the cut:

Booze Monkies

Joe BOD

Blowfish

Exes

More to come

PS, Obviously, we have to Graduate Chaser from HFUU for two reasons (at the very least), 1- He brought the term to us. 2- He indured hours of pain (on more than one Booze Monkey occasion) getting Booze Monkey surgericaly implanted on his arm and leg. 3- He's a bad arse. Any way here's Booze Monkey, at Chase's request:

OH CRAP, IT's REAL!

Don't go to your mailbox! Anything good you can read on e-mail. Yes, you might have a nice birthday check in there, thank you Sister Teresa and Sister Alice, but more likely you won't. You'll be faced with ...... An acceptance letter into Western States, Yikes!

As a two-time loser, I got to bypass the lottery and they sent me a note, it says I'm in, that means the slam becomes a reality. I gotta start classes at HFUU right away! Angie, where are you, what do I do!

(BTW, just because there is a new post up doesn't not excuse you from submitting names for the HFUU mascot!)

Graduation Cermimonies for HFUU

Special Congratulations to Ms. Angie Arnst, who recently graduated Magna Cume Whatever from Harden the F' Up University. When asked to describe how this honor felt, Ms. Arnst puked all over this reporter. Spot-On Angie!

See, that's what I'm saying, it's keeping f'ing tough, you don't whine, you puke, off the trail thank you Angie, you wipe off your face with a dirty hand, you take a drink, and off you go. And that was what Angie did.

Ok, thanks to Leon, Angie, Michelle, Cary and Ron, (oh, we gotta thank Chase too, he brought Chopper to us) we now have a University. What does every University need? That's right funding... so make out your checks to, Er, I mean we need a mascot (Candi, I said A Mascot, no we can't be like Auburn and have 3, they're special :). Send me you mascot names and we'll run a poll, then have a final Election.

Here are few of the names I thought of:

Porcupine (Cardinal beware, this is an animal you don't want to mess with)

Pit Bulls

Ex-Spouses (Is there anything as scary?)

Spouses (Well, maybe)

The Felons (Sorry Super Dave, the CrimiNoles were taken!)
Sand in the Crotch
Cold Coffee (Yeah, I'll drink it)

And the Animals (Chrissy Ferguson, AT100 Race Director, if you finished this race today, "You're an Animal!" Grrr, Chrissy, Grrr!)

Kathleen Turner, as an ex, hot enough to.... Scare you!

Send me some more and Wed- Saturday we'll have us an election, do like the Republicans, vote early and often!

Way to go Angie, the first graduate of HFUU, yall, I saw her, she hardened the F' Up!

Vaseline, time to Glide on Over!

Ultrarunners are just weird. I first noticed this when I met Dan and Woody. Don't get me wrong, great guys, both. Great runners, great people, but weird.

As I was preparing for my first 100 mile race in 2001 I noticed that when I got passed a certain mileage things would rub and they would chafe, passed the point where Vaseline, my personal lube system and what I'd always called, WD-40 for the body, did any good whatsoever. Let me tell you, when you're chafing to the point where petroleum jelly doesn't help that isn't much fun. (Ok, I'm talking about a pair of great friends being weird and then I go right into Vaseline, this isn't that typ of blog!) Dan and Woody introduced me to, a my new anti-chafe product.

Them, Well, you gotta get some of this Bag Balm see."

Me, "What's this crap?"

"Dairy farmers use it." Them

"Oh, do they chafe alot?" I ask knowingly.

"They use it on the cows. They glob it on the teats." They retort.

Viola, I had a new personal body lube.

Ok, so now there's Bag Balm, and works great.

Then I meet Chase. Chase, he swears by Boudreaux's Butt Paste (you'd be very surprised the places that chafe in a 30-hour run!)

And my buddy Dave, he won't lace up the shoes for a double-digit run without first applying the nip-guards.

And He's got Two of them!

And they sell these things too, so somebody must use them:

Anti-Monkey Butt

& Squeaky Cheeks
Hey Vaseline

, Time to Glide on over
Give your body a Lube Job!

Holy Scraple! Who is the Stick?

Waxing on seeing a picture of me at Arkansas:
Geez, look at that! I'm starting to look like a runner. I miss my spare tire :(
Well, I guess a guy can only put in so many Hunert milers before he no longer looks like a football player. (There is an actual picture of me at Arkansas on the last post, but you get the point!)

Arkansas, Arkanseen!

Been there (twice), Done That (twice), Never going back again (twice?)

As most of you gathered:

A- It was hot

B- Chaser and I braved the weather and were not in the 60% that dropped out

C- I ran harder than last year, yet I was two hours slower

D- Had an unbelievable 11th place finish.

5- Made two spot on predictions about the race, and so did you!

First here is an actual picture of Chase holding a thermometer at the Lake Sylvia starting point:

If you look very closely at the picture you should notice three things. 1st, that the Thermometer is reading 100 degrees, wow, that's hot. 2nd, the thermometer is not in a park but at some dude's house. 3rd, that's not Chase holding the thermometer. It's some dork with glasses on the top of his head, (hey buddy, whadda you got eyes on the top of your head too?). So, it really wasn't 100, but it got to be 92, and Chase was too busy running to be posing for pictures. This is no lie, I was still pouring ice water on top of my head at 2 O'clock in the AM. And I liked it!

Next. 150 signed up for the race. 10 were really smart, showed up, got there shirts and numbers and took went home without running a step. Did Not Start means they probably weren't falling into a mud-puddle at mile 19, then dropping their sunglasses in said mud puddle, then trying to grab them and falling back into said mud puddle, then dropping said sunglasses again, then realizing that there is no one around to give them any sympathy. Ok, so 150 signed up. Chase and I beat the 10 that didn't start, then 74 more dropped, Chase and I beat them too! Just by finishing we had already finished in the top 1/2, yea us, beating at least 84 of the 150!

Third. No question, I ran harder this year than last. I constantly worked my up through the field, and I don't know when the last time I was passed was, but I know it was before mile 48, if I had to guess, I'd say no one passed me after mile 30. I never made a declaration not to let anyone pass, and I wouldn't have put up much of a fight (well before mile 50 I wouldn't have), but no one did pass me, I was running well.

Fourth. Wow, 11th place. Seemed so much better than last year's 9th. Because I wasn't expecting it. I looked at the entrants list and I noticed that 7 of the 8 guys that beat me last year were back (for some reason you never think the heat is going to effect them, but you know it will effect you!), also I saw the names of several entrants that are lightning fast, including Jeff Browning who won Bighorn in 2006, when last Chase and I hooked up for an easy 100. (Chase you, may not like my choice of races, but you are 2 for 2 in those events!) Anyway, I wasn't really expecting much place-wise. I hoped to be in the top 25, but I had no idea. I ran for several miles with Brian Kuhn who came in 10th last year, and he was struggling. He said we were in about 20th place at mile 35. When I got within 6 miles of the turn around I saw the dude in 1st place, he had a handy 12 mile lead on me. Then I counted dudes in front of me. My calculations put me between 22 & 26 (I saw 22 race numbers, the others could have been pacers or runners, I couldn't tell) The sad part was that only two of the guys in front of me were just in front of me. Of the remaining 20 the next closest guys were more than an hour in front of me (30+ minutes for me to get to the turn-around). Also, there were many people within a minute or two behind me at the turn. I figured that I'd be lucky to hold onto #22, but I had a modest goal of moving into the top 20. Well, I ran as hard as I could for as long as I could, and no one passed me. I also passed 5 people during the night. I had one great race with this cat at mile 80. I passed him coming out of an aid station and I mean I dropped the hammer on his pathetic arse! I flat put the kibosh on him. I was flying. I patted myself on the back so hard I knocked myownself down, I said out loud, "I can't believe you are tough enough to drop the hammer at mile 80. " Further, I said, "I don't care what he does, I don't care if he passes me back, I can't control him. I am still proud of myself." You know, I never thought I'd see that cat again, and yet, he came back and passed me. "I'm back from the dead he said." Well congratulations. I told him that I was I was proud of him, and I was. I said, "How did you do that, I was running like a madman." He said, "my Advil kicked in, and I'm feeling better." He took off, I tried to hang on, but I wasn't going to get sucked into his race (plus, I knew that I'd closed a one-hour gap on him, just to catch him with 20 miles to go, so I thought, I may see him again.) I passed him again at mile 85, this time when I dropped the hammer, it stayed dropped. the next time I saw him was at the awards ceremony. In addition, I got a heckuva gift 7 of those in front of me dropped! When I finished I asked Stan (the RD) what my place was (I figured and hoped for 18), but I finished in 11th. Boy, I'm glad I didn't know that I was in 11th, because I'd have pushed to the point of physical harm to try to claw into the top 10. It was great, because it was so unexpected.

Last (finally). My predictions. #1, that was a two-foot putt. Prediction, pain! Well, yes. My feet are mincemeat. Even my wrists are torn up from where my watch rubbed against my skin. Next the time prediction. Yeah, my first guess was 22:40, and I figured in 80 degree weather that's what I'd run. Then I changed it to 23:30. I had no idea what I was running as I was running it. I guessed I had finished right around 22 hours. Well, I missed by 49 minutes, but I forgot about little facts like lying on the ground for a full minute at mile 75 after tripping on one of the millions of rocks on the course. I forgot about having to run the last 5 miles by striking only the heel of my right foot because the ball was in too much pain, that has to slow you down.) Hey, three of yall were right on with your predictions too. 22- 22:59. A couple of you must have either been reading the weather reports for 30 degree South Latitude instead of north, or you were just flattering me by predicting a sub-22 hour race. Anyone who guessed slower should have been right, shoot, I guessed that I'd run almost an hour slower than I did.

Any way, I'm glad it's done, and I am glad that you all shared it with me. Your encouragement and your faith in me meant and means a lot. I'll be hanging tough through the slam and I'll be needing your help!

Stick a Fork in Me!

Shoot, I'm already roasted & toasted. Stick a fork in me because I'm done!

Special thanks to Barbara for updating the Blog and for making up some awesome drops bags for me before my trip (and fall!). Special thanks to Ali for my bracelet, I needed it.

I'll write the report later, I don't know how much later because I'm like my last paycheck, or a fifth of Gin, I'm gone, gone, gone (at least I'm still able to educate America's youth!)

AndyMan
ps, Barb said it all along, I may have to believe it now, but after a 9th and 11th place finish in the same race, I may finally have to admit that I'm not too bad at this 100 mile thing (of all the things to be good at! Hey, he's great at hitting himself with a hammer! See that guy over there, he can keep his thumb in a vice longer than anyone I know, yeah, I guess he really trains for it!)

Good news

Andy just called (he could not get cell phone reception earlier) and reported he finished in 22 hours and 49 minutes. He placed an impressive 11th this year. He reported the weather was a big factor for many runners, with several DNFs. Chaser was still holding strong at last report. WOW!

NO WORD YET

As of 8:30 am, I have not heard from Andy. Review of Perryville, AR weather revealed that Andy and Chaser ran with temps in the 90s yesterday, and in temps that only dropped to the 70s overnight. Also, thunderstorms were a possibility. Let's hope Andy and Chaser are feeling healthy and are well on their way to the finish line!

Good Sweaty Morning Arkansas!

"It's hot! At night it's hot and it's wet, which is nice if you're with a lady, but it's no damn good if you're in the jungle!" Thank you Roosevelt T. Roosevelt (from Good Morning Vietnam). RTR was of course talking about Vietnam, but he could have been describing the weather in Arkansas. Yuck, October 6 & 7 are predicted to be 10 degrees hotter for the dates than average for the day time and 15 degrees hotter that the night time average.

Ok, but how hot shall it be? "Are you from the Sun? It's hot fool, damn hot!" Thanks again RTR, but more specifically, it's gonna be 90 in the day and a frosty 70 at night.

.......Save Lindsay Lohan, quite possibly my least favorite star!......

I'm not going to kid you, I changed my vote in the poll. I'm shooting for 23 - 23:59 don't want to go down in a Billy Blaze of glory. Oh, well, what doesn't kill us .... only makes us wish we were dead in ultrarunning.

Oh, one more thing, I'm out, won't be back with you until Monday, but as I said, when you get done running on Sunday morning, after you've skipped church and read the funny papers, go ahead get on line and see if I'm done yet Barb will let you know.

Easy Like a Sunday Morning

Yes, easy like a Sunday morning!

You ready? Here's the prediction for my Sunday morning; Prediction? Pain! (Who said it, and when? SuperDave, you don't get a guess, I know you you know,) now here's the real prediction:

Don't worry about getting up, I'll be there already. 12:34 AM, I'm running. I have been running for 18 hours and 34 huffing minutes! huff, huff, huff.

1:34 AM, I'm running

2:34 AM I'm running

3:34 AM I'm running

4:34 AM I'm running, but I can see the finish line :)

4:40 AM I cross the finish line :) I'm now done running. Only 22:40 minutes later. I come in 23rd place. I'm happy, but now I'm tired.

I look for the car, I find it, I lay in the back seat of the car, I drink a beer (I don't want it, but it's tradition) I drift off to blissful sleep. Ouch, make that blisterful sleep! Cramps, ow, ow, ow, cramps. I'm racked with pain, I can't sleep. I try to get up, go look for Chase. I'm stuck.

Easy like a Sunday Morning (I don't think it's what the Commodores had in mind!)

Oh, I'm going to have Barb update the blog for me on Sunday morning. Check back at about 8 AM Eastern time, at least one of us should get some sleep!

AndyMan

ps, this is only a prediction I don't know what actually happened!

It's in the Bag!

Well, today I'll start putting drop bags together for the Arkansas Traveller 100. Nope, no Barbara this year to pour Boost on me, or give me epic hugs. I haven't had to do this since 2002. What? 2002? 'At's right. Vermont 2002 was the last time I did a 100-Mile run without aid from a crew.

Shoot, I used to love the technical part. Getting everything together, what am I gonna need, all that jazz. Extra Flashlights, extra shirts, extra batteries, extra Boost. Yeah, I used to love that! Used to. Oh, of course I always screwed it up. Always. First 100-miler, had the wrong size batteries for my flashlights, when the original batteries ran out of juice, I was left in the dark. This caused me to make several wrong turns until I hooked up with someone with a light. I also had my long sleeve shirts in my daytime drop bags and my short sleeve shirts in my night time drops. Poor planning. It's ok, I'll improve, I thought.

Second 100-miler: Sharing drop bags with Jon Docs. Great idea, cept Jon's a little (about a feature length movie, make that a Lord of the Rings feature) faster than I am. Every time I got to a drop bag it was ripped to hell. And those pesky batteries that I knew where the right size, yeah, he kept stealing them! Er, so I thought. Turns out I put them all in a side compartment that he didn't know about so he wouldn't take them. Yeah, only after running for 14 hours, I wasn't thinking straight, I forgot about the compartment and just blamed Jon. Anyway, I ran out of batteries again, and had to bum a light (again.) Hey, buddy, got a light? On the plus side, running with someone with a good light is how I met Scott Hunter who told me about the Grand Slam (I didn't even know there were other 100's besides Vermont!) Yeah, thanks Scott, I guess!

Anyway, so this time, I'm going to do better, I hope! Regardless, I'm going to start putting them together now. Oh, I just love the technical nature of putting together drops. Chase, help!