Happy Groundhog Day to you all, each and every one! I read where Phill saw his shadow today, and we can expect six more weeks of Winter. Wow, I hope so! It's been B-E-A-U-Tiful in Florida this winter. What I hope doesn't happen is that we get in a Bill Murray-esque rut for the next few thousand years, with more of the same. It is my wish that something is different for you today. 
During today's run at Croom I was reflecting on how my running was rut-tistic before I jumped off of the roads and on to the trails. I ran with my friends Chris and Deborah Wedge, so good to see them, and their friend Andy Barrett. Andy is on the road to running his first 100 Mile trail race at Vermont this summer. It's safe to say that his training is going very well. He placed second in his first 50 miler at the Luna Chicks run in December. As we were running he shared his story of the "Quest" to qualify for the Boston Marathon. It was eerily similar to my own.
Since Andy's first marathon at Gulf Beaches in 2004 (if my memory isn't too affected by the rubbing alcohol strained through steel wool, it doesn't work-DON'T TRY IT,
from the college days,) he has made running Boston his chief running goal. Through A-Trying too hard, B-Trying too often and C-General Bad Luck this talented runner has yet to qualify. He described in fairly good detail the tribulations of at least 8 or 9 marathons. He was Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. I know, I've been there! It took me, get this yall, 16 tries to qualify for Boston. I finally had to do what Andy is doing now, take some time off, step back, examine, re-tool and train with some new techniques. His next attempt is several months away, he's not jumping right back in.When I finally qualified in June of 2000, at Grandma's Marathon, Duluth, MN, it was after a failed attempt at Pensacola's Blue Angel marathon, 4 month's earlier. I took some time off, I retooled, and set what is still my PR.
I aint a bettin' man, but I bet Andy qualifies on his next attempt. I bet tomorrow is February 3rd, for him!
9 comments:
I had my own groundhog day with a convenience store burrito a few years ago. I still taste that thing from time to time.
And I'm groundhogging it on the Wasatch Front 100 website, click, refresh, click refresh, repeat early and often. They had their lotto drawing (50% chance to get it) at 1:30 Mountain Time, It's 4:04 there now, nuttin'. Good thing I'm guaranteed entry (er, well, as long as I finish 3 tough mountain trail 100's in the 7 weeks before Wastach. No problem!
4:08 there now, still nuttin'. Ok, I 8 not checking again until jus' before bed.
You call this winter...???
8:43 Utah time, still nothing on the website, I'm hitting the hay, and hoping it'll be 2/3 when I do get up. If not, well then, I have plans for today.
3:28 Utah Time: I'm in! Yikes, now even if I DNF one of the other races, I'm still entered in Wasatch, that means that they are keeping my money. Oh well, I wasn't getting in to this not run Wasatch. Check out my posts late Sunday, It'll be a Wasatch post. BTW, it must be Feb. 3.
I have your record beat, it took me 22 marathons to qualify for Boston, though my qualifying time was not a PR. So what's my secret, OLD AGE. Just live long enough that the time limits come down to your level of running!! :)
Way to go Lan! I bet it was the Bracelets!
Phil is soo damn cute! His handler better not accidently drop him in the similar manner W dropped Barney.
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