The Waste is a Terrible thing to Mind

My tail on my scale: 180 #.

Perfect, that's a healthy 3 pounds down from the same time as last Wednesday. Yes, I was at 180 earlier in the week too, but that was one of them "after run, before you drink, jump on the scale to make yourself feel good" weigh-ins. Today's was the real, same time of the day before a run weigh-ins.


Ok, so next Wednesday, I'd like to be 178 or lower. I won't buy the CK Briefs until I hit 174 though!

The Cure Should Fit the Crime!

Cure? More like Punishment if you ask me!

Anyone ever get the "Sports Massage?" I just got one as treatment for my Plantar Fascitiis, and It's nothing like that candles burning, come on over baby and I'll give you a massage, massage. It's more like the let me rip and peel back your skin, grab and wrench your insides massage.

Needless to say, I'm going back for more! Shoot, I'll say this, my main man Pete (who by the way is trying to raise $5K for Miles for Moffit by running 50 Miles on his 50th B'day 5/10 please contact Pete @ ppfannerst@aol.com with your pledges) put a new kinda hurt on me! My choices were to either Scream, Cry, or Laugh, so I was laughing like it was my job. He twisted me 9-Ways to Sunday. At one point I made him stop and take a break, whilst I put my jewels back in their case. Ok, so why am I going back? When he was done and I stood up.... I was a new man. A new man with a new foot! My foot like it hadn't in months. It was a dose of Pete Magic!
Man, I can't wait to go back. Plus, I figure that enduring the pain is great training for an ultra. Besides, I promise you at no point will by foot hurt that much during the race.

Two Months to the Day; & What he Say?

Western States, the Crown Jewel of the Grand Slam is two months from today. Wow, I aint Mentally or Physically, or Fiscally ready. Not to fear, I have plans for all three.

Mentally: Quit Whining! I will either do or not do, and I know I won't quit. Gotta get my arms around that concept.

Physically: Am on track to losing my 20, I'll drop and give you 20! Don't stand too close because the weight, it's coming off! It's gonna be dripping like the fat off of a Bubba Burger cooked on your grill on the 4th of July! Also, gonna do some hills. Also, going to see Pete today, take care of the foot and the shin. Tippy-Top shape I'm telling you.

Fiscally: I'm hatching a plan. I'll unveil it later. Now, I gotta go to work.

Be young, Have Fun, Drink Pepsi!

Love,
AndyMan

GR, that's What I'm Talking About!

I don't really want or need a letter, but how can I not give myself one?

I ran: 9 on Friday. 20 on Saturday. 27 on Sunday. And they were all good miles.

So, here's how it stands: In the GR
Just need AND before Western States on June 28 and I'll pick up the SLAM at the races themselves.

Also earning letters this weekend: Becky. Wow is she getting in GREAT shape. Saturday 30 at Croom. Sunday 22 + of hills! That's a letter! She's training for Vermont, so that's a V

Tracy also did my awful course today. We did the 5 mile start loop at Croom, then to test our mental fortitude I took her 20 on the road. Total 25 for her (I did 2 extra trail miles.) We have to get her to pace herself a little better, but girl can fly! We did fast run, walk, fast run, walk, usually, I put the diesel in low gear an chug away. This was different, challenging and letter worthy! Tracy is also training for Vermont, so we give her a V as well.

Ok, Let's go capture them letters make 'em ours, and by the time we have our words, we'll be in tippy-top shape!

UPDated: State Track, Dancer Tryouts, Croom and Robin Hood

I attended 'em all in the last 24 Hours.

Dancer Tryouts: Ali Mathews is on the TC Dance Team! 25 new girls tried out, she was one of only three incoming Freshman and 5 new overall that made the team. It was nerve racking, I'm glad it's over!

Mari, was seeded 16th of 16 at the State Pole Vault Competition. She finished 12th. Great Job for this eager Freshman.





I'm bushed! You'll get to hear about it later, for now, a little nap, then the coaches prom, complete with door prizes!

Song of the Week 13: Sad But True

Sad, but true, and it isn't whining, it just is.

I've trained for 11 100 mile races. I've completed 10. I have enjoyed every step.... but here's a sample of the song of the week from Donna The Buffalo.

All I want to do is wake up
Return to the living kind
But everything seems to want to hurt this time

The song is, "Seems to Want to hurt this time."


For complete lyrics check this site: http://home.earthlink.net/~tclausen/id34.html

Damn I wish it wasn't true. I haven't had a pain free step in maybe three months. I say that, but I do think the foot is getting much better. Shoot, it's been handling 70 miles a week for the last few weeks. Of course, now I've got a wicked shin splint in the opposite leg. But I'll handle the foot then I'll attack the shin and voila! I'll be good as new.

Just as an aside, I picked up a new little nugget this am as well.

Turns out that the body can go the following distances between pit stops the next morning after different kinds of beans:
Re-fried: 3 careful miles
Black- 6 Miles
Red- EXACTLY 9 miles
Garbonzo- 0 Eat these in the bathroom only!

The Urban Assualt

Last night I was gonna meet some cats at my buddy Davo's pad, do a little jog and then hang with he and his old lady (gawd, I miss beatniks!)

Well, did 1/2 of that, I hung with Davo, the lovely Lisa (Davo really out-kicked his coverage with her) and Becky and Jon. But I did not run with them. Instead I got the brilliant idea of running from my Central Tampa home to northern Lutz suburbia (used to be the stix.) The run is 13-miles if you go the back way and don't make any wrong turns. Shoot, going the quickest route, it's only 11 miles and there is only one turn, I believe you end up in Michigan if you miss that one turn. Anyway the direct route had no appeal to me, as it's right down a very busy road, and I was starting the run at 4:45 in conjunction with rush hour (good movie.)

You, know it wasn't that bad. Turns out, sure there was traffic on my long way, but there was also a runnable grass shoulder the whole way (and sidewalks for yall without a mix of Plantar Fascitiss and shin splints.) Also, there is just something neat about going, "Ok, yeah, what time? Yeah, I think I'll just run there. No, I've got a couple of water bottles, I'll be fine."

15 Miles, Two hours, a bottle of water, a bottle of Heed, and an extra two miles (one wrong turn when I entered the woods near their house and figured I could slop my way over there, I was wrong) I arrived at Davo and Lisa's.

It wasn't that bad, but I aint gonna rush hour out and do it again either!

AndyMan

ps, I caught a ride home.

Tail of the Scale:

One of my keys to Western States success was to lose some lard.

I have noticed that my clothes fit very well as of late. You may think this is a good thing, but ask any obsessed runner (geez, I hate that word, yet have to admit that it's true) and the only well fitting clothes are loose fitting clothes.

There was no use denying it, plantar fascitiis and M & M's (ok, and maybe Amberbock) have had an impact upon my form. So, how did I handle this? I took one more large handful of M & M's and went down to Target and picked up the best scale they had for under $8. Hey, I'm not looking for an exact figure, I just want to know what the trend is.

I've said that I want to be around 160 for Western and 155 for Leadville. Normally I figure, I'm between 175 and 180. 185 when I'm not running.

Wednesday's cheapie scale report, 183! Yoikes! Ok, don't panic, I'm M & M free for two days now. and that's only 23 pounds in 9 1/2 weeks, a lot of things can happen in 9 1/2 weeks. I'll get down there really you'll see. I'll update you on Wednesday's.

Where does Yours End?

This is the key to my life, I won't let comfort limit my imagination. What's that mean? I believe that to be truly happy you have to be willing to risk it all, including your comfort.

Congratulations to my good friends Chuck and Arlene. They ran Boston yesterday in 4:00:36 & 4:00:32 (and that included two potty stops!)

As Chuck nears 57 Years old, he can still qualify for Boston and still hot foot it around town with kids less than 1/2 his age. Shoot, I remember when people retired at 55, not my man Chuck. No shuffle board for him. How about Boston baby! Way to Go Chuck!

Arlene has made herself a great runner. Running 26.2 miles is not comfortable for her, and I promise you there were many people along the way that never thought she could do it. Arlene has battled asthma and genetics and beat them both down. And guess what? Arlene is a two-time Boston finisher! Oh, and her latest effort has qualified her again. Comfort is for the mediocre, Arlene, you are extraordinary!

Hey, we all know some of these people. Why can't you be these people? No it won't be easy. Yes you will lose some sleep. Yes it will often hurt. No, it won't be comfortable. But, it will be worth it, right Arlene?

Just so you know, your marathon could be a PhD. Your marathon could be a 10K. Your Marathon could be a new job, a dance class, but take a risk.

Way to Go!

Put down the remote. Forsake the controller, Get UnComfortable!

Another Down, and 8 to G-G-Go!

Another one's gone and another one's gone, and another one bites the dust!

Knocked out the letter G today. Well yesterday and today. Yesterday, I fared pretty well with a 33 miler at Croom. Today just by starting I earned my letter G. When I could have slept, but I didn't, I got up and got moving down the road. I had to meet my great friends Becky and Candi for a 12 mile run. 33 + 12, that's 45 in two days, not bad, letter worthy for sure.

The first to call was Becky, "tired from yesterday, gonna hit the gym."
No problem, 30+ yesterday, darm good, besides it's me that's slammin' not you.

Next was Candi, more serious call. Got a foot issue, it's contagious, we can trace it back to Roger. Roger bequeathed it to me, I passed it on the Star, she gave it to Candi. Geez, we gotta kill this footie thingy. Anyway, Candi's 20 something left her on the gimpy side, so I was on my own.

My 12 at Old Fort King Trail turned into 17 hilly miles at Croom. I ran up and down, I walked a bit, I listened to music and I got in my 50 in two days. I got my G!

These are down: In The G
These to go: R-A-N-D and S-L-A-M.

Youuu Go Boooyy.

The Imperfect 10

Today is 10 weeks to the day until Western States. 70 Days to get ready for the mountains.

Wow, can I do it? I can give 'er a go, I'll tellyouthatrightnow!

My keys to success:

#1- Get my darn foot fixed! It's a lot better. I was able to run 33 on it today. Oh, it hurt, but I made some dumb errors (as opposed to the smart ones.) It feels ok now, but I'd really rather not have it hurt like hello-operator! everytime I lace them up, you know?

#2- Lose a pound or 15. Lighter is better in the mountains. My clothes fit well, I look good (for me) hence, I know I'm heavy (and I'm his brother.) How to do this? Fewer brewski's (quitting, I don't think so, they can have my last beer when the pry it from my cold dead fingers!) And No more sweets. That starts right now, today. No more of Amelia's M & M's from School (I was trying to cut way back by tossing the W's away, then someone showed me how to turn it around, and BAM, they were all M's again!)

#3- Hello, run hills! Hill Kings. Go visit Chase. Go visit SuperDave (he doesn't actually have any hills, but when we get to drinking the Scotch, well it feels like we're moving up hill.. in the wind... in an earthquake.) Repeats at Julie's. Twice a week, I need those quads and hammies to be Oak!

#4- Rob a bank! Why? That's where the money is! I'm a little short for Wasatch, and to actually get a car and living quarters for Western States.

If you can help me with any of these, God love ya!

Song of the Week #12, Lookin' Good!

This week's song was inspired by the TC Girls 4 X 400 relay team. I thought about the Steve Martin version of "Impossible," Sadly, I couldn't find it on YouTube, so I am going with some Paul Thorn. Everybody Looks Good at the Starting Line." From Paul Thorn.com Here are some of the lyrics and a video including the song:

"Life is a race we've all got to run, so stand up andtoe the line. I wish that I could say it was alldownhill, but there are mountains we've got to climb.

Everybody looks good at the starting line.Get on your mark, get ready, but you better keep this in mind.You can hit the ground running like you're shotfrom a gun, but going the distance is the hard part son.Everybody looks good at the starting line."



Now our 4 X 400 Gals, not only looked good at the Starting Line, they looked great at the Finish Line. Did they qualify for state's? No. Did they win their heat? No. But they did do the impossible! They did all they could to qualify for states. They did all they could do to win their heat, but their 8th place finish at Regions just wasn't good enough to qualify. However, the time they ran would have been good enough to qualify in almost any other year. I told them if they could just cut on second off of their time from districts they would qualify for States... I was way wrong, because they chopped more than one second EACH off of their time, and they set a school record, and they still finished 4 spots out of the money.

The thing that's important is they did great at controlling what they could control, and they looked great doing it! They knew what was important, they understood they couldn't control the other schools, and they knew they performed above not just my expectations, but their own as well.

You Go Girls, Next year, you ARE going to States!

It's Time to Quit Slammin' and Buckle Down!

It is time to quit Slamming, and Buckle down. Now that we are only, hold on, let me check the link to Western States on the right side of my blog..... Schmitz! Only 72 days from the 5 AM, start at Squaw Valley, for the Western States' Endurance Run; it's time for me to focus on this here one thing:

Time to focus on that beautiful Western States Belt Buckle. I cannot and I will not finish the Slam if I don't first finish Western States.

This is no small order, and I'll get in to the details more later. Suffice to say that about 1/2 of the well trained Florida runners, and zero of the rest of them, we send up and over there finish Western States.

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The silver buckle above, awarder to runners finishing in less than 24-hours, is mine from 2005. This is the last silver one awarded to a Florida runner. That's really misleading because my buddy, the great Florida runner, Jon Docs, beat me by an hour in that race, so he received the 2nd to last silver buckle. Many Florida runners have finished since 05, but none in under 24, those runners between 24 and 30 hours get a bronze buckle. I didn't think much about it then, I do now. I believe before my feet problems I was on track to go under 24 again. Now, I'll just be happy to finish. Oh, I'm going to work at getting in U-24 shape, but it isn't my main goal. Just finish baby, just finish.

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Gawd, it seems so hard. 100 Miles. How? I don't know. 100 Miles in the Mountains? I really don't know. 100, 200, 300, 400, I really, really, don't know.

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Baby steps AndyMan, worry about today's run, worry about the weekend. Work your plan, run Western States, don't run four at once, run only one. Geez, Help! Andrea, work me in I'll pay you, I'm going crazy. It's too much, I'm up in flames!!!!

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Sorry, Andy went away, scared the hell out of myself, shoot, I'm doing it again.

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BUCKLE DOWN AndyMan, for Pete's sake buckle down!

I Ducked it up.... Again!

Yeah, like I said, today is the last day of spring, yadda yadda.

It's a good thing I don't mind being wrong! If I did, boy howdy, I'd be minding myself a bunch, because it's more chillier today than yesterday.

Speaking of being wrong, I was never taught, hence I was never hooked on, phonics. I can't pronounce a lot of things, especially funky names. You ever notice how it's the ones with the most funked up names that get the pissiest when you can't pronounce them? As a teacher of America's utes I am constantly phonically challenged when looking at a class roster.

That's why I'm a nickname guy. If you have a really tough name, you could be "Bucket Head" or "Hoss" or "Roy two" in my class. Oh, I have rules for this:
Every person with the surname Brown is "Downtown Brown"
If you are Jack you are "Mad Jack"
If you are Jake, and I have one every year, you are "Jake the Snake"
If you walk with a limp... No, I'm kidding, I swear!

So, if I screw up your name, well EXXXCUUUUSE Me! I never had this lady to help me:

There was a great clip with Dr. Hofferrrrer and Anne Umulmmahhay, but it was 10 minutes long and it didn't get to the point for 2:09, I'm too, A.D (gotta get more coffee) D. for that!

The Last Day of Spring

For the rest of you Floridians, enjoy; after today no more spring.

Well, I have Spring through May, oh, not the season, today would be the last day of that. It's about 60 and beautiful outside. About 11 AM it'll get hot and stay hot till September 42nd, then there will come along a nice crisp fall day. But I'll have Alexis and Ryan, the Spring twins, in class at school through the end of the year, so there's that. They're good kids, but to be honest, I'll miss the cool days more this summer!



But, the heat, it's great training, since we have no mountains (no Croom Mountain doesn't count, thank you very little) the heat is our equalizer as we Floridians travel around the US of A. We may not like it, but we better learn to love it! Soldier on, soldier on!

It's not Inconceivable

Vizzini: "Inconceivable! "

The Spaniard: "You keep using that word, I do not think that that word means what you think it means."

Hey, I still don't know. I still think that the Stan Jensen post from my rant on the Grand Slam Folks gouging the slammers out of 80 Quid was Chase messing with me. At the time it was inconceivable that Stan had actually read my blog and posted on it. I still think it was Chase, but it is conceivable that Stan wrote the post.

I say that because I got an e-mail from the Great Folks, including Stan, that monitor and are kind enough to keep track of and present the Grand Slam Awards. The e-mail contained a reference to a recent blog entry about Mr. Dean Karnasas (thank God I now love Dean and have been singing his praises.) So perhaps it was Stan, though I still think in was Chase or conceivably(I keep using that word, I hope it means what I think it means) the Professor who posted that.

The moral of the story.... yeah, I'm not really following that, it seems like I'd have to start thinking about the ramifications of my actions prior to said actions, I think I'll just stick with the usual, "Forgive me, I was drunk at the time." Furthermore, I'm going to drop and give you 20 for the next time I bollix it up!

In The.........

Whooo, who! I got me a letter this weekend. Yuh, huh! I did it, I did it! Now, I'm all up IN THE! Say what.. IN THE!

How'd I get it, went 26 yesterday at Croom. Didn't sleep real well, only like 2-hours of sleep, but I still met up with Julie and Becky for 21 at Croom today. That's a letter! 47 miles in two days, not bad for a guy with one bum wheel (oops, I promised the Good Doctor that I wuddn't gonna whine about that heel anymore, so I'm not!)


Anyway, not bad, and I feel like I'm back on track. That coupled with the imminent end track season have left me feeling here: So, now I'm "IN THE" all I have left is Grand Slam, no problem for a one footed runner!

It's Been Too Long!

Ouch, that's gotta hurt!

Saw the Professor today when Candi, Tracy and I ran 25 out at Croom. I sneaked (sneak, snake, snuk?) this picture of his heel; battered from his 100 MILE run at Umstead. He looked good, his heel looked like ... well there it is above. Yoikes!

Star was nice enough to provide a link to an equally gross blister picture from her Umstead album for us.

Why do you guys do this to yourselves? Are you nuts gluttons for punishment?

See, that's how a normal person thinks, and that's how I was thinking looking at that oozing ped attached to the Professor.

This is a clear sign that it's been too long since I've done a race of any length. Plantar or no (besides, the Good Doctor has forbid me from further whining), I'm doing the 34-mile trail run just north of Columbia, SC on Sunday, May 4. And prior to that I'm in for a night run.

I was not at all jealous of that big old blister, it just looked painful. I've gotten soft. Tomorrow for breakfast a big bowl of nails, a glass of drain-o, mixed in sour milk with an onion and a raw egg, and off to meet Becky for a trail run!

Super D, bust out the air mattress, I'm coming.... soon, but I think I'll leave the camera at home!

Song of the Week #11 is Full of Blood Sweat and Tears.

It's a journey, and I'm a journeyman.

Not like this guy:

Brian Griese, who is back in Tampa by the way.

But more like this this song. Spinning Wheel. Because any journey there are ups and there are downs, and this injury which I've still got, is a major downer.

Still that reason, as valid as it is, is not the reason that I picked this song. The reason really is, on my run this morning I ran in some shorts that are a little long in the tooth and a little short on the elastic. I pull the darn things up and they'd come back down again. So I started singing some Blood Sweat and Tears as I took to running.

No MUT Again for Me!

Ok, so turns out Chase was right all along. I am a loudmouth-pri*K.

Yesterday, district 9 track and field competition:

Old Codger from the USA T&F, "What are all these checks? It's supposed to be all 0's and X's."

Me, "I'm sorry, I guess my volunteers, the one's that gave up a day of work to be here; I guess they didn't know that."

OC, "Well somebody should have trained them better than that."

Me, "Yeah you're right, again, sorry about that. But it's pretty simple, the checks mean they made the jump, the X's mean they scratched. If you'll just think of the checks as 0's, I think we'll be fine."

OC, "And another thing, this girl cleared 6 feet and you've got her in 2nd place, why isn't she in first?"

Me, "That's a five; she cleared 5 feet, and the winner cleared 5'4"."

OC, "That looks like a 6 to me."

Me, "I was there, I saw the jump, it's a 5, and you can see that the jump before that is 4' 10"."

OC, "You teachers can't write worth a damn."

Me, "Someone remind me that I love teaching, so I don't do something stupid."

OC, "No one has to remind me that I love being retired."

Me, "You know, I think retirement is a real good place for you."

Regretfully, that is pretty much verbatim. I was a hero with the other coaches, but that official rhode my @ss all night. He was looking to DQ my kids all night. Just like life, they had to perform a little bit better just to come up to par because of me and my big mouth.

Oh, that Old Codger with the USA T & F, he's also on the board that hands out the Mountain Ultra Trailrunner of the year award. Looks like that was a one time thing for me!

Ask me if dissing him was worth it?

Funking A it was!

Now go back into retirement, but before you go get your "Early Bird Special," Drop your dentures and give me 20!

My Test

You'd think with 11 attempted and 10 completed 100 Milers that I would have had many moments of truth, "Karno" moments. And if I'd thought about it, or been a little smarter, there would have been many more.

Here are a couple that should have been "Karno" moments, but weren't because I was too naive, or stupid to realize I was in serious trouble:

KM-1: Vermont 2001, my first 100. At mile 65 I took my third and hardest fall of the race. I limped into the aid station at Camp 10 Bears (then mile 68.) When I got to the aid station my ankle was swollen and I thought it was broken. I never thought about stopping I wrapped it in Duct Tape and went right back out. I finished the race in 23:08 even though I got lost 3 times and my ankle had swollen to the size of a football. Of course I was in my 30's then (39 for another month.) Turned out the ankle was sprained and it was back down to almost normal size in a week.

KM-2: At Western States Training Camp 2005: I almost pulled out of the training run because I was tired and the 6000 feet of altitude was getting to me. I walked up to the aid station to request a ride out, but there was a dude that got there right before me and got the last space in the van. Getting a ride meant waiting 45 minutes for the next van to fill up. I kept running, it got better and I finished. I always thought that if I'd have quit on that training run then I would not have known how bad it can feel and still get better. Also, on race day when I didn't feel as bad as I did in that training run, I knew I'd be ok.

KM-3: Bighorn 2006: This should have been a Karno moment but it wasn't. Below is a picture of then girlfriend and excellent crew person, Barb, giving me a pep talk as a lie battered, but not broken.
This should have been a "Karno" moment, but I was too dumb to realize that with the soles of both feet covered in blisters and 25 miles to go in the rugged mountains at altitude, that I was in serious trouble. In all honesty, I never thought about stopping. I couldn't stop. I had Ali with me, and she kept telling me I wasn't allowed to quit because I had my "Don't Quit" bracelet on. Sometimes being stupid and stubborn pays off.

KM-4: Kettle Morainne 2007: Again, I was in greater trouble than I realized, and I never considered stopping (I considered cheating, there were two great opportunities to cut the course, but somehow my excellent tea kettle I got for finishing wouldn't have shined as bright if I'd have cheated.) At about mile 60 I started throwing up and I never stopped for the rest of the race. After mile 62 I didn't run again. I walked the last 38 miles, with only a few running steps mixed in. I was fine when I walked by when I ran I threw up. Fortunately I had run a fast 100K so even walking I finished in 25:10. Turns out the GU I had packed was about 9 months expired.

Now, my only real Karno Moment occurred in my second 100 mile race:

Vermont 2002, the Real Karno Moment: At mile 26 or so, I left an aid station feeling ok, and the course went straight up a hill in the woods. The sun was at it's hottest and was beating down on me. Only a few of 100 yards into this steep 1-mile climb I sat down on trail. I just sat there for a minute before I even thought. When I did think I thought, "You can go up that hill and try to finish, or you can go back down that hill and go to the aid station and call it a day, but you cannot just stay here." I really felt badly, I wanted to quit, but I hadn't been injured and I wasn't sick. I just felt like crap and I was hot and I was tired. I made a decision that I now use in every race. I said, "Well, I might as well go up the hill, maybe I'll feel better at the top." That's what I did and I was right, I felt much better at the top. I went on set my personal best 22:59, which lasted until Vermont 2005.

I use that Karno moment every time I feel like crap. "I might feel better later." And I always have. So make sure to fight through those moments if it's safe to do so. Don't go injuring yourself, but if a matter of desire, keep going. If you only think you can't, you still can. Go, don't stop! It's what Karno would do, It's what I'll plan to do many times in 4 races this summer!

The Karno Moment

See, here's the thing. This time I actually read his book. I didn't read the posts from the "ultralist." I just read the book. Turns out it's pretty good. It would certainly help an aspiring ultra-runner understand why the grizzled veteran does it.
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Do, I believe everything in the book? There's Hertz, and there's not exactly. But as my brother says, "I don't know if it actually happened, I just know that it is true." My view is many of Dean's trials and tribulations are greatly exaggerated, but I believe he accomplished each of the things in the book, and I believe the emotions in the book. I am not worried about the rest.
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It might help to understand that Dean had no idea that this book would sell. The only other books like it had not been big successes, so his is more grand. His gamble paid off, and now Dean is rich, and I'm glad. Because if you read the book you'll understand the "Karno Moment." My words, not his.
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In each of Dean's adventures he comes up against a point (usually more than one point) where it's sit, quit, or go on. That's the Karno moment. I wonder did Woody, Star, Scott, Spencer, Adam, and Gentleman Jim come face to face with Karno Moment at Umstead. I know that Julie did, and she made the right call. Not wanting to risk real damage to an ailing knee, she called it a day with 38 of her 50 miles completed. If you think it's easy to quit, your wrong. You always wonder, could I? should I? If you believe your health is at risk, please stop. If it's just pain, well, you should probably keep going.
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I have moments of self-doubt in every race. I ask why in every race, but I don't have the drama of a "Karno" moment in every race. But buddy when they come, it's a heck of a debate! Should I? Can I? What if? Who cares?
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If we look the moment of doubt in eye and stare it down we are ultramarathoners. It's coming, what will I do next, I truly don't know.

Gentleman Jim Leads the Way

Gentleman Jim Sullivan was omitted in the previous Umstead post. All he did was lead the FU charge. Way to go Jim! 24:14.

I asked Jim his favorite part of the race, and hand to God, he said, the afternoon was a delight. I AM NOT KIDDING. So of course I had to post this:
(Er, actually, I haven't talked to Jim, I just thought this was funny)

We also got Spencer's result: 28:07. 1st 100 mile finish. (Hey Spence, what happened to Claude? Didn't see his name.)
G'Ville's Tom Mueuller: 27:44

My man the Professor is sending pix soon.

Gawd, I hated missing that one. Makes me want to train it on up though.

AndyM

OUTSTANDING!

Hey yall,
Outstanding effort!

Woody leads the hunert milers: 26 even. The Prof 26:68, Scott sub 28. E- 100 miles.

Claude and Spencer, we'll get word soon.

Star Power- 50 in 11:00:32 that's a 22:01:08 100 mile pace!
Julie, she'd still be going if she hadn't hurt that knee and she didn't want to show everyone up!

Hey, Adam, shoot me an e-mail and I'll turn it into a post, of I'll just e-mail you the password and you can do it.

Great Job you all, I'm jealous as all heck fire I didn't make it up there!!!
A-Man

Go Go FU at Umstead

Florida Ultrarunners are very well represented at the Umstead Ultra in N.C.

Word as of 13 hours into the race:
Andrea finished the 50 Mile race in 11:02
Julie, had to drop at 38 due to a knee issue.
Scott Boe, Woody, Adam, Claude and Spencer were still going strong. All through the 50 mile point in less than 12 hours.

I miss them. I'm thinking of them, and I wish I was there.

AndyMan

Song of the Week #10, Don't Do It!

Don't do it, Don't Start it up!

Did you do it? I don't know why I choose this one, cause I really hate the Rolling Stones. I liked them when they were still in their young 50's, now it's time, time for them to go away. Oh, and selling every one of their songs to coperate America didn't help my opinion of them.

But I guess if I had 24 billion dollars then I'd want 25 billion dollars and I'd sell out to the devil too. Mick, isn't it time for you to "Join the Night Shift?"

Just saying.

And I'm just asking, whose time has come? Who else would benefit us the most by joining the Night Shift? Ok, Here's my three:
Fred Thompson, "Hell son, I'd piss on a sparkplug if I thought it would help." from War Games.
Bill Shatner, yeah, I like his music, but his Priceline Commercials alone put Shat on my Night Shift list.
And of course, Mick, see above.

Forgetting is Great: Volume 3

It's a good thing we forget, I've said it before, I don't recall when.

I know some dude bit me (or worse, vice versa) in the playground in elementary school, but I don't remember.

I know I've run a long way and it hurt, but I don't recall how much.

This morning, I got up, showered and taped my foot.... The wrong one. That's got to be a good sign!

Ah, forgetting.... it keeps us sane.

Remember these tapes?

Last (gasp) track meet today

Yip-a-Rooni! Last darn track meet today, before districts that is.

The team gets cut in 1/2 for districts, then down to next to nuttin' for regionals, then maybe a few go to state maybe none. Don't yet know.

I'll be really darn happy after districts though, I can tell you that. It's not that I don't like track, it's just so much work.

.............. And after Track, it's Prom baby! ................

Quiters Don't have to Rise At 4 AM!

Winners never quit, and quitters never have to get up at 4 AM and run!


Plantars. IT Band. No Life. No Money. There's world out there. I'm hooked on the show Dexter. More time to coach. More time to promote races. I'll go do porn because, My unit is so big it won't return the president's calls.

And for so many more reasons, I QUIT!

That's right, the old Grand Slam won't have old Andy Mathews to kick around anymore.

Done! Fin-E! Ex-Post-Facto! The Slam is in the Archives!!

Take that! And while you are at it............. Take this......................................


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