In the Slam: Out and Running!

RD Can't Win, Needs Hug!

2012-01-09T03:19:00.000-08:00

Arg! It's a good things Amy is back from some AWESOME running (way to go gal!) in South Florida, because RD AM needs an H-U-G!

Yeah, I pulled a bonehead move and changed the start time for the Croom Zoom 50K from 7 am to 6am. It's a good move. 100K and 50K courses are identical, makes the course less confusing, and it's good for pacing and such. The bonehead part was moving it only 1 1/2 weeks before the race. Most people understand and like the move, some are rightly p'o'ed about it.

Yet, Jim and I have made every concession for folks. Jim has even offered some refunds, but like Goldmember said in Austin Powers III, "There is no pleasing" some people! Oh, well... I do my best in all of my endeavors, if it isn't good enough, well.... tough toenails!!!

House is in the House

2012-01-05T11:34:00.001-08:00

Since I started this Blog in quest of the Grand Slam in 2008 (sadly, injury derailed me before I ever really got going) I thought I'd give you the update on the next Tampa Bay candidate for the Grand Slam, our own FUR David House.

House has much going for him in this quest. He's healthy. He's young (at 30 I have undergarments older than this whippersnapper!). And he's already experienced. Sub 22 hour finish in his first 100, the 2009 Vermont 100. A 25 hour finish at the tough, Honey I shrunk Western States, Pinhoti 100. And a gritty finish on a terrible day at the Kettle Morraine 100 in 2010. And most impressive, a sub 26 hour finish at the Mathews' stumping, Leadville 100. If you can complete Leadville, you can complete the slam..... If you are smart, and David is smart, very smart.

Dave is young, tough and motivated. I'm betting he completes the slam, and when he does..... I'm working on plans to join him as a slam finisher.............. eventually!!!!

I'm Poltergeist II

2012-01-04T04:16:00.000-08:00

That anoying little girl in Poltergeist II says it, I'm baaack! But I mean it!

I'm getting back with the blog in a smaller weigh (I said that on purpose!) When I left you guys I was 195 pounds of unfinished business. My last post said I was going to get serious. How serious?

I'm now 170 pounds (that's a lot less!).
I went to Kansas and completed Heartland. It went great. A new PR (first race at age 50) 19:56.
6th place overall. 1st 50+.
I went back to Ancient Oaks in December. Thanks to excellent (and relentless) pacing by A2, I Lowered my time for that course from 22:47 to 22:45. Finished 4th overall.

Starting age 50 with 2 top tens..... not bad!

What now?

Well, the Long Haul 100 in Wesley Chapel is less then three weeks away, I'll do that. Don't expect a top 10 here, there are some real speedsters signed up here! I hope to do well time wize, I can control that to a degree, but I can't control who shows up, I'll say this though, they are going to have to run to beat me. If my ailing foot holds up, I could go sub 21. We'll see.

After that it's back to Black Hills, I'd like to see the other 78 miles of that course and exercise some poltergeists!

It was a Good Week!

2011-07-08T07:11:00.001-07:00

I started the week feeling less than great about my running life. But alas after these 6 days:

Friday: 6 yuck very hot, very hard.

Saturday: 7 at Flatwoods- Good run, nice easy pace.

Sunday: 14 at Croom with Davo, Hot, horrible, wanted to die!

Monday: 5 at Flatwoods in the pouring rain. Awesome, no problem

Tuesday: With Davo in Lutz. Easy for Davo, almost impossible for me. Too fast, but valuable.

Wednesday: 15.5 with A2 and Nick. I felt pretty good. For the first time in a while I felt like I may be able to run long distances again.

What made the week good was that I felt much better at the end of the week than the beginning of the week. I actually got the sense that if I keep it up, I'll be ok.

It's an up and down thing, and I think that's what it's going to be like as I enter my 50's. I'll just prepare better than I have been. Better nutrition plan. Keep check on weight. And for God's sake, cross train. (I recently bought a bike race, now there's a baby step in the right direction.

We'll see.......

God, I Hope this is Real!

2011-07-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

Jeez, I gotta say, I hope this comeback is real!

See, I just got back from South Dakota where I laid an absolute egg in my try for 100 miler #17. I sabotaged my own arse. What a buffoon! Ok, ok, ok, I got out there a week before the race. Good right? I could acclimate to the altitude and all that rot. Well, not so good. See, I got drunk like 4 times the week leading up to race. Yeah, that's my year's quota, used the week before a 100 mile run. The Thursday before Saturday's race I stayed at the Casino in Deadwood until after 1 am drinking. People, I'm here to tell you that is NOT a recipe for success! What a tool!

Anyway, I got back and I sulked. I bitched, and today I went out with my good friend Amy, and ran 7 miles, and it was fun. And I'm excited about running again. And I'm excited about IntheSlam again!

Look out Heartland. The Andyman is going to start his 50th year with a dead bang! It's gonna be a Jailbreak! The A-Train is going to roll again!

No more of these boners leading to the race!

S.W.A.T Sweat and Swear!

2011-07-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

My buddy Dave and his family are thinking about putting on a mud run. S.W.A.T, Sweat and Swear!

S.W.A.T. because it's put on at a police training range that his family owns. Sweat, because Florida is Hot! Swear because it's a hard MFer!

What do you think? Send me your suggestions. If I use yours you get a free entry. (you still have to pay for parking :)

Time to Update the Ipod

2011-05-19T03:54:00.000-07:00

You guys have always been good to me in the song department.

It's time to get Rocky Roads 100 off the Ipod and Sturgis, South Dakota's Blackhills 100 music on the Ipod.

Send me song names, send me songs, send me 8-tracks. Regardless, it's time to update!

Racing Director

2011-04-14T05:27:00.000-07:00

The much fun, much tiring, and much satisfying Croom Fools run is now in my rear view mirror. I really like this race directing stuff, I like it the most when I'm 35 miles into running a 100 mile race. I can be heard muttering, "yeah, I could be a full-time race director, I don't have to actually run!"

Still, I am planning to keep running. Something over Memorial Day, June a 100, October a 100. Who knows what else. Roger says I need to get to 32, don't know about that, but I'm pretty sure 20 will happen even if the Aztecs are right and we wrap up this rock on 12/12/2012.

On the RD front, I am running with Ultrarunning and RD legend Jerry Dunn in Mayakka State Forest tomorrow morning. We are scouting out a location for a Sarasota County 50 Mile race. This and a 12/24 hour race I'm planning with Debbie Voiles, the Croom Zoom, and the Fools puts a lot on my plate. Shoot, but I do love it! Except for the lack of sleep, I'd do it all the time. But my brother's best friend said it best...

Fierce New Family Member

2011-04-08T04:34:00.000-07:00

There is a new resident at my humble abode in Seminole Heights. My good and great friend Tracy, turned me on (how I wish the sentence stopped there!) to a lost dog. A beautiful, sweet, loving, medium sized mixed breed, 1-2 year old puppy. I don't know what her breed is, but who cares?

Thing is, I was just looking at rescue dogs this weekend and just couldn't pull the trigger. But when I found out Sasha Fierce needed a home, I knew it was right.

It's only been two nights, but she's slept quietly and hasn't chewed anything. She has had no problem running with me either. We started at 2 miles, which we've done twice, and she could easily have gone faster and farther.

I think it's the beginning of a wonderful friendship! Ok, so who wants to watch her while I'm Colorado June 17 - June 27?

April Fools Test

2011-04-01T10:09:00.000-07:00

April 1. I love it. I love it much more than Ken Methanny ever did. Poor sap gets shot every year. Guy oughtta move out of Town and Country man. When April 1 falls during the week I give an April Fools test in Psychology. I get them every year. The test is impossibly long with the first page being dead serious. There are some clues on the second page, by the third page the answers don't even make any sense. By the fourth page the students that haven't given up start laughing, then rolling. Question 21: The DSM IV is: a. My Brother David Scott Mathews IV b. Deviant Sadist and Masochist Manuel volume 4 c. A Manual of Diagnostic and Statistical Mental Disorders d. Disorganized Saliva Mastication (Drooling and chewing on the spit) e. All of the above (most people get this one right!) This year's crop weren't too happy with me. They were pissed. "I was really trying! " "I can't believe I did all that work!" But you get a 100%! When's the last time you did that? "Yeah, but I would have gotten that even without trying." Gee sorry, I thought a free A and a little chuckle were things. And so did the last class. As Steve Martin would have said.... Well ExxCUUUUse ME!

Jerry's Got MY Money!

2011-03-29T03:00:00.000-07:00

Great, I went ahead and did it. I gave Jerry Dunn and the folks at the Black Hills 100 my money. You know what that means..... No more junk food, no more sleeping in. Oh, I'll be running the Black Hills 100 on June 25th, 2011. It'll be number 17, and as many of you "kind" souls have pointed out, can't stop on an odd number, have to do 18 to make it legal. Yeah, yeah, that one is planned too.

It's all about the Buckle! Black Hills 100 Baby!!

This training is going to be full of vortex-laden fun. My main man Greg V has already put down some hard earned $'s, he's in for Black Hills, he'll vortex it with me. Andy B is always up for some VA (vortex action!). If we can convince Star that she, unlike Dr. Frank (and only because I've seen him do it), can't run a marathon in her sleep, we may get her to Vortex as she gets ready to take on Iron Woman Canada.

I don't see myself really getting into the mountains before June, which is a shame, because as this elevation chart shows, the race is no gimme. We've got enough elevation and steep enough grades to make it a real struggle.

What the heck, I'm going for it. Goals, I don't have any time goals, I want to finish, and finish well. 24 is a dream goal, I haven't done a mountain course in a while. I can do it, but man, I'll have to get really fit. Regardless, it'll be a hoot man. I'm flying into Denver about a week early to see my buddy Chase and his awesome wife, Saralee. Chase will get my altitude and attitude right, he's good at that.

Watch it on You Tube, it's gonna Rock... and Roll

Our Favorite Hobby

2011-03-23T07:21:00.001-07:00

It's no wonder that every year when school starts I put on a few LB's. We have this kind of junk

in the faculty lounge almost every day. Usually I say, "No thank you." Matter of fact, I almost always say, "Thanks anyhow, but I'm doing this thing where I want to live."

What the heck is wrong with us in the US? Why do we do this to ourselves? Doughnuts? Cookies? And lots. Fast food? Fried Food. Guys, (me) it'll plain old kill you!

I'm going to say no to crap!

It's no coincidence that back in 2005 when I ran sub 24 at WS, which is much harder than running 21 at Umstead, I didn't eat ANY of that crap. I was dating an MD and she was the best cook, and she only cooked healthful stuff.

Any way, I'm getting back that healthy lifestyle. I'm running the Black Hill 100 in June and I'd like to do well. That means no doughnut, no overeating, and being cool.

Shin-topia

2011-03-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

I ran 10 easy miles on Sunday.

My shins seem to be healing nicely....... so far.

And Then I Quit!

2011-03-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, now that #16 is completed, I can dust off my golf clubs and get down to a real man's sport.... Golf!

That's right, I am quitting the running thing.... just as soon as I run two more 100's. I really want to try out the Black Hills 100's, the guys seems cool that run it, and the course looks fantastic. Yep, I want in on that inaugural run. Then I quit.....

Right after I do the Heartland 100. Spirit of the Prairie. Why Heartland, in Kansas? Well, they sport the coolest belt buckle I've seen. It's got a Buffalo on it! And Chase has done it, and Chase is my boy.

So, it's June 27, in South Dakota and October 8, in Kansas. Fun races, and to be honest, I want to see if these states actually exist. I mean I've always accepted they are real, but seeing is believing!

WTF? Really, Now?

2011-03-14T12:40:00.001-07:00

You gotta be kidding me?

Since 1992 I've run more than 100 Marathons. Since 2001 I've run 16 100 mile races.

I've done 20 triathlons and a multitude of race between 5 and 30K. I've run at least 2000 miles every year since the year 2000.

Sure, now in 2011 for the first time I've got shin splints.

I'm taking the week off!

What the Johnny Ho?

2011-03-11T06:29:00.000-08:00

What the Johnny Ho, Johnny Hey? What is this used for? I thought they stayed on on their own, and I didn't think you were supposed to repair them? I gotta get out more!

A Trivial Live

2011-03-09T05:31:00.000-08:00

Running 100 miles; Epic or Trivial?

Well, I don't know that, but I do know this...

My trivial prowess is slipping, no not my running, I'm having a perdy good stretch here. Starting with Umstead 2010, 21:12, then a finish at the very tough Pinhoti Trail 100. And of course the 22:21 and 9th place finish at the Rocky Muddy Slidey Roads 100 in Coto de Caza, CA.

My trivial trivia prowess is slipping. Jonny Docs, Davo and I used to be able to beat the whole bar by ourselves. We were 2-0. Well our last two efforts only produced silver efforts (silver is great for belt buckles and tableware, but it's no damn good in trivia or butt kicking contests!).

Anyway congrats to Jon, Davo, Morejon (by phone), Wendy (yeah, you're a Dahl!), Bradley (who knew China had the World's largest golf facility? Bradley did!), and me. It aint a victory but it's still $30 smackers to spend at Gators (on a Tuesday night, within the next 30 days...)

Anyway, it's back to the grindstone, the pursuit to master the trivia is of the utmost importance!

Andrea or the $2 Steak?

2011-03-07T05:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday on my way back from Ft. Lauderdale I stopped at a Winn Dixie, I don't usually stop there, but I was in need of some grub. While on my way back to the produce Aisle I went by a display of 80% off meat. I'm like, I don't eat a lot of red meat, but I could use a little protein if it's almost free.

So I grabbed me a big old steak, it rang up $2, wow, what a deal!

When I got home, I'm thinking, a $2 steak, I better marinate it, all day, so I did.

Last night I char-grilled it as well as it could be grilled. And it was.............. Terrible! I never could cut into it! I started with a plastic knife, no dice! I went a regular steak knife, no dice! Than I went and got my sharpest bread knife, no dice! Finally I got my, can cut through a tin can, Swiss Army Knife, and viola! It cut the steak. I cut it up into small pieces and started eating.... After about 5 minutes trying to chew one piece, I gave up! I threw the steak away and pop in a pizza!

Hey, that steak was tough, but not as tough as our girl Andrea! She is tougher than a $2 steak! She conquered that GURR course when no other female could! She is rockin', she is rolling, she is the toughest thing on two-legs!!!

1st overall female! Course Record! Hung in through rain, mud, wind, vipers! Go girl, and she went!

Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah!!!

Revalation #9

2011-03-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

Wow! I wasn't foolin' around, I was very nervous about the Rocky Roads 100. You guys have to remember it was only two years ago when I finished Western States, not 9th, but Last, DFL!

16th 100 mile finish and 3rd top ten finish. I gotta tell you for most of the race I didn't see this coming.

5:30 am February 26, 2011, Coto de Caza, CA, Sports Complex:

It has rained most of the night and there is a steady rain now. I'm looking at running for 24 - 30 hours and I'm already soaked. A beautiful and young lady, Kylie, offers me a spot under her umbrella. I decline as it would be akin to closing the barn door after the horses got out, as my light jacket apparently isn't waterproof. The beautiful lady asks which race I'm running (besides the 100, there are 50, 26.2 and 13.1 mile races on the same day.) Well, if the course isn't too bad, I guess I'll do the 100. She seems relatively impressed. Wow, I'm hoping to do my first 50 soon. Where are you from she asks me. I'm from Tampa. She says, There's a 50 mile race there called the Fools run. How do you know about that? I ask. I have a friend out there who wants me to run it. Who? I inquire. Andrea Risi, do you know her? Know her? She's my bud! We agree that Andrea is the world's nicest person. That's kinda cool, travel 3000 miles to the foothills of the Saddleback Mountains on America's Pacific Coast and find someone who knows one of my greatest friends!

Kylie, she Rocks!

It's getting close to race time, so I slide under a near by canopy, the weather is starting to get to me. At about 6:15 the race director brings, my good friend Rob Cowan (if Andrea isn't the nicest person in the world than Rob is! He flew me out for the race and put me up in his awesome house. He and his lovely daughter Danielle, and his hubba-hubba, fantastic girlfriend Nicole, made me feel very much to home!) us to the starting line and and sent us on our way. The race quickly turned into the race for first and then the rest of us. Ben and Eric pulled way out in front of the field within 3 miles. As the race was 7 out and backs (6 were 15 mile totals, and the last was a merciful 10 mile to complete the 100 mile journey), we were able to keep track of the other runners progress. As I progressed to the 7.5 mile turn around I wasn't feeling great. Running on a muddy course in the steady rain didn't make me want to quit, I just felt so very sluggish. I felt like I had no speed. This feeling never did change.

Nothing spectacular happened in that first lap, except I had the recurring thought, how can I do this 6 more times? I realized that I couldn't do that out and back 6 more times; however, I knew I could do it once more, so I set out to do that. I took off on the second loop, this time using the excellent music that you all suggested for me. This worked much better. Also, the course had thinned out as the 1/2 marathoners were largely finished with the course, and the Marathon runners would no longer be sharing our same trail. With the music going and the rain letting up, this lap was much easier, but no faster than the first. I got into a better rhythm as far as knowing which hills to walk. Most of the course could be run, but I knew running too much would come back to haunt me later, so I walked when I thought I should.

Two down, five to go.

Mile 30 - 45 (hey, takes forever to read, try runnin' it!): I felt like crap! The music was saving me, but jeez, yuck, boo. Me, I felt sorry for myself, me! I'll never make it! I won't, I won't, I'm going to quit, well, I can't quit, still have the bracelet, gotta keep going, but I'm going to be a real crab apple! This attitude didn't come as a shock to me. Miles 30 - 40 are always my toughest. I've been out there forever with much longer than that to go!

Mile 45 - 60.

I know I'll keep going, but I'm not happy about it. My mood is lifted when I see the lovely Kylie again. I know she won't be able to, but what's the harm in asking? Hey Kylie, you want to run a lap with me? Well, I'm supposed to pace my friend Joselito, says Kylie. Ok, cool, well, I probably won't be running too much anyway. I get ready to head out and she says, you know if I can get Ted to run with Joselito I'll run with you, let me check. She made the deal! After a ten minute wait to change clothes, we are off and running! We spend the next 15 miles yapping and running. She tells me about befriending Andrea 6 years previously through an Ironman website. She says Andrea has offered to put her up if does come down for the Fools' run. I tell her that we're sold out, but I drop this on her, "I'm the race director, and I can probably get you in." Now, she's really thinking about it. Miles 45 - 60 sail by.

Mile 60 -75.

As we pull in to mile 60 Kylie asks if I want her to run another lap with me. Heck yes! Would you, could you, will you? Yes, yes, and heck yes! Now, I'm rejuvenated. After some uniform changes, we take off again. We get all the way around, the rain came again a bit, and the course has a bit more mud on it, but I don't care because what a bonus. I thought I'd be trudging all by myself and I have this great company with me. What a blessing! Mile 75 comes way to fast.

Mile 75 - 90.

Ok, I have 25 to go. I cannot do 25 by myself at this point, but I can run 2.5 to the next aid station. If I have to do that ten times, so be it! I drop off a Kylie, thank you Kylie! She tells me after she gets some rest if she feels well and if I want her she'll run the last 10 with me. I say, well, I'll want you, but I'm going to be awhile on this loop, maybe 4 hours (I'd been averaging about 3:15) and she may be over the whole experience by then. So I give her a hug and waste very little time and head back out for what I know will be a miserable loop. I put my music back on and Beethoven's 9th comes on almost immediately. This music couldn't have come at a better time. It inspires me. And I actually take off running. I run a few of the hills I had been walking up. Thanks Ludwig! I actually pass a few people, but after the turn around my energy wanes and I'm sure I've taken almost 4 hours for the loop. Nonetheless, I did make it to mile 90 without hurting myself, and I absolutely know I can run 1o more miles. The last question is, can I make it within 24 hours and receive that Silver buckle I want so badly?

Mile 90 - 100!

When I pull in to mile 90 two things help my spirits soar. 1- I finished the loop in about 3:20 leaving me a full 4 hours to run 10 miles to get my silver buckle. I am not feeling that badly, I know I can do this. I hold the emotions in-check because knowing you CAN do something isn't the same as doing it. 2- I was Kylie and she asks, "Do you want company?" Hell yes! (sorry kids, but I didn't say heck, I wasn't thinking heck, I was ecstatic! Kylie was going to get me through! Another word on Kylie. Obviously she is a tremendous athlete, but her only ultra had been a 50K, and she had never run farther than 33 miles. She had already run 30 with me, and even after a 3:20 break, she was willing to go another 10 for her longest run ever! What a pleasant surprise, what an Angel! We take off, and it's all I can do not to sprint out of there. I tell her, just make sure we do this in under 4 hours, I want silver. Silver, silver!! Hi-ho Silver!

On our way out, right before the turn around, which is now at mile 5 instead of mile 7.5, a mighty treat that is! we pass a gentleman I'd been gaining on for about 30 miles. I don't know where I am in the field. I wasn't even going to try math. I do know no one has passed me since a guy in a yellow shirt passed me around mile 30. While I don't know what place I'm in, I do think there is an outside chance that I can finish in the top 10 if I pass one more person. While I haven't been fast, I've been steady and I haven't had stomach issues (I only threw up once and it cost me no time, I was able to turn my head to the side and just keep running. I didn't even have to put my hands on my knees, it was a clean execution of cookie tossing!), and unlike Pinhoti, I had not bathroom issues either. Now, with 5 miles to go and feeling ok I knew I just had to keep going for my silver buckle, but now I couldn't let the dude I'd just passed pass me back! Nope, gotta keep running! So, I hauled down the hill at the turn around and ran up the next hill. before too long Kylie's watch announced that only 4 to go. I wanted to run more and faster but my stomach would only let me run so fast and I knew if my stomach revolted 24 was no longer guaranteed. Approaching mile 3 I see the yellow shirt that had passed me around mile 30. I cruised up to him, told him great race. Less than 3 to go, and I took off. Now, I had two guys to keep behind me, and also a chance at the top ten.

Mile 2.5 came. The last aid station, I didn't stop. Kylie had to use the facilities there, but she had stopped at all of them and had NO problem catching right back up. She's the fastest Port-a-let in the West that one!

Mile 99 and it's my 14th time by Southfork, A huge Citrus plantation named after the ranch on Dallas. Then 1/2 mile. Then, wait, is that the turn? It is. Come on Kylie! Come on Andy! There we go, we slog up the hill. We hit the right onto the final trail only a few yards...... 22:21! I'm finished! I find Rob and give him a hug. Great Job Rob! I introduce him to Kylie, he's like, "Wow no wonder you ran so fast!" Thanks bud. By the way, what place did I finish? Let's see, 1,2,3, looks like..... 8th male and 9th overall. GREAT! Those two I passed in the last 5 miles put me in the top 10! Keep on truckin! Don't Quit. Wow.

Western States 2009 - DFL

Pinhoti 2010- 26+ hours

Am I done? Can I still break 24?

No I'm not done! 22:21! Yay me! I aint dead yet!

What's next? Probably Black Hills 100 in Sturgis, SD. Then maybe I'll retire!

Flirting with My IPod

2011-02-23T03:26:00.000-08:00

People like music.
People like to share music.
People (Matt Mahoney Aside) like to listen to music while they run.
I'm a person. I like music. I'm running 100 miles on Saturday. Thank you for sharing your music! 259 songs, 17.4 hours worth. Wow. I think 14 songs were in my original playlists. The Church? Die Antwood? Buck Cherry? Mumford and Sons? Well, I guess I'll have to broaden my horizons (Er, don't say it Star, you can think it, but don't say it! Oh go ahead!)

Thanks, whomever it was, for re-intoducing me to Molley Hatchet. I hope I don't get running too fast, that truly would be Flirting with Disaster!

Gimme Five!

2011-02-21T06:14:00.001-08:00

Hey, I'll be running 100 Miles in the Rain this weekend at the Rocky Roads 100 in SoCal.

How about doing your old pal AndyMan a Howard HUGE favor and sending me a list of 1 - 5 songs you'd like to hear while running 100 miles in the rain.

Here's my five:

Life's a Ride, Donna the Buffalo

Look on the Bright Side, Monty Python

Dust in the Wind, Kansas

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Old 97's

Jumpin' Jack Flash, The Stones

Thanks, I'm out!

Fear.Com

2011-02-21T03:36:00.001-08:00

I don't know if I post it before every hundred and something, but I know this is the time I feel it before every race.... Fear! I love fear, it gives me something to conquer (I sure aint conquering poverty!)

You'd think with 15 complete in the books that it would be old hat. Nope. Particularly after 26 hours in the last one. I really thought I was in shape but that's no where near 24 hours. Yes, there were issues on a hard course, but the fear is, am I the major issue? Is it me? Age? Weight? Skill? Drive? Did I do enough? Do I care enough? Should I have done that 6th loop at Bradshaw with the wind howling? I know all the things I could have done but didn't.

Go ahead Star say it.... "You'll be _ _ _ _!" I believe I understand why that means little.

Fact is, I will be fine. I will finish, and I'll give 24 a run for it's money. Will I beat A2? I hope not, but I hope to give a number something near a good full day to shoot at? Will I beat Star? I hope not! Because she is running so well, I'd love to see her challenge 24. But I hope I give them a week of wondering... can I do that? Well, here's a huge secret, "If I can do it, you can do it!"

And as scared as I am, I'm going to do it! Courage isn't the absence of fear, it's looking fear in its fat face and saying, "Get the F%*K outta here fear!" That's John Wayne right there, and if the Duke said it.....

Rocky Weather?

2011-02-18T03:52:00.001-08:00

The Weather for the Rocky Roads 100 looks primo!

Friday, Feb 25 - Sunday, Feb 27 Coto De Caza, CA
High 65/ Low 41
Mostly Sunny
Chance of Rain < 10%

I reckon that's why people will put up with earthquakes, mudslides, republicans, democrats, immigrants, migrants, libertarians, egalitarians, ultra-runners, whale-riders, soybean farmers, goat herders, movie stars, lumber jacks, one-eyed jacks, car jacks, Hummers, lack of Mummers, Guitar Strummers, Bear State Republic living, Stanford Cardinal loving, Al Davis cow-towing, Gold-rushing, prop 8 passing, Bullmalarkey. Yeah, cause the weather's nice. Oh, and because Rob and Michelle live there, and I like them. Oh, the mountains are nice too, and the sea lions, I mean who doesn't like the sea lions, maybe your occasional seal... but anyway, look all I have to worry about is just run, baby run!

The Rocky Roads

2011-02-16T10:39:00.000-08:00

Rocky Roads..... it's not just an ice-cream.

It's the brain child of my good bud Rob Cowan. It's a 100 mile race in the foothills of the Saddleback Mountains northeast of San Diego. The Foothills of mountains are much better for a Florida cat than are the Mountains themselves; however, foothills does mean everything is either up or down, not a bit of flat. So be it!
How will I do? I'll do fine. Not great like I'd hoped, but I'll give 24 hours a run for it's money. One cool thing is that the race is the same day as Tampa's Gasparilla Races so I won't be doing Gasparilla one of receptionists at work is and she got up a gang to try to run a total equalling more miles than my little race. She signed up 20 people from work to run the 5K, not bad. Sadly, not enough to beat me! 20 x 3.1 = 62. Not going to do it! Turns out it takes 33 people running the 5K to stomp me (102.3), so good and great Maggie signed up another 5 to run the 15 K. So 46.5 from the 15K and 62 from the 5K, I'm toast.

But, I cry foul! Maggie's team is using friends and family versus just me. Well, if it gets more people out of the house I guess I'll take the lose with a smile..... darn it!

..... of course I could do an extra loop, hmmm...........

Alive and Kicking!

2011-02-15T05:03:00.000-08:00

I'm alive, I'm kicking.

Just so you know.

2011; Up and Running!

2011-01-07T03:56:00.000-08:00

Well, it is another year... Ok, it's going to be good. It has started well. Not the way I would have planned it, were I the great planner in the sky, but it's going well.

6 full days alcohol free. 5 full pounds down. What? In a week. Well, I've run everyday too, and either far or fast (oh thanks so much Davo, Jon, and Sally, listen, I'm old, quite running me so fast!) everyday. This won't last, I know that. For instance, after 80 miles in 7 days, I'm not going to run today.

Last night's run reminded me of the old days. I ran 13 miles solo while Ali was at dance. I ran on the roads, and I ran what is now fast for me. 13 miles in 2 hours. That's not only a fast training run for me now, it's not a bad race time. I don't expect to run Sunday's River, Roots, and Ruts trail 1/2 that fast. Of course it's an off road course, but still. Even better than the speed (it has to be a nasty side effect of being one week alcohol free. How do you tea toddlers do it? When you wake up is that the best you feel all day?) was the way I felt. I felt solid. I felt like I could have sustained that effort for a marathon. The last time I felt that good on a road run was Grandma's Marathon, Duluth, in 2000; the only time I qualified for Boston.

So, running is going well. Personal life, gee, I'm working on accepting the reality, not my wishes. As my friend Sally said on Wednesday's speed workout, "Maybe it's time to modify your expectations." Yes, I guess it is. But that acceptance is coming slowly, it does feel like it's coming, but patience has never been my strong suit (loud irrational acts that get me in trouble are my strong suit!)

Anyway Happy New Year! I'll see you at the Zoom! (BTW, so far my favorite song sent in is by Judy Rowland. Inspiring! Can you trump her selection?)

Pinhoti Images

2010-11-18T06:09:00.000-08:00

I just got these pictures developed from my Polaroid Land Camera. Eckerd Drugs did the job for me and I got doubles, so I included some here. I have the negatives if anyone wants to make compies. Also, if you are hankering to see pictures of Greg, Steve, A2, or Chris go to the link below and check out some flicker!:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsc-photos/sets/72157625410031498/

Off-Road Rage

2010-11-16T09:38:00.000-08:00

This will surprise everyone (except for Chase and some 10-year old kid).

Doctor Frank and I were running at Morris Bridge Park on Sunday (aka Trout Creek, aka Flatwoods, aka Wilderness Park) and enjoying a leisurely run through the woods on a beautiful day. We'd had the trail to ourselves for quite some time, so neither of us were paying all that much attention to anything but our feet and nature.

Hence, we were both caught off guard when a burly mountain biker came screaming towards us toward the end of our 13 mile jog. I saw him just in time, and Frank must not have understood my warning, as he was a nanosecond later in stepping off the trail. No collision, no squealing of brakes, so no big deal...... to us. The mountain biker was livid. He let loose a string of threats and obscenities regarding trail use.

Well, Mathews wasn't taking this without a few words and threats of his own. "Hey, A-H, you better take it down a notch right now, or that bike is going up your bum sideways!"
Burly mountain biker replies, "No F-U, you Pu$$y, these are our trails too!"
Mathews: "Pu$$y, well you're the one riding away!" (and thank God for that, because: A- He was a big dude. and B-He was a lot madder than I was!)

You know, I almost always say live and let live, and mountain bikers are usually the worlds nicest people, but like Slaid Cleaves says, "Sometimes you've gotta act like you've gotta pair."

Croom Zoom is On!

2010-11-12T05:41:00.000-08:00

For those that have been asking for a 100 mile race in Croom we are ...... we are...... we are getting closer! The 100 miler will not be in 2011, but all signs point to go for 2012. The better news is, The Croom Zoom 50K/100K on either Jan. 15 or 16.

All the details haven't been ironed out yet, but the course will consist mostly of 4.5 mile loops in the Vortex at Croom. Space will be limited to 50 total runners. The price tag will be modest. There will be a BBQ to follow the event. There will be awards. It will be fun!

Greg, Steve, Chris, A1 and A2 can vouch for the value of training in the Vortex, and we are all eager to see how racing in the Vortex will go (here's a hint, find out which race Chris and Steve are doing and run the other! Those guys are just too fast!)

Pinhoti is Alabamian for Slippery Rocks!

2010-11-09T04:47:00.000-08:00

Well, number 14 is in the books. That makes me 14 for 16 (I think an 875 batting average).

It wasn't my fastest (20:47) or my slowest (32:10), but I felt that 26:07 was a solid effort. The course, while beautiful, was not designed with me in mind. Lots of steep climbs, not my specialty, with very few long runnable downhills, which is my specialty. I knew I wouldn't be winning the race when after climbing for an hour to the high point on the course, and soaking in the spectacular view, we headed out for what I thought would be a long down hill patch, in which I could catch the field. Well, as we were at the pinnacle, we did descend, sadly the descent was straight down through jagged rocks. I kept looking for Sam and Frodo as I was sure this section known as Blue Hell was near the gates of Mordor. I know for sure I saw Smegal at some point. Needless to say my specialty is NOT climbing hand over fist down a mountain and I caught no one.

The course wasn't the only thing that slowed me down. There were 7 falls along the way. Some gnarly! I hit my knee, my elbow, my wrist, my other knee, my arse. I was a stumbling and a bumbling! Those were some slippery, and well hidden rocks. In addition to the stumbles there were the "Pit Stops." Sylacauga, Alabama isn't known for fine Italian food, but it is known for greasy food. Well when you combine Pizza and grease, you get 5 pit-stops in the woods. I had carried enough supplies for 3 pit stops. Let's just say that there are two cotton running gloves a few miles apart in the Talladega National Forest than I wouldn't want to wear again, ever... under any circumstances!

Later on there were some very nice downhills and I was very happy with the way I ran, but in general given the course and my poor selection in trail shoes for the first 1/2 of the race my time wasn't nearly as good as my effort would have dictated. Happily, I was ok with that. I just wanted to run as well as I could and I did that. I didn't waste any time at aid stations nor did I walk when I should have run. For the most part I just relaxed and used that savvy veteran patience and let the course dictate my action.

Here it is in a school interview. My part is from 1:45 in till the end (boy do I look tired, er, I was!):

This isn't your Grand Pappy's Alabama!

2010-11-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

WTF?

Pinhoti Alabama is having a live webcast! Shoot when I went to college in Alabama the only web they had spiders in it. Their technology consisted of two Bush's Baked Beans cans and some kite string!

But, they are now part of the "new South." they have the Internet (after it was a guy from another Southern state, Tenessee, that invented the Internet, Al Gore)and they are having a Webcast for the race. Here's the link http://ultralive.net/

The bib numbers aren't up yet, but I'm sure you'll find it. Track us all:

Andy Slow as Molasses Mathews Bib #630
Andy on a Roll Barrett #575
Greg Virgin Vannette #1578
Chris Motor Mottola #633
Steve "Wheels" Wheeler #1581

Oh, yeah!

Nothing left but to R-U-N!

2010-10-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

There's nothing left to do to get ready for Pinhoti except to run the darn race.

I finished spelling PINHOTI TRAIL.
I lost some weight.
I Did a few night runs.
I hung with A2 as he nearly won Arkansas.
I put up with Dean's "Wisdom."
I purchased flashlights
I purchased back up flashlights
I purchased batteries
I purchased back up batteries
I purchased a new MP3 player
I purchased a back up MP3 Player
(darn but these 100 milers stimulate the economy!)
I made by Pinhoti playlist
I made a Pinhoti playlist for my guys.

Well, now I'll just pack and be on my way I reckon.

BTW, here's the playlist for those who want to spend 19.99 on Rhapsody or want to wait for me to send them a CD (I only charge 9.95 s & h!)
Song Reason included:
✓ Sweet Home Alabama 4:45 Lynyrd Skynyrd Forrest Gump [Disc 2] Soundtrack Included for obvious reasons
✓ The Boys Are Back In Town 4:25 Thin Lizzy Badwater Mix Rock Since it's a bunch of Dude's running
✓ Miserlou 2:14 Dick Dale Guitar Legend: The Very Best of Dick Dale Rock 2 Just a wicked cool song
✓ How Will You Shine 5:11 The Gourds Noble Creatures (2007) Country How? Dunno, but brightly I hope!
✓ Hot Hot Hot 4:11 Buster Poindexter Buster Poindexter Spoken & Audio Because it starts with my signature line, YES SIR!
✓ Mambo No. 5 3:41 Lou Bega A Little Bit Of Mambo Latin 2 A Guilty Pleasure.
✓ 14 Twist And Shout 2:33 The Beatles 1 Dunno. Always liked it since FBDO
✓ Ground On Down 5:40 Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals Live From Mars [Disc 1] Alternative & Punk Me Trying to be hip
✓ Against The Wind 5:36 Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band Forrest Gump [Disc 2] Soundtrack 1 Running against the Wind
✓ It Keeps You Runnin' 4:22 The Doobie Brothers Forrest Gump [Disc 2] Soundtrack Runnin' in the title
✓ Break On Through (To The Other Side) 2:30 The Doors Forrest Gump [Disc 1] Soundtrack 1 Awesome song
✓ Pay The Alligator 3:32 The Flatlanders Now Again Country 1 Didn't think you'd already have it, and I like it!
✓ Fox On The Run 2:05 Tom T. Hall Storyteller, Poet, Philosopher [Disc 1] Folk 1 Oh, we'll see a fox on this run! Sandra's coming!
✓ On The Run 5:33 Stevie Ray Vaughan Solos, Sessions & Encores Blues 1 SRV! And Run, had to do it!
✓ Blue Side Of The Mountain 3:29 Steeldrivers The Steeldrivers Country 1 I like this one, and it has Mountain in the title
✓ Flash 2:48 Queen Greatest Hits I Rock In honor of Andy B, Flash, he's so fast (ask the invisible man!)
✓ Hammer & Nail 3:20 Paul Thorn Hammer & Nail Rock Paul's cooler than the other side of the pillow!
✓ I'm A King Bee 3:53 Muddy Waters The Johnny Winter Sessions 1976-1981 Blues I actually am a king Bee!
✓ This Time 3:31 Los Lobos This Time Rock Los Lobos, Muy Caliente!
✓ Born To Be Wild 4:26 The Knitters The Modern Sounds Of The Knitters Country 1 Tough song, Tough Course, Tough Group of MFers!

My Letters are all gone, My belly isn't

2010-10-28T03:09:00.000-07:00

A recent comments from our good buddy Dean Karnazes (hey Dean, love the hair!) prompted this post.

Dean's right, I've just got to get in shape. I'm just heavier than I was a few years ago. Hey, I'm happy with my progress in the last three months, down from gigantic to a little large. Big Milestone for me the other day at the Doctor, I actually weighed under 180 with some clothes on on a doctor's scale. (I would have done the normal strip down routine, but I didn't think the other people in the lobby would appreciate it!)

Anyway I have taken drastic steps in the direction of reduction. Until after Pinhoti, NO BEER. Until after Pinhoti, NO SWEETS. Until after Pinhoti, NO WINGS. Aw, these are a few of my favorite things. Hey, I may even save a few ducats. On Tuesday when our little Dark Runners running club met at the House of Brews, my tab for my water and lettuce with no dressing was a fiver. I flipped her a ten-spot and said, "Keep the Change!" It was still cheaper than a night with the sauce.

After Pinhoti, just be healthy.

My goal, next time I see Mike Melton he won't say, "Body By Budwiser," He won't even say, "Body by Bud Lite," He'll say, "Hey, Body by Crystal Lite, now I know how you broke 24 hours at Pinhoti."

O I got N L!

2010-10-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

Love
Laugh
Lunch
Lasso
Liberty
Pinhoti TraiL.

Are they filled with Ell's?
OSAR! Oh Ese A Are!
Where'd I get my Final Pre-Race Letter? Well, I got my L at the T!

Let me just say this; anyone that can run 4 x 4 mile beautiful hilly, sandy loops, and then go out on the road and run 4 mile on the road as his buddies are hanging by the truck and basking in the sun while enjoying some frosty suds, well that dude deserves a letter.

On Saturday that dude was me. I got my letter. It was an ELL of a time!

The Second No L!

2010-10-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

The first No L came last weekend. I went up to S. Carolina to be best man at SuperDave's wedding, and what a wedding it was. It was a happy affair. It felt right. It was much better than another wedding I recently attended. Two Antenna got married and the wedding was just ok (but, the reception was GREAT!)

Anyway, I wanted to use the trip to SC as a chance to run some hills and enjoy some cooler weather, alas, I was under the weather, and with a little coaxing, I even went to the doctor. I was stoked because this Doc is a former National Champion Triathlete. He trained with and beat the likes of Scott Tinely, Dave Scott and Mark Allen. I knew he was going to tell me running was the perfect cure for my Sinusitis. Sadly, Dr. Sports Medicine tells me, you NEED to take 3 days off. Do NOT train until you are clear of this infection, or else you will keep the infection and Andy Barrett will beat you by 3 hours in Alabama. What? Three hours? Hey, Doc, What's up? Andy B just ran a 100 in Arkansas, he won't beat me by more than 1.5 hours! Well, says doc, if you run 30 miles in South Carolina he will.

Darn, I still got no L. That's ok, I'm going to be at Croom this weekend with the hunters. I will either leave there with an L or an arse full of buckshot (or both).

Here's a little tribute to my struggle with the second No L:

I dIdn't say It, but I got an I!

2010-10-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

I Didn't say it, but I picked up a Letter in Arkansas. Yep I, got my last I.

As of now, I'm at Pinhoti Trai_. It's like Christmas around here No L! Get it, No L (noel, get it!) har har.

Why should I get a Letter because Andy Barrett is a beast? Hey, 36 miles at night and I had to use a few motivational methods. (Move it sh*t head, I have a life to lead! Nurturing stuff like that :)

Anway, now that I'm tapering, letters are going to be tough to get, but I figure to pick them up through diet and exercise. I only need the L, the 100 will come from the number of miles I finish in Alabama. If I run 72 it's Pinhoti Trail 72, if I make it all the way it Pinhoti Trail 100. If I run extra, well, that'd be ok too!

Almost there, yep, almost there.

Ark-CAN and DID- Saw!

2010-10-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

Images from Arkansas. Shoot let's not call it Ar-Can-Saw, let's call it Ar-DID-Saw.

Ok, anybody that's been hanging out with the FU Runners lately knows a few things:

1- Andy Barrett is running out of his mind (and he's getting married by a prime number above 1, so he's plain out of his mind!)
2- Andrea is tough as a two-dollar steak!
3- Woody is fast, tough, and ageless

4. If June and Trudy had a generosity contest, it would be called a draw in extra-innings as they kept trying to give the award to each other.

I don't know what there is to say about the race. It was an honor to run with Andy Barrett. We are so very proud of Andrea and her gutsy effort. A 2-Hour PR, but I didn't run with her, so I can't really speak on her race. Happily, she'll write a race report about it, and it will be poetic! But running with Andy was a personal highlight in my running career. I wish we could bottle the effort he put into that race, because it was incredible. My boy had to be tired! My boy's legs had to be screaming. Yet he never complained, not once. He did; however, darn near drop me several times, even though I ran only 36% of the race with him. It got to where we just ran. Up hill, down hill, flats, rocks (ok, maybe not so much on rocks), we ran, then we ran some more.
We also took a little time to turn off our lights and enjoy some AMAZING stars. What a clear beautiful night!

How did my boy run so fast? I don't know. I picked him up at mile 66 and he was in eighth place out of 100 starters. We quickly passed one guy, only 6 more in front of us. Coming out of Powerline, we passed two more, only 4 more in front of us. We spent the next 25 miles trying to track the guy in fourth down. Funny, Andy never even seemed to be thinking about those behind (turns out the next finisher after him was more than an hour back), he was dead focused on the guys in front of us. We kept checking the progerss of #4, and we were gaining on him. 15 minutes, 13 minutes, 9 minutes, then 5 and then 3 separated Andy and the other dude. Finally at the last aid station, Pumpkin Patch, we had whittled the lead down to 1 minute, and I got my first glimpse of the fella, and it was really just a glance, because when he saw our lights and heard the aid station workers cheer us, he took off like a scalded hound, and we didn't see him again until we were recovering in the finish area. That guy had some giddy-up.

Any way, I was really impressed. Andy held 5th place and a 2-hour PR.

Andrea finished 2.5 hours under the cut-off and a 2-hour PR.

Woody was running so smoothly and on 24 hour pace, when his stomach sabotaged him at mile 58, and he was pulled from the race.

June and Trudy once again showed their incredible generosity in crewing and driving all over EBF-Arkansas. June, picked me up and dropped me off at the airport. Trudy took Woody and I back to pick up the cars in more Easterly BF-Arkansas after the race.

I am so privileged to know you all and run with you. It was truly incredible. Way to go, way to go!

The 11th Hour

2010-09-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

Don't tell A2, but I'm a little worried. Oh, not that I can keep up with him, I'll hang in there long enough to get him over Smith Mountain and back to the lake. He can finish from there if he drops me (he's running smooth as silk and slick as owl poop on a hot tin roof!). No, no, I'm worried about just getting to Arkansas!

See, my Driver's license has expired and I can't get a new one because in one of my 27 moves over the last decade I lost the box that has all that junk in it. Also lost, my teaching certificate, my transcripts, and $400,008 in moving expenses. Man, I sure would like to find my birth certificate! Well on September 8, I finally ponied up the $22.50 and paid the state of Montana to send me another one. Montana, a state in which so few people live that a person actually answered the phone when I called to get a new birth certificate (sadly, it's the same information, they wouldn't change the year by a decade like I asked!). Anyway, thankfully I still had my Visa card when I called because the I would lose that the next day at Universal. No Driver's license, no Visa Card, cash won't last forever.

Speaking of the 11th hour, no time to finish this post, you get what you get!!

So, Cool the Fonz Approves!

2010-09-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

Did I get a letter this weekend?

AAAAAAAAAAY!

I got the A. Pinhoti Tra_ _ _ _ _

Almost there, but I'd better be, only 5 weeks to race time. Yikes!

I did my 20 in Clermont, I did the second 10 in about 1:35 with a stop in the Orange Grove to fertalize the winter crop (I said CROP!). So that's just over 9 minute miles with no walk breaks. It may not be fast enough to keep up with A2 in Arkansas, but it'll get me a belt buckle in Alabama.

In additon to the stellar running I weighed in at 180 on Sunday, that's four pounds lower than on my birthday. If I lose a pound a week I can weigh in at 175 in Alabama, shoot that's what I weighed when I lived in Alabama during college!

Yep, that's an A, or as the Fonz would say, AAAAAAAAAY!

Ndrew, Pples, Lligtors & Cptin Meric!

2010-09-24T05:27:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I did not get a letter. Oh, my workouts were fine, but there was nothing special there, I could have run faster, I should have run farther. Letters are only for going above and beyond, not for just getting it done.

With a better attitude I would have earned a letter on Tuesday when Davo and Jon and I ran 6 miles in 45 minutes (that 7:30 per mile for 6 miles) I haven't done that since 2004. Why no letter? Because I whined and I cut a corner or two. AndyMan, just buck up and enjoy the experience and you're that much closer to success, you bonehead!

Ok, I'm running out of time to spell out Pinhoti Trail 100 (I'm at Pinhoti Tr---) so I have to get a letter this weekend. I'm running up in the hills of Clermont, here's my plan for Sunday. 20 miles. 1st 10 mile loop nice and easy, 2nd loop, charge the hills, no walking the ups, finish the loop in less than 100 minutes (that's under 10 min. miles). Come on how can I be the A Man if I've lost my A?

Hey Father Time, How about we Slow the Heck Down!

2010-09-15T05:34:00.000-07:00

Whew, it's a whirlwind of activity, and no time to prepare!

Yo Father Time, slow the #*@% down will you?!

This weekend, crushing run in the vortex, I'm going 25 miles or God's a monkey! Then the beer mile (I can break two hours, I know I can!). Sunday, who knows, but probably 15 at Trout Creek before a day at Universal (I'm a Gryffindor).

Next weekend, probably 20 at Croom and 20 at Bradshaw, don't know the order.

10/2 Arkansas with my man A2, and the crew. 10/10 Some event, don't remember. 10/16 Something with my brother, not sure what, and a 5 K. 25 in the tough SC hills on 10/17. 10/23 20 at Croom. 10/30 15 at Croom and Pinhoti send off.

11/6- Pinhoti. Me versus you Father Time! You sick old bast@%%! Or sure, you're going to win out, but I'm going to fight you off, and I'm gonna give it all I got to go under 24 hours in Alabama (I'm not allowed to stay any longer than that in the state anyway. Some old warrant from College, alcohol was involved and that's all I'm saying about that, that and please don't call me tater salad if you see me in anywhere new the Alabama state line!)

Two Words, RRR RRR!

2010-09-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

Well, they might as well re-name the place C OOM. Why? Because I took the R home from Croom this morning!

Where do I stand? Pinhoti tR _ _ _ on my way to Pinhoti Trail.

Yesterday's run was solid, but a little slower and shorter than I'd hoped. But I finished strong, Running all the hills and flats the with Steve Wheeler and Woody for the last 6 miles. It was great crew we had out there. Becky and Lisa came up with me for the early 5. We were joined by Adam, Lindsay, Andrea, A2, Steve W, Woody, Traci Cole, and a friend of Steve's. Overall I had nice 21 mile jaunt.

This morning it was just Davo and I running out a then Croom (now Coom, as I mentioned, I took the R home with me!). I wanted to do the 12 mile Orange to blue loop that I plan to use for the Croom Zoom 100 in January. I scouted the course, I think it lays out perfectly for an 8 loop 100. It won't be as fast as Umstead, but it'll be comparable to Rocky.

Davo pushed me the first 7, though it was easy for him. I'm used to bit more of a warm up with some walking mixed in, while Davo is a hard charger (guys, he even stops his chrono when he walks, that's so, Roadish!). Anyway, after the first 10 I made him go on alone. I told him it would help me if he took off and I hung on as long as I could. This lasted about 1/2 mile, before I backed off to my tortoise pace. I was a little down because I wanted to run the whole loop non-stop, but the 21 from Saturday had zapped a legs a bit. So, I figured I had to do something extra to earn a letter. I made the deal that if I did the 1 mile out and one mile back west on Croom Road that I would earn a letter, provided I ran the whole thing. It wasn't looking good as I walked up the car coming up the South slope of the orange trail. But as I got to the parking lot, I couldn't let the opportunity to capture my Arr get away. So, I took off. I ran the mile out and the mile back. Not only did I get my Arr, but was treated to a chat with June and Dan, Spencer and Claude, with their wives, Wendy and her mom, Shawn (or Sean) and his friend Ilene, Tory, Robin, and two cats also doing Pinhoti, Greg and Chris. They are both looking fit! I was hoping for a 10 3 finish, with those 2 and Steve Wheeler going up, I may not even be in the top three from Florida! Oh, well, I'm not racing them, I'm racing..... no one! I'm just going to survive!

I can feel my legs getting stronger and my stamina increasing. I sure do appreciate having a large community with whom to train! Like June says, "It takes a village to run an Ultra!" (or did she say it takes a village idiot? I can never remember.)

Truly it was a fun day at Coom! (hey, you guys get your own R's, ARRR, ARRR!)

Croom Zoom Talk

2010-09-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

Hey, It's time to start the chatter again!

The Croom Zoom 100 and 100K is happening, darn it!

Now, in January 2011, it may have to be low key, it may have to be a Phat A$$, it may have to even be unauthorized, but it's happening! Shoot since we are now supposed to get permits even for our overnight runs, how much harder will it be to get a permit for 150 of us to run overnight? I'm thinking we can do it!

I'll keep you posted.

Croom Zoom, The Florida Panther 100, The Croom 100, The Dill-a-Dillo Armadillo 100, the Florida 100. It's happening!

49 Years Young!

2010-09-07T05:34:00.000-07:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

To the 18 or so folks that came out on a Sunday night, in thee woods, in Hernando County, to help a young guy celebrate his birthday. On Thursday I was 48 years old, by Monday morning as we wrapped up our run, I was 49 years young!

We started at 8PM with 16 or 18 of us running, a few twists and turns aside, the Blue bike trail to Nobleton road. From there 10 of us went on to Ethel's stop at Nobleton Park, where I was finally able to get rid of 8 or the 10 quarters that had been jingling in my pocket for 14.5 miles. Ethel was a no-show, but we managed ok without her.

Andy and Andrea kept the griping to a minimum, even though they "Hate that stretch!" Hey A's, you may as well get used to it, because other than 8 miles in the first 1/4 or Arkansas, that's what you're getting! At least, I only gave you 5 miles of road!

When we got back to drop 1 at midnight, 7 more of continued on for the full route, Patrick (who had biked 105 miles, and run 4 on Saturday, he's really tough, of course, he also made us all tougher, our ears anyway!), 3 A's (A1 - A3 and 3 J's, John Wood, John Pyle, and Justin).

We negotiated the Vortex without getting lost (thanks Woody), then we popped out again at Nobleton Road. From there our really long trek to Croom Road Commenced. Even though they did a little trail modification on us, we somehow managed to pop out on Croom Road (thanks again Woody!) after about a ten mile stretch.

From the Croom Road drop 1, we refueled and took off again. Last time we did this section on the south side of Croom Road on the blue bike trail I was feeling good and picked up my pace. This time was similar. I started feeling good, even after 30 humid miles, and steadily pulled away from the gang. Sometime in the middle of this 9 mile leg, I started stretching my stride out and running all the hills. After a bit I was all alone and having a birthday blast. I kept pushing the pace until I hit Croom Road again. After a couple of minutes A2 sprinted out of the woods and shortly thereafter, the rest of the magnificent 7 arrived and we strolled to drop #4.

From drop 4 we all stayed together for the 6-7 miles back to Croom Road. There was a few signs of fatigue and a bit of grumbling from the crowd, but all in all spirits were high as we closing in on the completion of my 49 mile birthday run.

We refueled for the last time on Croom Road and set out for the final 2.5 miles back to the cars. Andrea, Patrick, Justin, Andy B, and I were holding steady and all running well (John Pyle and Woody had headed up the road). Not too long into the final stretch Andy B decided it was time to put the hammer down and put an end to this madness. It was finally light out. . . again (I love those light to dark to light runs!) so we could safely pick up the pace, but who wants to do that after 47 miles? Who, I guess, Justin and the two Andy's. Because when Andy B took off, Justin and I followed shortly thereafter. Justin and I worked like mad to catch Andy with exactly 1.4 miles left. We were content to follow Andy till the 1-mile mark. when I scooted around him and left those guys in the dust, for about 1/2 mile, when I died. Justin (he's solid! What a good runner this guy is!) went around me so fast I wondered if I was moving in the right direction. With 1/4 mile left Andy B came upon me and shamed me into jogging it in. He said something subtle, like, "What's the matter MFer, you were a man a minute ago!" Thanks Andy, you're right. I finished in a limping jog, and then hobbled over to the nearest picnic table and collapsed on top of it. Andy B on the other hand went out and ran a couple of hills (he's ready for a sub 23 hour finish at Arkansas.)

Soon after the rest came in looking fresh. We showered up, and and Andrea bought me breakfast at Denny's. It was a great birthday. Thanks all.

Oh, and I earned a letter. We're now at Pinhoti T. Just a Rail to go!

Too Bad On My Birthday!

2010-09-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

I'm having a heckuva fun day.... it's my birthday.This weekend it's a 49 mile run, until then it's fun, fun, and more fun!

Filling the Gap, You Dropped an I on Me!

2010-08-30T04:19:00.000-07:00

In the early 80's the most excellent "Gap Band," dropped the Bomb on us. Oh, what a truly great song. You can, and should listen to it via the Youtube below.

The bit from that song that remains in my imperfect memory is the repeated, I, I, I in there, hence, the title as I have now completed the PinhotI, in Pinhoti Trail 100. How did I do it?

Well, I had a yeoman's 43 mile weekend. There was the 30 miler with Andy B on Saturday morning that turned into 24. I ran 18 quality miles before I bonked. I was sick as a dog on Friday, and knew that Saturday would be a tough run, but I knew I would get some portion done and it would be more valuable than staying in bed. So, I met A2 at 3 am, and we drove to Clermont for a 4:30 start. I ran until I couldn't run anymore, then I ran/walked 6 more for 24.

I, I, I got some good sleep on Saturday night and met Becky and Margo for 13 on Sunday morning and I felt much better. Then just to top it off, I met two work buddies who are training for their first 1/2 marathon for a 6 miler on Sunday night.

Even though none of the runs were particularly fast, or long, sometimes just hanging in is the perfect recipe. It helped me cook up an I this weekend!

Now enjoy some Gap Band:

The Line on Pick Ups

2010-08-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

From time to time you'll hear me mention my coach, well, my coach isn't a person, it's people. It's someone who gives me advice that sticks, that makes me go, "oh yeah!"

On Tuesday night's run my coach told me about a technique he passed on to an up and coming runner. This runner was trying to improve his speed and was having trouble maintaining a faster pace. So my coach told him to pick up the pace for varying distances, between 30 and 100 yards at a time, during the run. Not only does this train your body to run faster, but when you slow down you are likely to be running faster than you were when you were just chugging along.

Great advice. I used to do this all the time when I got bored during my runs. It really helped those long middle miles move along. I'd forgotten all about this until coach reminded me.

Thanks for the line on pick ups! Which is very different from pick up lines. My favorite of those is below (hey, we may have discovered why I'm still single!)

I got my T Back!

2010-08-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

A stellar weekend of running if I do say my ownself. I feel that the weekend was letter worthy, so here we go, I'm closing in on it.....

P-I-N-H-O-T- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As my coach's friend Stephanie says, it's quality not quantity.

Saturday morning I met A2 for a quick near 20 at Morris Bridge. We started t00 fast for comfort, but I accepted it and went along. I know I need to push myself, and this seemed a good place to start. After 4 miles or so we slowed down and stayed slower through 9 when we dropped A2's friend James back at his car. Then we jogged across the street to the restrooms where we saw Dr. Frank and chatted before we took off, and took off we did. We spent about three miles at an uncomfortably fast clip, but I figured what the heck, I'll do as well as I can. Once again we thankfully slowed and finished our run.

That was a good workout, but not quite letter worthy, I would earn the letter on Sunday morning. Coach and I met up with a slew of runners at Clermont's National Training Center for an 8 mile hill run. Coach said that if I ran all 8 miles I should get a letter, that sounded like a good idea, so that's the bargain I made with myself on top of the hill at the start. At the start on top of the hill. On the top. Start. Hill. Yeah, I was kicking myself as I struggled on the inbound portion as I had to go back up the hill to top to finish. Clermont is certainly Central Florida's hilliest area and these hills dwarf Croom's (which I often walk) and tower over those in San Antonio, which I sometimes walked. But today, I ran 'em and earned my T.

Way to go me!

Friday

2010-08-20T05:55:00.000-07:00

It's Friday, and that doesn't suck!

My brother SuperDave, when he was a kid, he loved Fridays and he hated Sundays. Why, he loved the last day of school for the week, knowing he didn't have to go for the next two, and he hated the day before he had to go back for the next 5.

Well, I love Fridays, love 'em all up, but I like Sunday's too. But Friday's really are the best.

You know what they say:
You can beat your wife.
You can beat your kids.
But, you can't beat Fridays!

The Second Wind

2010-08-18T07:34:00.000-07:00

As I was making excuses for my lack of leg speed during our Tuesday evening run (hey, I ran 5 Sat. morn, 27 Sat. eve/Sun morn, and another 5 Sunday eve) I was wondering, I kept running all along.

After a quick stop and dip in the pool at Jon's house (man, that pool was a little slice of heaven) we headed back towards my house to finish the run. Seeing how I struggled in to Jon's, I wasn't really looking forward to the 2 miles back to my house. But almost instantly it happened. I got the second wind. I haven't had that awesome feeling in a long time. It means that all this running and dieting is starting to work. I'm getting back! The run back to my house, while not effortless, was much easier than the run had been at other point on that Tuesday.

Sure do hope this wasn't some fluke, I'll keep you posted.

O, Yeah!

2010-08-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

I Picked up another letter this morning.

5 of us crazies set out at Croom last night 7PM and ran around the woods until 1 am this morning. It may seem whacked to some, but I got a letter out of it!

Here's where I stand: P I N H O _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _! I'm doing A-Ok.

Last nights run was an adventure.

I met up with A2 and A3 at the Winner's grill and off we went. After placing our 3 drops at various places along the route we were off to the starting point at Tucker Hill. Along the way A2 stopped his big truck, not once but twice to move gopher tortoises off of Croom Road. Surely this would bring us good karma.

The karma was working as we hooked up with Woody and Dan and took off down the trail. We made it to the first drop point about 8 miles in with no problem. We refueled and again went down the trail. A2 was feeling pretty good as he took us through the Vortex twice, if it's worth doing it's worth doing twice he must have been thinking. We quickly got back on track and trudged to drop #2 at 12 - 13 mile point. At this drop all the A's 1-3 were feeling Antsy. Oh, we weren't in a hurry, or nervous, we had just placed our drops in the midst of an ant colony. We spent the next 10 minutes swatting at these god forsaken near invisible little leg munchers.

Once we go out of there the biting subsided and we were back on track. A few stumbles aside we made it the the 20 mile drop without incident. There we refueled for the last time and got back out pretty quickly. We had a few stretches of really good running and I was feeling better than I have all summer. As we were going up E's hill, I decided that I wasn't going to walk at all for the last 4 miles, included the hills. So, off I ran.

There were a few little inclines that I normally walk, but I was using A2's karma and ran up the little hills. When I got to Croom Mtn (this is actually higher and with more switchbacks than Devil's Thumb) I was second guessing my decision to run the entire route, but I thought, What the Johnny Ho, I'll give it a go, and I kept my head down and BAM, I ran to the top and over. Of course having run up Croom Mountain, now it would have just been wimpy to walk up the twins, or no-name hill, so even as I was tiring I kept running.

I decided I was going to run to where the Blue trail hits the Orange trail 1/3 of a mile to the finish, I was looking at the spot just a few yards ahead when Blam! I should have been looking at the trail because I went down like a salami (hard!). The ants, then this, could we be running out of Karma. The answer was readily apparent in 1/3 of a mile. When I got up to A2's truck, the driver's rear time was pancake flat. We got screwed, literally, there was a big silver screw wedged in his tire. When he got back to the truck a few minutes later I got to greet him the news, you're Karma does not extend to your truckma, because your tire is flatma! Even though the tire was only flat on the bottom, at 1 am after 27 miles of running in 100% humidity, changing a tire is no fun. But A2 barely complained as he jacked the truck up 3 times (if it's worth doing it's worth doing again, and again!) swapped out the tire and headed home.

All in all, it was a great night. Best of all, I got my O!

It's A Guy Thing

2010-08-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

Today, I saw a masterpiece.

The Expendables. Two words, Arr Arr!

Should you see it? Not only should you, it's your duty. This youtube pretty much says it all:

Shake it Up!

2010-08-10T13:41:00.000-07:00

I did something today that I haven't done in 9 years (No not that!). I signed up for a 5K.

Big Bro SuperDave asked me to run the Race for the Cure in Charleston on October 16, which just happens to be the day he's getting married. What could I say? I said, heck yes! Shoot, the last time I ran a 5K was the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day in 2001. I ran a 19:45 and I was not happy about it! I gave up 5 K's, because I didn't want to go over 20 minutes. Now, I'd be happy with a 24 minute 5K. But, my focus has drastically changed. I do what Bill Cosby told the fat kid to do in sandlot football. "What do I do, what do I do?" Bill says, "You go long! I'll fake it to you!"

Well, now at the price of speed I go long.

But, I've been doing some shorter, faster running lately (mostly so I can qualify for an afternoon or evening beer). It's a good thing to shake it up from time to time!

Thanks a H of a Lot!

2010-08-07T04:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks coach! You helped me put the H in PinHoti Trail 100!

Here's where it stands:

P I N H _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _!

How in the H-E-double Hockey sticks did I get the H in there?

It may have been the hardest letter yet. Coach asked me a couple of weeks ago, "Aren't you going to give yourself a letter for losing 5 pounds?"

I wanted the reward, but I know me, I like my vices too much, wings, brew-doggies, all the nasty sweet crap on the faculty table at work, and knew those pounds could back with a couple of buddies if I wasn't careful. So, I held off on the letter, until this morning. Why this morning?

Well, first: the weight has stayed off for about 3 weeks. (it was nice several people of the female persuasion at work told me I looked much thinner :)

Second: Not once but thrice, I really wanted a brewski but hadn't yet ran my 4 miles, and under the new rules, I must run or no suds for the day. I begged my coach, "I went to the gym, does that count?" NO! "What if I walk the dog? Does that count?" NO! "Can I borrow on tomorrow's miles? I'm running 20 tomorrow? H NO! So, with the rules set I settled my three-time dilemma this way: Once I just drank water, the other two times, I got my lazy arse outside and zipped around my hood to qualify (my own version of a BQ, no not a Boston Qualifier, but a Beer Qualifier!). Those beers taste really good when you earn them.

Third: Well, general discipline. I've stayed away from all sweets, and snacking, and I've exercised in some form every day.

........... I bought these, but I gave them to Ali, I didn't eat them!....

I really need to keep it up, but what an "H" of a start! Thanks coach!

Weight, Weight, DON'T TELL ME!

2010-08-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

I haven't said anything about it in a long time, my actual weight that is. Truth is I've been afraid to get on a scale. I HATE seeing anything higher than the 180's when I'm on the scale. I've mentioned that I am not happy about where I am, and I NEED to lose some Lbs. Butt, and this is really disturbing, the wish method is no longer working for me! I can't just lose weight by just wishing I weighed less.

Aint that a kick in the pants?

So, I've had to take some drastic measures:

1.No beer unless I've run at least 4 miles that day. (Shoot, I'm going to a Rays game tonight, and instead of running this morning, I met my bud Morejon at the gym! Gotta squeeze in a run before the game, I think there is free drinks!)

2. No sweets during the week.

3. Chicken wings no more than twice a month. (That'll be easy till football season, which starts like now. Yikes!)

I'm open for more suggestions, but this is going to be hard enough. I've already been doing most of this informally and it is working. The Beckster even paid me a sort of compliment as we were running, "Your love handles aren't as huge as there were." Er, thanks... And the scale has also been much kinder recently, I have maintained a 5 pound weight loss for two weeks now. Another 10 pounds, not even a pound a week, and I'll be at a good place for Pinhoti.

Wish me luck!

It's Was Time

2010-07-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

I knew it was this time:

So, I did it. Today I actually whipped out the Visa and paid the lady. I'm registered for the Pinhoti 100. I went to book a room and darn if the Jameson Inn isn't booked.

June, I hope you go, but if not, can I have your room :-)

N is for Northfork 50!

2010-07-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago, in my training for the Nov. 6, Pinhoti Trail I earned my first letter (when I gotta a P) in my motivational technique of spelling the event name in order to show progress toward my goal. 100 when I gotta P? Well, I've progressed since then!

Next, (and I haven't really blogged about this, but I will when my memory fades a bit, and I can freely embellish), I earned a letter by delivering an address to the Florida Track Club in Gainesville, "Andy an Ultrarunner's Tail." This made me like Thomas Magnum and gave me PI.

PI is a long haul from Pinhoti Trail 100, but I have time, and feats of the feet must be rewarded! So, in search for my N, Orlando Ultrarunner Tracy Cook and I went to see my great friend Colorado Chase Squires to take on the Pine Valley's inaugural Northfork 50.
Andy, Tracy and Chase (together we add up to 17, a 3 a 10 and a 4) pre-race.

The trip had a rough start as I was unaware that Colorado Kool Aid is actually an alcoholic beverage. And I was chugging the stuff as if it was like.... well, Kool Aid! Fortunately Chase sent me out on a hangover curing running route the next day that involved running, sandwiches and lots of TV on the couch! Even then, it was a two-day recovery.

With me all better, Chase, Tracy and I set out for the race bright (and I do mean bright, the sun was out early, often and STRONG!) and early for the Rockies. We made it to the park in time to pick up our numbers and watch the flood of runners switching from the 50-Mile race to the 50K race in response to the 90+ degree temperature forecast. Tracy was already running the 50K as she prepares to make a run on qualifying for Boston in October. And Chase and I, well, we weren't giving in to the heat (well I did ask the race director to switch me to the 50K due to general pudginess. She was sympathetic, happily, Chase was not!)

As for the race, no lie, I was worried about finishing in 14 hours, not only because of the heat, but because traditionally I do not handle altitude well. I am a flatlander, can't cure that with reading or going to the gym (though a few pushaways couldn't hurt). So, I did seriously consider the 50K, but on race day with encouragement from my running buddies (don't worry, we'll wait all night for you to finish if we have to, and we probably will), I stayed with the 50M. I am really glad I did!

The course was breathtakingly beautiful from the start by the river all the way to the mountain's top. The course was nice and flat for all of .5 miles then it went straight up, and up, an up the mountain for about 2.5 miles. I really struggled on this climb, as I expected. I started with Chase and Tracy, but soon I was tracing their steps as I chased them. They pulled steadily ahead and by mile 2, they were out of sight. I pulled into the first aid station at 3 miles all alone and passed on the bacon and hash browns (yes they really had those, Chase told them, I'm hungry, not stoned!) and snagged some watermelon, which was the only solid food I ate all day, and filled my bottles. After a mile of gradually up and down, the big downhill finally arrived, and I sprang to life. I started fairly conservatively, but after a couple of minutes I started zinging past people. by mile 5.5 I'd caught my companions, by mile 6 they were no longer in sight, but behind me this time. I was feeling good thinking, "The heck with 14 hours, 12 is possible!"

I glided into the next aid station and was met by an angelic 6 year old bearing an ice cold sponge, perfect medicine for this scorching day during which temperatures would surpass 90 degrees. Once again I grabbed some watermelon and took off. According to the volunteers, it was only supposed to be 3 miles till the next aid station, and then 5 to the one after that. Turns out the aid station was 3.5, and all straight up the hill. After 3 miles of hard walking I slowed considerably, giving back most of the places I'd conquered while cruising down the previous hill. I had to keep checking my progress against objects more stationary than me to make sure I was moving at all! The whole time I was waiting for Chase and Tracy to pass me. But I pulled into the next aid station tired and battered, but not beaten and still in front of my comrades. As I was hanging out, refilling bottles and putting ice in all my clothing (turns out George Costanza was right about that issue) I saw the bright red shirt of my Orlando friend approaching. So, I hid and told the couple working the aid station to cheer for Tracy, and say, go Florida and junk like that. They cheered her on as she bounded up to the aid station. Sadly Chase was nowhere in sight. Evidently the heat as soured his stomach (he insisted it wasn't the 14 beers the night before, but he said, "Can't mess with the routine!" and blamed the heat). I knew as I saw Tracy just ease into the aid station that I'd never be able to keep up with her in these mountains. She's a much better climber and her slight frame is better in the altitude than my frame (which Mike Melton kindly described as "Body by Budwiser). Turns out I was right. Once again, she steadily pulled away from me, finally at one point she waved, and said, "See you later Andy." I was happy she was feeling so well and running so well, also, this shook me out of my altitude induced funk. From then on, at around mile 25, I would allow no one to pass me, and I steadily moved up the ranks. On the next long downhill I even caught Tracy again. Tracy later told me that no one had passed her since before mile 20, the way she was running, I believe it! Having caught Tracy, we chatted a while until the next long ascent where she left me for good. Still, she had peaked my confidence when she told me how far along in the race we were. I figured we were 18 or 19 miles in, but she correctly placed us at more like 25. I knew I had plenty of gas left for 25 more miles, provided I didn't try to match her on the ups. So, she pulled away. From then on the closest I got to her was being able to catch a glimpse of her red shirt in the distance as I re-passed all those turkeys that had overtaken me on the that earlier dreadful 3.5 climb.

Tracy ran very well. Her 7 hour time was exactly what I had predicted before the race. I hit the 50K mark in 7:02, just a minute or two behind her, and a little math told me that I only had to run 19 miles in 5 hours for a 12 hour finish. Forget 14, I was now going for 12. Of course, I had to base this on effort, because I quit wearing a watch years ago. I don't know much, but I do know how to push myself. I don't need a timepiece to tell me if I'm pushing or slacking. Finishing in 12 hours would leave no room for slacking, as I had to go right back up the very same hills that had just pushed me around for 30 miles!

As I made the turn to the left, which meant 50 Miles, instead of the turn to the right, which would have meant a finish in .5 miles and beer, I was rudely greeted by the same 3 mile climb that started the race. Well, I'd gotten through this one before, so I knew I could do it again. I trudged up. Still, even though my progress was glacial in pace, I passed several people hanging out under shade trees. "It's hot!" they exclaimed. "Hot, it's only 92, and it's that dry heat!" I replied. So on I trudged, waiting for people to pass, yet no one did. As I cruised into the aid station at mile 34, I looked longingly at the Hamms beer on the volunteers was quaffing. No, that must wait, I said. Wait until the end of the race (or near it anyway.)

The course then varied from the first loop, and I didn't really know where I was on the course, but after walking a few slight hills, I thought, balderdash, I'll never finish if I don't run, so I started running. It felt pretty good, so I ran some more. I passed a few more folks and hit the 40 mile aid station. 40 miles in the mountains! 40 at altitude! I can do this, I will do this!! The next 2.5 miles were a long downhill and I was feeling dandy (can't have dandy without Andy!). I narrowly avoided a cute little rattlesnake going into the aid station (me, I was going into the aid station, I don't know where the snake was going. He was a baby though, I know because he had a rattle :). I felt so good at 42.3 that when the volunteer offered me a beer I didn't turn it down! It was a sassy summer wheat, and it was great . . . while I was drinking it. It didn't taste so great as it nearly came up on the 3 mile climb out of the aid station. Darn, I knew I'd have to regain all that altitude I'd lost when I was cruising by everyone coming into the aid station, why did I have to drink that beer? Er, because it was 91 and the beer was cold, and I like beer, and it was free, and I'm not sharpest knife in the drawer!

To avoid do what Chase could not and avoid regurgitating, I actually had to sit down for about 3 minutes on a nice boulder in the shade. I gave myself a pep talk. "Hey, even if you puke you've only got 6 miles left, you can do that even with vomit all over you!" During my little break this gal that I'd passed going into the aid station repassed me, as did a couple of others. I knew that if I wanted to remain the champion of the midpackers in the race's 2nd half I'd have to get back and get going. So, after my 3 minute hiatus, I was up and at 'em. I didn't leave on the run, but on a controlled walk. When it was flat, I jogged, when it was up I walked. I was in holding until the last 3 miles which I knew were downhill. With 4 miles left I started feeling poorly again and was walking a flat portion when from out of nowhere came this fella from Charlotte who was not in the race, he was out there helping people after his buddy had finished the 50K. I said, hey, good work, he said, "You're coming with me, and I'm running!" So, I did. I hung right with him too, for about 100 feet, then I said, screw it, the downhill's coming soon enough. But then two more people passed me, once again led by Mr. Charlotte, who had circled back. I went with them again, this time, I stayed. Then I passed Mr. Charlotte and his caravan. I went off in search of the aid station and my 12 hour finish.

As I pulled into the aid station I'd repassed everyone who had passed me, and I was feeling good, but not great. I quickly got some water and took off to a nice long downhill. As I got into a rhythm I was feeling better and better. I set my sights on a couple from Denver that were running smoothly. I pushed and pushed and as I finally overtook them the lady said, "I can't believe I'm getting my @ss kicked by someone from Florida!" Well, if I needed any encouragement not to let up before race end, she gave it to me. There was no way I was going to fly by her, just to have her pass me back with 1.5 miles to go.

I ran almost all of the last 1.5. I had to slow down a couple of times so as not to pass Kristin, the lady that passed me while I was sitting and digesting my beer. I couldn't pass her because I'd made a deal with her, when she finished she was to announce, here comes Andy, so Tracy would get up and snap a picture of me as I finished. Well, I guess I stayed to close to Kristin, because Tracy didn't get a picture of me (sure she had a picture of some fat dude dressed like me finishing, but no way that was me!)

Finally, I had finished a mountain ultra in Colorado. This was a much better feeling than my only other Colorado effort at Leadville in 2008. As for my time, 12:04. Darn that beer, without it I'd have surely finished under that 1/2 day mark. Still, it was a good beer, and the course was so pretty, another 4 minutes were a-ok.

Chase was able to turn his issues around and finished in a a very respectable 12:53.

As for placing, well, I came in 18th. Not bad. I was first from Florida (yes and only!) 77 had signed up for the 50 Mile, but ony 32 finished, the rest either pulled a DNF or switched to the 50K. Chase was 25th, and Tracy was 44th out 78 in the 50K. But we all ran well, and had a great time! Most importantly, my confidence is back up and I'm injury free!

Wayne Newton may have found his heart in San Francisco, but I found my N in the The Rockies. I've never been anywhere like them. Great for sight seeing. Great for skiing. Great for training, really hard for racing!

A few more runs like the Northfork 50 and I'll go into Pinhoti just a shadow of my former self!

NorthFork 50

2010-07-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'll be writing the story up real soon.

In the meantime, this is what Chase looked like after the race (and it isn't the worst of the pix!)

I'll provide a full report pronto (that means tomorrow!) For now, know that I finished, it was fun, and I'd even say the Florida contingent did muy bueno!

Staying on the Porch

2010-07-15T15:26:00.001-07:00

Hey, I'm in Colorado with my bud Chase. He and I are going to run a 50-Miler in the Rockies on Saturday. It's supposed to be tough, I'm not looking as forward to it as you might think.

I got in last night and Chase picked me up at the airport, this was at 630 pm. By 830 pm I knew I was in over my head. It could have been the Whiskey, it might have been the Gin. It could have been the 3 or 4 six packs, I don't know, but look at the mess I'm in. My head is like a football, I think I'm going to die!

Oh lord, never again, never again......... to be continued.

A, R you Kidding Me, I gotta P!

2010-07-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

Ok, I earned another letter today. How, well, it was for a body of work. Nothing special on any one day but my weekend running went:

Friday- Croom 12 miles

Saturday- Trout Creek 13 miles

Sunday- Croom 15 miles

Monday- Trout Creek 13 miles.

Let's see that's 25 + 28 = 53 miles in 4 days, and that earns a letter.

Here's the rub, I don't think I'm going to do Arkansas. See, my good bud Andy B has slated that for his bachelor party (yeah, I know, running 100 miles in Arkansas isn't everybody's idea of a wild last hurrah, but Andy B is not most people, he's an extraordinary dude) and as a gift to him I've offered to go up and crew for him and pace him. And here's the shock, he wants me to do it. See, it's shocking because I've paced him before. Ok, so he did run a PR on that day (what he hasn't figured out is there is no way I'm going to let him beat my Arkansas time and I'll take him on a wrong turn if he's threatening that 20:47 mark!)

This leave me free to run the Pinhoti 100 in Novemeber. I guess I can spell out Pinhoti Trail 100, yeah that would work. So, I guess today I gotta P. Ok, I'm going to go do that and I'll get back to you!

P- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Got Your Wish, Happy?

2010-07-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Well, all you Willard Scott wannabe's, I heard you, "Boy I wish it would quit raining?"

You got your wish. Mostly sunny and 107 degrees again, not a snowball in sight.
Hope you are happy, now move back to the Sun and let us enjoy our cloud cover!

All Signs Point to Yes!

2010-07-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

Here's another sign that I'm back on track.

First when we had our meeting of the Tuesday Dark Runners Club (oh, we're happy as long as we know there is someone else more sad than us out there!) after our 5 mile run, I drug one of the hotties of the opposite sex in the club out for another .7 or so miles. That's always a good sign, when you run a tad more when everyone else is headed in to the bar.

Second sign. I am on a job this summer, no I'm not dry-walling the new McDonald's, I'm watching my buddy Morejon's dogs, and there were three of them. Any way Morejon lives 3.4 miles from my house, if you go the short way. Well I didn't go the short way, and I didn't drive, nor did I take a two-wheeler, I ran, both ways.

That's a great sign, when you start doing errands on foot that you'd normally do in a car, it could mean you go sub whatever in your next race! That's what I'm hoping fer!

It doesn't take an Einstein to read some of these signs.

I Put the "A" in Arkansas

2010-07-04T03:17:00.001-07:00

The kid (me) is back on track!

What else would you do if you woke up at midnight and couldn't get back to sleep?

First, you'd read for a while, and then you'd turn off the light. Next you'd toss and turn for a while, then you'd read for a while. Then you'd turn off the light. Next you'd toss and turn for a while. Then you'd turn off the light. Then you'd look at the clock and then you'd read for a while. Then you'd look at the clock. Then you'd get up and make coffee, get dressed, fill your water bottles and head out the door for a 16 mile run, at 3:15 am, in the morning, by yourself, in the morning, alone, at 3:15 for 16 miles.

Why? Because ..... you are freaking insane!

And because your dufus buddy Andy B is challenging you to run the Arkansas Traveller 100 and this is the stupid kind of crap you used to do when you ran the race a few years ago and ran really well and almost won the race and were thin and adored by women and almost got elected president of the United States of America, America!

Well, the thing about being thin might be an exaggeration.....

But another thing I did in Arkansas' past is award myself a letter towards the spelling of the race name for workouts that went above and beyond the normal. Well 16 solo road miles at 3:15 AM in the morning qualifies as beyond the normal so my training for the 10-2 race officially begun today. I award my self the letter A. Yep, I filled the A-Hole, now just an RKansas to go and BAM! I'll be making out like a tall dog once again. Wooo-who!

A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 100

Seriously, You Want Me?

2010-06-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

On Monday, July 12 I am scheduled to the Keynote speaker for the Florida Track Club in Gainesville, FL. Supposedly there will be more than 100 people in attendance.

I have one question for them: Seriously, you want me?

They must have heard that I'm buds with Dean :)

Gone to Pot....ter

2010-06-25T06:31:00.000-07:00

Ali and I went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Yesterday.

All I can say is, it was BOSS! (And I have to say it, because my pictures are irretrievable, it's not a long story, but it ends with me being a moron, so I'm just not going to tell it!)

Western States Sendoff

2010-06-20T03:58:00.000-07:00

Three Florida Ultrarunners are heading to Western States this week, June, Woody and Steve. Woody is the lone WS veteran in the group, having completed the race in 2001. June has been to WS training camp twice, so she knows what she is getting in to, while Steve Wheeler, is not merely a virgin to the Sierra Nevadas, but a 100 mile rookie as well.

That being said, they all have excellent chances to do what I could not do last year, and that is finish within the 30 Hour time limit.

Some of the FU runners, at Becky's suggestion, decided to send the three off with a little BBQ.

Dan the Man, with wife Hazel and Fido. Dan Finished WS in 2001.Woody, Steve and June.June sporting the fresh Ali-Made Don't Quit Bracelet (my bracelet has served me well since I received it on Father's Day 5 years ago today :)
Allen, with world class marathon pacer Davo. Allen he finished in 27 hours last year and is on this years WS program,The speedy Jon Docs, finished with the run and showered before most of us hit the 1/2 way point! 2005 finisher, 21:30, he's fast! It's been said that Jon can hit the light switch and be in bed before it's dark in the room. Jon once did a 24 hour race in 18 hours he so fast!
Steve picking up some useful tips from Ultra running legend, Jim Sullivan, multiple time WS finisher, and the first man to run an Ultra in all 50 states.

Quite the crew, I must say.

Pick My Poison!

2010-06-17T15:06:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to decide on my next 100 mile race.

The choices are down to two:

August 28-29 Lean Horse in South Dakota (home of Wall Drug)

November 6-7 Pinhoti EBF Alabama (home of the Talledega Speedway)

Pros and Cons to each.

Pro Lean Horse:

Easier Course

Chase is going

Started by Jim Sullivan

Get to see Wall Drug and Mt. Rushmore

Con Lean Horse:

10 weeks to get in shape and REALLY lose 15 pounds

Chase is going

Course doesn't look too pretty

Weekend after Ali's 16th Birthday, she says she's not doing anything, but I don't know

Pro Pinhoti:

18 weeks to Really get in shape and lose those 15 pounds

Pretty Course

Short travel distance

Con Pinhoti:

It's in EBF Alabama

Harder Course

I Will Attack. . . And You DON'T WANT THAT!

2010-06-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

Who's that Gangsta Maintenance Man? That's the AndyMan getting ready for the big show as a Dancing Dad.

8 other round prancing pops and I cut the rug to, "I've got the Power" as we provided a little comic relief as our daughters showed their skills in Dancemakers 2010 Recital. And you can bet we were proud papas, but I was the proudest as the Ali-Girl walked away with the biggest prize of the season. She was awarded a full scholarship for next year at the studio! Because of her dedication, skill, and attitude, she gets to take as many dance classes as she can fit into her busy schedule for $0 tuition!!

Wow! Her mother and I are so blessed to have this wonderful child. We don't know where she got it, but were are so glad she did!!!

That's Where You Stay?

2010-06-10T08:08:00.001-07:00

From Top to bottom:

Jon and Becky have a Lake Michigan Pow-WOW

Tracy and Andy with Lake Michigan behind.

The house form the back.

Whitewater Lake from the porch.

The pool w/o pool boy.

Star Andrea, loaded for bear race morn!

Andy's nice legs and Jon's sticks with the Gaiters, complements of Star's mom afoot.

Kettle More Rain!

2010-06-08T14:37:00.001-07:00

That's what it should have been called. Kettle and More Rain, because we had rain, and we had MORE RAIN and being out in it made me feel like a more on.

Still it was an epic weekend. I wouldn't trade any of it. Well, maybe I wouldn't have hat the brats for lunch on Friday. And maybe I wouldn't have had the pizza for breakfast on Saturday. And perhaps I wouldn't have not slept on the floor on Friday night. But as for the running decisions, I am happy with them.

I took off too fast, trying to hang with Andy and Patrick, the rabbits. Somewhere there was miscommunication, or more probably my GI problems and lack of sleep just made me too slow. The plan was for them to hang with me so I could slow them down at the start, but it didn't work that way. They took off and I hung on and by mile 5 I was already hurting. With 95 to go I dropped back letting them go. Still that darn Patrick came back and found me and I had to pretend to try to keep up for another 2.5 miles. By mile 8 I had convinced him that, no offense, but I needed to be alone.

The alone thing was working better. But due the diet errors and fast start I wasn't doing well. I saw Armando at mile 15 and I told him I was hurting but hanging tough. At this point I picked up Chris a 6'6" novice ultra runner from Chicago by way of the Syracuse Orange Basketball team. He was eager to learn and I found helping him made me feel better.

Gradually I felt better and better. I played leap frog with Adam and Lindsay for the next 30 miles. I was not shocked to see Jon WAY ahead of me. Nor was I surprised that Andy, Patrick and Dave House had built a 5 mile lead on me by the 31.4 mile turn around. There was a nice surprise in that Julie, Andrea, Becky, Tracy, Jim Sullivan, and Rebecca were right behind me. Seeing them was a happy thing. As I came back towards the 100K mark I was running better and better and the early problems seemed behind me.

Then the rain came down. I felt like Pooh in one of his epic blustery storms. People were slipping and sliding all over. Yet, it really didn't bug me much. I was steady. I ran all the down hills passing all those people that actually cared if they slipped off the trail and killed themselves.

I made it to the 100k mark feeling better than I had felt at 5, 10 or 15. I knew that a finish was not a problem and a 25 hour finish was probable. Then I saw Armando and he gave me the scoop on everyone. Adam, Lindsay Julie and Jon were out due to hypothermia. But everyone else was still running. I waited around for my guys to come in for the final 37.1 leg of the race (David House, Patrick and Andy were already out and 6 miles ahead of me) and I had decided that I was going to run back out with Tracy. I decided that I just couldn't let her go out there in the dark, cold, rain alone for 37.1 miles; it wouldn't be right.

After a bit of a wait Andrea came into the 100K point looking very fresh. She picked up Ilene and away they went. In a little while longer the 100K folks came through, Becky, Jim, and Tracy. I relayed my plan to Tracy, and much to my relief, the cold rain had gotten the best of her and we decided that going back to the house and having a beer was the better option than 10 more hours in the rain and mud.

So my race was done at 100K, and finally, I was able to get some sleep.

We all went back the next morning to see Andrea's emotional finish. She finished in 29:22 and change. When she crossed the finish line everyone was balling their eyes out (except me, I had a little tear, but that was from some sediment, I'm too tough for those wussy emotions! :)

My favorite part was right after Andrea finished some fella finished stride for stride with his 12 year old son/pacer, who looked like a miniature version of him. When the dude finished he just collapsed right on his back right on the ground to mild applause. Meanwhile Andrea was truly getting the Star treatment. Big applause, a race volunteer literally washing her feet with clean soapy water and a sponge. She was gingerly placed on a cot in the sun, and then it was decided that she would be happier in the shade, so three volunteers picked up the cot with her in it and carried it to the shade. It must be nice to be a chick sometimes!

I'll add pictures later today or tomorrow, I'll probably find my camera when I unpack, and if I can't find them, no problem, I'll just knick them from Andrea's blog.

Sometimes it not about how you finish or how you run, but just about having a little fun! Thanks all for a fabulous weekend!

Meanwhile behind the Cheddar Curtain

2010-06-02T04:46:00.000-07:00

So, about 15 of us are invading Wisconsin, dropping behind the Cheddar curtain if you will.

It will be what it will be. I figure my biggest job isn't running 100 miles, rather it is convincing Star that 76 and thunderstorms is pleasant weather for a run (oh, but it is! No hypothermia in the day and no desire to sleep at night! Now that's pleasant, woulda chopped 4 hours off of my Vermont time without those pesky naps!)

I haven't even started packing yet, but I will in about 12 minutes. Let's see.... poncho (got to bring that, don't want Poncho lefty!) hydration system. two pairs of shoes, two pairs of socks, two headlamps, two handhelds, shucks, I can get everything else at the Big K! K?

Be well, and I'll get back with you on Tuesday next!

Head Aches, Body Aches, and Belly Aches

2010-05-30T05:22:00.000-07:00

Yeah so what? Have an Alka-seltzer and don't bother to call.

If you can't handle your liquor quit going to your brother's 50th birthday parties! (actually, he's had no where near 50 birthday parties, this was just a party celebrating his 50th birthday!)

Happy 1/2 Century my brother!

What's it All About?

2010-05-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

Well let me tell you what it's all about:

Ready, Set, Yahtzee!

2010-05-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

Ready, Set, Yahtzee!

Kettle Moraine, it’s less than two weeks from where the clock sits right now. Am I ready? You betcha, you betcha, you bet!

And you are asking yourselves, and “how does that make you feel Andy?”

It makes me feel great. See, I’m not expecting a repeat of Umstead, I was beneficiary of perfect weather (we won’t have that), the two best pacers money can’t buy, and of no expectations. It was an unexpected homerun for me. Umstead was the nicest welcome back that ever came in a palindrome (21:12 is to racing what "Madam I’m Adam" is to pick-up lines according to the Professor!).

But, will I be successful? I believe I will. I’m going in healthy and well trained. And this morning I felt like I could run forever. The key to your last significant run before the race is, I believe, make it short and make it slow. Hold back so when you are done, you feel like, “Wow, I could have run twice that far!” Not only did I feel great, but I ran with two beautiful ladies, thank you Becky and Rhonda, for keeping me pace appropriate and keeping me entertained. So, Becky, Jon, Tracy, A2, Judy, Patrick, Andrea, Julie, Adam, Lindsay, and the rest; if you haven’t had the perfect last run yet, go run a slow one on me!

So, what am I looking for at Kettle? If it’s hot, anything under 24 will do. If it’s pleasant, I would love to go sub-22. Mostly I just want to have a good time and see my friends do well :)

What the F?

2010-05-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

Letters. I had forgotten how useful they can be. This is something that it was not good to forget.

I used to know that without the Letter H we would be up Sit creek! I used to know that without H Popeye would have given us, "Enoug is Enoug and Enoug is too muc!" No power there.

What am I talking about? Well, I used to do this thing in training where I would award myself a letter towards spelling the name of the event I was training for after completing a key workout. For instance, when I first cracked the top ten at Arkansas in 2006, during training when I ran really well or added on mileage, I gave myself an A. Then next time an R, and after my training was Complete, I spelled Arkansas Traveller. I had a lot of key workouts over time.

Then I got injured, failed at the Slam, and now I just run. No wonder I suck these days. My training is not to the letter. When I used Key workouts I was a motivated specific, now I'm a wandering generality.

Time to get back to the letter of the law of training! Too, late for Kettle, guess I can't retire just yet, I have to try this again. . .

Feel Sorry For Me

2010-05-19T05:52:00.001-07:00

Feel sorry for me!

It's the last day of school!

Nothing to do all summer, whoa is me................

Busy Busy

2010-05-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for exams.

Been busier than a pair of jumper cables at the last Mathews' family reunion!

I'll get back to blogging here real soon.

Andy M

Running in a Circle with Sissors

2010-05-10T04:25:00.000-07:00

If you've never done it, run one of Jim's (tamparaces.com) Picnic Island races. I've never done one, but now I've set up the course once, and I'm telling you, it's gotta be a hoot!

We directed people through sand, through sticky black gu-ish mud, through waist high water, under cargo nets, over hurdles, up hills, down hills, up hills and down. We also gave them the bonus .3 miles. When you're having that much fun, your 5K should be 3.4 miles long (or even a touch longer!)

But, I was sad, while I did take joy in setting up the course, I did not get to run it, I was a working man. I felt like a chef who created a great meal and was forced to watch other people eat it!

That was Friday night.

Saturday night the lovely Ali Mathews and I worked the Ultra-miles for Moffit race at the USF track. We basically just had to write people's numbers down as they circled the track. Ultra Iron-Super-Elastic Man Joe Ninke circled the most times at 299, he didn't want to go 300, because everybody knows that you turn into butter at 300! It's not easy to stay awake all night if you're just jotting down numbers, it's slightly easier if you're running in circles.

That's a lot of being around the sport and very little actual participating in the spot, but it was fun, it was worth it, and I was able to give my body some much needed rest.

Rest and Nutrition, Seriously?

2010-05-03T06:39:00.000-07:00

Rest and nutrition matter.

Really? Seriously? No Schmitz? Duh?

No Duh!

I know yall believe it, but do you believe it? Has it hit home with ya?

This weekend I was all set to be a running God. I was the lone male running at Croom with 4 beautiful ladies. I was all set to show them how a "real man" runs. It was going beautifully for quite a while. I led them on the 4-Mile Withrow Loop, they were not familiar with this one, so I showed them the way. Next we set out for the 15 mile orange loop and I happily led the way. I felt good, I felt strong and I'm pretty sure I was being revered by those lovely ladies 4. I was on cruise control, for 12 miles .....

........

Then the weekend caught up with me. Friday, work all day, chaperone an all night field trip to Universal Studios. Home at 4 AM Saturday. Sleep by 4:30 AM. Up at 6 AM, to Alifia State Park by 7 AM. Work Adventure race from 7 AM - 7 PM on Saturday. 7 - 8 PM two beers with Jim at Applebees (I do like my two-fers!). Home at 9 PM. Asleep by 9:30. Meet my gals at 4:45. Meet more at 5:30 AM, start run at 5:40 AM on Sunday.

Oh, I finished the run, but those last 7 miles I felt like a guy that had been ingesting nothing but chips, cookies, cold pizza, soda, and a sip or two of water. Furthermore, I ran like a guy that had 7 hours of sleep over two days.

For this week I vow to eat a nutritionally sound diet and get some quality rack time. Because you can't be a running God if you are living like a pagan party plodder!

Cool Croom Video

2010-04-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

Hey, I know you saw the slide show a couple of weeks ago, but this is an actual cool video from the Visit Florida people. I love the video, but man, the dude that made it must have interviewed me for 10 minutes, I poured my mind out to him, and I ended up on the cutting room floor. What a gyp!

http://www.youtube.com/user/wahoohiker#p/a/f/0/4XFVvWymdNo

Shrek out the link man, Shrek it out! Sadly, you have to click on the link because one need subscribe to embed the video. Still, it's worth it :)

The Kettle is Heating Up!

2010-04-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

As the weather heats up, so does our preparation for the Kettle Moraine 100.

Look out Cheese Heads, the Cigar City is invading in Early June!

The night run was a great tune-up for what is to come. I think we got two new recruits out of it as well. Traci Cole reeled off her 50 Miler with no problem and plenty of tea left in the Kettle! I think Traci is saying to herself, "Shoot, if these boloes can run a hunert miler, why can't I? Oh, wait, I can, I can, I will!" Hey Traci, I agree!

Jim Sullivan, well, he read about our night run, he saw the pix, he can't resist a party! Welcome to the Tea Party Gentleman Jim!

We should do very well out there. Lot's of sub-24's and a 100% finish rate, no doubt!

Running all Night

2010-04-26T04:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend was our Croom Night Run.

It was a lot of fun. We had not one or two crazy folks out there, but count 'em:

Andy, Andy, Andrea, Jon, John, Becky, Tracy, Traci, Wendy, Justin, Frank, Steve, and Mo.

That is a baker's dozen (Unless you have my baker, then there would be 9, "screw him, he doesn't need two Andy's, and two Tracy's, take back one of those Jon's too! But, my guy is cheap!) 13 people to run from 8pm Saturday night till 8am Sunday morning.

I guess I have a lot of friends that don't have much of a life! "Say dear, would you like to go to the Theatre on Saturday night?" No way, I'm going to Croom to swat at bugs, drink luke warm Gatorade and try to bogart one of A2's PB & J's!

"Hey hon, that new place with the Pizza Shooters just opened, you want to try that Saturday night?" Nope, I'd rather run 50 miles in the dark with 12 other people!

"Sugar-babe, what do you say about checking out that all-you-can-eat breakfast place over on Main Street? It's only 2.95 from 6 - 9 on Sunday morning!" I told you, I am running through the night, with a lamp on head on barely marked trails, eating completely gross foods, while listening to stories that I've heard 100 times!

Yet, just try to find 3 other people with whom to play cards. You'll have to postpone at least twice. 13 people, no lives, it was another great night!

Running with the Ponies!

2010-04-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

I love my boys Davo and Randy. However, running with them, well, it's probably good for me but..... they are SO much faster than I am. Last night they brought their lovely friend Pam with them, I hoped that would slow the group down, sadly that was a pipe dream (has anyone ever had a pipe dream? I guess maybe an Alaskan or Siberian Oil man, or perhaps a crack addict, but personally, I've never had a pipe dream) as the gang chatted as they glided, while I did a big bad wolf and huffed and puffed as I hung on.

The song is slow, the gang is fast, but I like them both!

Sum Summer

2010-04-18T15:18:00.000-07:00

The sum of it all is that it's summer in Florida. It's very sad, but it's very true.

Yes Chase, we have bugs and yes they are already out.

How do I know it's summer? Well, there are the aforementioned bugs, there is the heat and humidity which has returned, and the most telling point..... my man Jon called me on Friday night and asked if I would go to Croom with him at...... gulp.... 3 am, and I said .... yes. He went on to ask if I thought anyone else would want to go, well, I don't know anyone as crazy as Jon and me, that would go to Croom at 3 am with only 6 hours notice, so I didn't call (it's not the real heat of summer ..... yet).

Well, the nice thing is we only have to put up with about 6 weeks of summer before the Kettle Moraine 100 Mile Trail Run (June 6), then we can all retire to our air conditioned houses and lounge at the pool!

The Longest Short Week!

2010-04-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

Gee, feel bad for me! I only had 11 days off for Easter Break, so this week back, WAY TOO LONG! Heck, I only had Monday off this week!

Whoa is me, I must have the hardest job in the world, May 25th can't get here fast enough!

Waiting on the Sister

2010-04-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

Well, one good race and now I'm no longer thinking of retirement, rather I am thinking about so many races that doing them all will surely put me in an early grave!

Obviously next up is the hand made copper kettle from Kettle Moraine. Then, in July I can either go to Oregon for the Ashland 50K (photo on left) and see Sister Alice or go and visit the Chaser in Denver and Slide down for the North Fork 50 Mile. They both sound so good.

Ali and I haven't been to Northern Cali/Oregon since 2005 (except for the brief Fire Interrupted Trip to Western States in 2008, Greg you still owe me about a grand!). I really want to take Ali back there to see Sister Alice and visit some of Mom's old stomping grounds, but we have to check on schedules.

So, one way or the other, I'll be running somewhere in July.

....... North Fork 50 Mi. 40 miles SW of Denver .....

Tricks of the Mind

2010-04-12T05:18:00.000-07:00

I am a Howard Huge believer in tricking the mind when I "race." I convince myself that I have either a shorter or longer distance to go in a race. During marathons when there is 6 miles to go I'll tell myself, "only four to go," figuring I can run those four and just hang in for the additional two, which I may or may not run (of, course I run them, but I won't tell myself that!) In my last hundred at Umstead, I told myself that regardless of when I finished my 8 x 12.5 mile loops that I would run one more, because really, 8 is never enough! I really needed nine loops. Not only did I convince myself of these I found a convert on the trails. A dude from Georgia named Mark who was a first time 100-miler. He figured that since I'd done Western States I must know what I was talking about (yeah, but he didn't know that I was also DFL at states!) Well, as you know, whatever I told myself at Umstead worked very well, as I had my best finish in years. More important than the stellar time was the post injury confidence boost it gave me as I approach Kettle Moraine in June.

I have unfinished business at Kettle. I ran that race in 2007, and my memory had me blazing the first 100K and then falling victim to a stomach illness due to spoiled food for the last 38 miles. My memory told me that at no point at Umstead did I run as fast as I had in those first 62 effortless miles at Kettle. Well, only one problem, the facts say otherwise. So, not only do we trick the mind, sometimes it tricks us!

I checked the stat sheet, (available on-line for your viewing pleasure, just click on the kettle and follow the links), from the 2007 Kettle race, and I did have an excellent first 100K there. I finished 62.2 miles in 13 hours and 15 minutes. Not bad, and certainly on my way to sub 24 when the wheels feel off. I ran-walked, almost entirely walked, the last 38 in 12 hours flat for a 25:15 finish. A marathon shorter distance in only one hour less. Of course in my memory, I had me at 12 hours for the 1st 100K and 13:15 for the last 38.

So, my fantastic memory proved inaccurate for the 2007 Kettle race. And I remembered being so fast back then. I also remember being pretty slow at Umstead this year. I told anyone that would listen, that I ran slowly, but that I just never stopped moving. Well, true, I only sat down except to take care a few (4) bathroom issues. But I just knew I had been faster at Kettle. Then the splits came from Umstead the other day. Let's see....

Mile 62.5, a tad farther than Kettle's 62.2....... hmm, gulp, 12:28, er 37 or so minutes faster than my 100 K at Kettle. I guess I wasn't as fast as I thought I was back then, I guess I'm still a little faster than I thought now. That is troubling news. Why troubling? Er, well, ah, yeah, it means, I may the capability to go even faster at Kettle this year. Of course, so much depends on the weather, and the Umstead weather was perfect, but there is no reason to believe that if I stay away from expired GU and if I lose this 13 pounds that I've been hanging on to like it was my job in a bad economy I can't go under 21 hours once more. Shoot, I may even try to!

Oh, why did I have to let the facts get in the way of my comfortable little life? As they say, the Mind is a Terrible Thing!

Trailing the Pack

2010-04-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a great and fun run for me! I felt ever so much better than I did on Friday's trudge around Croom.

David House, Lisa, Dan the Man, and I started early, at 5:20 AM. Problem was, I had planned on starting at 5 AM, so my plan to meet the Professor and Lindsay was thwarted by our late start. I thought I'd take a short cut back to the parking lot to meet them by 6:30, but I got a bit greedy with the amount I wished to chop off of the 8 mile 50K loop. My short cut ended up being about 3 miles longer than the regular loop would have been. Hence, not only did I miss the Prof and his better 1/2, but I missed the 3 with whom I'd been running as well leaving me solo for the rest of the morning.

I used my solo status to explore some areas at Croom with which I was not familiar. It was a blast. I ran some, I walked some, I was slow, I was fast, I was half-fast.

Running is fun again. Yippee!

TLS!

2010-04-09T11:25:00.000-07:00

I didn't think Umstead took that much out of me. I ran on Sunday with the Beckster as we tore down all the course markings, and that wasn't so bad. I guess all the stopping to rip ribbons off of trees and pick up GU wrappers was what the Doctor ordered.

Then Davo, Becky and I ran on Wed. night. Our 5 miler was pretty quick and we followed it with a couple of Happy Hour brews at the World of Brew. It was an easy night. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezey!

But today, I met Dave and Becky up at Croom for a slow 15 mile run, and my legs wanted nothing to do with it. I was a victim of TLS (Tired Leg Syndrome!) I mean it was no kinda fun.

.Those legs are like the little bicycle that fell over TWO, er I mean TOO TIRED!

I really hope I got it all out of my system today, because I'm meeting a slew of folks for 30 tomorrow morning.

Croom Fools Run

2010-04-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

Once again the Fool's Run has come and gone. But here's a little slide show from #1 Volunteer, Charles to show you what you missed, or remind you what you should have seen (Joe!):

It sure was a lot of fun, and so darn much work. First, my partner in the race, Jim, he's about the best that there is. We make a good team, I drink the beer, he takes care of the details! Works out well.

Second, my gawd, the volunteers, wow! June, Becky, T-Bone, Mike P, Chris, Charles, Jen, Claire, Adam, Wendy, Ladies at the start finish, E, Heidi, Dave, Dan, Little Lisa, Woody, Jim B, Christjen, Allissa or Alyssa or Alissa, Patrick, Frank Sr. you guys, and the dozen I forgot, I want you to know that you are the reason the race comes off! I know I abuse my aid station workers, and I'm going to rotate you better I swear, but man, the absolute best! Next year it's beer, burgers, pizza and WHATEVER else you want out there, that's right WHATEVER else you want!!!

Andy from Gainesville won the 50 mile overall. He's rapid, 6:21 on a hot day. Stephanie Miller finished in 1st and 3rd in the women's 50-mile.

Patrick who is just fast these days won the 50-K masters in 3:57 or so. Don't know who won the other races, but I bet it's up on the http://www.tamparaces.com/ website thanks to the timing by Mike. Mike may be a pain in the neck, but he's a hard worker and not an entirely unintelligent man.

Just so you know, the Fool's Run won't be on Easter weekend next year, as Easter isn't until April 24th, that's just too late. Umstead has already claimed April 2 for next year. We can go the same weekend, or a week earlier or later. I'd probably lean toward a week later, April 9, as I don't want to interfere with the Guana River, but I'll check with our buddy Bill Dunn and see for sure when he's going. So, choices are: March 26 (possible Guana River), April 2 (Umstead), and April 9.

In conclusion, it's a LOT harder directing a 50-Mile race than it is running even a 100-mile race, but since I met Jim the pay is a lot better! Thanks for supporting us, and please shoot me any suggestions you have for next year.

AndyMan
ps. I was only kidding about Mike

Umstead, Um Steady!

2010-03-30T03:50:00.000-07:00

Dear All,

Thanks so much for the positive vibes during and the kinds words after the Umstead 100.

Suffice it to say I am ecstatic and surprised at my 21:12 finish. I truly didn't see it coming. After a DFL and 30+ hour finish at Western States I didn't think I had a sub-24 in me. So I just ran at Umstead. I wouldn't let anyone tell me what pace I was on and I didn't wear a watch. I knew I was doing well though because I was a bit ahead of Woody, and Woody has been running like a mad-man, like a man possessed, like a scalded hound, a wounded Rhino, or some type of bat out of Hell! It wasn't until the last loop that my most excellent pacer, Becky (I can't say enough about the influence she had on my race finish) told me that none of my 8 loops were over 3 hours (I was sure a couple were) and that I was on sub-22 pace that I had any inkling I would be well under 24. ......... Me before the pain set in!.........

Speaking of Pacers, like shoes, they can be best in pairs. First I had a Greg. He and his buddy Dave came up from his current station at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville and ran 30 miles of the course with me. Greg is an aspiring Ultra-runner and an inspiring man! Greg knows adversity, as he's fought in Iraq, Afghanistan abroad. Fought cancer. And fought two teenage daughters and a 7-year old daughter at home! He asked me a million questions about ultra-running, and before I realized he was just trying to distract me, we'd run 30 miles! The nice thing about running with someone like Greg is, he's used to focusing on results, not hearing about problems. He didn't seem to care that I had run 30 miles before he got to me, nor that I had 38 to go when he left. He just wanted me to run. Excuses were not accepted, so after a while, I quit giving them! Yeah, that helped a lot.

As for Becky, well, I was two-hours slower without her, no question. She was fine walking with me, as long as it was a certified hill. If the grade was less than over our heads we ran it. Come on, this is uphill. No it's downhill, now get moving! So get moving I did. She was worried that she wouldn't be fast enough for me, but I barely kept up with her!

But, we had perfect weather! Snow flurries on Friday night in the park (Woody and I know, we had an unheated cabin in the park on Friday :) 30 degrees at race start, and a high of perhaps 60. So the day was right. The footing was perfect, the moon was 90% full. The stars aligned, and Viola! we all did well.

I am particularly proud of Woody. His first sub 24 in 8 years! Since he's a machine, we forget that Woody is... gulp, 60-old. 60 years YOUNG that is! I will never be the runner he is, that man amazes me, flat blows me away.
........... Woody and The Professor ............

Also, it was good to see Adam out there having a great time. He was looking all down and out on his 3rd loop, I was wondering if he was going to finish, and then, BAM! here comes round and round with Lindsay, smiling and laughing and motoring around that loop. Had it been a 200 mile race, I do believe Adam would have won. Instead he;'ll have to settle for a 2 hour PR and a silver belt buckle! Great Job.

June, Jim, Jerry, and Sandy. You guys were having too much fun, I'm not sure that counts as a 100-mile finish. You're not supposed to laugh so loud people can hear you one mile down the trail! I swear I heard Andrea shush you a few times. Well, I guess June was just practicing alerting the bears for Western States! The gang. Jerry and Jim Sullivan, the June Bug, and first-timer Sandy Melton. (Before the RDU Airport authority gave them their first noise violation warning due to excessive laughter!)

Any way, a great trip and one full of unexpected pleasures!

Well, What a _________ Time!

2010-03-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

Don't get Mad. Mad Lib!

Wow, that race was 1._____ ______ !

The first two loops went 2. _______ but I 3. _________ and then 4. ____________ . The 5______ in front of me was 6___________ until I 7____________.

Around 6 PM I 8_____________ when I saw 9______________ . What a 10____________ experience. Things got 11_________ __________ around 9 PM when 12_______________. Imagine my 13_____________ surprize when I found out I was 14____________.

Things got really 15_____________ around 16______________ when I 17____________ in the middle of the trail! How do you recover from that? But recover I did. At 3 AM a 18 _____________ came out of nowhere and almost 19__________ my 20___________! That gave me a 21_________________!

Anyway, the race went on, and you 22___________ by now, I finished in ___________. A great comeback for a dude that couldn't even finish 23_______________ in June!

Have at it, it's Mad Lib, it's a 24_________!

And I'm Off

2010-03-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

I just took off with Woody in his 1909 Chevy Van. Oh boy I hope we make it up to Raleigh (well, I sorta hope we make it, if we don't I don't have to run 100 Fool miles!)

Oh, I'm sure the 1909 Chevy Van is sound, and Woody is an excellent mechanic, it's just I know what happened to Sammy Johns in his Chevy Van!

Checking the Stats

2010-03-23T02:52:00.001-07:00

I'm not one of these folks (see A2 and Star) who goes into a race with every detail planned out. It is my belief that your body tells you how fast you should run. Sometimes you get to run faster than you thought you could :), mostly it's slower :(. But I did do a little Umstead research.

In preparation for Saturday's Umstead 100-mile extravaganza, I checked my runner's stats from last year (I was the pacer). He motored the first 2 laps, scooting around the 12.5 mile course in 2:30 per. The next couple he did in around 3 Hrs, then 3.5, then a couple of 4hrs. All in all he had a great race, under 26 hours.

When I'm running well, I don't have a significant 2nd 1/2 drop off, and that has been characteristic of my training for this race. However, what is uncharacteristic is that I have NO SPEED! They say speed kills, well, I shouldn't have a worry there then.

What can I expect? Well, I'd like to run U-24. Can I do it? I really don't know. Star is a believer in saying, "I will!" well, that's not my style. I think it intensifies the pressure and magnifies failure. IMHO it's better to state your goals and try. Accomplishing the goal is no more significant than trying to accomplish it. Yeah, yeah, I know what Yoda said, "either do or do not do, there is no try!" Well, Yoda's dead. Not only that, he's dead wrong. There is only try.

I'm going to try to run each of the first 6 laps in around 2:50. This will give me an hour leeway for the last two, in case I have a bit of a slow down. I believe I can do this, but my body may say otherwise on race day. 3 hour loops may be all I can manage, and that's ok. I believe I will finish comfortably within the race's time frame, and I do have a legitimate shot at 24. I believe I will make it.

This aint my first rodeo, it's my 14th, and 12 have ended with me still riding the bull at the bell. Let's hope this is lucky 13!

The Good, The Bad, and the.... Uncomfortable

2010-03-21T12:03:00.001-07:00

The Good: as has been the case since I took over RD responsibilities for the Croom Fools Run, we sold out about a month before the race. The Bad: Not everyone gets in, and I really wish we could let them all in, but the park sets an absolute quota on the numbers that we can let run. Jim and I stick to this number, last year they questioned us, and we passed. Neither of us want to chance losing our permit by ticking them off (hence, we let Jim do most of the talking)

The uncomfortable: Please, if you want to get in, talk to me two months in advance. We aren't Western States, but it has been like 4 years in a row that we've sold out. Also, you have about 6 months to sign up. Jim and I find it hard to believe you train 8 months for a race, but don't try to sign up until 1 week before.

We really do want to accommodate everyone, sadly we cannot. A good alternative though, if you didn't get in, please don't put us in a bad spot and ask. Instead why don't you come up and volunteer for the day and we'll feed you (you may even talk me out of a beer, well, we will feed you anyway :)

Thank you so much for your kind support of Tampa Races, and the Croom Fools Run! We'll keep working to allow more to run, until then please keep working us to keep our permit!

Booking to Books!

2010-03-19T05:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, I tried this once before, back when I had the Sony Walkman Cassette player (now that was fun, changing tapes as you run up a mountain!) and it didn't work very well, but nonetheless I'mtrying it again, running 100 miles to BOOKS! Booking to Books, I call it.

For Umstead the library let me borrow Joseph Ellis' smash hit book on CD, Founding Brothers, and Chuck Palahniuk's, Fight Club. I checked with the authors and they are fine with me putting them on my I-Tunes.

When I tried to listen to Caesar at Vermont in 2001 I had tape trailing miles behind me, this time my limitation will probably be battery life. I'd hate get 1/2 through the American Revolution and not find out who wins!

Blog Fever!

2010-03-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

My Good and great friend, Star was asking, "How much did you drink....", oh, wait, that's not where I was going with this..... She asked, "So, what's up with this 'Mr. Matt' stuff, junk, crap?"

Well, here's your answer Star Power, I have created blogs for my History and Psychology Classes, and so far I haven't figured out how to have different handles for each, hence I had to make the user name appropriate for the high school kids, and believe you me, (or is it believe me you, never could make sense out of that one) I don't want/need my students calling me "AndyMan."

"Have you taken AndyMan's test today?"
"What'd you do in AndyMan's class?"
"Man, that AndyMan is messed up?"

See, it's not nearly as respectful as Mr. Matt.

"How did you do on the exercise in learning in Mr. Matt's?"
"Is there an assessment in Mr. Matt's class today?"

As you know, this aint my first rodeo.

Some Clean Jokes From Per. 8

2010-03-11T10:29:00.000-08:00

Knock Knock

Who's There?

Phillip

Phillip Who

Phillip the Gas, a running on Empty!

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Amos

Amos Who?

A mosquito bit me!

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Andy

Andy Who?

Andy he bit me again!

Mr. Mathews, why are you asking us for stupid jokes?

Gee, I don't feel like working, duh!!

Stupid Jokes 101

2010-03-10T05:32:00.000-08:00

What do monsters eat? Things

What do monsters drink? Coke, because things go better with Coke!

Me: My dog doesn't have a nose.

They: How does he smell?

Me: Terrible!

Me: My dog doesn't have a tail.

They: How do you know when he's happy?

Me: He stops biting me!

Me: My dog doesn't have a nose.

They: Yeah you said that!

Me: Knock, Knock

They: Who's there?

Me: Cargo

They: Cargo who?

Me: Cargo Beep Beep!

Me: Knock, Knock

They: Who's There?

Me: Boo

They: Boo who?

Me: Ah, quit your crying, they'll be more jokes tomorrow!

Great Weekend of Running

2010-03-08T12:27:00.000-08:00

Hey, beautiful weather, beautiful company!

Once again, I felt better at 30 Miles than at 10 Miles. Why? Well, two reasons:

1. We were running too fast at 10. From 18 on, I set my own pace, and I'm better judge of what my pace should be than other people are.

2. I know it's going to be a long day at mile 10, but I can see some progress and relax a bit towards the end.

What can I say, it just so happens that I know, Less is more!