The Arkansas Mud: Song of the Strong

The Man in Black!
This one goes out to:
Woody, A2 and Scott Springman:
Luck you guys, I'd give my left testie (but not my left foot!) to be with you!

So, Anybody Know

Anybody know of any biking Grandslams? How about Table Tennis Grandslams. I need something to obsess over.

Jail Break!

AP- Tampa, FL

With only 13 days left on his sentence, Andrew E. Mathews, aka AndyMan, broke out of the Slam.

"I'm stunned!" said the Professor, "I really thought he was dumb enough to serve out his sentence even with absolutely no chance at rehabilitation!"

"Well, I kind of knew this was coming. He's gotten a LOT smarter over the last few months." said the Good Doctor.

"What a fag! Not that there is anything wrong with that!" GatorFan

"Aw, did his little foot hurt too much? I'd just run on my bicepts if my foot hurt too much! You know if you wear a shirt too often it will hurt you!" Dean Karnazes

"Hey, why do the time if you can't do the Crime!" echoed Roger in a reverse Beretta.

"This is the second time the SOB's left me hanging." said a horrified RunsforBeer.

"Now, he's heavy!" said SuperDave. "Yeah, I've got a plane ticket to Arkansas, whoo who, and I don't even like pork rinds!"

"Do I get to be A1 now?" Asked a smiling Andy Barrett

"I feel bad for him. He really tried. I'm glad he got out early though." Said a sympathethic Star.

"Well, I guess there is a happy race director and 50 happy volunteers in Arkansas right now!" spouted off an all-knowing Chase

AndyMan himself couldn't be reached for comment, he is in hiding after all. But He did leave this note behind:

Dear Yall,

TheSlam was really hard. I didn't think I'd lay such a rotten egg. I knew failure was a 70% possibility, but honest to God, I didn't think I'd fail. You all know I tried. I poured blood, sweat and money into this thing, but it wasn't meant to be.

Regardless, it was an awesome experience. You guys, you guys, (even Dean) were fantastic. You were there with me, and I learned, and I accepted, and you guys matter, this Slam thing, it just doesn't matter. I do believe it's trying (and I mean really trying, not just signing up) that matters not success.

You haven't heard the last of me or the Slam, I'll be back! As soon as I can spend a few weeks in Colorado before Leadville I'll try again. For now, I just want to get physically and mentally healthy, both have been suffering."

Love and Kisses,
AndyMan
(ps, Andy B, you always were A1!)

Am I Washing or Just Hanging Out?

Hey Prof, back in the time of your parents you know, SuperDave's era, not every one had machines to dry their clothes so there were these contraptions called "Clotheslines" after you had washed a garment you would use "Clothes Pins" to attach the garment to the line and viola! in a few hours your clothes would be dry.
Anyway, when I was in school in Alabama, Clotheslines were still pretty popular and they had this saying for a person that was a 1/2 bubble off plumb- "He don't know if he's washing or hangin' out!"

Well, right now I don't know if I'm washin' or hangin' out, I'll tell you now, you can believe me later. WTF am I talkin' about? I'm giving myself till tomorrow to decide if I'm running Arkansas. Dr. OB is right, these problems with my feet may be telling me something (not, as he suggests, that I need to work on my hand/one-eye coordination) but maybe that I need to take some time off. So, I'll run tomorrow, 15 - 20 miles and see how I feel. Then it's either: 1- Run Arkansas. 2- Get a cortizone shot and run Arkansas or C- Stop running for two months and retool and then start getting ready for Western States.

I don't know what it's gonna be, but shoot, I've 24 hours to decide. A lot can happen in 24!

Song of the Weak, "He Kept Coming at me.."

"He Kept Coming At Me with Nothing!"

This week's Song of the Weak is really more of a movie clip (er, that's exactly what it is), but Paul Newman really portrays how I feel, but I'm no smarter than Luke is in the clip, I should stay down, but I can't, won't, aint!
Later in the movie Paul Newman and George Kennedy are playing cards and Paul/Luke wins a hand he is bluffing, George say's "Just like today, when he kept coming back at me, with NOTHING!"
Luke, say, "Sometime Nothing, can be a real Cool Hand." Hence the name, Cool Hand Luke.

I don't know, today, was my first day back running since I aggreviated my injury, and let me tell, you I had NOTHING! But, I'm going to keep coming back. I have no idea, but I hope Nothing is a real Cool Hand!

After Further Review

Ok, I'm in.

I'm doin' it.

I Shouldn't, but I am.

Got my e-mail from Western States yesterday.

It said, "If you wish to run Western States (provided we actually have it in 2009) you can... Provided you sign up using our way too complicated and expensive method. You've got a week to decide..... Go!"

Well, they are arrogant S.O.B's, it's true, but I do want to run their race, and it is their race, it isn't my race, so I have to follow their rules. I'm doin' it. (I will say, that I'm waiting till after I have my appointment with the renowned Dr. LeFeete tomorrow, before I pay my money down.)

You know what steams my bean? They are calling it the 36th Annual. Huh? Didn't they cancel the 35th? Shouldn't this be the 35th? WTF? This is the type of accounting that has put Leeward Brothers in the Johnny Crapper! Yeah, it's the 35th you silly guys.

Oh Boy, I Hope I Score!

Going to the real Doctor on Thursday. I hope this one is better than the last guy.

I should have known that the primary "Care" wasn't going to do me much good when I saw the sign outside of the building:

Hey, who are you reminding?