Year End Trip Back in Time

A Wormhole back to when hair was long, shorts were short, distances were Imperial, bellies were hard and times were analog.

I'm on Vacation!

This is the first time I've had off for more than a week in more than a decade.  And I plan on doing a lot while I'm off.

1. Nap.  You know, the three letter word that always ends with a pee!
2. Eat.  (See photo for documentation.) I'm rather good at this.*
3. Run. Twice daily when on vacation!
4. Did I mention nap?
5. I may even blog if it doesn't interfere with the naps and meals!

My wife will be attempting her third Goofy Challenge in a row.  The Goofy is Disney's way of torturing people while they are in the "funnest place on earth".  The Goofy is a Half-Marathon on Saturday and the full Marathon on Sunday.  Both of these require waking at 3:00AM to make sure you are at the start in time.  Two years ago she had a broken rib and managed to finish in freezing temperatures anyway.  This year she has a torn meniscus and is trying to finish in the top half of overall marathoners including the men. I don't know how she does it!

*That isn't really me.  It's one of the protesters at the Wisconsin Capital during the protests against cessation of collective bargaining of benefits for State Employee's Unions.

*

The Streak Continues!

I'm in!  The United States Running Streak Association has accepted my application and I'll be appearing in their lists soon. I'll be 191st on the list of current streaks, pending any other applicants I don't know about. I'll also make their supplemental list of people with 70,000 total career miles in a year or two. It's quite amazing how many people have run more than 100,000 miles!


Come Home To The Simpsons from devilfish on Vimeo.

In honor of the event, I've included the facsimile photo of myself running, and a great video of the opening segment  of The Simpsons filmed with live actors!  Happy New Year everybody.  Get ready, because 2012 will be a great year for the blog and PSU Track and Field (and XC!).

Don't Forget to Vote For the Performance of the Year!

Vote for the performance of the year on the left sidebar!  Now!  And call, text, email, IM or actually talk to your friends*  to vote also.  We need to make this the biggest poll ever on the blog/web site.

Don't forget to spread the word about our site.  There's also our Facebook Site which needs new members.  There's no hazing or fees involved. Join us today!

Here's two performances which didn't make the finals, mostly because I'm an idiot, but you already knew that.






* I'm not actually sure the younger crowd resorts to old-school methods of communication.  I'm pretty sure it's still legal, however.

Longest Women's Streak Ended

It's not just a gratuitous way to include the words "Women" and "Streakers" in the same headline. Not just a way to attract more of us old-timers to the blog for the first time!  And to make the effort complete, I wouldn't dare include a picture of a woman streaking to attract those younger than I, would I?

No, I'm talking about the running of at least one continuous mile in every 24 hr. period beginning at midnight for as many days in a row as possible.

 Julie Maxwell, of Kasson, Minnesota, has ended her three decade old running streak after being injured in an accident on Sunday. Maxwell, who began her running streak on July 5, 1978, has the longest running streak of any female in the country (and probably the world) as certified to the United States Running Streak Association (USRSA). Her running streak lasted for 12,212 days (7/5/78-12/10/11).

A broken ankle is a certified way to end a streak of 33 years, I suppose.  My hats off to her, she'll start her next streak in four weeks or so.

Year End Physics Phun and Miscellany

Not so smart Physics junkies like me are starting to feel their oats.  It seems that not all is explained by the egg-heads in charge.

And what nerdiness can be added to a fascination with the Large Hadron Collider that would actually make it nerdier.  How 'bout building a model of it out of Legos!

 

More photos of the 9,500 block masterpiece that took 80 hours to create. (The Higgs doesn't stand a chance!)

Addendum:  The Good News - They are working on an Instruction Manual on how to build it.  The Bad News - It costs 2,000 Euros for the bricks, or $2,618 currentl;y!

Don't forget to vote in the Performance of the Year on the left side! (Maybe someone could show Ryan Foster a little love!)

And there are just a few days left to sign up for this year's purchase of the Alumni Singlet.

A Christmas Miracle!

A Miracle on Ice II!

"Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics"

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."  -Author Unknown (Mark Twain popularized the saying.)

Track and Field is second on the list of sports to baseball with great statistics.  There are so many categories to keep every nerd like me interested.

Actually, nobody is telling a lie.  Our new Blog Laureate Larry Mangan has been skimming the record books and has come up with a few gems at year's end. He is quite relentless in the pursuit of accuracy, something I can't quite profess myself!

Several PSU performers are on the All-Time American Junior Lists:

1. Karlee McQuillen, ('11) - #4, #6, #7, #10 in the javelin (all in 2008) best 176’2”
2. Michael Timpson  - #5 performer 20.23 200 meter dash
3. Cas Loxom #6  performer 1:46.57 800 meter run
4.  Tracey Brauksiek # 10 performer 10:16.91 3000 M steeple

Bah Humbug. Merry Christmas From My Zoo to Yours

This isn't actually one of mine, but the Scrooge-like demeanor should cheer us all up. Here's another one of Spot, this time after being mauled and being hospitalized with neck wounds.  He never gave up. Feisty to the very end.

Merry Christmas to all.

Ten More Things I Learned in More Than 50 Years (Which I Learned From My Dog Spot)

I miss the little fellow.  He was a stray that we adopted into our zoo after he had roamed the streets for a number of years.  It took me 2 years until I could pick him up.  He had more fight in his 5 pounds than most football teams do in the NFL.  We have no idea how old he was, but it must have been ancient.  With his age came wisdom beyond his years and species.

1. Running in circles for the sake of running in circles is pleasurable most times.
2. Having one good meal and a bed of your own is really all you need most times.
3. Having friends around, even if they steal some of your food, is still worth it.
4. Barking for the sake of barking is pleasurable most times.
5. Always listen to "the big dog".
6. Work is a four-letter word ending with the letter k.  Nap is much easier. And it ends with a pee.
7. All trips to the doctor should end with a treat.
8. Never give up, never give up.
9. People are mostly good, but occasionally not. Trust, but verify.
10. Never eat the tinsel on a Christmas tree.

First Annual Performance of the Year: I Need Your Help

I have made several nominations for the PSU Track Alumni Golf Performance of the Year and I would love your help making any additional nominations prior to the voting at year's end.  First we need to make certain we agree on our definitions.

First, a PSU Track Alumni Golfer may not be what you think it is.  Golf has absolutely nothing to do with it. ( It never has.  It is highly recommended, however!)  And the definition of alumnus is:

A graduate or former student of a school, college, or university.

But for our purposes I will expand it even further!  Anyone who cares about PSU Track and Field and Cross Country is eligible for our purposes.

Secondly, a performance can be in any aspect of human existence, including, but not limited to performance on the track, field, cross country course or roads. For example, finding a cure for cancer would qualify as a fine performance!  I have discovered how diverse a community we are, so anything is eligible.

Here are several of my nominations, in no particular order:

1. Ryan Foster's sub-4 minute mile indoors.
2. Cas Loxsom's School Record 800 M run outdoors.
3. Jim Clelland's performance as Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol: The Musical  (This isn't a joke at all.  I really believe this is worthy of note and consideration.  To know Jim can be heard in the back of an auditorium without electronics is heart-warming)
4. Doreen McCoubrie's (Startare) marathon at Philly.  2:50:23 at age 50

Give me some more nominations!

All-Time Best NFL/Track Events: PSU Well Represented

The NFL and Track and Field have a long history together.  The recently discussed Renaldo Nehemiah certainly comes to mind.  But did you know that two PSU Track Stars are at the top of all-time individual event performances among Trackand Field/NFL athletes?

First on the list is Brian Milne, who is the No. 2  all-time performers in the discus. His toss of 207 feet 5 inches was second only to Christian Okoye's 212 feet 4 inches.

But First on the list of 400 meter hurdlers is my teammate Paul Lankford, who enjoyed a 12 year NFL career in Miami.  With a minimal amount of football experience, Paul became one of Miami's best secondary players for many of their stellar seasons.  Paul was also the high school national record holder in the 400 hurdles prior to arriving in Happy Valley.  His all-time best of  49.55 is the best all-time among NFL stars.

I Really Wish I Could Remember All of This One!

I only have sporadic memories of this.  We've gone over this before, but some new information has come to light.  While I remembered Villanova coming to town for a duel meet,but  it really was Maryland.  I mistook Mark Belger for Renaldo Nehemiah, I suppose! I was injured at the time and I don't even have record of running anything at the meet.  It was held at Westerly Parkway Junior High School of all places, as Beaver Stadium had been lifted up and seats were added in front, obliterating PSU's former track.

The unfolding demise of Maryland Track and Field (men only!) is a sad reminder that the bottom line is often the bottom line.  When we met on the track for a now extremely rare scored duel meet, Maryland was at the zenith of its Track existence. The team that trudged off the buses in the Junior High parking lot were the champions of the ACC many times straight (24!), and were to go on to a top 10 finish in the NCAA Outdoor Track Championships in 1979.  They were repeat 6th place finishers indoors.

But a funny thing happened that day. The only part I remember is that  PSU beat them on the day's final event.  It was the pole vault, which always seems to take forever at these meets.  The all-day gray skies and drizzle made for difficult conditions.  The difference was that Maryland's two 17 foot pole vaulters could not quite get comfortable and two PSU vaulters managed to make their usual heights (high 15's?? low 16's??) and we won the meet by a few points. Goliath got back on the bus and made their way back to suburban Washington DC (not Philly!).  This David went back to his dorm room and promptly forgot nearly all of it!

"God bless us, every one!"

As Official Herder of Cats, I have been constantly amazed at the range of talents in other Penn State Track Alumni.  I have never been part of any other group that has more inherent intelligence, talent and likability than our fellow tracksters.  But even still, this one still surprised me to no end!

I've always known that Jim Clelland was smart and funny.  I had to get real close some times to really hear some of the things he said.  Others just feet away, never heard a thing. Most of us always joked about his quiet nature, and Tim Backenstose just called him "Noisy Jim" in an email and I knew who he meant straight away.

But to get the news that Jim was the lead in a production of A Christmas Carol: The Musical floored even me.  Tim reports he was "Spectacular" in yesterdays performance!  Today is the last performance I think, so if you are nearby, check it out.  I'm really sorry I will miss it.  Tim will try to bring us some cell phone video soon. 

"God bless us, every one."

Mike Valenti's 80's Photos!

Had these laying around for quite awhile and thought everyone should enjoy them.  Thanks, Mike Valenti, hope to see you thrashing the greenery with us in Happy Valley in May 2012!  And make sure Todd Shenk hears about it too!  (It's about time the Field Men make a strong showing!)

Name everyone you see  in these photos via the comments below!

Anyone with other collections they would like to share, just get in touch with me at dfbaskwill@cs.com

Carl Wolter On ESPN and ESPN2: Smacking Golf Balls Further Than You!

If you can, watch ESPN December 24th at 1pm. Or ESPN2 at 11am, and watch this Remax World Long Drive Championships.   
(Check out Carl's 446 yard drive in the semi-finals!)



PSU Track and Field Alumni can do almost anything!

Apparel Orders Pouring In!

There is still time to get your order in for this year's order of the Alumni Singlet!  Orders will be taken until New Year's Eve, and then the order will be placed.  Men, Women and children (and I suppose large dogs) are eligible.  We have already received orders for every size from Small to XXX-Large!  The singlets will be the same style (I beleive it's the called  the Miler style).  Women who have ordered will be contacted by sub-4 Miler Ryan Foster as to which version they desire.  Orders are already in the "dozens" range, so join the crowd and get your very own sanctioned PSU Track and Field Alumni Singlet, almost just like us old-timers used to wear!

And don't forget to shop in our Group Store for our very own stuff, including the popular PSU is 800 U Value T-Shirt and drinking glass (designed by an Olympian!).  Also check out the latest addition to the racks, the Rusty Boots grey t-shirt, boxer shorts and (Root) Beer Stein.

Steve Black Debuts His New Web Series "The Gravediggers"

Steve Black (PSU is 800 U!) has been acting for several years now and decided to make his own web series called "The Gravediggers".  My father called me excitedly one day to say he just saw Steve in a TV show, the one about the Pizza Delivery Guy who had a bomb strapped to his neck.  He previously appeared in the John Adams series on PBS.  And he just got his screen actors guild card, so he has the Union behind him now!

As an extra special bonus, see if you can find Gary Black in the short film!

"The Gravediggers: Hang Em High"
"The Gravediggers: Business is Slow"

Update on Maryland Track Discontinuation

I was there in the stands among the throngs from Jamaica smoking the evil weed (not me!! Them!)and pounding on drums to witness Renaldo Nehemiah at his best at the Penn Relays. Maryland had an all-around good team at that time.  It's hard to believe what has become of things.

On the bright side, maybe they've already raised significant monies, as I remember they needed nearly $9Million and now it says they only need $4.2Million!   That few people at the current heavyweights of US College Track and Field still worry about it happening at their school dismays me.  All of us are always just one or two pay-checks away from disaster, even Donald Trump. Vigilance is the key.  Getting all the alumni to care about it is key to securing a healthy future for any program. There already is no Division I Track Programs in the state of West Virginia.  Let's hope the cancer does not spread.

Rolling Over the Odometer is Not an Easy Task

I just alerted the web site director for 100K Lifetime Miles about Coach John Lucas's career of over 160,000 lifetime miles.  It turns out it's Amby Burfoot, past Boston Marathon victor, Runner's World editor and 2-time Olympic Marathoner in 1956 and 1960.  Amby, of course knows Dr. Lucas already, and my alert may trigger a reunion between the two, which pleases me.

My career of a little more than 5 miles daily since 1975 adds up to about 68,000 miles so far, so I have a healthy respect for anyone with over 100,000 miles. Who else among my "tens of readers" has more miles under their belt?  I know you're out there!

High Jump Leads Blue-White Meet

Jon Hendershot impressed the crowd at the season's first meet at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Complex this past weekend.  His jump of 7 feet 1.5 inches is an early season mark that should turn some heads. Jon is from Nazareth PA, a place I am quite familiar with from my childhood. I wonder if Jon ever had a Jimmy's Hot Dog from Easton?

There were many more impressive results, but I wanted to give a shout out to Jon that the Alumni are aware and behind the current athletes as never before.  Other results can be scanned Here!  There are 4 more indoor meets this season at PSU.  I hope to be at the Penn State National at the end of January.  Check out the schedule of meets at the convenient Rusty Boots web site.

Linking the Past and the Present Like Never Before

One reason our group is in existence is to link all past and present PSU Track Alums so that we can promote a successful and dynamic Future for Penn State Track and Field (and XC!).  The efforts to find common ground between old-timers like me and the current Nittany Lions is never an easy task.  It is made easier when  the two groups actually meet and the older set sees a part of themselves in the younger, or the younger set sees an attribute in an old-fart like me that they may wish to emulate or learn from. (Gosh forbid!) Both groups have a lot to offer the other, so getting them together is a major step in the right direction.  With this year's PSU Track Alumni Reunion and the Coach Groves Golf Tournament in May 2012, another bond will be added between the past and the present.  Final details are not yet ironed out, but activities and get-togethers are in the works, the likes of which have not been seen in Happy Valley's history. One missing ingredient in the mix is YOU.  Set aside the dates of May 18-20, 2012 for a celebration of the complete history of PSU Track.

One linkage of the past and present has been the Rusty Boots cheer (whose complete history is still eluding us!).  It makes us "has-beens and never-was'es" (I'm using this in jest and in a self-mocking way, so don't take it too hard!) smile when we hear the cheer or see references to it. 

In the hopes of promoting that linkage, I have arranged for several items to be added to the PSU Track Alumni Golf Store sporting the Rusty Boots emblem (modified a little by me, I hope it's all right with them!).  It took some doing to get it sorta, kinda correct, but I'm a podiatrist, not a graphic artist!  I hope some of you will enjoy them and order a few.  A buck or two goes back to our group and is 100% destined for the Coach Harry Groves Scholarship.  Check out the other items also.  If anyone wants something else with the Rusty Boots emblem, just let me know.  It can be arranged.

Dri-Fit Workout Tee

with Group Logo on front and Rusty Boots emblem on back

excellent companion to the Alumni Singlet (sold separately)

Rusty Boots Boxer Briefs

no explanation needed

Rusty Boots Root Beer Stein

Root beer boys, root beer!

Just Added! 
Light Grey T-Shirt
Like in the olden days!
with Group emblem on front and Rusty Boots emblem on back shoulder!
I can hear the cheer now....

A Couple of Early Christmas Presents

Today is the Blue-White Meet to usher in the 2012 Indoor Season.  I'm not sure who to root for but if past years are any indication there will be some surprisingly good times (and distances and heights!).  My plans are to make it to the Penn State National at the end of January, which happens just before the Championship season.

When Finals are out of the way, the Christmas Break will be upon PSU's student-athletes, so I'm bringing them a few early presents to savor.

1. Our new found friends at Rusty Boots will likely enjoy Taco Bell's newest entree once the competition is over.  I cannot imagine  how many of these critters my friends and I could have devoured back in the day.  Maybe us old-timers could join the current members for a tasty meal at "The Bell" following the grueling competition in January? 
2. General Martin Dempsey, currently the Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon happens to enjoy singing as much as he enjoys defending his country.  Here's his rendition of Christmas in Killarney for all to enjoy.

I'm a Procrastinator, But This is Ridiculous

I'll finally get to the task of creating the proper size emblem to upload to the Group Store, so we can finally get a few PSU Track Alumni/Rusty Boots items in stock.  I've been thinking about it for a few days, and my excuse is my day job keeps hogging up too much of my blogging time.  So I know I'm a little bit of a procrastinator, but the Lords of Golf make me look good.

Indoor season is just beginning, and I'm really looking forward to the Penn State National at the end of January.  There could be some big news coming for the group by then.  And we're all preparing to get on the same page so we can get some specific information out about the 2012 PSU Track and Field (and XC!) Alumni Reunion and the 11th Annual Coach Harry Groves Golf Tournament in May.   Remember everyone, the golf may be optional, but it is highly recommended.  There never has been a more critical time to become involved.  And as always, I guarantee a good time.  (Only one complaint has been filed in our first ten years, which is a much better record than even Disney World!)

Generic Track and Field T-Shirts

Cafe Press, who hosts our very own Group Store, also has a nice selection of  Track and Field themed t-shirts.  My favorite is the Latin Triple Jump tee (Hoppius, Skippius, Jumpius).  I haven't looked through them all yet, but take a look on your own.

"A Higgs, a Higgs, My Kingdom For a Higgs"

Has the elusive particle that gives mass to every other particle finally been found?  (And Here) When have you ever seen so many nerds this excited since they added 2 minutes of "never-before-seen" footage to the original Star Wars? Or getting that sweet game console they "always wanted".

Somebody is going to be eating a glorious bunch of Swiss Chocolate, it looks like.

Mike Pfaff Films 3 Episodes of "2 Broke Girls"

Mike Pfaff secured a recurring role on the new sitcom 2 Broke Girls and filmed 3 episodes last week.  I'm sure his aerobic training as a PSU Track Alum contributed to his performance in some way. The first of his episodes, "The Upstairs Neighbor",  is tentatively scheduled for January 16th.  This may mean his other episodes will occur during Sweeps Week, guaranteeing wide viewership.  I'll be watching!

Alumni Singlets Singe Sin City!

Dennis Pollow and Brian Fuller continued their scintillating season sporting their singlets in Sin City this past weekend at the Las Vegas Rock n Roll Half Marathon.

A Ten Minute Mile Doesn't Beat a Rottweiler

 

It didn't used to be that 3 daily miles on a treadmill satisfied my running needs.  Indeed, I didn't even count miles on a treadmill until my "career" ended in the 1980s.  I also used to like to make every run a little different than any other run.  Sometimes that meant changing just a little bit of my usual runs, and sometimes it meant making up new runs.  Rob Whiteside and I tried to create many new runs my Senior year at PSU, but I doubt any of them lasted past Rob's Senior year.

Even when I left for graduate school in Philadelphia, I often got tired of the same old runs every day to Fairmount Park and back. We tried numerous times to create additional route to Penn, South Philly etc.  Sometimes these were successful, and sometimes not, but at least they weren't boring.  So when I tried to combine our Penn run with our Fairmount Park run, at least one of my fellow students took me up on it.  This was before Map Quest, Google Maps and other convenient mapping software, as it was before most software altogether!

So it seemed an easy and convenient route to run to Penn, around the campus and then directly to the Philadelphia Zoo and Fairmount Park.  There it was on the folded auto map, right in front of us!  Nearly a straight line, nothing in the way to impede our triumphant new route.  Except...

The route happened to go right past the site of the 1978 confrontation between the Philadelphia Police and M.O.V. E., a group not inclined to care much for 2 skinny (I still was, I swear!), white, shirtless runners trying to get from Penn to Fairmount Park.  The site of the confrontation was still there in 1982, as it was razed in the confrontation and no one dared build on it again. The empty lot was a sort of shrine, even to those African Americans who didn't buy into the whole MOVE credo. Across the street from the burned out site was a young boy being yanked along by a large Rottweiler dog (pit bulls weren't the "go-to" dog in those days).  When the boy couldn't manage to hold the dog any longer he just blurted out "Sic Whitey" and The Game was Afoot.  Sherlock and I had no other options than to outrun a crazed Rottweiler or be devoured, with bystanders laughing the whole time.  Luckily we had enough of a start and Rottweilers must not be trained in middle distance skills, as we managed to outrun the beast with the fastest mile I ever ran post-college.  I would estimate a nice 4:40 effort with a few weaves and bobs along the route. Even a few spectators toward the end, after the dog gave up but we hadn't, were impressed with the effort and urgency of our run.  The Philadelphia Zoo still brings a smile to my lips, and it has nothing to do with the exhibits.

Two years later, as we watched an entire neighborhood burn to the ground from the roof of our apartment in the second Philadelphia Police vs. MOVE fiasco, we decided to take West Philadelphia off the running map for good. Luckily, I may add, as a 4:40 mile was out of the question by then!  A ten-minute mile won't beat a Rottweiler!

And I have even a second Bear Story I may have to write up one of these days!

Scary Runs Seem to be Multiplying

I regaled all of you with my Bear Story years ago, but now two other PSU Track Alumni (Golfers) have one-upped me for sure.  Check out Paul Souza's latest "fast" run:

OK, so I get up Tuesday morning and go for a run. I run under the arch and down to the river and I turn right and head on up the river for a couple miles. Suddenly I notice that I am all alone and the buildings are looking more and more burned out and decrepit. I see a bridge up ahead and I decide to run to the bridge and turn around. Suddenly I notice a black car with blacked out windows turning off the street and traveling down a gravel path toward the riiver. I realize they have no business driving down here, except to come after me. Which they did. I ran the fastest half mile of my life, jumped over some bushes and booked it up a small gravel hill to the train tracks and ran on the tracks back to the arch which was a block from my hotel. The car followed me until it couldn't go any further. At one point as I was running away it crossed my mind that I was going to get shot in the back and die there along the river and no one would find me for days. On a posiitve note, it was my fastest run of the year!

Be sure to contact Paul Souza and let him know there is no excuse for not golfing with us this year!  Maybe he'll even sing for us!

Then there's Ryan Foster's attempted long run, which got a little abbreviated with an excuse better than my running into a bear!

I am sitting on the couch still in my running gear, still panting, after one of the scariest, most horrifying moments of my life…
On my long run today, about 35 minutes in, I was running through a secluded wooded area just outside campus when I came upon a bright blue Suzuki. I was immediately curious as to what a small 4-door sedan was doing down this off-the-beaten-path trail. As I got closer, my stomach began to tie up and I felt every sense in my body heighten. Fear gripped me as I noticed the back-drivers-side door open, as well as the trunk, and on the ground next to the car, a shovel. Knowing something wasn’t right, my flight response kicked in and I began sprinting. As I passed by the car, my gaze was drawn to the back seat. There, seated upright, was the shape of a human torso wrapped in garbage bags, and next to it in the middle seat, a human arm.
I ran.
For the next 5 minutes I pounded towards the nearest building, a conference hotel on the outskirts of campus. Terrified, I kept expecting to hear a car engine behind me as I ran for safety.
As I pulled in to the parking lot I managed to borrow a phone from a man and call 911. They told me to wait in the hotel lobby. Minutes seemed like hours, and after waiting an eternity, I convinced myself that I must have been mistaken. Somebody would have come by now if it was important. So I decided to run home. The only way back went right by where I had seen the car. In the dark I could still see the outline, and off in the woods, faint torchlight. Panic renewed, I bolted for home.
When I walked through the door I quickly checked my phone and found a voice mail from the local police department asking me to call them as they can’t locate the car. Still fearing the worst, I call back…
The sergeant on the other end calms me down from my panic and tells me that they’ve located the car, and then proceeds to shock me even more when he starts to laugh.
“Ryan, this is actually a pretty funny one. It turns out that what you saw was exactly what you thought. There were body parts in that car. The Penn State Forensic Science Department was out there burying fake body parts for a class tomorrow.”
For the sake of the ten years off my life, they better learn something tomorrow.

Be careful out there...

Tougher Than the Zombie Run?

Here's another example of a run we should get a team together for (pardon the mangled English!).  If there ever was a run worth getting your new Alumni Singlet dirty for, this may be it!

Tough Mudder

A Bunch of Unrelated Stuff in Physics Before Indoor Track Gets Started

1. Neutrinos may or may not travel faster than the speed of light.  And either way, Albert Einstein probably wouldn't lose any sleep even if they do, despite invalidating much of his Theory of Relativity. I'm pretty sure he'd relish the challenge of explaining it further.
2. The Higg's Boson, aka "the god particle" may or may not exist.  We'll likely find out this year as the CERN Super-collider ramps up further.
3. Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming may or may not exist, but scientists "promoting" it have been acting very, very badly.  (Including PSU's own Michael Mann!)  Sharing data and keeping it archived is one of the first things I learned at PSU.  I still have the data I meticulously acquired studying the behavior of parasitic wasps on their caterpillar hosts.  This was done for hours at a time staring into a microscope at the fruit-fly sized wasps. As with most of science, the data came to nothing, as we were looking for behavioral mutations when the wasps were exposed to diesel exhaust and never identified any that I know of.  I suppose I could have faked it and asked for trillions of dollars like the "Warmists", but I never did.
4. Even YOU should be able to understand Quantum Physics!
5. And if you can't, it still is cool to watch this levitation video!

Another "Way Back Machine" Entry

I warned Coach Gary Schwartz and Beth (Stever) Shisler this was coming! I keep hoping to get Coach Schwartz to come to our golf outing in May!  And this time you don't need to guess who's who, but it is in the time "before color was invented"!

The "Way Back Machine"

Not far enough back that my kids would say "That was before they invented color!" but far enough back to make for a great "Can you name everyone?"

Submit comments to identify everyone you know.

Those vintage Keyrolan sweats were made in clothing mills in Bangor and PenArgyl, PA back in the late 70's and early 80's.  They sure were sweet!

That's Entertainment!

PSU Track Alum Mike Pfaff recently got a big repeating co-starring role on the sitcom Two Broke Girls, which is a really good show, now made better!

The shows before and after are great too, and a great way for the whole family to spend some time together in this hectic, crazy world.  Good luck Mike. Drop us a line if you get the chance and golf with us some day!

The Truth About Penn State

If you really want to know the truth about what Penn State stands for, and what great people you can meet at one of our Track Alumni Reunions, read the Collegian article about Maggie Redden and Teri Jordan! Help us get the word out that we have accepted the mantle of  "Success With Honor" and mean to improve upon it. Inspiration for everyone from a group for everyman.

Cross Country Recap: Performances of the Year

In no particular order!

1.  Coach Alford-Sullivan being selected to receive the 2011 Joseph Robichaux Award, which acknowledges a coach, administrator, or volunteer who has made a significant impact in women's track and field in the United States. Congrats!
2. Owen Dawson's  performance at the NCAA Regionals at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.  As I always kid Steve Shisler, "Not bad for a half-miler!" (It's only in jest and I condemn myself after each utterance.)  I see some great middle distance efforts ahead!
3. Caitlin Lane's All-American performance at the NCAA Championships.  Enough said!
4. Doreen McCoubrie's (Startare) marathon at Philly last month.  2:50:23 at age 50. (Sorry about that Doreen, but I suppose everyone knows now!) This is very near Joan Benoit Samuelson's World Record for the age group and placed first in the age-adjusted scores now used widely for comparisons.  (And Doreen, you need an Alumni Singlet!)