Mud Runs Used to Be Punishment!

Now it seems they are more popular than the regular 5K Races!

Here's Jake Bartholomy and his Team Bodysuit BEFORE the Race:

My only complaint is, "No PSU Blue???"
Here's his Team Bodysuit AFTER the Race:

 

Amazing how similar the colors all became!  And I want to know,  "Who did the laundry?"

Reliving Old Times

Everybody already knows I'm quite partial to living in the past.

My daughter Martha ran the Carlisle Invitational today, which is one rather large High School XC race.  There are teams from Virginia, Maryland, New York and all over Pennsylvania.  It is the largest race I know of in the HS XC ranks, even bigger than any District or State Meet.  There are  3 JV Races,  3 Puma Challenge Races and 2 Championship Races. It's an all-day event on a fast, well-marked course.

The best part was seeing an old nemesis of mine from the late 70's.  Henry Klugh runs the Inside Track Running Store between Harrisburg and Hershey. I have previously made him an honorary member of our group, as he already knows many of us and keeps a lot of us in supplies.  I am sure that if you stop by his store he'll be glad to tell the story of how I made him the PA District 3 1-Mile Champion in 1977.  He'll also probably not charge you extra for your shoes and running extras!

Back in modern times, the PSU  Mens team placed 10th at the Greater Louisville XC Classic and the Women's team was 5th.  Transfer Senior Sam Masters paced the men in 17th place while Rebekka Simko was 15th for the women (with a 2 minute PR!!).

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

As we wait for the first Big (not B1G) Cross Country Meet of the season, I tought I would bring you something from the wonderful World of Physics.  Alas, I think all Physicists have a 3 month's long hangover from discovering the Higgs particle.  The only thing that seemed worthy enough was this photo of Einstein's office at Princeton on the day he died.  Looks pretty much as you would expect, I guess.

And here's Jimmy Fallon singing 4 decades worth of TV Theme Songs:

More Autism in the News: Now Boston Marathon-Worthy

A while back I wrote a little blurb about Moe Norman, the golf savant with autism and his mastery of striking the little white ball straight every time.  And you all remember the story of the basketball manager of the high school team that got to play in the last game and scored 20 points in 5 minutes.

Well, he's back, and in a big way.  With just one year of training Jason McElwain ran his first marathon in 3:01:42.  His goal was to qualify for the Boston Marathon, which he did by more than 3 minutes. He'll be lacing them up in Hopkinton in April, 2013.  I'm not a betting man, but 3:00 is going down.

Good Food Thrown Away: Bring Back the Chicken Cosmo! Cross Country Runners Need Calories

 The skimpy lunch above would be an improvement over this year's selection. The above lunch has been banned as well.  Peanut butter is a strict no no, and french fries have gone the way of the dodo bird.

As a lifelong lover of institutional lunches (I loved the Dining Halls!), I have to say "I told you so."
I passed on my love of school lunches to my second daughter, who happily bought lunch at school for her first six years of readin, ritin, and rithmatic.  But something changed this past year and she is now "a packer".  I foresaw a nasty backlash.  And its here.

The something is that our First Lady was successful in her takeover of the school lunch program, so as to make our kids healthier.  One month into the fiasco, and all heck has broken loose.  A sample lunch recently was a small piece of pita bread with a dollop of hummus on it,  small piece of lettuce and a peach.  Throw in the low-fat milk and you have a lunch meeting all the requirements of a small gerbil or similar rodent.  More than 80% of the peaches were tossed out whole at some schools.  Milk was tossed at a high rate too as chocolate has been banned by our overlords.  My daughter says its even worse than I'm making it appear.

There are others complaining, and the geeky world of instant media is making noise now.

• Students in Kansas need nutrition!
• School groups can no longer sell candy bars for funding.
• Wisconsin Athletes Cry "Foul"

Do any of you remember the Chicken Cosmo, or those great cheesesteaks with the ladeled cheese sauce?

Elmo may like the new program, but he is just a three-year old monster:



Rush Limbaugh doesn't agree with Elmo:

A Wrap Up of the 1,000 Mile Relay

By now, all of you know that the 8 Nittany Lion and 2 Lock Haven runners set the Guinness World Record for  a 1,000 Mile Relay.  The more important story is that they also surpassed their financial goal for the effort.  The monies for the Kevin Dare Foundation's Life Back on Track Scholarship will go toward an athlete that has sustained a serious injury or illness that prevents them from participating in the sport all of us love.  I'm pretty sure you can still donate.

Here's a video of several of them following the first "spirited" leg of the attempt.  If I close my eyes and just listen to the words, I'm sure this is the same ribbing we would have done 30 years ago.  I'll bet it isn't any different than what Horace Ashenfelter III and his teammates would have done also 60 years ago.  Except for the video recorder and cell phones, of course! And the Mondo track, dri-fit shirts, running sunglasses, fiberglass vaulting pole...

We are linked by more than just Alumni Singlets after all.

I Was Only Kidding, Now I'm Worried

For the last 3 weeks I've had a respiratory infection that had to be more than the common cold.  I facetiously opined that I had SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).  I did this because of my experience of seeing the origins of the disease in South China before anyone knew what it was.  It was only supposed to garner me a minor chuckle and just a little bit of sympathy.  I took 2 courses of antibiotics that wreaked havoc on my entire body and managed to keep The Streak alive.  But I still feel awful and still cough more than anyone ever should.

Now the news is leaking out that a new virus related to the SARS (and common cold) virus has emerged from the Middle East and has patients around the world quite ill.

Now I'm hoping someone will come from the CDC and quarantine me for a few days.  I would love a few days off work.

The Top of the Podium Two Weeks in a Row

Chris Foster won a Triathlon for the second week in a row.  This time in Galveston.  He had the second best running time and the record bike time.  Since I can't swim or bike (nor actually run anymore!), my PSU Track cap is off to him.

A Canadian Outdoorsman Shows Us How It's Done

Western Canadian and Honorary PSU Track Alumni Golfer Tom Walchuck put this video on the internetty thingie recently and I thought it deserved more play.  It seems we have quite a few outdoorsmen in our ranks, including recently retired Coach Gary Schwartz and Colorado meteorologist, coach and professional runner Tyler McCandless.

In honor of his video snagging "this bull trout from his favorite grayling pool", I'm going to have a cup of Tim Horton's decaf K-cup from my new coffee maker and a donut (alas not a Tim Hortons).  I hope someone will tell me what a grayling is.  I'm not much the outdoor type....






Addendum:  Here's a photo of an Arctic Grayling Tom just sent me.  One weird looking fish...

Alumni Singlet Blazes 5th Avenue Mile

Brian Fuller finished in 24th place at the NYRR Road Mile Championships in 4:22.1 yesterday.  Teddy Quinn may still be recovering from the 1,000 Mile Relay, but still looks sharp in his "It's Always Cloudy in Rochester" t-shirt.  I'm having one printed that says "It's Always Boring in York, PA".

Saved From a Watery Grave!

The Second Bi-Annual "Day on the Bay" for PSU Track Alumni Golfers had to be called off because of high winds and impending rain.  A die-hard crew of landlubbers, me included, was ready to brave the watery depths in order to snag a crabcake for lunch.  We all miss out on the camaraderie and face-time with friends on one of America's greatest natural resources, The Chesapeake Bay.  Captain Tim, Noisy Jim, Professor Larry and the Dawsons and the rest of us will have to wait until next year.  In honor of the attempt, I purchased the next best thing I could to bring home the spirit of the event, a bag of Utz Crab Chips!

This means I must somehow rearrange the Kung Pao Alumni Outreach for Suburban Philly sometime soon.  Keep tuned.

Times Have Changed: I'm Left Behind

It never seems that long ago to me.  Cross Country for high school athletes sure has changed from what I remember.

Old School (1970s): Practice right after school.
New School (2012): Practice at 5:30PM, just 1 1/2 hours after they get home from school.

Old School: Practice lasts 1 1/2 hours, team meeting included. Ends on time.
New School: Practice lasts 2 1/2 hours, followed by a team meeting. Never on time.

Old School: Practice at high school, trip home by school bus.
New School:  Practice at numerous variable sites, transportation necessary both to and from.

Old School: Dual Meets twice weekly.
New School: Quad or Quintuple Meets once weekly.

Old School: Tattoos only on a spectating ex-Marine Uncle from out of town.
New School: Neck tattoos on Freshman runners.

Old School: No sunglasses.
New School: Sunglasses on an overcast day as essential running equipment.

Old School: Nike Waffles.
New School: "Barefoot" Shoes.

Old School:  Winner at about 16:00 for boys 18:00 for girls.
New School: Winner at about 16:00 for boys 18:00 for girls.

Old School:  No idea what friends are up to during practice.
New School: Tweets and Facebook updates during practice to know that friends are "chillin".

Old School: Coach is basketball coach and high school math teacher.
New School: Coach is 6-time All-American and stay-at-home-dad.

Old School: 0 assistant coaches.
New School: 6 assistant coaches.

Old School: 1 Newspaper article a year, with many facts wrong.
New School:  Blog with daily updates on minutiae of every runner's life.

Old School: Quarter mile or half mile repeats a staple.
New School: Don't know what a quarter is.

Old School: One runner with a VW van on its last legs takes a few people home.
New School: Each runner over 16 drives their own BMW, Lexus or Mercedes home.

Old School:  Cotton
New School: Lycra

Old School: Stretch
New School: Core

Old School: Fartlek
New School: Lactate-Threshold or Tempo

Now with Bonus Calvin and Hobbes Cartoon:  If  it were written today!

Calvin and Hobbes: New School:

Another Division 1 Track Program Bites The Dust and Someone Crazier Than Me

The University of Richmond has dropped Men's Track and Field and Soccer in order to elevate the club sport Lacrosse Program.  The number one and number two sports in the US, by participation standards, have been eliminated in favor of, at best, a regional sport.

Part of my efforts with this blog have been to make all of us aware that no one is immune to what's happening to sports in America.  The phenomenon is accelerating. Soon, the European model will become more and more tantalizing, eliminating sports entirely from campus life.  Fiscal restraints are likely to become more acute, so self-interest becomes more and more important.  It doesn't take much effort or money to help, and each and every one of us should do what we can.  Not everything has to be monetary either, every little bit of participation helps.  Let's all step up our efforts to support PSU Track and Field and Cross Country.

In happier news, I'm not as nuts as this guy.  He took a run after his wife's water broke to keep his Streak alive.  It's now at 40 years and counting.

My Streak continues, despite the SARS, pneumonia, bronchitis or "bad cold" I've had lately.  Now at 1,923 days and 2.85 miles/day (with an additional 2.90 miles daily on the elliptical machine, which doesn't count toward The Streak.)

Food, XC Updates:

The PSU Women's XC squad moved up in the overall rankings again, cracking the top 20! This also ranks them 3rd overall in the Big Ten Conference.  With plenty of newcomers and youth, this bodes well for the present and the future.

In the food category, always one of my favorites, there are several items that my (dozens) of readers may enjoy:

1. Where can you get a good Cheesesteak outside of Philadelphia?  Here are a few choices around the Country.  In Philadelphia, my top choices are, in order, Jim's on South Street, Geno's in South Philly, Pat's in South Philly (across the street from Geno's), Ishkibibbles on South Street (across the street from Jim's).  That means you can make two trips to Philly, snagging two sandwiches simultaneously to compare them.  I have done this numerous times in my life.  I also had the very first Steak of the day at Jim's (11:00AM) and the very last (2:00AM) on the same workday.  Another time I had 2 steaks at Jim's with too much adult beverage and then went to Chinatown for a plate of Kung Pao Chicken immediately afterward.  Those were the days.
2. Mountain Dew AM!  Now sold at Taco Bells at breakfast, mostly on the West Coast.  This consists of 50% Mountain Dew and 50% Tropicana orange juice.  Some critics are both repulsed and overjoyed about this at the same time.
3. And here's a place you can consult to make your favorite fast food at home! And here's a recipe for a Wendy's Frosty.
4. Lastly, here's 14 regional sodas that you should try before you die.  I've had 9 on the list already. 

Snid Was Always in the Thick of Things!

The 1979 NCAA 5000 M Final was another highlight of the remarkable Henry Rono.  The prelims were the scene of his "sprint the straights, jog the curves" race, where he toyed with the entire field.  But Bob Snyder was there in the chase pack in the Final, pictured here. (Thanks to Frit Cooper for the assist!)

I've told the story before about my arrival at Happy Valley, where I beat Bob in the first several XC races and thought I was the Bee's Knees.  Bob was so private and quiet, I never knew he was injured at the time.  I still don't know what the injury was, but I soon found out that Bob was an All-American and I was a walk-on.

During those years of top 4 NCAA team finishes, Bob was always in the thick of it.  As a team, we were a very proud lot about the fact that all of us were from PA, NY, VA and OH. Bob was from McConnellsburg PA ("That's Burg you big dummy", whenever someone said McConnellsville). Working hard and having fun.  Truly great times.  I'm sure those older and younger than I also remember similar times in The Valley.  Which is sorta the whole point of the blog BTW!

Someone else sent me some photos of Snid at the 1979 Pittsburgh Invitational and the 1978 NCAA XC Finals.  I can't remember if Coach yelled at him for his un-tucked shirt. And let's get some input on who the other runners are.  Do any of you remember Allegheny! (where Paul Stemmer got his start.)

More Golf (It's Been a Long Time!) And Chris Foster Teaches Jon Cryer a Thing or Two

Chris Foster won the Malibu Triathlon last weekend.  Another Malibu resident, Two and a Half Men's Alan Harper (Jon Cryer) braved the event and came out with less skin than he had before the start.  Chris, if I remember correctly also had a bad bike accident last year and must have taught Jon a thing or two.  Jon then got a parking ticket at the Hospital!

And Golf's Best Ever Ball Striker is a guy you never heard about.  Moe Norman was said to never have hit a hook or a slice (unless asked to do it on purpose!).  He could give a golf technique demonstration and hit 200 shots in a row within 10 feet of a bucket at 200 yards. His only problem was his ultimate advantage.  He was The Rain Man of Golf.  His autism and social backwardness prevented him from attaining all the accolades he other wise would have. His technique is now taught everywhere and is known as Natural Golf.  This involves a single plane of swing, negating lateral rotation and therefore hooks and slices.

Here's Moe Norman in action at one of his demonstrations.  Really remarkable stuff.  There had been plans for a feature film of his life, but I think things are delayed.  Notice his poor dentition; Moe was hooked on Coca-Cola and drank a case a day, while living in a Cadillac he won at a tournament in Canada!

Champions! With a Little Physics, Golf and Adam Sandler!

Caitlin Lane was honored at the start of the PSU/Navy Football game on Saturday for her Big Ten Cross-Country victory last year.

Chris Foster won the Nautica Malibu Triathlon over the weekend.

And Happy Gilmore was right! Physics shows us his swing technique could add 10% to his driving distance.  And its all somehow legal in the golf world!

Alumni Excel

Future (?) Official Group Co-Physicist Ron Moore helped his team to a victory in the Run to the Coast Relay in New Hampshire today.  He was joined by PSU Track Alum (Golfers) Mark Wimmer and Mike Castillo.  Ron had several splits near the 10 MPH mark!  For help with converting that, consult your local Physicist, they know all the formulas!

In addition, PSU Track Alumni Reunion attendee Bob "Scrap Heap" Osterhoudt fared quite well in his season end Championships, placing first in the 80 M Hurdles competitions in Lisle, Illinois and St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.  Bob competes in the 70-75 yo category.  His times were 14.83 and 14.46.  He only regrets the fact that he failed to get his Alumni Singlet in time for the competitions.  Something tells me he'll have plenty of chances to spread the word of the largest and most active Track Alumni Group in the World!

Congrats to Shavon Greaves who was hired as Assistant Coach at Wagner College, where she will also pursue her Graduate Degree.  Congrats!

Did I Just Survive SARS? The Perils of Believing Anything on the Internet!

My sickness is now 75% contained.  In looking back, it couldn't have been a common cold, but that's what it seemed to start out as.  It morphed into a vicious (and viscous!) something else. Being almost a doctor, my curiosity was piqued.  So I put all of my symptoms into a web-based medical site which will diagnose your problem and it came up with a differential including SARS!

Now my history with SARS is quite extensive.  I was at the heart of the origins of the disease while in Guangzhou China, months before they had a name for it.  When completing adoption paperwork at the Chinese Consulate, we were surrounded by throngs of mask-wearing Chinese desiring a visa in the streets.  Our Chinese handlers advised us to not touch anyone or allow anyone to touch us or the baby.  People were dying by the scores in the areas surrounding the city.  No one knew what scourge had been unleashed into the world this time, and there was literal panic about.  I had just been in the Hospital for gastroenteritis and was particularly susceptible to whatever was happening.  I had even spent most of the afternoon in an IV room where people were receiving their treatments for tuberculosis. Luckily, I was too stupid to be overly uptight.  I always seem to have that going for me!

Looking up the symptoms of SARS, it was amazing to see that I had every single one of them this week.

Symptoms

The hallmark symptoms are:

• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Fever greater than 100.4 degrees F (38.0 degrees C)
• Other breathing symptoms

The most common symptoms are:

• Chills and shaking
• Cough -- usually starts 2-3 days after other symptoms
• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches

Less common symptoms include:

• Cough that produces phlegm (sputum)
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Runny nose
• Sore throat

In some people, the lung symptoms get worse during the second week of illness, even after the fever has stopped.

  Except for the fact that I was exposed to the virus (yes a variant of a common cold virus) more than 11 years ago, a health-care provider could reasonably diagnose the condition given my symptoms and response to treatment.  I got better when started on antibiotics.  Addendum: I still feel horrible and my patient compassion has suffered dramatically. But that wasn't in the symptoms.

He would be wrong, of course, which brings me to the point of my post.  Don't use the internet to diagnose yourself.  And Heaven forbid, don't use LetsRun.com to diagnose anything.

Coming Soon:  Running and Puking in China, a Short Story...

A Moment of Zen

And a plea for content!  Send me some PSU track photos, stories, videos.  I'm temporarily behind in bringing you sufficient content. This illness has floored me way more than it should.

My health crisis is 50% abated, so I'm heading off to the salt mine today.  Antibiotics for a cold!  It's the only thing that has helped, so I'm still guessing SARS.  Wish me luck.

Here's a day lily in my fish "pond" in the dog's back yard.

Of course, Physics topics are always appreciated too!

Two PSU tracksters won awards at the Niagara Track and Field Hall of Fame recently.  Melissa Kurzdorfer was awarded the  Doriane Lambelet Award for Throws and Za'von Watkins won the Trenton J. Jackson Award  for Middle Distance.  PSU is Javelin U.  PSU is 800 U.

Cheating, Viruses and Burning Men

I took off work today with a "cold" that somehow morphed into a death-spiral of coughing and fever.  With all the mosquito bites I've had this year, I'm beginning to wonder... I was once at the birthplace of SARS,  months before it was announced to the world.  That story will wait for another day.

First up, here's a marathon cheater none of would vote for!

And here's a quite objective look at The Burning Man Festival that just ended.  Anyone ever attend one of these? Beware: The author is a noted climate "skeptic".

This would have been my favorite part of the Festival...

And I did keep The Streak alive by running a spirited 11:00 mile while coughing up 1/2 a lung.

Rain, Wind, Mud Makes For Good Cross Country!

"As always, it's great to have Coach Groves as our meet referee and to really see him in his element at a cross country race like this." -Coach Sullivan.

The weather hasn't been kind to spectators of Penn State home cross country meets in the past few years.  The Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational yesterday was not an exception.  Rain, wind and mud made conditions challenging for everyone.  I suppose the runners have the least problem with it, as they are already running anyway.

The Mens team came in third place behind Princeton and Georgetown, with Sophomore Matt Fischer pacing them with a second place finish.

The Womens team won with Junior Victoria Perri in the runner-up position.  Nice run.

And all should remember, the best way to dry out running shoes is to run in them the next day.  All the other ways are inferior. I don't care what anyone says...

No PSU Track Alumni Golfers Were Injured in the Making of This Film

But Ginger and Mary Ann will never be the same....

The Day on the Bay Group Outing has been postponed due to high winds, choppy water, and landlubber queasiness.  Captain Tim is taking care of his crew, as always.  But I'll still be wearing a hideous orange flotation device after watching this! It will be rescheduled in the near future.

A Little Chin Music!

Coach Sullivan got to throw out the first pitch at the State College Spike's last home game of the season yesterday.  I know how hard that is (just ask our current President!).  Avoiding embarrassment by bouncing the ball in the dirt usually lives forever in today's cell phone video era.  So, with all the pressure on, Coach Sullivan did extremely well. Imagine a hitter like Vlad Guerrero at the plate, and she dealt him a high brush-back pitch at his chin! You go, Coach!

Addendum:  Due to the light content in today's post, I will add some truths to live by:

• It is impossible to make a pizza 1/2 Anchovies. (I love anchovies on pizza.)
• Unemployment would be way under 8% if they included all the drivers ahead of me making a career out of a left hand turn.  
• Add in the number of people stealing all the metal from your property for recycling and you reach the magical "full employment" numbers.
• A confabulist marathon between Paul Ryan and Debbie Wasserman-Shultz would be a hootenanny. Bring popcorn.

More may follow...

Let's Cheer Up Dr. Lucas!

Two people I have the highest respect for have asked me to forward Dr. John Lucas's address to facilitate his receipt of good wishes from his Penn State friends from all over.  And who am I to thwart their efforts?
Roger "Gunny" Roll and Greg Fredericks have asked all of us to send a "thinking of you" card to Dr. Lucas following his disorienting move to Missouri. Gunny visited him recently and his report is really positive.  But then again, anyone moving to Missouri from State College is in need of positive vibes!

We really should get a post together with some Gunny stories also.  I have never met a braver American, a better role model, and a tougher SOB, pardon the French.  I'll bet Coach Groves could tell us a few Gunny stories...

Send a note or card of appreciation, best wishes to:

Dr. John Lucas

c/o Amanda Garrison-Reed

1546 Timber Creek Drive, Columbia Missouri 65202

 

 

Horrid Weather Fails to Deter PSU Meteorologist in Paradise

Although I think it blew all his hair away!

Tyler McCandless used his brief vacation in the Slate Belt last month to prepare for his defense of his Marathon in Paradise.  He successfully defended the title in the Kauai Marathon over the weekend, although the weather didn't cooperate fully and he missed the record by just a few seconds.  You can tell by the video of the finish that he wasn't holding back at all and blazed a 4:44 last mile.

And Tyler, that was one heck of a first haircut of the year!

I'm Doing My Best to Prepare

The Big Day on the Bay is approaching.  And as someone who had to take Swimming as a PE Course at PSU (I wasn't sure I could tread water for 10 minutes like the rest of you could back in the day!), I need all the help I can get.  Do they even have that requirement anymore at PSU?

To properly prepare for the ordeal I looked up the lyrics to Gilligan's Island.  I think that will do it.  I'm in the hands of Captain Tim, a skipper brave and sure, and  first mate Jim "The Professor".  They will take care of me in the case of weather starting to get rough.  We are way ahead of Gilligan's crew; I've got plenty of LED lights, a phone and besides, there aren't any uncharted desert isles on the Chesapeake...

The Ballad of Gilligan's Island

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from this tropic port
Aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailing man,
The skipper brave and sure.
Five passengers set sail that day
For a three hour tour, a three hour tour.

The weather started getting rough,
The tiny ship was tossed,
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
The minnow would be lost, the minnow would be lost.

The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle
With Gilligan
The Skipper too,
The millionaire and his wife,
The movie star
The professor and Mary Ann,
Here on Gilligans Isle.


So this is the talel of the castways,
They're here for a long, long time,
They'll have to make the best of things,
It's an uphill climb.

The first mate and the Skipper too,
Will do their very best,
To make the others comfortable,
In the tropic island nest.

No phone, no lights no motor cars,
Not a single luxury,
Like Robinson Crusoe,
As primative as can be.

So join us here each week my freinds,
You're sure to get a smile,
From seven stranded castways,
Here on "Gilligan's Isle."

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/gilligansislandlyrics.html

                                    

Kevin is Smiling From Ear to Ear

I will end though by saying that at the core of this run, was the desire to build something to Kevin. We wanted to find a way that we could honor his memory, and help all of us remember who he was and what he stood for. We hope and believe that we did this. 10 young men, all of whom who have day jobs and separate lives, and to whom running is merely a hobby that they are passionate about, took time from their lives to use their talents to do something that is remarkable. 

We’ll never forget what we did together. And none of us will ever forget Kevin Dare.

-Ryan Foster, 09/01/12

I have to tell you, I am impressed and delighted beyond belief.  Ten runners put it all on the line.  Each and every one of them has a job and yet was able to train enough to pull this off.  Some of the efforts to do that are extraordinary to say the least.  Two of the runners were still going hard, while hurting very badly, enough that the other members made them back off to be able to join in the final triumphant miles.  They hammered the last miles entering State College, alternating one mile at a time, running sub-5 minute miles until the last mile, where all ten joined together to enter the track for the remaining several miles.  They then put in a sub-4 minute mile, one lap at a time (Ryan Foster and Owen Dawson included with two of the others.  I'll try to find out who the other 2 were.)

In these times of political discord, PSU scandal, financial upheaval and whatever else there is to detract from what's important in life, these guys set an example all of us should be proud of and try to emulate in small degrees in the rest of our lives.

As a humble Penn State Track Alum who has tried to herd the cats to participate and give back to the program that has given us so much, I can only say thank you to each of these guys.  I hope to be able to talk with and ask questions of each of them in the near future.

1. Luke Watson - Notre Dame, PSU.
2. Ryan Foster - PSU (Group's Clothes Engineer)
3. Owen Dawson - PSU
4. Kyle Dawson - PSU
5. Ryan Blood - Lock Haven (now an honorary PSU Track Alum Golfer)
6. Dennis Pollow - PSU
7. Brian Fuller - PSU
8. Teddy Quinn - PSU  (Group's Director of Fun)
9. Vince McNally - PSU
10. Nick Hilton - Lock Haven (now an honorary PSU Track Alum Golfer)

Name My Fish Contest

In honor of the successful Life Back on Track Relay, I have purchased a new pet, my very first betta fish.  He is a deep PSU blue and seems to enjoy his new home in my geeky USB-powered desk aquarium from ThinkGeek.com.  It holds pens, tells the time, has an alarm clock, nature sounds and a thermometer to measure global warming.  I store my laser pointers in it too.  The geek store also is the site where I got my titanium sporks, titanium straw, Bounce WiFi extender (it really works!), USB rechargeable flashlights...  (A great site for the geek in you.)

Help me come up with a suitable name for him in the comments below.

A World Record By the Numbers

1.  Their world ranking in 10 x100 Mile Relays.

20%  Lock Haven Alumni Runners in the ranks.  Lets not forget how much they helped the effort.  Lock Haven is a special place for runners.
Thanks to Ryan Blood and Nick Hilton, newly minted honorary PSU Track and Field Alumni Golfers!

20%  Owens family members among the team.

20%  Fuller family members among the team.

2.  Number of sub-4 minute milers putting in the miles.  (also another 20%!). Ryan Foster and Luke Watson also put a few fast miles in among the 1,000!  (20% Ryans!)

>20,000  Amount of dollars raised for a great cause.

10.  Number of runners needing Ben Gay this morning.