I'm Back! But Kinda Sad I Might Not Have Been Missed

That was the longest blog hiatus since it was started in 2008.  Sorry about that.  Work items and a family medical emergency conspired against me even as items began to build up which are important and of interest.  I hope I can catch up sometime soon.  But I hope I was missed by at least a few of you?

Item 1:  The Mid-Atlantic NCAA Championships are this weekend AT PSU!  I can't make it, but I am looking for roaming corespondents to report on things like our Chief Laundry Officer did in this great post for the High School Championships.  Maybe Mark Haywood can give us some gibberish, grainy cell phone pics and anecdotes from the event?  Hint, hint.  Etc. Etc. Etc. Everyone is invited.

Item 2:  The Parkers attended an event at the All Sports Museum last weekend to celebrate the 50 years of Women's Sports at PSU.

I have told the story before of my very first run at PSU as I showed up for my Freshman Orientation week.  I checked in with Coach Groves right away, unlike Greg Fredericks, and he immediately told me to take a run with "these guys".  Luckily I was dressed for a run and just jumped in.  Believe it or not. I was by far the littlest and skinniest person there.  I was intimidated by the size of everyone there.  I think Campbell Lovett and Tim Backenstose were there, as well as Mark Parker.  None of these people would ever remember this, as I was so scared I never talked to anyone, and they didn't talk back.  We went for a "10-miler" to the Pine Barrens that took 1 1/2 hours at 6-minute pace.  This was merely an introduction to the PSU mileage measurement system I would come to know all so well.  But it was also my introduction to running "in the woods" which is one of my greatest memories of all my PSU years.  I would recommend running at PSU for anyone just because of the mountains and scenery of these routes.

But before Mark Parker became a running mate on my very first PSU run, I must say I saw his future wife even before that.  Early in the AM dark, I saw her streak across the road in front of us at the park across from Easterly Parkway on my way to the dorm with all my belongings in the Ford station wagon.  She was running very fast, but what was weird was the cast on her left foot she was running with.  Kathy Mills had just had surgery but didn't seem to miss a beat.  I have no idea how she did that, and would never recommend that to any of my patients.  As Coach Groves has said, "She is the toughest runner I ever saw."

Kathy (Mills) Parker with the Women's Team.

PSU Record Holders Kathy (MIlls) Parker (5000M) and Kara Foster (10000M).

The Women's Team meets Nike President Mark Parker and Kathy (Mills) Parker.

Two American Record holders, Kathy (Mills) Parker (5000M and WR!) and Greg Fredericks (10000M).