Saturday, April 30, 2016

Phabulous Phriday in Philly


And our Interns were there!

There were many highlights at the Carnival's second day.  Until the decision to withdrawal from the Sprint Medley Relay late in the day, Penn State was on track to be represented in ALL Championship of America Relays. The 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 teams all qualified for the finals in action on Phriday!

But of course, the highlight for us was the victory in the Distance Medley Relay by the Nittany Lion quartet of Robby Creese (1200M), Alex Shisler (400M), Isaiah Harris (800M) and Brannon Kidder (1600M) in the time of 9:35.51 !  All photos from unpaid intern Phil Passen except the last one!

Brannon Kidder leading the tall Ahmed Bile of Georgetown.
Wheels Up!


A happy bunch.

Robby Creese in lane 2 eyes the competition.

Intrepid (unpaid) Intern Phil Passen.

Alex Shisler with the lead!

Victory! (Photo by W&M Alum Tim O'Dowd via Brian Mount.)

And with Robby, Brannon and Alex graduating, PSU certainly needs to reload some talent.  But never fear, WE SEEM TO HAVE THAT COVERED!


Nittany Lion recruit Michael Slagowski of Rocky Mountain High School (ID) became the ninth prep runner to dip below the four-minute mark in the mile today. He ran 3:59.53 at the Nike Jesuit Relays in Portland, Oregon.

Slagowski, who ran a solo 1:48.70 800m earlier this year, formerly owned a 4:05.71 personal best for the mile. His performance today marked the fourth sub-four-minute mile run by a prep in the past calendar year.

Future Nittany Lion.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Distance Night Performances

Here's all the PSU related distance results from the 2016 Penn Relays by place (just to mess with your mind).

  • Tessa Barrett                  2nd place   5000M        16:08.11
  • Jillian Hunsberger          4th place  5000M    16:27.39
  • Brian Fuller (Alumni)    7th place  5000M    14:38.25
  • Colin Abert                     9th place   5000M         14:10.66
  • Ean Disilvio                    9th place   3000M SC    9:06.25
  • Timothy McGowan       11th place   5000M      14:10.94
  • John Dugan                    13th place  3000M SC    9:13.90
  • Kyle Dawson (Alumni) 14th place   5000M  14:46.33
  • John McGowan             20th place   5000M     14:23.09
  • Wade Endress                24th place   5000M     14:28.83
And a special note for Don Skerpon's daughter Elyse Skerpon, who was 2nd in her heat of the 400M H!

  • Elyse Skerpon                32nd place  400M H     1:03.53
  • Rachel DeCecco             44th place   400M H     1:04.89


Thursday, April 28, 2016

It's Distance Night At Penn Relays!

I've made quite a few, but will miss this one.  Kelly O'Brien and Brian Boyer will be there.  If you are also, make sure to find them and get a picture for the blog!

And here's a pic of Paavo Nurmi setting the world record in the 2 Mile at Penn in 1929 with his 9:15.4!  (14:29 3 Mile victory the night before.)


Thanks to the world's greatest Track Historian for allowing me to swipe all of this stuff.  Mike Fanelli is the greatest!

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

I'm Surprised Anyone Was Even Close!

Jesse Owens must have been "taking it easy" at the 1936 Penn Relays 100M dash finals.  But he did set the meet record with a 10.5 eighty years ago!!!!


Thanks to Judy Lynn Weaver for the pic.  (One of our roaming, unpaid interns.)

Monday, April 25, 2016

Not Running Much, Eating and Barfing (and worse) In China: An Unwanted, Intimate Look at Chinese Health Care

I often joke that I only adopted my daughter from China because I wanted a first hand look at real Chinese Food. And though that is certainly partially true, the adoption has become one of the top three moments in my life, marriage and the birth of my other daughter tie it for the overall title.

When we found out that our daughter, selected for us with honest, careful scrutiny by the Chinese Government, was in Kunming, Yunnan Province, we had to look it up in order to have a clue where it was.  We were intrigued to learn it was in Southwestern China, surrounded by Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Tibet and Sichuan.



Kunming is a beautiful city with a very temperate climate, almost never going below 40 degrees F or above 80 degrees F.  Flowers bloom all year round and the Chinese view the area like we view Florida for our vacations.  And because the whole plateau of Kunming is surrounded by mountains on 3 sides and lies at more than 8,000 feet elevation, endurance athletes have many sports camps there.

Upon arrival at the airport after a mind-numbing 24 hours of total flight time, our guide was nowhere to be seen.  We ended up hailing a cab.  We soon discovered that just about everyone there either knew English or was learning English.  And if they weren't, they had a Chinese-English dictionary in their pocket.  And I do mean everyone...

Our cabdriver took the three of us and our bags in a car about the size of a smart car and off we went.  He apologized numerous times for us visiting China and only getting to see such a "small city" like his.  We tried to tell him that at more than 3,000,000 people, Kunming would be one of the larger cities in our country.  There, it was a blip on the radar.

With all the travel, I didn't get a chance to run at all for the two days of travel and arrival in Kunming.  We looked forward to a leisurely day off, but were rudely interrupted by the news that we were going to the orphanage early the next day for the official adoption!

When they brought JiaYi Guan into the room, I immediately recognized her from the several pictures we were sent over the preceding months.  She had a wrinkled forehead just like in every pic I had memorized.  Worry must have been one of her main companions.

JiaYi, showing the furrowed brow of worry. It soon disappeared.

JiaYi's original passport.


She was dressed in about 9 layers of clothing, (I am not making that up!).  It was related to us previously that this was always the case, as the guarding of babies is a national obsession.  Strangers on the street have no hesitation in coming up to your baby and zipping up their jacket or securing the 2 hats on their head.  Personal space does not exist in rural China.  Neither do lines.  All lines we so carefully queue up in here in America are free-for-alls in China.  And no one ever complains when you butt in line ahead of them, because they only regret that they weren't butting in front of you!

She also smelled like soy sauce.  Strong, pungent soy sauce.  All the babies in the orphanage were on soy formula, and it permeated every pore of our little JiaYi.  The bottle nipples were also festooned with a rather large hole.  That way the formula poured out and they could feed the babies quicker.

The care and love for the children was more than apparent during the tour of the facility.  I was amazed at the dedication and true love that the caregivers gave these abandoned girls.  There were tears in their eyes as they were handed to their new parents, with the obligatory tugging of all the clothing layers.

Luckily for us, JiaYi took to us right away.  We had been prepared for a little tiny baby, as at many orphanages in China, conditions are such that their growth is slow.  But certainly not at The Kunming facility!  Our daughter was twice as big as we expected, so the extra layers of clothes helped because we had hardly anything with us that would be suitable.  We had to cut the feet off all the onesies and make capris out of them, for instance.  Then the hunt was on for socks, as we had none that fit...

Our first forays out of the hotel were to find clothing at the department store (The Cherry Blossom) across the main road in front of the 4-Star Kunming Hotel.  Maybe 20 lanes of traffic were there with 4 reserved for bicycles, which were "wall-to-wall" as far as you could see.  The occasional street cleaner would come by with its warning song "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" (I'm not making that up!).

The entire first floor of the department store was reserved for mushrooms and ginseng, some of which had price tags of the equivalent of thousands of dollars.  Didn't hang around there much.  But the baby section was well stocked and we bought what we figured was hundreds of dollars worth of stuff, which somehow came out to be really barely $10 total.  And the clerks giggled as we walked away, thinking they had ripped us off!  It was one time in life that a win-win was actually manifested.

We decided to stay in for the night, getting to know our new family member.  We ordered room service and played a game with our giggling newcomer called "up and down" as she mimicked our other daughter's every move on the bed.  She learned right away to push up when we said "up" and to flop down when we said "down", even though we didn't move! Everyone told us that the girls from Kunming are both tall and smart, and that is certainly true.  Her wrinkled brow was almost totally gone by this time, which we correctly interpreted as a very good sign. We all were tuckered out and settled in for the night...

Then , all Hell broke lose....

The culprit. Across Bridge Rice Noodle (Yunnan Guoqiao Mixian)


One of the things we ordered for room service was the regional dish of noodles with vegetables in chicken broth.  It is said to be exquisite.  My one sip with the big Chinese spoon tasted funny and all of us put it aside to munch on the more American foods in our order.

Right on schedule (4-6 hours after ingestion), I was rudely interrupted from sleep for a violent food poisoning episode unlike any I have ever had before. I did not know that at the time.  I only knew that my insides were now gone!  Total emptying of my gastrointestional tract was accomplished with the first bout, but somehow they just kept coming.  Unbeknownst to me, our Chinese Handler was beckoned from her home to come to the Hotel.  She found a dried husk of a human being still trying to rid himself of anything of a liquid nature in his body.  Uncontrollably. Loudly.  Oblivious to all around him.  I honestly wished I could just die then.  Happiness to the bottom of despair in just 4 hours!

Xulan, all 4' 6", 85 pounds of her, took a test tube out of her pocket and poured what looked like a handful of black BB's into her palm. She gave them to me and said in an authoritative voice, "EAT THEM, EAT ALL OF THEM, NOW!"  When I hesitated, I thought she was going to kick me in the groin.  Which, in my present condition, would have been instantaneously fatal.  SO I HESITATED AGAIN.  I really wished I could just quietly die.  But the twitch I saw in her leg made my survival instinct return and I swallowed all of them in one big gulp.  Tasted sorta like fish mixed with dirt with a hint of garbage, but it was quick so I stood for a second and....

I Felt Better!
( Xulan told me "You never want to know what was in that handful."  And I believe her.)

Not completely better, but from that instant on I didn't barf (or worse) again.

Then I began my meanderings through the Chinese Health System.  I was taken by taxi with Xulan and my out-of-his-league brother to the "Western" Hospital in Kunming, Kunming Yanan Hospital ER.  A tiny chart was opened for me with all the usual questions relayed through three interpreters and my brother.  We waited on a long wooden bench, and I was drained of all life.  I was aware enough to see the squalor around me, dried blood (and worse!) on the floor in a horrendously overworked ER.  (I could out-do Ryan McGarry's Code Black even on their worse day!)  I really felt too bad to care, but I later learned that my brother was really freaked out.

Four bare-chested men dragged a blanket into the center of the room and dumped what looked like a human being that had been disassembled and crumpled back into a ball and placed in a blanket.  It was someone who had fallen from a great height on one of the thousands of construction site bamboo scaffoldings that covered the city.  Inexperienced farmers from outside the city were tasked with construction work none of them should have ever done, and this was the inevitable result.  I was glad that they then ushered me into a treatment room, as I couldn't stand to watch him die in front of me.  I think my brother got the honor of that, although I have never spoken to him about that since.



The doctor and three interpreters then did their thing and let me know that it was probably food poisoning (Duh, I thought to myself.  It honestly hadn't occurred to me! Or it was possibly appendicitis.  A surgeon was being consulted!

This immediately caused me to leave the hospital against the advice of the doctor.  I was freaked out that I may have to have surgery in essentially a barn in rural China!  I needed the advice of my wife and others as to what to do?

I called a surgeon friend at 8:00PM from China when it was 8:00AM here and he was just getting to work.  I told him everything and he said it wasn't my appendix but I should find the best hospital and have them render a second opinion.

I called the US Consulate in China and told them my story and they got several people working on it and came to the conclusion that the best hospital within 2,000 miles of where I was... was the same one I had been to!  I slunk off in shame, still feeling quite ill and returned to the belly of the beast in another cab.  Somehow, my shell-shocked brother again accompanied me.

And it was all different!

My doctor took me right in and spoke better English than I did on this second visit.  My little chart reappeared and the doctor decided that it was only food poisoning and I would get better gradually without any treatment at all but he wanted to give me antibiotics "just in case".  He told me that the vegetables were undercooked in my soup and that I got sick because the Chinese use special fertilizer for their crops.  (Human waste, or Nightsoil as they call it. Never eat undercooked veggies in China.  I have taken it to mean salads are Satan's Dish since!)

I agreed to the whole thing and was immediately ushered to the rather large treatment room.  I was placed on a cot and an IV was started in my hand and an IV bottle of what looked like Karo syrup was dripped into my hand, drop by agonizing drop.  Using my uncanny mental faculties, I tried to figure out how long the bottle would take at the rate it was going and came up with 6 days to 6 weeks as the quite firm result!

I think this was my real IV, not antibiotics.

Meanwhile people were coming in and getting IVs and leaving the whole while I was there.  This was the outpatient treatment center for a large area of Southwest China.  The nurse told me I shouldn't worry, which I didn't until another nurse related that everyone else was being treated for tuberculosis.  They were happy to see me, as I was a change of pace for them!

As the bottle dripped in (over 4 hours real time, 4 days in my mind's eye) I finally saw light at the end of the tunnel!  And then the nurse brought in the SECOND bottle.  I was shattered by this time and needed some way of diverting myself from the torture I was enduring.  Then it came to me.  I had to go to the bathroom (#2, and without urgency!!!)  A trip to the bathroom was a great diversion.  The nurse arranged an escort from a visitor watching a friend get his TB treatment to escort me to the bathroom down the hall.  I carried my glass bottle IV just like on Dr. Welby MD,  and dragged my sorry butt and gown down the hall to what I figured would be a "step up in accommodations".

But, Boy was I wrong! 

I've told this story to some of you before, but please defer to me again.  I will try to describe the bathroom in exactly the fashion it was.  100% total accuracy, I promise...

The room at first glance was almost like I expected.  To the left of the rather large room was a series of sinks with faucets just like we would expect.  Tile floor, fluorescent lighting,  paper towel dispensers.  Check.  Check. and Check.

Turning to the right, I was immediately confused.  Where was I?  What was I to do?  What had I gotten myself into?  There was a large trough in the middle of a sloping floor in front of me.  There were little foot shaped islands in the middle of the trough, and...  Nothing Else?  There was a trap door at the top of the slope and a trap door at the bottom of the slope.  Enough room for many people.  But doing what? No partitions, no dividers...  no nothing?


I busied myself by going to the sink and pretending to thoroughly wash as much of myself as I could.  The Chinese escort looked on in bemusement, not fooled in the least.  He gestured to me and showed me how to use the islands for my feet, squat and do what needed to be done in the trough.  Well, I obeyed and all came out well, as it were.  I was relieved until he motioned to me to use my hand to wipe and step back onto the floor.  I couldn't do it and just jumped up grabbed a paper towel to wipe and threw it into the trough.  He was aghast, as paper must not be allowed in the trough for some reason.  But I feigned mental illness and he seemingly let it slide.

Just then the top door of "The Slope" opened and a huge rush of water came down, washing everything down the slope and smashing it into the bottom door with a sickening thud.  Maybe ten people's deposits or so, including mine with the (gasp!) paper!  Then the bottom door opened and everything kind of slowly slumped outside (I do not know where?).  The evidence of my paper wipe crime went with it as long as my escort didn't squeal on me.

We trudged back into the TB sanitarium where he immediately blurted out some animated Chinese and everyone in the room laughed at the stupid American's expense.  So much for the Nixon Diplomacy!

As the drops of corn syrup continued to accumulate in my veins, Xulan returned and asked me what I wanted to drink.  I finally was thirsty!  "Grape juice" I replied as that was what I always had after any illness growing up.  She left and returned quickly with a big container from, of all places, Walmart!  (Check the map if you wish!) Grapes never tasted so good.

The last antibiotic drops were just about to fall when a big ruckus ensued and several people in the finest suits I had ever seen approached.  With them was my wife!  The men gestured and bowed like the Japanese always do and were apparently apologizing to me!  They brought elaborate floral arrangements with them (I hope I can find the pictures!) and apologized again and again.  I suppose they figured Americans were a litigious lot, and they are probably right.  But not this guy.  I accepted their apology with the 3 interpreters smiling profusely.  All was right with the world.  The total cost for 2 ER visits, treatments and all supplies for the whole ordeal came to $118.  I paid in cash.  With a smile so broad, they figured I was truly insane!

And it was done!
Or was it?  Part 2 coming... (This one only took me 15 years to write down.) 





Another Marathon Record In Space

Astronaut Tim Peake from Great Britain "ran the London Marathon" (and Here) while in the International Space Station over the weekend.  He bested the unofficial record set by Sunita Williams (4:24) with his 3:35:21.




 

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Owen Dawson Rocking The Alumni Singlet: And One Last Tribute

Owen Dawson has been hard at work for the Penn State Track Team, but has
still found the time to stay in terrific shape.  He has even moved up in distance at the Stanford Twilight Meet, an exciting change considering he wore his Alumni Singlet too! (Ean Disilvio in the same race, and confuses the announcers to no end because of our Alumni Singlet!!!)




And my last tribute to Prince... Now that word has leaked of Prince's rather tortured existence since the early 1980's, Eric Clapton's life comes into even more remarkable focus. Eric wrote his song Holy Mother after watching Purple Rain during a rather low point in his life, and credited it with helping bring him out of a deep depression.




Saturday, April 23, 2016

The Nittany Lions Are Invading Penn Relays This Week: You Should Be There Too!

 Things are looking good for the PSU Middle Distance Corps heading into the meat of the season.  With the Penn Relays next in store for them, the entire group seems to be rounding into terrific shape.  There were fine performances in Stanford by all of them, with Robby Creese's 1500M time of 3:43 being the "least best" of them!  Wow!

The Lions are entered in all the Championships of America Relays in events with middle distance influence.  (Sprint Medley, Distance Medley, 4 x800 and 4 xMile).  Which will be featured and which will be emphasized may only be in the head of Coach Gondak right now?  (Pick the 4 x800, please!)

The Nittany Lions would like your help heading into Saturday's events.  You can give your support and be a part of the magic by attending the Friday Night Reception.  Official Physicist Brian Boyer will be there all the way from Vienna, so your excuse is weak! (As is mine. Sigh!)

Get your RSVP in to Owen Dawson Now!















Men's 1500m, Heat 1 - Brannon Kidder with a blazing last 300m!: Watch Penn State's Brannon Kidder take down a loaded men's 1500m field with an extra gear at 300m to go. Kidder closed for a winning time of 3:40.11, followed by Joshua Thompson in 3:41.88 and Sean McGorty in 3:42.22.

Friday, April 22, 2016

News From Minnesota

The sad news is, of course, old news already.  Prince was just about my age, but is no more.  He packed a lot into those 57 years, with thousands of new musical diversions still squirreled away at his compound.  (Hint: Never become successful enough to have your own Compound. Nothing good ever seems to come from it.)

Prince running. Photo by David Rivkin.


One of the best stories I heard was from Joe Piscopo, who was friends with Prince since his times of SNL glory.  He related that he once partied all night with Prince and Micheal Lindell, creator of My Pillow.  Still made in Minnesota!  (I have a My Pillow, and it is worth the $10 price tag.  A very good pillow.)

Apparently Lindell never even knew who he was partying with after spending the whole night with Prince!   Lindell's substance abuse tales are well known, and he has been sober for many years now.  RIP Prince

"I don't know. Go ask Prince."
-Eric Clapton, when asked what it was like to be the best guitarist alive. 


And speaking of Minnesota... Ken Cooper does a lot more than bring his Annual March Madness Pool to our Universe every year.  He keeps in great shape too!

Ken has run a mile in less than 5:00 for 30 straight years. His entry this past year was 4:45 in an Indoor event.

Next up for Ken is the Penn Relays 4 x 400 in his new Alumni Singlet.  Good luck.


Thursday, April 21, 2016

Three Items of Interest

First, the college entrants for the Penn Relays were announced yesterday.  For the PSU Men:

DMR         Robby Creese, Alex Shisler
Isaiah Harris, Brannon Kidder
SMR          Xavier Smith, Malik Moffett
Alex Shisler, Brannon Kidder
4xMile       Wade Endress, Colin Abert
Brannon Kidder, Robby Creese
4x800        Robby Creese, Jordan Makins
 Isaiah Harris, Brannon Kidder 

Second, there's another reminder on why supporting the Program is important!


Third:  Extensive study reveals the "hardest" race of all.....   (I have my doubts, having done them all.)

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

On Top of The World

So far, Rob Whiteside has the only accepted excuse for missing the Alumni Reunion and Golf Tournament.  He will be on the Appalachian Trail with his daughter Phoebe halfway done his Through-Hike.  That means the rest of you need to get your entry forms in NOW!

Rob Whiteside atop McAfee's Knob, Virginia.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

That OTHER Top Ten Womens Finish

With all the conversation on Neely Spence-Gracey's marathon debut in 2:35:00 for ninth at the Boston Marathon, it would be easy to miss the top ten performance from one of our own.

Doreen McCoubrie ran a splendid 3:16:54 for tenth place in the over 50 age group!  (That despite the fact that I swear she is in her early 30s.)

Congrats on a great run.  Hope to see you at the upcoming Reunion!!!


Monday, April 18, 2016

Marathons Are Taxing!

Today, Michael Gross and Doreen Startare McCoubrie will be braving the Hopkinton to Boston Course.  And at least one of them will be sporting a brand new Alumni Singlet.  Good Luck out there. And remember my only marathoning advice:  Start slow and taper off....


Sunday, April 17, 2016

Today's Arbitrary Highlight! Triple Jump

My one and only Triple Jump occurred in the 9th grade and soared to more than 33 feet!  That was the same day as my only high jump over 5 feet.  Since I couldn't carry a pole vault pole and the javelin was still prohibited, I was never going to be a multi-eventer...

The Bison Invitational at Bucknell was the scene of some fine Nittany Lion and Nitany Lion Alums Triple Jumps yesterday.  Brian Leap (still makes me giggle!) won the Triple Jump with a fine 53' 4.25" (16.27M).  But just behind him was Steve Waithe (Alum) with 15.86M and Hanif Johnson (Alum) with 15.22M.


Saturday, April 16, 2016

Workout Wednesday: Penn State Women Ladder Workout


 I bit the bullet and signed up for Flo Track Pro in order to watch the upcoming Penn Relays Carnival live.  That means I can share other videos and content from them on our site after the fact.  Here's Coach Gondak and Coach Reckart putting the "girls" through their first indoor workout of the season.  (Will I get in trouble by calling them girls?)

Workout Wednesday: Penn State Women Ladder Workout:

FloTrack took a trip to Happy Valley to see the Penn State women do their "go to" workout for opening up the 2016 indoor season.

Workout: 3x200 2x300 1x400 2x300 3x200 w/ 90 sec rest

Group 1 featuring Tori Gerlach - 10min Warm-Up/10min Tempo/10min Cooldown  33.8/34.3/34.0/50.5/51.5/66.2/49.5/49.1/31.1/33.2/28.5

Group 2 featuring Tessa Barrett - 10min Warm-Up/10min Tempo/10min Cooldown  34.4/35.1/34.6/52.8/52.3/70.3/52.0/52.0/32.8/32.9/29

Friday, April 15, 2016

Official Logo Finalized For Our Upcoming Nike Store

Our very first online sale of Nike Jackets will open with our Alumni Reunion on May 20thBackpacks will also be available. I will have samples of both to review at the Reunion.  We will keep the store open for several weeks before the items are embroidered and shipped.  All items will be shipped and in-hand approximately 1 month after closure of the sale. 

I chose only the highest quality items which will have the broadest appeal and choice of sizes.  The Mens jacket will come in sufficient smaller sizes to appeal to Women also.  And everyone needs a good backpack!

We will add items during Quarterly sales and will take suggestions on which items would be preferred.


Thursday, April 14, 2016

Jeremiah, err, Rob Whiteside Passes The 1/4 Mark Of His "Walk In The Woods"

Rob Whiteside and his daughter Phoebe have braved snow, hail and temperatures as low as 10 degrees since the last update.  But they have soldiered on at a clip of more than 15 miles/day.  They have passed the 1/4 mark of the length of the Appalachian Trail and are now past mile 600 in their journey.  Way to go Jeremiah,   err Rob.


Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Let's Create A Distance Running Program We Can All Agree On (Maybe An Impossible Task?)

This just won't be good enough!
I love to get feedback.  Often it is good, but sometimes it is bad.  So I figured we should start a chain of training advice and keep adding to it, or subtracting from it, or altering it until we all have a consensus on a good overall distance training program for a promising newcomer to the sport. Maybe it's a pipe dream and all we will do is argue.  But let's give it a go.  Everyone is welcome.

Similar to other things like this I have tried, this may be a complete flop, but I think it has potential for an interesting discussion, give-and-take, and pleasant arguments.  It may also reveal reasons why some of us were "good" distance runners while others were "great" distance runners.

In order to do this, we will have to use Facebook as our means of communication.  All of our posts are also on our Facebook Page and comments are enabled there.  Due to Trolls and other vermin, comments were eliminated directly on the Blog With It All.  (But even that may be changing soon!)  It will also mean that some of you who lurk in the shadows may have to chime in with a suggestions now and then.

I expect this to be a long-range project, much as my 800M Analysis Through the Decades is. (Since I really haven't started that yet!)

First Entry:   (from me)  The best piece of training advice I ever received was to run twice daily at least 5 days a week, preferably 6.

GO... 

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

It's A Warm Up Party For Our Reunion!

The Penn State Track & Field program would like to invite you to the 2016 Penn Relays Party at
The Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel
3549 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Friday, April 29th | 8-10 PM
Admittance will be a 30$ donation to the program
An Open Bar and Light Food will be provided
Please RSVP to Ofd5000@psu.edu by April 22nd
Come cheer on the Nittany Lions as they compete at the 122nd Penn Relays April 28th-30th

Wheels...

and watches.

Monday, April 11, 2016

A Solo Effort By A Future Nittany Lion

Michael Slagowski, last seen on the podium of the high school New Balance Indoor National Championships, ran a solo 1:48.70 800M in the Pulse Invitational in Idaho on Saturday.  Welcome to Happy Valley in the Fall!

Thanks to Coach Reckart for the link!





Now It's Time To Fill Out The Form

Time keeps moving forward at a seeming ever-increasing pace for everyone but the brightest theoretical Physicists among us.  Now is the time to fill out the entry form for the 2016 Penn State Track and Field Alumni Reunion and Coach Harry Groves Golf Tournament.

Remember, the golf is always optional, but highly recommended.  No skill or experience is really necessary, and there are people emblazoned on the Championship Cup who never even held a golf club before our tournament.  It's a chance to spend some time with some of the greatest people on the planet.  But if you opt to not golf, there is always the Climb of Mt. Nittany with my dog Pooky, who will be doing her 5th in a row!  There is the Alumni "Run" where you can eat donuts and drink coffee even without running.  You'll be able to check out Airship 800U in it's first PSU Track flight to record the shenanigans.

If costs are holding you up, get in touch with me or any one of our Idiot Officers and we will help. This will be the biggest and most fun Reunion yet.

Click on the form and print it.  Fill it out and send it with payment to be part of the Largest and Most Active Track Alumni Group in the World. All leftover funds are destined for the Coach Groves Scholarship Endowment.

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Two Nice Trips

Spring is supposed to be here.  Two of our own traveled to Georgia for the Masters Weekend.  Original Alumni Golfer Bill Malchano was there for some practice rounds, and Larry Mangan might be there today?? Yes indeed!  Larry saw 3 holes-in-one today at 16!



Meanwhile the Team traveled to Eugene for the Pepsi Invitational, a four-way scored meet of powerful teams. And the result was good indeed. The Men tied Oregon for the shared win, and the Women were a close second to Oregon. That kind of trip is certainly one to remember for all the athletes and coaches. Expect a little bump in the rankings to come!

And what would a report be without a little bit about the 800M?  Brannon Kidder (1:47.40) and Isaiah Harris (1:47.87) were one/two in the event with Jordan Makins coming in 5th.  Check out the full results for plenty of excellent times, distances and heights.



Friday, April 8, 2016

Coming Soon: A New Sale Of Nike Jackets And Bags!

 These will come with lettering of:  Penn State Track and Field Alumni
in white with a stylized track.  (Exact artwork not yet available.)
 

Nike Team League Jacket

Dri-Fit long-sleeve full-zip knit jacket. Contrast insets across shoulder, down the sleeves, and on the side panel. Contrast zipper. Side pockets. Body width: 21.75”, Body length: 27.5” (size large). Tall body length: +2.375” (all sizes). Fabric: 100% polyester. Men’s sizing.
Price:  about $75


NIKE Club Team Swoosh Backpack

Durable Backpack Comfortably Hauls Everything You Need

NIKE Club Team Swoosh Backpack features:

  • Large main opening with dual zippers for easy access
  • Multiple pockets for organization
  • Exterior side water bottle pocket/additional storage
  • Padded shoulder straps and back for a comfortable wear
  • Screened Swoosh logo on front
  • Separate wet/dry compartment for shoes or gear
  • Water-resistant tarpaulin bottom protects gear
  • Dimensions: 19"H x 14"W x 11" D
  • Fabric: 100% Polyester      
Price: about $50

Thursday, April 7, 2016

On Top The Podium!

Our Left Coast Contact Nick Scarpello shows us how its done.  Even with a job!  Way to go, Nick.

Nick placed first in the Carlsbad 5K (in 14:31), part of the Rock and Roll Series last weekend.  That is a big Record for Idiot Officers of our Group.  But I'm not positive I told him about the Idiot part of becoming a power-broker of our group?

Being part of a team, he isn't able to flash the Alumni Singlet as much anymore.  So maybe he will be enticed to purchase one of our Alumni Nike Back Packs in the upcoming sale.  As I don't think he will be needing a jacket in sunny Southern Cal...


Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Just In Time For The Penn Relays AND The Boston Marathon!


The latest shipment of Alumni Singlets is ready for shipping.  That will be just in time for some big events.  We already told you about the quartet of Masters who will be sporting theirs in the 4 x 400 at Penn.  But Michael Gross will sport his for the entire 26.2 miles of Boston!!!

And for those who missed out on the latest Alumni Singlet and T-Shirt order, another sale will be coming.  We don't know when!!!  But soon another order will be going on for Alumni Jackets and Back Packs.  These will be high quality Nike Products with script of Penn State Track and Field Alumni with a stylized track logo There will only be a 2-week window to order and we need a minimum number for them to be made and shipped.  Please consider purchasing one or both when the time comes.  We don't make any money from the sale, but the exposure for our group is gaining momentum!



Updates: Son of Sam and Jeremiah Johnson?

No sooner had I brought up Son of Sam as an oblique reference to the recent slashing of a jogger at Van Cortlandt Park, than Spike Lee had to jump on my bandwagon!

I put the Trailer for Spike's film Summer of Sam on the post.  Now Spike claims that Donald Trump is Son of Sam for the terror he has instilled in New Yorkers.  It's a stretch, even for the idiot who ruined Marthas Vineyard with his out-of-place mansion on the north shore.

And Rob Whiteside continues his trek along the eastern spine of the United States.  Up and down, up and down, over and over again.  He's well into Virginia now, braving cold nights and the vagaries of the youth with him.  Daughter the Elder is with him and has declared that I may use her name and image on the blog with it all!  Phoebe and Rob have somehow stuck together for the first 25% of their trip without driving each other crazy!

Rob and Phoebe.

Rob doing what he does best.

Looking a little grim early in the AM.

"Goodbye to all that. (Politics) I am turning into Jeremiah Johnson, a shunner." -Rob Whiteside.
You can follow Rob and see more pics on his Facebook site.

Rob relates he is turning into Jeremiah Johnson, but I really hope not.  The real Jeremiah, not the Robert Redford one, killed 300 Crow Indians after one of them killed his wife.  Ate all of their livers, according to a myth I don't believe...



Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Alumni Singlets Will Be At The Penn Relays!

The not-so-old quartet of  Todd Kletter, Jake Bartholomy, Ken Cooper and Ron Caldwell will be sporting our one-of-a-kind, distinctive singlets on Saturday at the Penn Relays.  They will test out the new lay-out and fresh Rekortan surface in the 4 x 400 (Masters?) Division.  Plenty of Alums will be there to cheer them on.

New position of steeple pit.

The best singlet on the market.





Monday, April 4, 2016

Yonkers Has Always Been A Hotbed of Crime

The recent uptick in crime hasn't just happened in Manhattan.  It has now moved out to the suburbs north of the city.  And even to a place near and dear to XC runner's hearts!  Yonkers' neighboring Van Cortlandt Park was the scene of a slashing of a jogger on the running and horse trails.  Yonkers was also the home of postal worker David Berkowitz, the notorious Son of Sam.


Not unlike many State College Game Lands trails.


Yonkers isn't all bad, it has been pointed out to me. And they actually recently restored a river that had been buried under the city for many years.

And still no one has commented on my new avatar on the right sidebar.  Made from a Powerpuff Girl avatar app, celebrating the return of the great cartoon from the  early 2000's. There is also another avatar at the very bottom of every web site post, featuring me as Cartman the Blogger.  Which do you think is more accurate?

Sunday, April 3, 2016

It's Not 7:11.17, But Still A Good Opening Salvo

The Boys.
The PSU quartet that ran individual events on Friday doubled back Saturday to combine for a 7:19 4x800M Relay victory in the Land of Sun and a Giant Rat.

 
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