National Athlete Of The Week!

All the chatter among the nerdy class on running message boards was about the returning NCAA XC Champion Syracuse Orangemen and the debut of their transfer Iliass Aouani.  But when all was done at the Coach Grove Spiked Shoe Invitational, Tessa Barrett stole the show.

Tessa was named the USTFCCCA Athlete of the week for her dominating performance in the 6K race.

More Photos From The Spiked Shoe Invitational

First, get off your butt this Monday morning and order some stuff from the Kelly's Sports Store!  We have met the minimum order for everything except the t-shirts.  SO ORDER A T-SHIRT, WHY DON'T YOU?

It's as easy as....

1. Go to www.kellysteamsports.com
2. Click on    SHOP YOUR TEAM STORE
3. Type in the password:  PSTFA16

All orders must be placed by  September 19th!!!!!!!

All photos stolen from Bob Trump!  Use the comment section to supply captions to the photos.

A Brotherhood. We Are!

And by Brotherhood, I mean all of us, women included.  If that is allowed in this politically correct world? (Even if it isn't.)

And speaking of brothers, I saw quite a few families represented yesterday at the Coach Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational.

• The Fuller Brothers manned 60% of the Alumni Team.  And you all know that I can never remember which is which! (Fuller Harem member Mary Dell finished 4th in the Women's race.)

Psu Alumni
  643    30  Brian Fuller               27:36    5:18
  644    64  Mark Fuller                30:07    5:48
  732    65  Nick Scipro  (?)              30:15    5:49
  645    71  Kevin Fuller               31:05    5:59
  731    73  Sam Masters                32:29    6:15

Fullers with Harem. Which is which?

•  Owen Dawson represented the Dawson twins!
• Middle distance recruit William Ashenfelter, grandson of Horace Ashenfelter of the Ashenfelter Bros. was there.
• The McGowan brothers were representing PSU  (5th - Tim, John - 27th)

Visit the store and buy some stuff, Please! 

 Remember the rules:

1. Go to www.kellysteamsports.com
2. Click on    SHOP YOUR TEAM STORE
3. Type in the password:  PSTFA16

All orders must be placed by  September 19th!!!!!!!

The Coach Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational

Don't forget to get your orders in for the store!  It closes in 9 days!!!!

It was a pleasure seeing so many friends at the Meet today!  Let me try to name as many as I can...

• Coach Harry Groves
• Coach John Gondak
• Coach Bill Whittaker
• Dan Curran
• Laura Loht
• Owen Dawson
• Isaiah Harris
• Elyse Skerpon
• Steve and Beth Shisler
• Dave Felice
• Artie Gilkes
• Greg Fredericks
• Tim Backenstose
• Nick K.

Daughter the Elder, Pooky and Coach Groves.

Photo by Daughter the Elder.

Photo by Daughter the Elder.

And there is one person I expected to see but didn't.  Roger "Gunny" Roll was involved in an automobile accident after having dinner with Coach Groves and others last night.  He did not attend the meet, but is said to be banged up "just a little" and did not go to the hospital. He won't be using that car again, as both were totaled.  If you know his history and service to our country, you can understand him trying to avoid a hospital trip.  Everyone keep him in your thoughts and prayers. There is no one quite like Gunny and PSU T&FXC owes him a debt of gratitude beyond measure.

The Women dominated the meet, while the Orangemen of Syracuse ran away with the Mens title.
Airship 800U did indeed see some action, but I did not push things to the limit.  I have some aerial shots of both starts and action from the Womens leaders at 4K and the Men at 7K.  It was fun flying the bird on a hot day in State College.

The Store Is Open!!!!

The second opening of the Kelly's Sports Store is upon us!

Remember the rules:

1. Go to www.kellysteamsports.com
2. Click on    SHOP YOUR TEAM STORE
3. Type in the password:  PSTFA16

All orders must be placed by  September 19th!!!!!!!

Shipping of the items will then begin on around October 19th and you should have your items in time for Halloween.

The t-shirts are subject to a minimum print order, so order a few to make sure everyone can get them!

Nike Team Gameday Polo

Holloway Tailgate Blanket

Cotton Pre-Shrunk T-shirt

Under Armour Ace Rain Jacket

Nike Team Overtime Jacket

To Drone Or Not To Drone, That Is The Question

We are still waiting for the artwork finalization of the logo before the Kelly's Sports Store will open, but I will certainly let everyone know when that door is open!  And like the doors at LL Bean, they will stay open 24/7 but only for a 2-week period of time.  Stay tuned!  

Not sure if I will be able to fly Airship 800U tomorrow at the Coach Groves Spiked Shoe Meet, but I hope to.  We will see what the authorities say.  Here's yesterday's XC meet of Daughter the Younger's York Suburban squad, who won the quad meet with scores of 15, 15 and 16...

Triathletes Die At More Than Twice The Rate Of Marathon Runners

It has been nearly 8 years since I discussed the 2 friends that died right after the swimming portion of a triathlon.  I postulated that the coldness of the water had an effect of the heart which no amount of training could mitigate.  And with more and more scientific scrutiny over those 8 years I have been proven correct.  I have always been a keen, observant scientist.  And never a swimmer.

RIP Bob Potts and Dr. Mike Conte.

Mike Conte, right, next to group friend Pat Davey at the Dogwood Relays.

Will I Or Won't I?

The season's first home meet will occur this Saturday on the PSU Blue/White Golf Courses.  I will try to make it up for a Airship 800U drone flight if possible, although I am not too sure I can.  Who knows what authority will come along and haul me away if I do?  Even though I have a $1,000,000 liability policy for the flight...

The Spiked Shoe Invitational is at 10:00AM on Saturday 9/10/2016.

The McGowan Brothers lead the way. Photo stolen from Gretchen Mills.

Airship 800U.

Preview Of This Week's Group Sale: Remember, It's Only For Two Weeks!

The second opening of our Group Store will occur this week, possibly tomorrow.  When it opens, I will alert everyone via this humble blog, Twitter and Facebook.  Thank you to those who have Shared our posts via Facebook.  It really helps to spread the word to those I do not yet know, or who don't know about the blog.  Some of you have many, many more friends than I do and the spread of the news can be exponential in nature.  Like a nuclear reaction that reaches critical mass.  And it works for all our regular posts too!  Help bring in new visitors to make us  the largest and most active track and field alumni group in the world.  All items will be embroidered with our Group Logo, inspired by Interns and loved by all.  All will be in Mens sizing, but there are sizes for everyone in our group!

Our first item for sale is a light-weight jacket like we sold during the first sale.  Unfortunately, the same jacket has been sold out and we are substituting another similar one.  The good news is that it matches our second item, the polo shirt, complimenting it nicely.

Nike Team Overtime Jacket:

Knit long -sleeve full-zip jacket with contrast insets at collar/shoulder and front and back sleeves. Front zipper has a protective guard at neck. Side pcokets with Nike+ enabled inner right pocket.

Team Overtime Jacket.

Nike Team Gameday Polo:

Double knit flat back mesh body fabric with self collar. Contrast mesh insert at shoulder. Collar and side seam. 3 button front placket. Men's sizing.

Nike Team Gameday Polo.

Under Armour Ace Rain Jacket:

100% Polyester. Fully seam sealed waterproof. UA storm gear uses a DWR finish to repel water without sacrificing breathability. 3 piece hood with bungee adjust and scuba collar for extra coverage. Full zip front with storm flap for enhanced protection. Rolled forward shoulder seems for unrivaled comfort. Engonomic cuffs. Secure zippered hand pockets. Hidden Chest pocket for post-embellishment.

Under Armour Ace Rain Jacket.

Holloway Stadium Blanket:

10.8 oz., micro-denier polyester knit. Anti-pill, luxurious tufted surface. Clean finished edges with matching coverstitch hems. Size: 54" x 80"

Holloway Stadium Blanket.

 In addition, there will be an inexpensive (but pre-shrunk!) all-cotton t-shirt that everyone will want.

I Have Joined The Great Unwashed

These people are crazy.  And by crazy, I mean certifiably insane.

There are thousands of people here in the RV lot for the upcoming Penn State football game against the Sisters of Charity JV squad.  They all have elaborate set-ups seating seventy, with satellite dishes and laser-convection ovens.  I swear I saw Guy Fieri cooking some kind of breakfast buffet in a challenge with some guy dressed as a Samarai.  There's a large unit at the end using 3 generators to power a nuclear accelerator for God knows what?

The main activities are kids screaming at the top of their lungs, younger folks throwing either footballs or bean bags, or older people walking around checking out the other set-ups.  They are already mulling over the costs of upgrading their own next year to "out-do that bastard with the blue Winnebago at the end of the row with 3 generators". Mine is the smallest one you see on the preview screen!

Went for a run and didn't even make it to Rec Hall...  Oh well.  Ron Moore will be proud of me for actually running outside!  10:00/mile pace for some of it, even.

I flew the Airship 800U against all Federal Laws above the squalid camp and I couldn't even purchase my usual $1,000,000 liability policy because the airport is only 3 miles away.

 

On The Road Again

I will be taking the 800U Drone Fleet to Happy Valley this weekend while camping with the rest of the riff-raff among the tailgating RVs.  I hope to get some aerial shots of the progress in the track refurbishment prior to be hauled off by Homeland Security.

Get in touch if you will be there and wish to stop by Mobile Blog Central! Wrist bands will be available!

Coach Reck's land-based view of the track.

Mobile Blog Central.

Reggie Dunlop Might Have Been Our Coach This Day

 Early in the 1979 Cross Country Season an intrepid cast of characters set out in a van for the home of the Charlestown Chiefs.  Instead of meeting the Hanson Brothers on the ice, we met a bunch of other runners for the Johnstown 10K.

But we did use the Cambria County War Arena as our dressing room.  That's the scene of much of the filming for what Paul Newman called his favorite movie, Slap Shot.  We actually dressed in the stands right where goalie Denis Lemieux met player/coach Reggie Dunlop after asking Manager Joe McGrath "Who Own the Chiefs?"    Owwwwwns...




Several of us set PRs for the 10K, and everyone knows Johnstown has hills!

Penn State Runners:

  5.  Gary Black                 29:58
  7.  David Baskwill           30:37
  8.  Brad Althouse            30:40
11.  Mark Hawkins            31:01
12.  Marc Dunmire            31:14
14.  Don Ziter                     31:33
15.  Doug Kent                   31:54
18.  Rich Prann                  32:17
19.  Ray Krombel               32:20
23.  Mark Fordney             32:50
26.  Mike Cook                   33:07
42.  Roger "Gunny" Roll   34:53

I further pissed everyone off after the race by winning a pair of running shoes randomly from a local running store, delaying the return to State College!  They ended up giving me an injury...

"We go to Florida and I get the money." 

-Denis Lemieaux.