Kristi
I know you have a long history with that band, but I really admire what they've done, plus I enjoy the music a ton too. They paid their dues and have EARNED the success.
Carrie
#1 - Okay, tell Scott to be careful. I know we men have a certain, ah, image we must project and protect at all times or we are removed from the club, but that sounds scary.
#2 - I still haven't heard about your new job. I see you are leaving the old and starting the new. Well?
#3 - 10 miles? Given your injuries 3 short months ago that is really impressive. I cannot imagine going from A to Z so quickly.
Way to Go Jackie and Angie.
Okay, here comes another long one. It doesn't involve my running, and it has its "ick" quotient, so you are warned in advance (parents have seen all of this already). And I have 2 excellent morals for all of us up front and in the story:
1. At our age it's better to be fit than fast, and
2. Never tie your championship chip in your laces.
Tonight was the "West End 3K" in Boulder. 4 waves in all, (1) a kids 1 time out and back for 1500 meters, (2) a family and friends 2 loop 3000 meter, (3) a competitive womens' 3000 meter, and (4) a competitive mens' 3000 meter. Adult winners received prize money, plus a bonus if they break the course record.
I hope to get 10 tomorrow morning so I went down to volunteer. I left my gear at home, otherwise the 3 year old in me would have registered on arrival and raced. It was fascinating to be at a big event and not preparing to run. I wandered around, watched it all, chatted with new friends, and talked to the race director who asked me to help cut off championship chips in the finish chutes. I well remember those wonderful folks at Disney who cut off my chips when I cannot even bend over and touch my shoes, so I agree.
The kids's race is ready and they go off. 1500 meters, out and back, and in abut 5 minutes we see the leader coming in. He finishes in 5:20, about a 5:40 mile pace, and looks to be 12. In my opinion he is WWWAAAAAAAYYYYYY to old to be in the kids race, and too fast. I've seen kids like this; he just wants a win tonight. He is at least 200 meters in front of the next finisher, and has gone out to his maximum. So much, in fact, that he looks like hell once he crosses the line. He cannot reach for water, he staggers around, he is asked if he's okay, and he says "no," and when another chip cutter (not me
) reaches to his shoes, the kid pukes his guts out all over the finish area. Luckily the chip cutter danced out of the way, but we now have vomit all over the finish chutes with about 200 little kids about to come in. The race director pours water all over it, but, well, it's still there.
The little kids come in, and it is too cute. 5 year olds don't understand that you need to come through the finish area, and they sure don't understand that they have $25 chips clipped onto their shoes. I start at the back of the chutes, assuming they will come to me. It's obviously been a long time since I've had a 5 year old, because they don't. They wander around in random paths, headed nowhere in particular, bumping into the posts, the ropes, the tables, and each other. I adjust and move up to the mats, and grab the kids when they cross the mats and get their chips. Of course, some come within 2 feet of the mats and won't cross, so I either encourage them to walk across, or I go get them. The kids race is over, 1 of 4 done.
Family and friends (and golden retreiver) goes off next. They do out-back-out-back to finish, so we cutters see them leave, return, go back out, and come right at us. This group is quite a hodge podge, some fast, some not, all having great fun. I get the second shock of the night. Many adults, likely intelligent, educated, and successful, cannot get it through their thick stupid skulls that the red plastic tie is to attach the chip to the laces. I clip a few chips off, and an adult comes in and says "it's tied." No **** Sherlock. I bend over and the dope has the chip wound through the laces, and the laces are then double tied. Can I strangle him now, please? There I am working on this fool's shoe while runners are coming into the finish and backing up the chutes. I am so tempted to just cut the laces and extract the chip, but I do untie it. Actually, about 10 runners' laces and knots I couldn't untie and I let them bend over and do it themselves. Serves them right. I hope they cramp up and walk hunched over for a week.
As a runner I hadn't thought much about this, but use the red tie, not your laces on the championship chip. The kind folks at the end of the race will love you for it.
The golden retreiver finishes, with owner, and the owner reaches down so the golden's chip beeps on the map. The cutters applaud.
The competitve women go off, and the course record for 300 meters in 9:40. If the winner beats this she gets winner money and a bonus. I quickly calculate that my 2 mile PR of 10:40 set in 1987 would bring me in 3000 meters in 10:00. So even in my prime, I couldn't run with this bunch of women. Lessons in humility abound lately.
The field is about 50 runners, and it goes very smoothly. The winner runs 9:51, so no bonus. She is absolutely flying when she comes into the finish. Martha, you are not allowed to read this, but I've had worse jobs in my life than kneeling down in front of lean and fit young ladies, and cutting off their chips.
The competitive men go off last, and I had been warned in advance, under no circumstances, to enter this wave. There are I guess 100 men out there, and they go off. The first group in the out and back are flying, probably 4:35 miles, and they look fast. As the rest of the field comes in you reach a point when they look slow, and they did. I then looked at the clock and saw these "slow looking" guys were at 6:30 for 1500 meters, about a 6:50 mile
. I am so happy to be working instead of running in this wave. The course record for this was 8:20, and the winner did 8:23 so again no bonus. We cut off chips and lots of my fellow males cannot seem to understand the red plastic tie is to attach the chip to your laces. Men! I know you women have known about us for years.
And, per the WISH motto, the DLF's in all 4 races received huge applause when they came across the finish mats. Instead of sitting on their fannies they signed up and got out there. The applause is well deserved and well received.
After I head out on my own for dinner and the Walnut Street Brewery calls out to me. I also notice many of my running crowd arrives as well, so we talk and eat and drink the evening away. I'm chatting with a fellow about my age who is likely a sub-40 10K runner, and I tell him that I'm out there, working and improving, but I realize I'll never see the times I did even 10 years ago. He tells me "at our age it's better to be fit than fast." God love you Carl, that plus he has coupons for $ off our dinner from the race director for us volunteers.
I now understand why those kind volunteers come out to our races, including Disney. I was doing a simple task, and most runners thanked me, and many placed a gentle hand on my back while I was cutting their chip. I could tell they appreciated that I came out to make their race more pleasant, and it was most satisfying. At Disney I always thank every volunteer who hands me a drink or gu, or cuts my chip, and I'll be doubly sure to do that in 2008.
Best to all in the heat and humidity of late July. January 13 is coming soon and I cannot wait to see you all there.
Craig
This does mean that I'll be giving up my BCV--so anyone on the waitlist for a studio, good luck. But after calling member services yesterday, I think we'll end up with 2 1 bed. at BWV--we'll see--still waiting on my guide to call me back. I'm just hoping that FIL and his GF don't cut into my WISH get togethers--they'll just have to suck it up and join us, or let me do my own thing! OH, and don't ya'll worry--just b/c I'm not at the BC anymore, doesn't mean I'm giving up my spot for the kitchen sink!
Hope we can get rid of some of that stress for you ina couple weeks!!!
Meanwhile, being the lazy marathoner that I am 
