Not so flattering...

Hair and makeup, STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

www.marathonfoto.com

Bib #9939

Select Marine Corps Marathon & 10k 2008

Yiiiiiiiiiiikes. I particularly like the one with a side view of me seemingly about to fall over at the finish line.

Beauty.

Looking rough but happy - 26.2 miles is far!

Super swollen IT band post race

Finished! Carnage report to follow

The Troof

OK, so I have a been a tiny bit absent, but not for a lack of action...whoa, that doesn't sound PG. Anywho, I think I have found a way to a) keep my cardio fitness up enough to manage 26.2 come October while leg knee heals and b) a form of exercise that will not bore the ever-living @!$%!@$#!$# out of me. What is it, you ask? Come on now, Reader, you know better than that! I have to be as long winded as humanly possible, skip over a few details, rant about something that shares no context to the current post (kind of like right now, perhaps?), and most likely publish the post, only to have to follow up with a subsequent post detailing the answer. So, let's start that long-winded bit...right now!

Soooooo, I have been kind of going out of my mind...well...even more so than I already am. I didn't realize how much I have come to rely on my running to even out my days. Not only does it burn off the infinite amount of energy that runs through my veins at all points of the day and night (I am the type that can wake up at 3:30 in the morning and play a full court game of bball with out missing a beat, and yes, I would dunk all up on and over your dome), but it also regulated my mood. That whole "runners high" bit? Well, I wouldn't go that far, but running certainly has become an integral part of keeping me feeling normal, that my day was complete because I hit the pavement. Now that I am forced to shelve the running kicks for the time being, my energy has hit dangerous levels. Like, if G.W.B. 43 was running my endocrine system, my color code would be flashing RED...that and the voice of my conscience would have a fake Texas accent and want me to clear large amounts of brush. Now where was I...

Brian Hetzel needs to contact Stella to find out how the !#$! she got her groove back and which direction he should go to find his. Damn it...I feel like a bump on a log every day that goes by that I can't run. It doesn't help that the marathon date is now approaching fast and furious, Vin Diesel style. I have heard from a number of people that if I just let my knee rest for 10-14 days, I should be fine. Hearing this is encouraging, as running all over Boston in poom-poom shorts and a headband for the last 6 months has not been easy. I mean, sure, I look fresh to death, but this training bit has taken a lot of time, dedication, and filthy amounts of Body Glide and nipple patches. 

Yes, I went there - get over it...although how great would it be to see a NASCAR sponsored by Nip Guards? Hahaha. Picture it...

"And there is the number 22 Nip Guards car playing bumper cars with Jeff Gordon."

That would be hilar...What? I am not, I just thought it would be funny if...What? I will get to the point, I just thought this was funny so I took some creative license and...FINE. RELAX. I'll get back to the story. 

Gosh, Puuuuuuuuuushy. 

Anyway, it got to the point earlier this week where I seriously thought I was going to run really fast into a wall if I didn't exercise. I could literally feel myself getting out of shape. OK, maybe this is an exaggeration, but we're talking about me here, so, yeah. I tried to test the knee out with a few really short runs but didn't get very far. Frustrated, I weaved in and out of traffic going much faster than I usually do (I have more speeding tickets than I care to talk about) on my way back to my parent's house in Springfield, MA.

There, I found my road bike in the basement, covered in dust, staring at me. So, with no other options other than swimming...I will touch on that in a later post...I brought her over to get tuned up and headed out.

And that's where the adventure began....

No change

Nothing has changed...well...it's only been about 24 hours but still. What can I say, I am hoping that one of these mornings I am going to wake up and it will be as good as new. 

The more and more I think about the race, the more I come to the realization that I will finish the race one way or another and my feet will be involved. I may have to walk it, who knows, but I will be there regardless; I made that promise.

Other results from the race

Well, this is not the result I was looking or hoping for...more of one that I was fearing. 

So, I have been talking about my right knee on here, mentioning that it has been bothering me, hampering me from properly training. Well, it has certainly reared its ugly head and got my complete attention. I woke up on Sunday and my knee felt really tight and sore. I know it is my IT band, I mean I can actually SEE that it is swollen. I tried it out by going for a very brief run, but the pain didn't go away. 

I know, I know, how would it...Hey, you never know. 

Shut up.

Anyway, it got pretty tight on the drive home. I stretched it out when I got back to my apartment, hoping that would help out some. It didn't feel too, too bad the following day, Monday, so I tested it out on a four mile run. I could "feel" the ligament throughout the entire run, especially when I chased after a few middle schoolers shouting out explatives to random people walking by, minding their own business. What? They were rude and deserved to get chased. Little buggers....Anyway, when I got home, I stretched a bit, but didn't feel any significant pain. I thought I had taken care of what ever was making it enflamed...of course I did. So, with that thought in mind, I tried to tackle 6 miles yesterday, a run that normally is easy and thoughtless. Well, it proved to be just that...for about 4 miles and a half miles. It was at this point that the pain in my IT band became so bad that I had to actually stop and stand still. I stretched it out, which is not a TON of fun, and proceeded to walk for a half mile. 

I am not good a going slow, in any regard. So, the idea of walking back to my apartment was not one that sat well with me. It is also why I have FAR too many scars, surgical repairs, pins, etc. for a 30-year old. So what did I do? That's right, I tried to start running again with about a mile to go from home. I got about 100 meters down the road before a shooting pain ripped through my knee to stop in my tracks and throw some serious shadow box punches through the air. I don't know WHAT THE FREAKING DEAL IS, but my body is angry at me. I mean, I know what the deal is, I just don't know why it is happening now, with less than two months left before the race, after putting mile after mile in. I ended up walking the rest of the way, which was also extremely painful. Yes, I know, I have done a number to this IT band, and I am not exactly sure where it leaves me. I stretched my knee really well last night, I stretched all the areas connected to the IT band, even my booty. I then iced it, took some ibuprofen, and went to bed, hoping for the best.

I woke up this morning, took one step and almost fell over. My whole leg is so damn tight, my IT is throbbing as I write this, and seems to be getting worse with every step. There is absolutely no way that I will be running today, tomorrow, or in the near future. I mean, I will pray for something awesome to conspire, but I also am not holding my breath. 

So what does this mean? Well, I am not exactly sure. I have registered for the race, I have set up plans to get down there, etc. I have put in countless hours to prepare, and I am not one to back off, even if it is the right thing to do. And then there is the Petit Family, who I am running this marathon for. Thinking about them, I have come to this early decision - it doesn't matter how I feel on race day, I will toe that line. I may have to walk the whole thing, but I don't care, I will finish it. I will be damned if this hiccup is going to stop me from accomplishing that. In all honestly, I have always believed this training is bigger than me, wholeheartedly. I made a promise, and I will keep it regardless. 

Any thoughts, hints, stretching routines, methods of treatment for IT bands, etc. is welcomed...actually I begging any and all of you to help me out!

Really, really dejected and frustrated-

-B

This just solidifies the fact that I will be in Arizona in mid January to run the Rock n' Roll marathon. 

The Race

Although I have been running a good amount since February, I was still a bit apprehensive about running the 6K this past weekend. But, I said I would run it and it was to be a good test of exactly where I stood on the conditioning scale. I could have bailed and run the 5k but that would have been a cop-0ut for me, as I knew I was in good enough shape to run a decent 6k. I also was a bit worried about my right knee, which had become a problem after finishing my last 20-mile adventure. I had dialed down the amount of daily miles in the previous week and a half, but not much had changed; my knee was still bothering me. 

Race day was great - minus the humidity. Why is it that every time I decide to run a race, one where I am looking to put down a decent personal time, mother nature is like TAKE THAT! MN, you are a sour @#$*%. Seriously, can't I get some love on the weather tip? Man...Anway, I toed the line with 93 other runners, a mixture of current student-athletes and alumna. I made sure to find my way to the back, as I was not trying to kid anyone by thinking I was going to break a course record. I also didn't want to pull my usual blazing first mile only to fade hard afterwards; not this time. So, the gun went off and so did I, settling to the back and being happy about it!

I felt great through the first mile, actually felt like I was just maintaining, not really pushing at all. 

"6:45...6:46...6:47...," the bald man with the clipboard shouted.

Normally, I would have been concerned about that pace, but I felt fine. In past years, I felt OK at that pace but knew I was going to run out of gas. Not this time, though, I felt my legs under me and knew I had enough in the tank to run it out. 

I started to pick off a handful or runners as they came back after starting off too fast, which is normally my role. It was nice to have someone take over the reigns for once! I still felt pretty good at mile 2, which is where I found two current Lady Saints and decided to hang on their pace. I also decided to act like a complete wierdo, which is not uncommon, for the race photographer...

What? Someone had to do it. And the double bandana, while also dope-boy fresh, is a shout out to Ry-Ry, the colors of his beloved 'Cuse. 

It was at this point where I started to feel the humidity. I mean, I hydrated for a few days before the race, so I was fine for a while. But, I do not do well in humidity, as any loyal reader of this blog will know. I really needed some water, but there was none offer on-course, which needs to change before next year's race. I mean, I didn't wilt and slow way down, I just could

 feel my body become less responsive to the ground. It was also zapping my energy, as before I felt as though I could pick up the pace at any point. But, as the race wore on, even though it was only a bit over 3 miles, I felt as though I was trying to maintain my initial pace.

The SLU XC course isn't a particularly fast one, as there are a number of ups and downs, places where you will get caught up. For me, the race-killer is the short but steep hill coming out of the woods near the baseball field. Hills and I do not get along normally as I have long legs, but this hill seems to have my number  more than others. Is it the roots, the loose dirt, the incline, the fact that it is also so damn muggy, the mental idea of a hill? I have no idea, I just know it hurts and slows me down quite a bit and takes a while to recover from. Here, check out my face coming up the hill for the second time, I am not even pandering for the camera:

Damn hill, who put that there. But, I did know that I only had a half mile or so left to go, so I was not overly worried. I knew that I had a good 300 meters before the start of the long homestretch, which I could use to recover before trying to kick it in. 

Well, I was a bit more zapped coming out of the woods than I thought I was going to be. I wanted to hammer coming around the turn to home, but didn't feel like I had much left in me. With that said, I have never been one to qu

estion or care what I have or have not had in the tank. So, with that thought, I put my head down and gave a push forward. My legs responded this time, and I started to gain ground on a handful of people ahead of me. Unfortunately, the rest of my body was not in sync and I really began to feel it! 

"Briiiiiaaaaaan...what are you doing....Briiiaaaaan....hey, down here, your stomach, remember me? Yeah, we are going to need you to slow up a bit...Briiiiaaaaan...fine, don't listen and see what happens!"

That was the message I got with a hundred meters to go. Check out the facial expression I was sporting with about 25 meters to go...

Yeeeeeeaaaaaaeah... 

I wasn't feeling too hot. I can't tell you how excited I was to see that finish line. I am not going to line, I definitely dry heaved, twice actually, right at the end; once with about 10 meters to go and once right after the finish line. Ahhh, just like old times! I don't know w

hat it is, but I almost always dry heave after a distance race. 

Yummy. Chewed banana, anyone?

I ended up finishing in the mid 26's for the 6k, which is about a 7:15 mm pace. Not blazing fast but certainly quicker than I have run in the past. I think I could have run faster if I drank something during the race, but oh well. I was happy with the time, especially after not having run a ton in the previous week.

In the end, a good time was had by all, just as Wellsie would have wanted it. The alumns capped it off as only the mud and blood do, with Sergis in the belly! And if anyone forgot, it 386-4581 :) Thank you to all who made the trip to lovely Canton, NY. We were able to raise an additional $1500 to go towards the Track and Field awards area to be bestowed in Wellsie's name. That means we are about halfway to our goal of 6K now...keep it coming! For more information, contact the XC and Track and Field coaches at St. Lawrence University, www.stlawu.edu/sports, or head on over to www.run4stlawrence where one of us can point you in the right direction. 

See you all at XC Regionals in Canton on November 15!

-B

Wellsie's Run - Why we return

Every fall, St. Lawrence University XC and Track and Field alumna return to campus for a sole purpose: to celebrate the life and message of Ryan "Wellsie" Wells. Who is he? Well, that would take a million blogs to cover everything he stood for, but I will do my best.

Wellsie was everything you want, and desire, to be. I know, that sounds cliche but it is true; ask anyone who knew or met him. He was that once-in-a-lifetime soul that lived life to its absolutely fullest and inspired those around him to do

 the same. It was not unusual for me to get a call from Wellsie at midnight just to say hello. On asking him where he was, he would say, 

"I am on way down to Bethpage to play the Black course." 

"But Wellsie, it's midnight on a weekeday," I would reply, knowing that this meant nothing to him. 

"I know, but I want to play it, so why not do it now?"

I couldn't fault him, he lived as many of us always have wanted - to the fullest. He would jump in the car on the fly if you needed him, he was quick with a joke when you were down, and did everything, I mean EVERYTHING, at 100%. Proof of this could be found in his support for the 'Cuse, his beloved Orange. You think you are a big fan? Please...

"Wellsie, what are you listening to?"

"Ah, just a CD 'Melo made for me."

"Riiiight...of course"

or

"Wellsie, is that a 'Cuse championship ring?"

"Yeah, got it from Boeheim."

That's how my boy Ryan Wells rolled.

All of this is well and good, but Ryan's true character shone through during his battle with cancer. I didn't use the word fight, because it didn't sound  strong enough. You see, Ryan went to war with his disease, battled it at every turn, and never EVER gave up. 

"I'm going to treat it like the flu, Boo, that's all it is."

And that is just what he did. It didn't trump him when he didn't have enough energy to even open his eyelids, when his hair fell out, when he spent week after week away from home tucked away in some sterile room in Sloan Kettering, or when the disease came back for a second and third time. He needed surgery to stop the spread of the disease? 

"Let's do it."

It didn't matter to him, he was going to come out on top. The disease never defined him, but his battle persona did. I know Lance Armstrong is revered for his strength, but I'm sorry. Lance, you don't have @#$% on Wellsie, not an iota. Whether the fir

st, second or third time he fought it, Wellsie came out guns blazing. And it was a sight to behold. 

I am not doing this special guy justice...just know that he was incredible, a one-of-a-kind. I miss my boy, I wish I could hit a 'Cuse football game with him, like I promised I would, I wish I could crush some of his mom's homemade meatballs in Canastota and toss the the football around afterwards. Most of all, I just wish the world could have

 had him for just a little longer; it would be a much better place for it.

I miss you, bud - Make it clap ;)

For those of you that knew Ry and read this blog - please feel free to post stories of him, funny things you remember, etc. I would love to hear and share them with the rest of the folks that wander on through.

Run for Wellsie up at SLU

I will post my full report from this past weekend up at SLU when I have a chance tomorrow. In the meantime, check out the money post-race feast I hammered at Dana, who was always really good to me (photo credits to Sammy): 

You know what that is right there? Well, it is actually two things:

1) Straight money

2) Me winning at Breakfast

Yes, brown rice, pasta with cheese, a blueberry bagel with PB and honey and pepperoni pizza do INFACT go together, so stop hating. 

Hater.

I win.

PS- I washed it all down with a nice, cool Coca-Cola Classic. Eat it!

Hopefully my Rx

Check it- Just landed what I hope to be my cure:

Yes, sir. Orthotics, B#$!@#S!

If you look close, really close, you can see that they are actually made of money. Yeah, I know, I didn't realize orthotics were made of money, either. I guess tha...

What? Yeah, money, that is what I said. Did I stutter? What? I don't know why, I just know that they have to be made out of money if anyone in his/her right mind is going to charge $300+ for foam. So, I concluded that they are, in fact, not foam at all but money. It's all logic; if you paid attention you would understand. Will you let me get back to my post? What? I know Wolf Blitzer is really a robot, everyone knows that. Now will you let me finish my post? Thank you.

Sorry about that. Some people have no shame. Anyway, I hope these orthotics do the trick, as I am not about to stop running for an extended period of time. The marathon is in less than two months and I still have work to do. I am running, period. Whether or not my body gets that is besides the point.

I will toe that line.

A bit damaged

So I haven't really recovered from that 20 miler...actually, I think I kind of broke myself a bit. Actually, I know I did. At mile 15 I experienced serious leg pain and should have stopped. But, anyone who knows me will tell you that I am not good at listening to my body when it is telling me to chill out. I bulled through the last 5 and did some damage to my knees.

I had been feeling pain in the outside of my knees for a while, but figured it would go away. Unfortunately, throwing down 20 miles on top of a tweak, especially in these. They are the Nike Lunar trainers, which I piked up a few weeks back. They are light, which is very good for my rebuilt ankle, and are neutral with a ton of room in the forefoot for people like me with wide feet. But, I found out they are not GREAT for really long runs.

I got to mile 10 feeling awesome, hammering 7:30 miles, which is a decent pace for me. But, my knees started to hurt at mile 12, mostly my IT bands. By mile 15 I was in serious pain, to the point where I had to stop and still, hoping the throbbing in my legs would fade. I was a ways out, and I am inpatient as all get out, so walking was not an option. I decided to push through it, which now I realize was not the smart choice.

I am not sure where this leaves me, but you can bet I am not going to give up.

3:00

not in minutes, but hours....I hurt everywhere, not running again until I pick up my orthotics on Thursday...I am pretty sure I have no more cartilage left in my knees...vaseline has nothing on nipple guards...and Nike makes terrible running shoes.

If anyone needs me, I will be in the shower until tomorrow morning...

leaving now for my......

20 miler! Ah! I will let you know how it goes when I get back.


And yes, I look amazing.

Run 4 St. Lawrence

So to all of those that read this, you know that I am obsessed with the Scarlet and the Brown, Mud and Blood; St. Lawrence University and all that it entails. Well, a big part of what keeps me fired up are the alumni that are just as rabid as I am, and for the most part, they hail from the Cross Country and Track and Field teams. Because we are so fresh and so clean, clean, we often connect like Voltron for big races, relays, events, and any other debaucheries we can think of. Since we all chose to attend college at this fine academic institution, we are therefore incredibly intelligent. What does that mean, exactly? Well, it means that a) we really are that dope b) we all at one time ate fat bags at 3 a.m. and c) decided that taking over the world would need a website. Therefore, following was born:

www.run4stlawrence.com

This is the brainchild of the famous, and quite infamous, Sammy. While we all helped here and there along the way, there isn't a chance in hell that so many hotel rooms around the country would have been collectively owned if it were not for his organizational prowess. So, hat tip to Sammy, he can hook a steak up, as Biggie would say (40oz. tip-emphasis added).

So, check out the website if you want to see what winning looks like. And by winning I mean at everything, et al.

Git out now!

It's the Olympics fault

Blame the rings - they are the reason that I have not posted in a while. What, it is once every four years that I get to watch the US drop the baton in the 4x100, I am not going to miss it.

OK, so here is what I have been up to...well...OK, FINE, it's not much of anything but it's an update.

I've been crushing 6-milers like they were the celery that comes with every BBQ wings order. I know, I like the celery, too. Who ever thought of this particular tubular friend of spice is the bomb. Anywho, my daily runs have consisted of a 6-mile out and back in south Boston that for one reason or another does not get old. Here, check it out-
http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ma/boston/123719975118
Not bad, pretty straight forward. That and I get to scare the crap out of the folks waiting for the T/Bus at the corner of DOT Ave and Broadway :). Hey, it's not everyday that you get to see a stunning picture of fashion-meets-grace such as this:

Photo credits go to my moms, Jane, who was thoroughly appalled by my outfit - which is what got the thumbs up. I was actually heading out the door for a long run of 13 miles on this one, but as with many things that I do, it didn't turn out the way I envisioned but I finished...15 miles later. I was out of water and about drink from a puddle on the side of the road when I thought I was on a road I recognized. I also thought that there was a mini mart further down the hill, so I took the chance, and chance turned out to be a punk A-B. I finally corrected myself and jogged the extra 2 miles to the mini mart I was thinking of and about stuck my face under the soda fountain. Thanks to the nice ladies working behind the counter, who after taking their finger off the red "call police" button, treated me to the coldest water south of the arctic. It was breathtaking. After getting thoroughly cold and tight, I headed back out and finished the run, although I think I left my hamstrings in East Longmeadow.

I am about to embark on my second 20 miler of the training plan. In preparation, I spent hte day at the beach yesterday and got severely sunburned. I thought that would add a little fun to the run, especially since the worst burn spots are on the backs of my thighs, you know, right where the irritating part of the hem on my running shorts will be.

Excellent.

GE Petit Foundation 5k

A few weeks back I traveled down to Plainville, CT with the lovely Nisa Bryant to run in the GE Petit Foundation 5K. It was the first annual race and I must say rather bitter sweet, as race day fell a few before the one year anniversary of the Petit Family tragedy. 

I had been anticipating this event for a long time, it meant a lot to me to be there. Now for those of you who have run in a 5k before, you will know that they typically draw a few hundred people, especially on the first go-round. Yeah, not this time, not for the Petit Family...

3,000+

Wow! That is how many runners and walkers showed up and registered for the race. Now if you add in the number of supporters that were on hand, well, that number would be upwards of 5,000 people. It was certainly a sight to see, and proof that the human spirit is innately good. Here are a few pictures that were taken by various media outlets that were on hand to capture the magic of the day.

OK - who can pick out yours truly...I know, not tough with the ridiculous hairdo I had going on...

So here is a picture I would like to entitle, "before," for obvious reasons. I look pretty relaxed, ready to run a good time for a great cause. A few problems, though...

1) My father came in the house just before I left for Plainville and said that he had run already and it was brutal out - and by that he meant the humidity. He was lucky, as he ran at 6 AM where the temperature was not a factor yet. Me, well, not only was the humidity a big factor, it also felt as though the thermometer was in the 90's. My father's advice? "Go out really slowly and work into it." Good nugget of info from a seasoned runner and wise man in general.

2) Apparently I took my father's advice and threw it directly out of the window as I headed down the highway. What was I doing at the front of the pack, as can be seen in this photo? Is that a Kenyan running by my side? Does anyone else smell trouble?

3) looking at the stride length of some of those cats in the front of the picture, the start pace was fast - much faster than I should have been moving at. Hey B, what did Dr. Paul C. Hetzel say to do during the race, more specifically at the beginning? 

For your viewing pleasure, I thought I would tell the story of my race through a series of pictures. Notice my facial expression and demeanor in the pic above. Take that, hold onto it, even savor it a little, as it is the last time you will see calm, cool, and collect on this race day...

Notice the time on the clock as this man finishes and wins the race. He was not in the picture f

or the beginning of the race, I think he was standing off to the left or just getting mentally ready to sprint for 3.1 miles in the 

nauseating heat and humidity...but being from Kenya, and most likely Eldoret and the Rift Valley at that, he is used to it. 

Bwana, kazi nzuri lakini ulihitaji kusaidia Brian! 

Translation

Buddy, good job but you needed to help Brian!

That is a blazing time, sub 5 minute miles. Now, seeing that he ran that time, I have to point out the obvious...

WHAT WAS I DOING TOEING THE LINE WITH THIS GUY?!

I mean, seriously, I know I am a competitive guy, but you would think I would learn by this time that dry heaving is not a) a sport

 and b) fun.  Apparently my brain seems to think otherwise.

So, back to the start of the race - The announcer...announced...that the mile markers would coincide with water stops. So, I made a mental note of it, waited for the gun, and took off. Almost instantly I felt the pace in my legs, but thought I could hold on for a little bit, ease into it after a while. About a half mile in, I could still see the lead pack up ahead, which you would think would be enough for me to slow down.

Nope.

I didn't feel terrible at this point, but I wasn't feeling awesome either, nor comfortable for that matter. Trudging on, I looked up as I came around a corner and there it was...the first water stop. Again, I could see the lead pack still and I actually think time stood still for a second as the synapses fired in my brain, connected the water stop and lead pack images and sent an impulse up to my amygdala - the fear center of the brain - which then sent an impulse to my temporal lobe that probably sounded like a teenage girl on instant messenger:

OMG! Look at ur watch! LOL ur soooooo OOC! TTYL - F.L.

I looked down at my watch to see what my first my split was...

5:45

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

That was the sound of my amygdala, along with all the other parts of my brain, laughing in unison as I reached for a cup of water. I could have sworn that I heard a small child say, "Good job Mr. Hetzel! Have fun walking the rest of the route! You are so screwed! Enjoy trying to sit comfortably tomorrow!" It was probably just my imagination.

So how did I fare during the rest of the race? Funny you ask. Let's jump on my time machine and take a look! I like to call this next picture "after," a nice juxtaposition to the photo entitled "before."

I know it was hot out but seriously? Did you sweat an ocean? Like I said, humidity and I don't get along, and apparently neither do I and a comb.  I have to say that at the point where this 

picture was taken, a few steps from the finish, I seriously thought I was going to puke all up on a volunteer. I felt terrible, dehydrated, and above all else, SLOOOOOW. 

What's that? My finishing time? Seriously,

 you have some nerve asking that question...

FINE, I'll tell you, stop asking.

22:04

Yes, laugh away, I know, I know. NO, I didn't stop and take a nap, very funny. I just went out little too fast. OK - Maybe entirely too fast. I honestly wanted to stop and walk the rest of the way in at around the 2.5 mile mark but there was no way that was going to happen. And what the #$!@#$@ is up with these modern finish lines in all of the races I have run over the past few months? You know, the ones on rollers that move away from you as you are coming down the home stretch? Not a cool invention - that idea sucks.

All in all it was a good time and an amazing cause, one that I care deeply about. I would do it over again in a second if asked, and thankfully, the organizers are going to make it a yearly event. The lovely Nisa Bryant and I capped off the race with a scrumtious specimen of a meal - a Saints chili dog. Apparently I have been living under a rock as it was my first chili dog ever. I know, I know. But, I will make up for lost time because that mama jamma was DE-lish. If you are in the Southington area, stop in and say hello, awesome people and dope food - 

Saints Restaurant

1248 Queen Street

Southington, CT 06489

They cater, too! Tyler, a former student and proctor of mine at Suffield Academy, works there (his parents own it) and will hook you up with a tasty treat or two. If you see him, congratulate the guy on getting into Cornell. Not too shabby!

Anyway, here are a few more pictures of the race. It was a spectacular event, not just a 5k. Big props to all the volunteers and workers who put it together. Most of all, well done, Dr. P., you are an inspiration. 

-B

been a while

I have been bouncing around a few states over the past few weeks so it has been difficult to write. So, here is an update:

My training took a hit this past week, as I was up at St. Lawrence University to work a track camp hosted by my good friend and former coach Mike Howard. I thought I would have time to get out and put some serious miles in, but I was always a) chasing a camper down b) eating c) napping or d) too tired to go out. I know that sounds lame, and it pretty much is. However, that week was really tiring and my body was just not having it. I did go out for two 9-milers with Mike, although the first was a run-walk as it took place at 8 AM. For those who have never run long distance, changing the time when you go out can make a big difference. I usually run at night, it's when my body seems to be adjusted and ready. Running that morning, my body was like,

"Uh, what is this? Brian? HEY, DOWN HERE! Fine, you don't want to listen? Have fun trying to get us to cooperate for the next hour.  

Sincerely, 

Legs

PS- You're screwed"

I'm sorry, legs, I should have listened to you. It was not fair and I will never neglect you like that again. Actually, I will just ask for your permission, see how you are feeling before I try and use you like that again - Seriously, my b.

I got about 4 miles in and it felt like I had just finished a 5k running as hard as I could. I told mike at the  4 mile mark that I had to stop and walk for a bit, which I did. My whole body was shot, even my lungs were laboring. Now, if we were setting a land speed record I would have understood but that was far from the case. In fact, I don't even think we were jogging as much as shuffling. To be fair, it was the first time so far that I have woken up and gone right into a run. As Legs said earlier, and to quote Beyonce,

"NO NO NO NO NO"

I should start getting up earlier to run, as the Marine Corps Marathon is in the early AM. But, that is not going to happen. Besides, I have run races that early and been fine. I was golden at the Boilermaker, and that started at 8:30, about the same time I went out with Mike. What the deal?

Anyway, enough of that run. I did put in a full 9 miler with Mike and my other buddy and coach, John Newman (new head men's track and field coach at SLU as well as Head Men's XC coach). It was hot and painful, but I got through it. You know how Batman and the Joker are bitter enemies? Yeah, well if humidity wore creepy face paint and had a jacked up mouth, it would be totally along the same lines. I fight on runs in humidity, and my body does not respond well in the least; This run was no exception. 

I was able to get in a few 4 milers at a good pace with Mike, put in a couple more with Newms at one point, but that is it. I know, not good enough for Marathon training. What is worse is that I haven't been on a long run in weeks - especially nothing longer than 15, which needs to happen this weekend. I am going to put in 18 in the next few days, whether my body is ready or not.  We will see what happens!

Check it

I ran a 5 miler last night in Souf Boston with my sister, Annie. It was a nice night, albeit humid. I made the mistake of starting out in the back of the pack, which hampered my first mile. Getting through all of the people and out onto the main street proved detrimental to my time. I went through the first mile in 8 minutes flat, which was not what I was hoping for. It was a nice, flat course along the water and a good time overall. I finished with a 7:27 minute pace, which although not blazing, was better than I expected. The race was also an excuse for me to debut my new racing kicks...

BOOOOOYA.
I realize they are usually worn for XC and track, but they are super light, feel like they weigh about AH pound, so I got 'em. Probably not the best for my shins but hey, details.

The Boilermaker carnage report

Ok, so there isn't much carnage to report, to be honest. I didn't run as fast as I would have liked, but for 9.3 miles in thick humidity, I think I did OK. I would give you my actual time, the accurate one measured by the chip I was wearing, but I can't. Why, you asked? Oh, because the timing company, the one hired to get all of our times correct...yeah, they dropped the ball BIG time. Apparently there was a malfunction at the start and all the data was lost. So, the only times we got were from the gun start. That is fine and dandy for a small 5k race, but when a start looks like this, you are going to have some explaining to do.
Not to mention that the race finishes on the grounds of the Saranac brewery, so some folks are going to be even more irate due to the all-you-can-drink fest.

Ah, nothing says dehydration better than a 9-mile run on a hot and humid day followed up by a dozen Saranac Pale Ales. Now enjoy that drive home, folks!

As for myself, I didn't partake in the hopps and barely love fest, as I already dry heaved enough for the day. I stuck to the free Vitamin water and snow cones...and try to take all the horrific outfits in. Seriously, what better way to say "LOOK AT ME" other than wearing a thin layer of microfiber in places where there should be a lot more material. Ah, but that is the distance runner for you. They are the same bunch that, while resting in the comforts of home...or at Disney Land, will not be afraid to be caught looking like so:

Yeah, that is the dreaded socks and sandals combination. I mean, there hasn't been a combination that deadly since I rocked Chun-Li on the Sega Genesis. There is nothi....

What? What about Blanka? Please. Blanka was trash. Ryu, maybe, but not Blanka; get out of here with that annoying body spin.

Anyway, how great is that socks and sandals specimen on the left? I know, I don't even think that the owner of these size 10's knows that he probably has killed a few people. Out for a slow nance around the park, Vern remains unaware that his devastating combo has caused many onlookers to go blind, even drawn the stare of those behind the wheel, causing massive road carnage.

Poor Vern, he just wanted to go for a little nance. Should have thought that one through, Vern. Should have thought that one through...

Overall, it was a fun weekend, even if I only got 1.3 minutes of sleep at the lovely Davis Motel. With two rooms the size of a freshman dorm and 15 people, not a lot of Z's were caught. Also, I would like to meet the artistic master that is in charge of landscaping at the DM; the fake floral arrangements throughout the property are breathtaking.

I must give props to my boy Mike Howard, who powered to a sub 60-minute finish after fighting Ebola throughout the previous week. Well done, bud. Also to John French, who sprinted for 9 miles and ran 49 minutes and change. Fast, very. I also want to give a huge cyber high-five to the folks who thought they were going to pull off a Guinness Book of World Records feat by handing out glasses with plastic noses on them. Apparently they forgot that they were also handing out free beer...to 15,000 REALLY thirsty people. Apparently everyone was supposed to put them on at a certain time. Whoops. This is what happened instead...

Ah, a good time had by all. And check it out, the debut race for the Petit Family Foundation jersey. Thanks to Dr. Petit for the logo of his family's charity. I certainly wore it with pride and will continue to do so for a long time. I will be running in the first annual Petit Family 5K this Sunday, July 20th in Plainville, CT. If anyone is interested, head on over to:

www.petitroadrace.com

and sign up.

Peace-

B