Luke H, runner for Brooks-Hanson.

I didn't feel like I was making progress anymore. And Ben hasn't PR'd the marathon in two years despite his best efforts. So that's why we did it.

I feel faster, I just haven't had any goal races that involved any sort of taper....so I have yet to prove it to myself that I actually am any faster.

Alright, it's time to give out the stupid . Actually, it was time to give it out two days ago but Ilene made us think she was dead, so then I got busy being driven around in smoky automobiles and having lunch beer. But I blame Ilene, not the lunch beer.

Here's how I see it: Nobody sucked this week, and that really sucks (for me) I can't believe none of you were out there and were all "Wow, I should really slow down, or get diarrhea or something so Candice's decision isn't so hard." But no. None of you could do that, could you? Maybe Abe (he said I could call him that) tried to slow in the last 6...but it was too late, he'd already put down splits to average a nice 1st marathon 4 minutes under his goal time. He even placed 4th, which he casually threw in there somewhere among the ranting about no sesame seeds on his roast beef sandwich. To the casual observer one might think this Abe fellow deserves the . He outran his goal. He broke 2:50 in his first marathon...etc. etc. The thing is, sadly, I believe in my heart he is a sandbagger.

I believe this in my heart because his 14:37 5k PR translates to a 2:22 marathon. C'mon Abe. Let's run like it's 1999!!

So moving on.... there were two guys (troyw & runnerclay) who beat their marathon PRs by 8, and 9 minutes respectively. That's pretty awesome. It's tough to take off those pesky 8 and 9 minutes. And not just 9 minutes. 9:21. Which is a similar chunk of time to what I want to take off my own next month. So I was thinking...what if I gave the  to one of those guys? But how would I ever choose? So I won't.

Next I considered everyones hero Dopplebock. DB doesn't appear in an thread without winning the , does he? He DNF'd, but hell...he ran 70 some odd miles. Who runs 70 some odd miles? I mean, besides him, and WG, and....well whoever else in here runs ultras, but you get my point. I am pretty certain if he had met his goal and made the team, my decision would have been really simple.

So i'm gonna go with Nader. Who had the self described race of his life. He PR'd his 10k by over 2 minutes...which is ridiculous and makes me think he was just tra la la la laing in all recent races...but whatever. His description of the race was enough for me. The man has tasted battle. And for that, and having the race of his life (thus far)...the goes to him.

Nads, this  ones for you!

I hate you all.

I may have been sucked back in to the IFC8ball threads.

For some reason I just clicked on Cancice's post to read one of the best 8ball giver-outer posts of all time.  I don't know why but it struck me as funny, heartfelt and include no fewer than 7 (SEVEN!) imaginary fucking cartoon 's.  (One more would have been eight eightballs, just sayin'.)  She oversold it just enough to make her point, but not so much you got bored and skimmed over it.  Well done, Candice.

But more than that it made me go read Nad's entry for his 10k race whereupon I found this:

About 1k to go and I was *right* up on Hector of Clifton RR. I was giving everything I thought I had, and figured if this guy doesn't relent I'm just not going to beat him. Then, he looked back at me and I found something that surprised me and took off. 7:22 over the last 2k.

 

When I saw the time on the clock, I was very surprised. I was so consumed with the race, that I had forgotten what my time goal was. It was one of those races where I had to force my eyes open to find the finish mat.

 

I was so happy.

You assholes.  I'm trying to quit you people.

For the record, Nads, your last 2k was at 5:56 pace, you sandbagger.

Rad.  I've been waiting for days now to congratulate you on your  win.  Nads, you earned it, dude.

Absolutely. It's actually cool that there were so many other good performances because they make the  that much more legit.

Wow!  You would think that getting the 8-ball would not excite a grown man. No, why would you think that?  Look I am so freaking happy! Thanks CS and all of you little people.  No not little as in small, little as unimportant. haha another joke!  Yes, that was the race of my life and I love the 8-ball because you can win it by being all you can be and not necessarily because you are the fastest or the best.  Thank you! A lot of fantastic races this week, which makes this a super duper honor. Viva la Swamp! 

 I heart you Mr. Abadir.

In my opinion you're a good guy, because you tuck your pants into your socks.