Smooth as glass

RIP, Gen.Yeager. If anyone ever earned it, it was you.

Gut punch

Peter Snell, dead at age 80.

The man was a towering giant on the track, taking on all comers at any middle distance during the early 60's, and destroying everyone who tried.

I once knew a certain high-school runner from about 30 years ago who longed to be just like him.

Rest well, sir.

Stand back

Looking forward to this weekend's race, with this:

Aiming for an outright win.

I have every confidence it'll be the sickest design there as well.

Good luck, suckers!

Saw this bit over at The Woodpile Report, Remus, writing of himself with regard to his current kit for cruising the woods and his overall capacity for doing such with advancing years;

"Okay, tell the purists to leave the room, I have something to tell you. Yes, I have energy bars and freeze-dried food in there, so, I'm compliant with the syllabus. But there's also some canned food. Shhhh. Yeah yeah, cannedmeat. One can of premium sardines, 240 calories and lots-o'-good fish protein, calcium, and oil. Wonderful stuff, if too pricey for my everyday use. And one of those teensy cans of potted meat, also 240 calories. And here's the best part, 200 of 'em are from fat. Mmm mm, fat. 

I'm told a man of my years ought not be traipsing around the hills in weather that would give pause to a feral dog. Truth is, I pick my days with more care than I used to. Think about it, though. In a real calamity there'd not be a choice, and who needs a well thought out pack and periodic practice more than a high mileage guy? And it's not like I'm training for partisan raids, this is a mission-oriented, round trip proposition. Doing what needs done will be derring do enough."

Which made me think of my run, just last night; four and half miles, give or take a hundred meters, in 29 minutes flat. At 46.

My own evaluation? That's some punk-ass shit. A man of my talents should be able to do 10 in one hour flat.

Mortal feats are for mortal men. Press the envelope, lest nothing extraordinary gets accomplished.

Onward.

And it's little wonder why

We are bipedal, and therefore more efficient at converting caloric energy into locomotion.

We also have the ability to sweat, preventing overheating after prolonged effort.

And if the weather turns a bit warmer today (awoke to 9° F this morning), I'll be turning out about 5 miles when I get home from the office this evening. What can I say, I have that primal urge to run, even after retiring from a fairly successful stint at competitive running. It's in my blood.

H/T to Remus at the Woodpile Report for the link.

An impossible feat

Read over the weekend that Sir Roger Bannister passed.

The first man to run a mile in under four minutes.Not that it was never going to happen without him, but he was the first, as John Landy bested that initial effort but a few weeks later, establishing a WR time that stood  for three years. Sir Roger was still genesis of that effort, the proof of what's possible.

RIP, sir, and thanks for being part of my inspirations as a young man.

More of this

The truth of the matter is this; the Muslims do not want to be educated in critical, western thinking, the Scientific Method nor any of our history and values.

They only want what's printed for them to accept in the Quran, so they can just build their madrassas and do it with their own money too.

SIASD.

Another pass 'round the Sun

44 today and for only the second time in the last six months, the flat bench was on order with no pain in the left shoulder.

SLAP tears, even a partial, are a son-of-a-bitch, let me tell you.

Oh, and getting old SUCKS!

Believe

I recall a young chap back around '89-'91 who was a bit of a sensation at this type of thing.

This lady does (it says 3 miles, but I'm leary of it not being 5K) in 16 minutes. Flat.

Wow.

Relish the accomplishments, Sarah. Look around, breath deeply and remember what it is like to stand on top of the heap of humanity, having conquered it.  I can tell anyone who asks, this; I remember that, and I've never felt more alive than when I was crushing the field like she is right now.

I'd give almost anything to have those times to live again.

The Trailblazer

That bright streak in the sky will always be there, even if the man who made it happens to no longer be with us. Rest in Peace, Neil.

Good showing

This time, it's our first medal in the 1,500M since '68...Since Jim Ryan took the silver!

Truly, I'm eating crow right now.

I didn't give our contingent much of a chance at medaling in this, since it's been a huge, gaping hole, with previously heralded runners before (too many to list), failing to perform in the Olympic games final...when we even had one in the race.

Good job, Leo.

48 years...

...Since we've been on the medal stand in the 10,000 meters. Thanks for putting the US back on the stand, Galen.

Bah!

Another year.

For what it's worth, I was listening to one of my second cousins 'round the table yesterday complaining about his 5K time at a race on Thursday morning. He's 21 or 22, so I have...considerable age on him, and I can safely say that at 39, I could easily have put a whole mile on him for the same time.

Maybe I'm not aging like wine, but I'm not exactly turning to vinegar, either.

Father Time can bite me!

And now, something completely different;

In a play on the current state of world affairs, I bring you Zepparella, an all female band, covering Led Zeppelin. When the Levee Breaks;



In particular, check out the chops of the guitarist, Gretchen Menn. That's some seriously good axe work throughout, but just look at the masterful slide work at about 5:30.

Not aging like wine

I was just struck by reading Oleg's little post about his own personal accomplishments, when I thought to myself that, very recently, I had run my usual loop of 4.3 miles in just under 28 minutes...at 38 years of age.

Pretty good, still.

It's harder than it used to be to go that fast, and I'm really starting to feel the effects of aging (sniff), but I suppose I'm not complaining about either.

Anyway, I'm staying with the program as long as I can muster.

Onward.

Adding to the pile for the Moron

Posted, without comment.

Take note

Going into my vaunted hall of fame at the bottom of the linkies.

Of all places...

To find some thoughtful words about stuff that really matters.

I liked this one;

"...Asking us to forever hold our tongues lest we awake their deeper demons infantilizes and neuters us and makes politicians no safer,"

This country used to be a beacon of light for the rest of the world to follow, and at its very essence, it is partly due to the ideal of free speech. It's nice to see some haven't forgotten that virtue.

Thanks, Lt. Winters

More death of history.

Fortunately, Stephen Ambrose was able to get that history out of the primary sources, and write it all down, in an excellent book.

Personally, I find that Band of Brothers should be required reading in US History in all high schools across this country.

May you enjoy the rest you have so deservedly earned, sir.

Bob takes his bow

Bob Feller passed away yesterday.

He'd surely have passed 300 wins in the show if he hadn't turned up early for work, enlisting into the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor, missing four whole seasons in the prime of his career.

I liked what former manager Mike Hargrove had to say about him,

"I don’t think that Bob ever believed in luck, just hard work and an honest effort. I will miss Bob very much..."

Hard not to like such a businesslike approach to a game that is now so dominated by prima donnas.