Back to Basics. Welcome to Fucking April.

I was just about ready to write off Ab-Awareness month. Interest in the challenges seems to be waning, enthusiasm has been scarce,the core crew is experiencing some diaspora, solidarity is suffering.

But a couple of things happened this morning. First, I had an email from GoDaddy, the domain name registration for BikeRunSwig lapsed yesterday. I got a new credit card this year and cancelled the one they had on file so I had to manually re-up. Doing so made me think a little about what it means to renew the site for at least another year and what that $10 is buying me.

Second, I got a short text from Kadlec, whom I haven’t seen in probably 6mo, “Ready for April Ab awareness?”

And I wasn’t.

I hurt my back last week. I have to get up before 5am every day to get to work on time. I’m tired of the rain. My finances aren’t in order. Wisconsin has retarded leadership. Our President sold out. The company I work for is for sale. The banana I’m eating right now is a little riper than I prefer.

Fuck that noise.

It’s April. It’s Abdominal Awareness Month. Fourth annual! This is how we started this project and it’s not done.

3000 reps, I don’t how you do it. Sidebends or Situps. Whatever.

To max the minimum, that’s 150 a day, with weekends off. 10 minutes. If it takes you more effort than that, then, well, you probably need a kick in the pants anyway.

I’ll have a log up later today and I want to see some entries. I’m looking to you to keep me honest too.

SPIK Award

Welcome to BRS' newest award. It's called SPIK. It stands for, "Smartest Person I Know". I've been handing out this award for the past 20 yrs in my mind. At Rice, Ventoux & Pat Conant won the award consistently...

As of 3/22/11 - I award this award to 1st Class! Yup. It's all yours. Next time I see you you gets some cigs...

plea for mtb

I still don't understand why none of you are ever interested in mountain biking with me. It's loads of fun every time. Mayhaps this video will help convince you?

BUCS 2011 X.C Carnage! from Joe Bowman on Vimeo.

I Wish

Anyone in the Guthrie family, including Michael, who was born on 3/18 a Happy Birthday. That ought to cover them all...

Gerald best of luck on her first running century this weekend. I plan to add this accomplishment onto my resume. "I know someone who traveled 100 miles not by plane, train, auto, or bike"...

I swig a lot this weekend and watch a lot of college basketball!

EMERGENCY SLACKER CHALLENGE...

THIS SUNDAY.... 3/13/2011... DAVIS RESIDENCE between 2:00 and whenever (for those of you who actually pay attention to date and time and place)

BRING: KARaOKE VOICE, BOOZE AND BE PREPARED TO EAT SHITTY PIZZA.(YOU'RE LUCKY IF YOU EAT TOMBSTONE.... We might just eat Totino's for Shits and Giggles.)

Also, if possible take work off Monday. Susie I'm gonna make up missing your birthday by giving you a hangover. Oh... required reading; obviously, it's

Plato's Republic...

37 miles to Nine Mile

Centennial Trail Run, March 5, 2011

Unfortunately the weather gods were not smiling the day of Muk's Mtns. Guess Roddy will have to wait until arriving in Switzerland to try out the mts

The topic of weather is on my mind as I get ready to relocate to Spokane. Have to scope out a place to live there soon. Yes, I know it snows there. But are there good places to run? Makes sense to schedule the trip around a run, the longer the better. Have to start getting my mileage up in preparation for my planned 100 miler in July (which hopefully will also be my 100th marathon/ ultra!).

The CTR is a low-key point-to-point run which traverses the 37 miles between the Washington-Idaho border to Nine Mile, just northwest of Spokane. The RD is a fellow Maniac who drove me and another runner, a professional triathlete who drove 90 minutes from Idaho to run his 2nd ultra, to the start.



I packed my microspikes, but luckily didn't need them.



Leisurely pace with the RD, who happens to be a bagpiper, and who ran with me to make sure I didn't get lost, and other members of the Bloomsday Road Runners Club. There was Larry and his wonderdog Abby. Larry still runs 50 milers and sub-4 marathons after age 70, Abby had never run more than 22 miles before but did 35 miles that day just on snow and doggie treats. Paul who has the reputation of puking near the end of marathons, though not that day (famously almost completed a race without puking until it was pointed out to him he was almost at the finish line, at which point he promptly stopped to puke), and Jim who we met by coincidence as he was doing his weekly 10 mile run, decided on the spur of the moment to join us without even a water bottle or Gu to turn it into 30+ miles, earning the title the "accidental ultra runner". It sure was luxurious to have a race crew with a car loaded with snacks..





Welcome to Spokane


Almost there...

Sounds like there are plenty of places to run, and nice folks to run them with.