12.56.27

Wow, I can't even believe it. Twelve minutes and fifty- six seconds over five thousand meters. That was Dathan Ritzenhein's time in the 5k at the Weltklasse Zurich Meet in Zurich, Switzerland. Obviously, this is old news, he set the American Record on Friday, but I still can't get my head around going that fast. If you have the chance, watch the race again on Flotrack; I know I will be several more times. That was a simply beautiful race, just an absolute art form. According to Flotrack, He is the 3rd fastest non-african and the 3rd American to break 13 mins in the 5000 meter event.

I forgot what I was going to post. Oh, yeah, Friday- Saturday- Sunday of running, and the Red Sox and Rays. So Friday was a nice easy 30 minutes; I wanted to go somewhat hard because I did a half hour easy the day before. It was a little tough getting up to speed, but once I did it was easy. I zigzagged around the neighbourhoods, so I have no idea how far I went. At one point, I ran through a couple streets that were torn up for probably a mile or so. It was all dirt, and it was at a slight incline, so it was my Magnolia Road (see Running With the Buffaloes.) That's probably as close to a trail as I'll ever get this year. Saturday was a 10 miler, felt really good, I just flew through it. I believe I ran 8:20 somethings; so the speedwork is paying off a little bit. I was stiff the first mile, mile and a half, but that was because I ran at 9:00 the night before and got up at 7:00 to do this one, but I ran through that. Yesterday was only five. Its funny how five miles seems really short.

Did anyone catch Paul Byrd's start the other day against the Jays? 6 innings 3 hits, 3 walks, 1K. He had one rough patch when he walked I think two guys in a row, but he got out of that jam via strikeout. Other than that, he looked like an ace; he made Theo Epstien look really, really smart. Honestly, we couldn't ask for anything better from a fifth starter, he completely out dueled Roy Halladay. Tito pulled him after only 76 pitches in favor of Manny Delcarmen, which was a little odd, but it worked out in the end. Also, the Rays traded left handed phenom Scott Kazmir to the Angels. Anahiem had all kinds of holes in their rotation, and Kazmir goes a long way to help them. Bad news for the Red Sox, who always seem to end up playing the Angels in the first round of the playoffs. Needless to say, this makes the Angels a frontrunner for the World Series.

So lets talk about running

Still listening to the telethon, and I mean, man, I tell people my story and they think I'm inspiring, but man, this is serious stuff; I've got nothing on them. But, back to running. I have two recovery runs in a row because I screwed up my schedule for the week is all screwed up. I ran a tempo run and speedwork back to back (which was brutal, by the way.) I put the real spikes on , not the rubber spikes that I sometimes wear. I only went 15 minutes, a couple laps around campus, and it wasn't that fun. It seemed like I was hurdleing sidewalks every couple strides. I did core for the first time in a lond while after the run because I really wasn't satisfied. If it wasn't 8:45 after I finished, I probably would have gotten out there again, but its not a real big deal. I'm going to Run 'n Fun tonight because I've got to pick up some gels for my 10 miler tomorrow, and hopefully pick up some running posters for my dorm. I'll ask them for some good XC courses too.

Lets talk yesterday though, that was a good workout, in a wierd way. I printed my workout and put it in my back pocket, but I still didn't follow it. I think I was supposed to do 2 miles at half marathon pace, 2 miles at 10k pace, and 2 800's at 5k pace. I think I went 4 miles around 7:50, then both 800's around 4:00, which is a little slow. Whatever though, I mean, its speedwork, isn't the goal to go fast?

WEEI/ NESN Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon

I'm listenintg to the Dennis & Callhan show on WEEI and they're doing the 8th anual Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon to benifit cancer research. I've never listened to WEEI before, save when I tune in nightly to listen to the Sox games. Well, its 8:00 in the morning, and I almost broke down and cried. I mean, I'm suprised I kept it togother. I was listening to Ben Finer, who is 13 and just found out yesterday that his cancer took a turn for the worse. 13 years old and he was diagnosed with cancer. 13 years old, and his life could very well end. I'm listening to this kid, and he's not woried about himself at all. I won't remember his exact words, but he said he was okay with dying and didn't care what happened to him, but he was deathly afraid of what happened to his family and said that they would go downhill if Ben left his family. Seriously, it was the most touching thing I have ever heard. The link to the respective bits on the show is here, and the interview with Ben and his dad is the sixth clip over and is titled "D&C with Ben Finer and his dad Ron." If you get a chance, take a listen, it will give you a new perspective on life. I also listened to Cameron Riley, who was also diagnosed as a 13 year old (he's the first clip, tilted D&C with Cameron Riley with his dad Jason.) You can hear just the sheer joy the Jimmy Fund gives these kids through the programs they provide, the trips to Spring training and such. I watched some of the Ben Finer interview and the kid's just in such great spirits despite his grave condition, its unbelievable. I mean, its a real shame this terrible disease happens to kids who have their whole lives out in front of them only to have it all taken away.

Life is short, but it should be long enough. But its a shame for these kids, that life isn't long enough. Maybe that doesn't make sense, but that's okay; you can't put a disease this malicious into words. You know, I once heard that a disease like cancer doesn't discriminate. Rich, poor, old, young- it doesn't matter, which is what makes it so tragic. We all think we're so badly done to, but so often that's not the case. Most of us will never have to have to have chemo three times a week, most of us will never have a timeline put on our lifespan, most of us will never at thirteen years old, be not afraid to die; most of us will never have the words "there's no hope" spoken to us. Kind of makes that guy who cut in front of you during your run this morning feel meaningless. Life is so fragile, and I don't think enough people underststand that. Until you've had something life threatining happen to you, you don't understand that the gift you have can be gone in a second. We are all so blessed.

Its the lean wolf that leads the pack, baby

One of the things I hate, next to people running in high tops and gym shorts, is people telling me to eat more, or gain some weight or whatever. Now, I'm not a stick, but I'm not a fat guy either. I think society's perception of an "athletic build" has changed. In other words, I don't think that I'm skinny, but everybody else is just fat-- or used to seeing fat guys so much that their norm has changed. I think the perception of body weight changes in different circles. For example, compared to fat guys, I'm emaciated skinny. Heck, even in people who aren't bigger I guess I'm emaciated skinny. But compared to the distance runner, I'm average. I don't know if that makes any sense, but I just don't like people comparing me to society because society has gone off the deep end. Only .1 of 1% of the population has run a marathon;26 million males, and 16% or approximately 10 million children are obese. I don't know if those statistics prove my point, but its just ridiculous how people's perceptions have changed due to society's laziness. Its funny, I went in to the doctor's office a few months ago for a follow up about my wisdom teeth, and the nurse said something about making sure I heal up so I could eat a sandwich. Its not a question of eating, I try to get well over 2,000 calories a day. So, I thought to myself "Its the lean wolf that leads the pack, baby."

I'm finishing up listening to the podcast Runners Round Table episode 44, about the Girls on The Run Program. Girls on The Run is a program that teaches young girls, among other things, self respect. I think that's a real key. I mentioned that society is in a downward spiral, and I don't want to get that far into it, but its quite the opposite for females. The pressure is on for girls to look and act trashy, or at least that's my experience. Since when do all girls have to be blonde, look like Barbie, and wear as little clothes as possible? Okay, that's my rant, but its about time that someone teaches girls some core values. I'm not a girl, but if I was, that would be an awesome program to join.

Finally, an editorial note: you might notice a readers digest version of a couple of posts. Reason being, my mom caught word of my blog, and so I've got to clean up my language a little bit. I hate censorship. Introducing my new co- editor, my mom. No, in fact, if she's going to decide what I can and can't say, why don't you just write the thing? oh, well....

I'm just full of fire and brimstone today. Maybe I should lay off the coffee?

Random thoughts

I'm working front desk again which means I have nothing to do, so here's something for your reading pleasure-- a couple random thoughts, some about running, some not

• I have to go down a hill from my house to start my mid distance runs up to 8 miles, which means I have to go up that hill to finish runs. I hate when it rains because the water pools up at the bottom. My shoes were soaking when I came back from my five miler last night, and I hope they dry because 7 miles in wet shoes would suck. I guess I could run in my spikes if I really needed to.
• Why is it always so cold up at the front desk? and why did my boss make me come in an hour early?
• The Sox open up a set with the MFY's tonight at Fenway. We really better sweep or we're in deep trouble
• The Norfolk Admirals of the AHL are trying to get a game to be played on the deck of the USS Eisenhower. How cool is that. That sure beats the NHL's winter classic. What if somebody skates right off the boat? and what if they have to like, launch some planes?
• I love running early. Like 1:00 or 1:30 AM early. Nothing breaks up a long day studying for finals than running through people's yards at midnight
• I just drafted Aaron Rodgers in the second round. Is that to early?
• I want some of that Brooks Nightlife stuff. I mean that looks really nice, but its expensive. I hope they put it on the brooksrunning.com/pro site soon so I can get a discount.
• I look at all these other running blogs, and they actually educate you. They're like posting on "the effect of Lactic Acid on your legs" and scientific stuff like that. I don't care about that stuff, I just want to run. Plus, I don't understand that anyway-- I just run until I get tired. I guess that's why no one reads this. I don't really care.
• Brett Farve starts tonight for the Vikings. I'll be running.
• We all have our superstitions as runners- here are a couple of mine: I start out the door, my annoying fluorescent laces on my shoes (annoying green on my Dirt Dogs and annoying yellow on my Adrenalines,) and make the sign of the cross backwards (This originated on a long run when I couldn't remember what way the sign of the cross went. Jesus won't mind.) I also have to blast the same song at the start of every run. Speedwork is "Enter Sandman" by Metalica, and regular runs is the "Listen to Your Heart" Trechno remix by DHT- Don't hate.
• I spiked some poor girl last time I spiked up. I was wearing rubber turf spikes, but still. I was screaming "on your right" for a good half a block, but she moved to her right, and I nailed her. I wouldn't worry about it
• I'm still waiting to pull a Quenton Cassidy and run up and over a car

Brooks I.D. Acceptance Spectacular

I'm sitting at the front desk and the Tornado Sirens went off- that's my excitement for the day. Good thing I work in the basement, right? I wish I could run through a tornado warning. I know what that sounds like, like I'm some stuck up prick or something, but I dunno, I just think it would be cool. Maybe its that teenage invincibility complex or whatever, but I think that would just be really cool.

So, a few days ago, I got an email from the Brooks Sports Marketing guy, Steve DeKoker, asking if I was planning on running at the NCAA level. I never even thought that I might not be eligible because I'm in school. Nonetheless, I told him no, because honestly I don't want to. I have no interest in running 5k's and 10k's. Plus, its the whole Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner thing. I run with somebody else once a week, maybe, but other than that I go alone. I'm fine with that, I guess. I mean, I'd love to run with somebody, but everyone I meet (or most people) are not like me at all. No one's as fanatical as me, except my running group on Tuesdays. No one else knows why I would sacrifice a perfectly good night to toil on the empty roads.

So, I got accepted, when I got the email, it made my day. They give you a 40% discount, which is great, so I know where my second, third, fourth, and fifth paychecks are going. The part that I'm looking forward to the most is the camaraderie. I heard Steve Runner's episode on the Run Net community, and as much as I like listening to podcasts and The Extra Mile and such, but I think there is something to be said about having a community of runners that you have a bond with. I mean to tell you, I looked through the Yahoo group, and these runners know more about the sport than I will ever hope to know. Plus, they deserve it more in my opinion. These guys are more than active in the running community, I'm just some guy who managed to sneak himself in.

Track is back!

Okay, I stole that from Flotrack, so if those guys read this don't sue me. For the first time, I think I may have gotten in over my head. I have a brutal week ahead highlighted by my track workout tonight, a seven mile tempo Thursday, and a long run of undisclosed distance on Saturday. I say undisclosed distance because I have a 14 mile run scheduled, but I decided that's just rediculous training for a 10 miler, so I think I'll go 12 or so. So tonight will be brutal. It'll end up to be 7.5 miles total, with a mile warmup, mile cooldown, and 8x800 in the middle. This is my first real speedwork session, and I can't think of anything better than interval work in 80 degree heat.

The miles of trials, the trials of miles

I've got like 50 pages left in that book, and I don't know what everyone's going on about, I don't think that book is "The best book ever written about running" as Runners World claims. Give me Running With The Buffaloes over Once A Runner any day of the week. Next on my reading list is Ultramarathon Man, although after that I'll maybe give the sequel to once a runner a try, Again To Carthage, although I have probably only one book left in my summer. Real quick, my 9 miler yesterday was solid. It was long, but solid. I'll post my route at the end of this post, because it is definitely worth running again. I got to lake Harriet about 8:00, ran that twice, then ran around Lake Calhoun. Two gripes I have- one, the lakes are popular in the summer, so there's always a ton of people there. They started a walking event during my second lap of Harriet, so I was weaving in and out of everybody. The hill between Calhoun and Harriet is also pretty brutal. Its always a good run when you finish and your shorts are laced with salt.

I've got to go 6 today, I'll go after the 100 final in the World Championships. I promised myself I'll go easy, but I don't know if I actually will. I'm listening to the Runner's Round Table about XC racing, and I was thinking that I've got to find a course, find a race. I've only got 3.5 miles on my Dirt Dogs, and I've got to get a couple more before school starts.

Its been a while

Has it really been a week since my last post? I've been going ridiculous mileage the last week, well, not ridiculous mileage, but substantial mileage. I've gone 6- 4- 4- 5- 6 as far as miles go, and still have a recovery run and long run of 9 miles left to do this week, so its getting serious. So Sunday's run was pretty cool, I ran before Church at 9:00, I ran at lake Harriet for the first time ever. I've ran to Harriet from St. Thomas, but never around it. I went up with my brother, and he went around Lake of the Isles, and I went around Harriet twice. I didn't save my split times (I superglued my watch because it was falling apart and accidentally glued down the button I use to check my splits,) But if I remember right I went through the first three miles in 23:00 or 24:00, whereas I was trying to hit 21:00. We only had 45 miutes so we could shower and get to chutch on time, and so I had to hammer and run seven- somethings. I felt great though, I bet I could have run 6 minutes if I'd tried.

I blew last night's workout too. I had to start pretty late because we had to buy my little brother a car, but that's okay since its freakin hot outside. My workout was supposed to be "Tempo Run (hard, i.e. half marathon goal pace or slightly faster): 20 minutes, plus 1 mile warm-up and cool-down," Yet I actually ran a two mile easy warmup, a 2 mile tempo, and another 2 miles easy. My tempo pace was at 7:50's, which is nowhere near my goal pace. I'm aiming to go 8:20's so I don't know what I was thinking. Needless to say, I didn't look at the workout before I ran it.

Bettman makes up another way to praise Crosby

Disclaimer: I know what you're thinking, so don't even say it. You're thinking "I came here to read about Matt's blazing speed, not hockey." I apologize for going back- to- back hockey posts, but believe me, when I saw this I knew I had to rant on it, so please ignore this post.

Now, on to the business at hand- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has found another way to sing the praises of the candy- assed Sidney Crosby.

A little background knowledge- right out of the gate, Crosby was touted as "the next one," which the NHL needed. Arguably, since the days of Wayne Gretzky, the now struggling league has been without a face. However, Crosby has grown to be the face of every NHL marketing scheme since he was drafted in 2005. However, also drafted in '05 was one Alex Ovechkin, who has put up better numbers than Crosby in his tenure in Washington. Crosby continues to be the face of the league, despite his lack of physical play (see example 1.) While everyone else sees Crosby as a second line center at best, Bettman seems adamant that he is the best player in the league (he isn't even the best player on his team.)

Now you know my vendetta against Sid. Today I went to NHL.com (a site that I do not frequent anymore,) and guess what I saw? the front page says "Crosby is the best Canadian player in the NHL today." Really? even better than Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, a 15 year veteran who has three Stanley Cups, 14 playoff appearances, and who has seven 40-win seasons. He is a four-time Vezina Trophy winner, a four-time Jennings Trophy winner, a ten-time NHL All Star, and a Calder Memorial Trophy winner. But enough speculation, lets look at stats, shall we? I'll break down the offensive numbers and see who's statistically the best Canadian in the league. You can find the data here, and it stands to prove that Crosby is the best Canadian offensive player. However, you must take in to account the player's linemates, defensive game, teammates, strength of schedule, etc. If you want to get a very accurate picture. Looking at my rough picture from solely an offensive standpoint, Crosby is tops. I can't say I didn't expect that, but I expect the picture to be different if we looked at hits or shot blocks, or a defensive stat like that.

At this point, my argument looks pretty weak. Consistency though, is a very underrated stat, especially at a goaltending position. Goaltending has been incredibly inconsistent lately, we only have to look at the careers of Dan Cloutier and Ray Emery to know that. I would say that Brodeur is definitely the best player in Canada. True, Crosby may provide more flash night in and night out, but in an era where goaltenders seem to drop from NHL rosters like flies and GAA's regularly soar over three, Brodeur's career has been the model of consistency. His 15 year career and NHL record 552 wins make Brodeur a sure- shot hall of famer. He's got trophy cases full of awards, leads the league in career games played, career wins, shutouts, Goals Against Average, is fifth in save percentage, and even leads the league in points from the goaltending position.

Crosby will never amount to holding that many records.

Minnesota's goaltending logjam

Chuck Fletcher certainly made an interesting move today when he re- signed backup goalie Josh Harding to a one year deal, a day before his arbitration hearing was scheduled. I really wasn't expecting the move because we have a very solid starting goaltender in the AHL, Nolan Schafer, who has some NHL experience backing up Evgeni Nabokov in San Jose. Looking at the roster now, the Aeros have three goalies as well, so with the Wild having three as well creates a need for a trade or else a very solid goalie will be sent to the ECHL. A few weeks ago, the Wild signed career backup goalie Wade Dubielewicz who played most recently over in Russia. I don't expect Dubielewicz to make the roster out of camp, but if he does it creates a very interesting situation for Wild management. Obviously, with the Aeros having three solid goaltenders as well as the Wild having the same, the Wild have ether little room or lots of flexibility. My thought would be that Dubielewicz was signed to light a fire under Harding in camp and make him raise his game. I would be very surprised if Dubielewicz wasn't waived before the season started. As far as the trade market goes, I don't think there will be many takers for Dubielewicz, but the Wild could move either Schafer, Harding, or both, depending on how Dubielewicz plays.