May the hills be with you

Cool volunteer shirt. The finishers technical shirt this year was spectacular. Black with monkeys on the sleeve for the number of monkey marathons run before today. (episode 4) Pretty cool touch.


If you can't run, volunteer. Today's assignment, the intersection of the 11.2 and the 5.8? on the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon. If you've never been to Percy Warner Park, this would be section of the main drive known as 9 mile hill. It actually is at 5 miles on the marathon course as they ascend the hill and then around mile 20.5 as they descend and head toward the finish.

I set a few signs out for the little rise to the intersection of the road and waited for the first pack of runners. I brought a thermos full of coffee and more than likely was just a tad wired when the runners started flowing through. 5 miles into a marathon everyone is still pretty cheerful, even though they may have been a little suffering up the hill. Still even with all of the runners its still spooky quiet. Heard some rustling in the leaves as one group of runners were running through and a 6 point buck was standing off the side of the road just watching the spectacle.

Big fail in the mission, no beer. I know, what a spot for a beer right after a long climb and right before mile 21. Big plans to set out a table with beer, with some kind of clever sign. Change of plans after looking at the weather forecast. Everything indicated rain. I fully expected it to be raining. Radar on race morning was a solid blob of green coming up from the south. So, I thought I'd be proactive and bring a pop up canopy for the finish area. That change in plans eliminated the trunk space in my car. Oh well, maybe next year, if I don't run. Beer at mile 20.5. But, I really want one of those cool monkey shirts. Oh what a dilemma for a simple minded runner, idiot perhaps?

Football

The Road to a Bowl!

Calling all Blue Raider fans!
Come cheer on the Blue Raiders
in their final home football game!

This Saturday, November 21 - 3:30pm kick-off - Floyd Stadium

Order your alumni discounted game ticket TODAY!

$6 per person (no limit on quantity)
Tickets are in the reserved end zone section.

Call 1-800-533-6878 to order your tickets.

THREE ways to get your tickets:

pick them up at the Alumni House through 4pm on Friday
pick them up at the alumni tent in Walnut Grove between 1pm - 2:30pm
pick them up at Will Call at the stadium
Tickets will not be mailed.

Let's fill Floyd Stadium and cheer on our team to another win!



Great weekend for football this past weekend. Dylan and I went to the MTSU game on Saturday. Didn't tailgate this time, but did drive through to see the turnout. Even less people than the prior weekend. Sad. Can't understand why Murfreesboro can't pack that stadium. MTSU beat the "ragin' cajun's", and improved their record to 7-3. One more home game next weekend.

Boys got to go into the locker room after the game. That's a big deal for them. Comment that stuck out to Dylan from the coach, "don't do anything stupid, tonight". Pretty cool, they only let a handful of kids into the "pressroom", boys consider it the locker room. Afterwards they went out on the field and played football.

Veterans Day

Thank you to all who have served and those who continue to serve.

A veteran - whether active duty, reserve, national guard or retired - is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." - That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

Thought this post would be a good spot to put this info.

Cover from the Aviation Cadet Photo Album, Class of 1960 & Reunion 2009 album. Also, shot of dad from the album.

Note from Mom: This is from the person who was putting the reunion of the class of 60-20N that Frank had been a part of; I don't have a copy of the picture that was used for the yearbook. You might want to read the comments from the people who flew combat missions during the Vietnam War; Frank flew in a B-66 for those missions. Frank and some other guys were sent from Spangdahlem to Thailand; they were using B-66's; they were gone for a few months.

These are screen shots from the first version of the album. I'll try and find a way to post the final product.





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Uh, oh

To far, to fast, to soon? 6.75 miles sunday, 3 miles yesterday and another 6 miles this morning. Felt a twinge in my foot around 4 miles, must not have been anything. Sheesh, hate treading water like this. Feel good, but still apprehensive. Coming back from an injury just blows.

Monkey marathon is less than 2 weeks away. Hope some of the leaves can wait, colors right now are pretty good. I've been assigned as a course monitor. Guess that means I'll be the guy pointing which way to go, somewhere out on the course. Maybe, I'll bring the megaphone and make a couple of signs to "motivate" the runners. Don't think I've ever been a spectator at a marathon. It will be cool to see everyone in action.

Need to throw some feelers out and see if anyone is interested in another Fat Ass 50k on New Years day. I haven't looked at the calendar yet, but which ever day I get off from work will be the day of the 50k. This would be number 4 or IV, or as a read somewhere IIII. (what the hell, someone decided to change Roman numerals which have been around forever) Evidently, IIII was used back in 1390.(politically correct attempt even way back then)

back to back

Didn't plan to run this morning, but needed to break up the remaining congestion in my chest and head. Only went 3 miles, but that's the first back to back run in 5 or so weeks. Sinus infection or head cold is just about gone. Made me sound bad, but it wasn't really that big of deal.

Did an easy 7 miles with the fella's on Sunday. Nice day and I could actually keep up. (they weren't pushing it) Good to catch up, haven't run with them in quite awhile.

Last race timing job of the year on Saturday. It went really well. Beautiful day for a race. First race where the top three places were almost all female. Young high school boy was able to stay ahead of the number 2 and 3 females who weren't that far back. Pretty cool to be able to watch them coming home for about the final 1,200 meters or so. Good turnout for the first year of the race.

these are days

Finally a decent run. Nice easy 4 miles this morning. Left the house right at dawn. Not a cloud in the sky, little wind and temperatures in the 40's. These are the kind of days that make me want to run forever. This morning I felt like running fast, but held back and just ran steady. Still just the second week of recovery. No need for speed, yet.