Alone in the drizzle

I have been on vacation this week. I always worry about vacations because it is entirely possible to be 10lbs heavier at the end of the week. I got a good run in on Tuesday, around 4.5 miles. I felt great, could have went farther but didn't have time. We went to the Cape for few days later in the week. On Thursday night I knocked back a number of beers with my brother in law. I felt like shit Friday morning and by the time I had lunch with my wife I knew there was only one thing I could do. Eat crappy food and drink beer and my hangover would vanish. So i settled in for a nice greasy steak and cheese and a couple of pints of Cape Cod ale. I felt much better.

A couple of hours later the showers lightened up and turned to more of a drizzle. I suddenly got the urge to run. I remembered a conversation with Sean about running in the rain. He actually suggested it. It keeps you cool, and gives you the feel for it because it is entirely possible that it may rain on marathon day and you need to know how to deal with it.

So off I went on a 3.2 mile run around my brother-in laws development. I was alone in the drizzle, and I loved every second of it. I loved the feeling of the cool drizzle soaking me down. It was actually a really calm and enjoyable experience. I wish I didn't have the cheese steak and beers because my stomach didn't feel so great. I think Sean might be onto something here. That definitely will not be my last run in the rain.

I hoping to have a six mile run this week, if the weather is nice probably Wednesday. These three and 4 mile runs are like ordering a kids plate. They taste good, but there is not much there. It's time to fire up the grill..talk to ya soon ross

"You've Got Balls My Friend!!"

The quote "you've got balls my friend" of course comes from Paulie on the Sopranos. But it might as well come from me talking to my friend Ken. Ken is a big part of the marathon team and I'm psyched about it. When he says he is going to do something, consider it done. End of story, bottom line, if Ken wants to do something, shut the lights out..the games over.

I guess the best place to start writing about Ken would be second grade. That's when Ken came in and told me he was going to be an eye doctor. I gave him one of my "shut the fuck up and finish your twinkie" looks. Well, the kid never changed his mind. Today he is a very successful eye doctor. He is very driven, smart and relentless.

Ken was a good athlete. If he tells you about baseball, he'll mention clobbering grand slams by me. Well I wasn't pitching, I was in left field. If I were pitching I would have beaned your ass like I beaned Sandra so get over it. There was little doubt about Ken's best sport. He was a hoop guy. He was good at any sport he played, but he was a special hoop player. Ken was a great ball handler, good shooter, nasty passer and the smartest player on the court. He was one of the best players ever to come out of Saugus high school (disclaimer: Let's address this right fucking now- I know some asshole is all pissed off because i disrespected some under achieving asshole. Here is my take,Ken is the best player I ever suited up with and that includes two hoop Hall of Famers. I'll give you former Detroit Piston Alex Winn, and I'll give you Welby but that's it. Dr. Ken comes in at number 3. Ken could have scored 20 a game if asked to. We had two 20 point scorers on the club, who do you think got them the fucking ball...enough said). Sorry, that shits been building for years. That '91 team talks way to fucking much.

Anyway, i don't even know where I was. But I'll pick it up here, there are game changing plays and life changing events. When this shit is going down, you need the ball in your best players hands. Ken, was always brilliant at times when the games was on the line. When others would shit their pants, Ken would take over. We'll he's like that in life. While some people can't make a big decision to save their ass, Ken just keeps coming clean. He's made some big decisions, most of them dead on great calls. The thing that separates Ken, the decisions that aren't right, he fixes them. No fucking around, he goes to plan B better than anyone I know. A lot of us have a plan B but don't have the balls to use it. Not Ken, he's got balls down to his ankles. He doesn't give a shit what other people think, he just does what he has to do to make things right.

Ken, you are my point guard for life. "You've got balls my friend". I'm jacked up about running the marathon with you. You've got the toughest training assignment, down in the Florida heat but your also the best athlete on the team so I'm not worried....till next time ross

3 Miles with Sean

Sean was in town over the weekend. We ran three miles around the lake in Wakefield. We were planning six, but we realized it's real tough to have a serious discussion while running, so we cut it off after 3 miles and went for coffee. Sean was nice and let me set the pace so I put it on super crawl speed. Sean could have ran that speed backwards but he was a real good sport.

It was so good to see Sean and his family. The run was good, but tougher than a normal run because I'm not use to talking while I run and i had no music. I have no idea of the time but it was slow.

But who gives a shit about the run. The fucking man of the hour was back in town, and for two hours it was like old times. We talked, we laughed and we made fun of every asshole that we saw. Those two hours could have been in 1987, 1997 or 2007...a great friendship doesn't change.

Seano, great seeing you..Thanks for everything!! your the fucking best!!!!

Breaking bread with the team

We had a great night of practice Thursday night. It seemed like everybody was into it. For the first time in a while, we didn't rotate teams after each set. This allowed us to play a full match against another team. It was great. Very intense. I played my ass off, the best tennis I have played in month's and we still lost in a third set tie breaker. I love playing with these guys, they are so much better than me that they force my game to a higher level.

After we got of the court we went up and had a few beers. Gary works for a bread company and he brought some bread. We tore into a loaf or two like we had never eaten before. The stuff is incredible. Drinking beers with these guys is a blast. We only have 2 or 3, but after 3 hours of tennis they seem to hit you pretty good. We have a couple of Aussies on the team, They are real strong players and even better story tellers. I could sit there and drink beer and listen to them spin tales all night.

I was a little tired Friday after the late Thursday practice. I went to the gym and played hoop. I actually played pretty well. After work I was going to run Mine Falls but I just didn't have it in me. I went out to have a beer with Sean who is in town for the weekend.

I'm going to try to get a short run in today, and then a longer one with Sean tomorrow.

Song of the Day "closing time"- Semisonic

Till Next time-d

Damnation Stuart

It's been so long, I can't even remember where "Damnation Stuart" came from, I just know we said one billion times when we were in high school.

Anyway, I spoke to my friend Stu (nicknamed after Stu Primus) last night. I was hoping to have him join our marathon team. I was going to give him the George Bush line " You are either with us or against us", but I don't want to pressure him into anything. Anyway, the good news is that the Ivory Ape has not ruled out joining us. He has til June to make a decision and I'd put it at 50/50 right now.

Stu, I hope your up for the challenge. That's if you think your man enough to hang with me for 26.2 miles. No pressure though!! ross

BIB AND THE CIA

Well it's about time I tell you about my marathon "team". I'm running with two life long friends, Ken and Bib. I have been through so much with these guys, I think it's fitting that I will be attempting this crazy journey with them. I have known them both since elementary school. Today I'm going to focus on Bib (he is nicknamed after Hall Of Famer Henry Bibby), don't worry Ken you're next!

Ever since I can remember I have been close to Bib. We played every sport we could together at the school park. I always remember Bib as a terrific athlete as well as a real good student. As we got older Bib really focused on two sports, soccer and hockey. I didn't play either, so I was able to go to all his games. I often led the "Fuck 'em Bibby" chant at the hockey games.

Bib was a tremendous competitor. He worked his ass off in soccer, after watching him play I was always glad I didn't play that sport. In hockey Bib was a defensemen. He was a true enforcer, when Bib hit an opponent the kid would crumble. I've seen Bib dismantle kids along the boards. The only problem is that Bib didn't give a shit about the whistle. He smoked a few kids after the whistle, or before the puck even dropped. Bib was ready to body check his opponents when he got off the bus at the rink. I loved that shit!! He would just fly around and hammer people.

Bib went on to study and party his ass of at Babson. I've never seen so many beer cans in one room. How he actually got good grades amazed me, because he could party with the best. I spent a ton of weekends visiting Bib. The campus was only a thirty minute ride from Saugus. I was there so much the Babson police (BABO) got to know me personally. While I'm on that subject I wasn't going to steal the Dominos' pizza sign, I was only going to borrow it.

By senior year at Babson Bib had really settled down. He met his future wife and didn't party as much. I believe it was at this point that Bib first joined the CIA. I only figured this out recently, but I really think Bib is a covert CIA agent who fights terrorist like Jack Bauer from "24". Ever since college Bib has disappeared for weeks and sometimes months at a time with no explanation. Then he reappears and everything is fine. I only hope that the government doesn't need him on November 4Th. As much as I want to see Bib blow up Baghdad, I really want to run this race with him.

Even though I don't talk to Bib as much as we once did, he truly is an amazing friend. I always know that if I fuck up something in my life, he'll be there to help pick me up. I know that he can run this race if he chooses to. The kids a great athlete. We have been talking about running a marathon for twenty years. It just seems right this year. If he can find the motivation, he will whip the beast like he use to whip the players at the rink.

Bib thanks for everything...ross

P.S. Bib it only takes 12 minutes to get started.

Song of the Day "Accompany Me" by Bob Seger

Don't forget to hit the save button

So I just had a whole blog written about my friend Bib who is running with me, and I forgot to hit the fucking save button. Unreal, that's the shit from Mrs. Mchale's class that is suppose to stick with me. So anyway, here we are, I'm to tired to rewrite it, I'll get at it tomorrow.

While I'm here I might as well give you an update. I'm at my lowest weight in a long time, down 17lbs from where I started. I played hoop at the gym today and hopefully will pull a double session tomorrow with some weight training. Still dealing with another brutal storm, so running this week doesn't look good. Sean will be out later in the week, we are planning a six miler for Sunday.

Til next time..see ya Ross

Song of the Day "Better Days" by the Goo Goo Dolls

A STRUGGLE TO THE END

Gary and I won yesterday. It was an ugly match. We played a couple of older guys that we should have killed, but it wasn't so easy. Old guys are tough because they have played so much tennis that they can find, create and use angles a lot better than younger guys. The other thing that presents a problem is the pace or lack there of. These guys were serving around 60 miles an hour. Gary and I see serves of 100 mph in practice all of the time.

We actually lost the first set, we just couldn't get into any rythym. It felt like someone shrunk the court on us, we just kept hitting everything deep. This can happen when you playing guys who don't hit with any pace, it can be real diifuclt to generate your own pace while controlling the shot. I played like shit in the first set, I was really keyed up before the match. I was listening to STAND UP by Ludacris. Bad choice, i was way to hyped up. I was trying to crush every ball instead of just playing percentage tennis. Sometimes you have to settle down a bit and live to play another point.

Second set we played much better and ended up taking the victory in the superbreaker.
It was a tougher match then we planned, but it was a victory so i'll take it.

To top it off, my truck would start after the match, thank God for the 99 to take the edge off, It's all good now. Thanks for Rick and John for sticking around to watch and thanks to Gary for helping with my truck...see ya dave

Quick Note

I'm going to be brief here because i'm leaving soon to play my match with Gary. Gary and I played great in practice and I think we'll be fine today. I was able to keep my focus and slow down the pace during practice which has always been a challange for me. I'll let you know how we make out later.

I went for a run yesterday, about 4.5 miles. Really enjoyable, it took away a lot of stress. These 4-6 mile runs are getting easy. I can't wait until I can step it up. My goal is to tourch Mine Falls for 9 miles by June 1st, and then be at 13 miles by July 1st.


Gotta run..Rossamania hits the courts in two hours.

Song of the day..."Old Apartment" by the Bare Naked Ladies

My Secret Beaning of Sandra Whyte

Yesterday, I talked about winning and losing. So I guess it's time to talk about my competetive nature. I've been competeing forever, always playing to win. So now it's time reveal a secret that will shed some light on my competitive nature.

When I was in little league I was a tremendous pitcher. My brother Bobby taught me to throw sidearm like Kent Tekulve. I perfected a sidearm riser that was virtually unhittable. I had one other pitch, a devestating out of control fastball. I couldn't throw the heat for strikes but it really kept the hitters off balance. As the season went on I became confident and cocky. I remember one game, I struck out 9 and walked 1 in three innings of work. A little Papplebon in the making. Together with Randy Penny we formed a great one two punch. So enough about me, you get the picture.

Sandra Whyte is possibly the greatest athlete to ever come out of Saugus. She was all world evrything in high school. Field hockey, softball and of course hockey. She went on to play field hockey and ice hockey at Harvard. At one time she was Harvard's all time point scorer in ice Hockey. After college Sandra played on the US National women's hockey team and eventually played in the olympics. You may remember that she was accusded of making fun of a Canadian players dead father ( a true Saugonian). Sandra denies this by the way. She was also very smart and one of the nicest kids I've ever known. When Sandra played little league she was a terrific hitter, a feared Wade Boggs type of line drive hitter. A very tough out for any pitcher. So now you know about Sandra.

One day at school my buddies were busting my ass all day about facing Sandra that evening. They talked a lot of smack about her lining hits all over the place on me. They really got into my head. I was freaked. I decided there was only one thing to do, I would bean her.

Sandra stepped into the box and got comfortable. I went into a full wind up, no pitching from the stretch for this one. I unloaded a fastball right at her skull. It may have been the hardest pitch I have ever thrown. Sandra ducked her head and raised her shoulder. Kaboom, smash kabaam. I beaned her in the shoulder. If she didn't move the way she did I may have killed her. She dropped like the titanic. The poor kid started crying as the coaches ran to the batters box to scrape her up. That would be her only at bat that night. I promised the kids at the lunch table that she would not get a hit off me, now it was officical. I had protected my ego.

As Sandra fell to the ground I turned around and winked at my second baseman. One problem, my dad liked to watch me pitch from centerfiled. I thought he was going to hop the fence and beat the shit eating grin off my face in front of my friends. Thank God he waited until later. My dad was bull shit, but he didn't go totally off. After all, how could he. He was the one who taught me the brushback pitch. He fully endorsed beaning the first batter of each game in the leg. He figured everyone else would be afraid to dig in against me.

So there you have it, I'm a competeitve freak with an ego and always will be. I will need that competive fire to finish this marathon. As for Sandra, I like to think that I helped "toughen" her up, that somehow this was a positive experience for her also. I don't think she knows I did it on purpose and she probably doesn't even rembemer it. I on the other hand will never forget it.

Up until now only a few people knew my secret. Well now its out, in print and off my chest. I feel so much better now. So there you have it. I don't regret the beaning and I'm not embarrased about it. It is what it is, two people competeing at a high level.

Sandra if you ever hear this story, I'm sorry and I hope you are doing well.

talk to you soon...ross

NOTHING MAN

I'm like a caged rat right now. I can't wait to play tennis tonight. It's just a practice, but it's a big one. We have our last league match Sunday and I am playing doubles with my friend Gary. I played tennis with Gary at Salem State, so it's always fun to be on the court with him. We play a lot together in practice, but Sunday will be our first league match together. I'm getting jacked up for that. I'm going to bring it hard tonight, it's 3 hours away and I have my game face on already. This has nothing to do with running, but just wanted you to know where I'm at. I'm really keyed up right now, and looking forward to punishing someone tonight.

Our team is in First place and we have clinched a spot the district tournament and hope to be able to push through to the National tournament in the fall. My role on the team is not much different than when I played hoop for Saugus. I punish people in practice, play my ass off and hope to make them better. I don't give anyone a free point at practice on Thursdays. Sort of like when I busted Coco's balls (Coco led our league in scoring but never had an open look in practice). I 'm not good enough to start on this tennis team, but nobody takes me lightly.

Now that I think about it, my role as an athlete has always been a team/role player job. Even when I played at SSC, I played #2 singes with one job, go out and take a beating like a man. Everyone knew I had no shot to win at #2, but by taking one for the team, we were able to push everyone down the ladder and it made our team stronger. If nothing, it made me understand winning and losing. I appreciate winning so much, there is nothing like it. Fuck the stats, give me the "W"!!

I'm listening to Nothing Man right now by Pearl Jam. This is another song that blows me away! It's so God Damn perfect. Check out the lyrics:

Once divided...nothing left to subtract...Some words when spoken...can't be taken back...Walks on his own...with thoughts he can't help thinking...Future's above...but in the past he's slow and sinking...Caught a bolt 'a lightnin'...cursed the day he let it go...Nothingman... (2x)Isn't it something?Nothingman...She once believed...in every story he had to tell...One day she stiffened...took the other side...Empty stares...from each corner of a shared prison cell...One just escapes...one's left inside the well...And he who forgets...will be destined to remember...oh...oh...oh...Nothingman... (2x)Isn't it something?Nothingman...Oh, she don't want him...Oh, she won't feed him...after he's flown away...Oh, into the sun...ah, into the sun...Burn...burn...Nothingman... (2x)Isn't it something?Nothingman...Nothingman... (2x)Coulda' been something...Nothingman...Oh...ohh...ohh...

I love Pearl Jam!! I have to go now, time to mentally prepare for the fucking can of whop ass I'm going to bring out tonight...see ya ross

To Blog or Not to Blog

Hi gang, Sorry it has been so long since my last blog. I've been so freaking crazy dealing with shit lately that I haven't had time to do much of anything. Every time I thought about writing something, my mind was so full of crap that I just couldn't do it. I think the best time for me to Blog is right after a run, it's the only time I feel any peace in my life. For now, I'll do my best to recap the last couple of weeks.

On April second, I ran around Lake "Whatchmacallit" in Wakefield. I grew up down there and can never remember the name of the freaking lake. Anyways, it was a great day, nice weather in the 60's with tons of people out. I went around twice for a 6 mile total. I felt like a champion. I really had no issues with the run at all. I was a little sore the next day but not too bad.

Other than that, I've played hoop everyday and tennis on Thursday night. The weight showed signs of dropping, but after Drinking 17 beers and eating an Easter feast I'm back to where i was. I did go for a 5 mile walk on Easter.

It's snowing out as I write this, I really need the good weather to come quick. I feel like a caged rat.

Special thanks to JR for being an incredible sounding board and voice of reason in my life. Your friendship is invaluable.

Seano is coming out next week, if the weather breaks we are planning a run through Saugus for old times. If the weather is still shitty, we'll be drunk on route 1 like old times.

Song of the week "Glycerine" by Bush....don't let the days go by....see ya soon ross