Ho Ho Ho; Merry Christmas, One and All !!!

Now i realize that y'er Sluggo's and probably weren't too good this year; which means Santa may have left ya' coal, instead of a new pair of Brooks Beasts. Any-who relax, and repent; try harder in 2007. And, what better way to start than another Fat Butt. We currently have 21 confirmed entrants, but if ya just feelin' that ya need that black shirt, shoot us a request for entry; no doubt not all of the confirmed entrants will be sobered up by January 6th. In all sincerity; i have received confirmation that da'hitman hisself will be present for fattest butt. no word yet on john d. clark. keep yer fingers crossed. finally, for me-self, the tsi executive board, AND all sluggos everywhere; THANKS for the beautiful memories, and loving friendships. SLUGS ROCK! happy days, flatfoot freddie.

fattest butt gets plumper by da' week!

ok, dr. hitman turned up; seems he ordered one of d'ose on-line clergy certificates, and he's been down in tallahassee marryin' drunkard college students at $25 a pop to pay for seventy-five cases of new orleans' finest voodoo blackened lager. and, you can be sure he's up to no good with that much swamp juice. but, he did promise to be here in january; and, the tsi 2007 fattest butt registration continues with the next four official entrants confirmed; jason mattis, phillip hesser, rich kruse, and miguel gomez. welcome one and all. the field continues to shape up nicely, and slug trinkets have been "officially ordered." soon we will add more names to the lifetime slug list, and friends, if you are still running; you may continue to avoid the wrath of the the famous black slug-shirt; but, sooner or later, if ya don't quit; you'll be joining us in the slug kingdom. hey, it ain't so bad being slow! from the warm and sunny eastern seaboard, flattest foot freddie.

Smith/Laundry smoke da' SC Fat Ass!!!

Congrats to the latest two 2007 fattest butt entrants, and potential Lifetime Slugs; Chuck Donaway and Mark Kuo. Also, congrats to Brother Claude and the Runners From Hell for the highly successful SC Fat Ass 50K held this past Sunday in Lancaster, SC. Claude reports nine finishers with first male and female finishing in a dead heat. Stuart Smith and Susan Landry of Pennsylvania finished together in 4:33:35. What a great run, and no doubt a great time down south yesterday. Hope each of ya have your Christmas shopping done! Itsa comin'. The fattest butt is also creeping closer and closer, and surely; da hitman will be here. Race day mis-information will be posted the week between the holidays. happy days, flatfoot freddie.

freeze warning in florida tonight!

ok...that's not why i'm writing, but if you're anywhere from gainesville, north; ya better bring in the plants tonight. next three victims, errr, participants; for the 2007 team slug fattest butt 50k in january are; matthew hernberger, derek hills (returning for more funn), and ravi gooneratne. race director for this non-event will be amanda bundek. we're now just over a month out, and very excited about this run. new handrails are currently being installed, along with some heated astro-turf. remember, guide dogs are allowed at all slug events; and extra credit is provided for those who take longer than seven hours to finish. a couple of days after christmas i'll send out a detailed rules sheet. of course, it'll be mostly empty. for all you folks up north tonight; i wish you warm tidings of great joy. from keyest west, da' flattest foot freddie....

too much bloggin...but the good news keeps comin'

ok, friends; we've had three more entrants confirmed for fattest butt in the past 24 hrs. and, they are each highly honorable and kind slugs, and a few of the people that i like best in the whole world. are you all sitting down??? yes, james and rebecca have confirmed that they will return in january for the fattest butt!!! d'oldest of d'old sluggos. the originals, the birthday track runners, yee-haw, da' all- nighter, and his childbride, my favorite sluggette; will be here, again. and, they will be joined by delaware ultrarunner #1 (and a slug-in-good-standing), making his second consecutive fatt butt start, mr. db. so now it's gettin serious; if ya see da' hitman, tells him to get on home...we gotta start marking the course by christmas....happy days, flatfoot freddie...

ellie hamilton in !!!!

i've called da' hitman and he said go head and let da' ellie monster in; do i don't know her/him.
any-who; field is shapin up way too good, and da slugs will be roollllin in jan.
sendin all peace and da'love; happiest of days, flattest foot freddie....

fear and loathing in dover, delaware!!!

"Greetings Team Slug, my name is Chris Palazzi from New York state, via IRAQ, and i will be joining you in the Fattest Butt on January 6th. I hail from NY and this will be my first 50k race. Do you have any idea of the elevation gain?"
ed; brother chris the great of new york, and an iraqi veteran; my friend, you will be welcome no matter what shoes you are wearing. don't worry about the elevation or the distance. we WILL get you to the finish line; don't expect it to be pretty!
SLUGS; brother dave has entered! let's keep it under 10!
hitman due back on december 30th.....happy days, flatfoot freddie!

Congrats all Slug-finishers at JFK

I'm not sure where da' hitman is; probably in deep florida with no shoes and semi-intoxicated, but he ain't here. Any-who, congrats to all the TSI finishers, and ALL finishers, at JFK yesterday. What a great group of folks. While TSI remains as unorganized today, as it was 17 years ago in Virginia Beach; it does remain a "state of mind" and a philosophy of not only finishing, but a philosophy of friendship. We appreciate every single one of you beautiful folks who have crossed our path. Now please, if anyone sees john; please send him back north. The Fattest Butt is now only 47 days away!!! happy days, flattest foot freddie....

happy veteran's day; one day late!

a special thanks to all the veterans out there. it is a privilege to have you all show up at the slug events, and not only participate; but become lifelong slugs. all here in key west is great! da' hitman is again missing, haven't seen him for nearly a month, but no doubt he'll be back for the parade next weekend. i got a nice note from taz, who will be hosting a south carolina fat ass on 12/10. there's a link on the slug, upcoming race page; if you're interested. also, we're just under two months until the team slug fattest butt in the first state. all else is quiet.... from the southernmost point in the united states of america.....flatfoot freddie

2007 Fattest Butt set for January 6th.

El Sluggos,
just a friendly reminder that the 17th annual Team Slug Fattest Butt non-event will be held on January 6th, 2007 here in Central Delaware. After the fiasco last year, i expect a lot of participation this year. i mean, you get to have a lot of fun for only ten bucks. also, the first entrant has been confirmed. One mister john straub will attend in an attempt to earn a slug shirt.
happy days, ff.

Russell B. Cheney tenative results.

Team Slug's 17th birthday non-event/fun run, The Russell B. Cheney 50K, was held yesterday here in central Delaware. We had 17 starters toe the line, and 16 of them finished. The weather was outstanding, almost too good, to run that far in. Russell and one of his L.A. Legger buddies, Charles Sayles, were on hand directly from California. We had ourselves a good old-fashioned footrace here on the top-secret Slug ultra-course. The winner was Mark Crisman of Maryland in 4:02:10 followed closely by Rob Powell of Ohio in 4:07:50; and the female winner was Brittany Klimowicz, currently a senior at the University of Delaware, in 4:34:23. A full story with full results will be posted to www.teamslug.com within three days. Hope everyone is having a great fall running season, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Russell B. Cheney 50K Information / Welcome Pack

friends, slugs (old and new);

1. The fall marathon season is now upon us, and final tune-ups are being made. Here in Slug-land we're also preparing to welcome mr. russell b. cheney back to the first state where he will be participating in this event in his honor. I've included the list of confirmed entrants; if their is anyone out there that i missed please contact me immediately. My disorganization is legendary.

2. First, welcome to this ultramarathon. This will be the sixteenth consecutive year that this run has been held on the last weekend of sept/first weekend of october. It has moved from it's original location in virginia, to florida, one year in korea, and now into the first state of delaware. Please keep in mind this is not an "official" event. We're a group of old and new friends getting together to carry on this birthday tradition of a long run. This year the honoree is one mister cheney. He will be gracing us with his presence, and be available for photos and autographs. Also, this is kind of like a fat-ass run; but not as well organized. It will consist of nine loops around a pond, with aid available at the start/finish area. The markings will be sporadic to none, and handrails will not be present. However, you are welcome to bring guidedogs if you would feel safer out there. TSI will provide the basics of purified pond water and stale bread. If you need any special provisions to finish, please bring them along. There is NO TIME LIMIT, however, we must be out of the park by dark. Should anyone require more time, we'll park outside the gate, and i will personally help ya finish (i promise). The fee is ten u.s. dollars, unless other arrangements have been made (angela), and will only be collected if you want one of our world-famous black t-shirts. We do, of course, have a money-back guarantee if you are dissatisfied for any reason.

3. Incredibly, this is the largest field of starters we've ever had. Previously the record has been fifteen. Remember, however, it's not too late to drop out. In fact, you can drop out all the way up to the previous day; but please contact me if you come to your senses and decide not to show up. I assure you that i don't blame ya. My e-mail is: teamslug1@comcast.net ; or you can phone at (302)678-3325 at home and (302)399-6409 on my cell phone.

4. We will meet at Killen's Pond Park in the main parking area. It's easy to find on a map, approximately ten miles south of dover, delaware off route 13. Headed south from dover you'll make a left off of rt 13 at the sign marking killen's pond. drive approximately one mile and you will pass lake forest high school. the very next right will take you into the park. the gate opens at 0800 A.M, and it'll cost you a few bucks to get in. come all the way to the back past the water park. our small group should be easy to find. remember this is not an official event, and ranger rick has not been notified. we're just a small group of friends having an all-day picnic, and getting some exercise.

5. Finally, we'll be cooking some spaghetti the night before at my house in dover, probably around 630 PM. If you'd like to come by, and say hi, all will be welcome. The address is 240 beechwood avenue, off of alternate 113 (south state street.) again, i'd just appreciate a phone call a week or so ahead so we can have plenty of pasta. I love this time of year in the mid-atlantic, and the park will be beautiful. It's a very easy run, nearly all downhill, and i expect the temps to be in the mid-seventies. I look forward to seeing some of you all again, and look forward even more to meeting the new folks, and potential slugs.


Confirmed Starters Russell B. Cheney 50K on 9/30/06:
Brian Adams, DE
Don Baun, OH
Amanda Bundek, DE
Russell Cheney, CA
John Clark, PA
Mark Crisman, MD
John Hayward, MD
Angela Ivory, TN
Lawrence Macon, TX
Pete McLaughlin, DE
James Moore, VA
Rebecca Moore, VA
Steve Ozer, NY
Rob Powell, OH
Kendel Prescott, GA
Walt Prescott, GA
Richard Ryan, VA
Charles Sayles, CA
Mark Vukovich, VA
Juanita Wheatley, MD
Flatfoot Freddie, FL

another great training run today....

...deep in the central delawarean forests. pokey was in rare form and continues her climb towards that first ultra finish. weather here was fantastic, almost cool, this morning as we went well over twenty miles; her for the second consecutive saturday. also, checking in this week are several unfortunate souls registered for the rbc 50k+ ; now just forty some days away. i expect to get out all the race info by the first week of september. also, in the next week i'll be posting a list of confirmed victims, err, registrants. i'm looking forward to another fantastic team slug shindig. just like the old days; and we have some of the oldest of the old slugs confirmed. details coming.....

alive and kickin'

all is swell in slugland. rollin through the heat, etc. got a nice group lined up for the rbc 50k. it'll be a fine slugfest. most recently, mark vukovich of va beach has contacted me; and is likely to be attending. he's still a bit peeved over the new years day run; when he lost out on the crazy horse award to my favorite new york slug. but, mark, being an old-tyme slug is returning. and, this time he will accomplish the task, though he will be up against my favorite sluggette (of all time) ms rebecca. and, i'm sorry mark, but dead tie will go to rebecca. we're just too old of friends. also, james checked in and brought me to my senses. tsi cannot field an "official" team. that would go against all we stand for. we will be present; near the back; EARLY that morning. peace out old buddies; and i expect to get the rbc roster posted in the next couple of weeks. da' hitman

...the sixty day countdown is on...

to rbc50k here in our little state. and, we're ready. we've been enjoying some massive heat the past couple of weeks and today the temps in central delaware are supposed to reach the 100 degree range; and it feels like 200 with the humidity. anyway, we're thankful for the warmth of the sun; i'm certain this winter we'll be whining about something else. if you get a chance today click on the frontpage and look through dave bursler's badwater photos. they are inspiring and certain to make you want to get out there and move. today as always i wish you health and good running. see ya soon sluggos. john

it's gettin' hot over here.....

this morning we enjoyed another 4 hour, 20-mile training effort as miz pokey continues to gain steam; this jaunt in all the heat and humidity tiny delaware could muster. and, that's plenty this time of year. so the training goes on as we continue to work towards rbc and jfk; if you get a chance click on link on tsi front page and take a peek at the badwater story from the washington post, and the accompanying pics. in there you will find one mister david bursler, who hails from Bear, DE; and ran to a first place tie at the '06 tsi fattest butt, back on new years day. mr. dave is not only a delawarean but a true gentleman, and lucky for us a friend of da' slugs. no doubt he'll bring back an incredible story from death valley, and i'll definitely share the link with you all. from the first state, john.

running through the heat and into the fall...

....another great week of running as time draws us closer to the fall running season. here in central delaware we're especially excited about the upcoming rbc event; mostly just because i look forward to seeing some old friends, and welcoming some new slugs. we have had some incredible heat this week, and yet this morning had some powerful thunderstorms/rain roll through. it was fantastic and lowered the temp a good fifteen degrees. it shoved my workout into the gym though. i quit running in lightning after the little incident in pensacola, florida in 1999. i still have scars from that. i hope all of you are enjoying your summer running. while rbc is officially closed, if you have a deep down desire to earn your own "slug shirt" shoot me an e-mail and we can work something out. have a great week, john.

chasing buffaloes in delaware.....

pokey and i skipped our long run out in the slug forest; and traded it for a road 20k, actually the 28th annual great buffalo stampede 10k in wyoming, delaware hosted by the downstate delaware striders. we just did it twice. we started in heavy fog with absolutely no fellow competitors and were off flyin through the peach trees of kent county, dodging farm trucks and ymca buses. the ymca guy just about took off my ear. that definitely would have put a cramp in my fall marathon plans. pokey and i are making great strides as we continue working towards the longer fall runs. this morning early we enjoyed narrow lanes and aid station workers that seemed mystified as to what we were doing out at the turnaround so early. it's hard to imagine a couple of slugs could be leadin....no, that couldn't be it; so we just smiled at 'em and kept movin. thats always the key, whatever the distance, and in the heat/humidity this morning we maintained a good pace and even finished strong. if you're looking for a good, fast, hometown 10k, this is it. the folks are friendly, and mercifully allowed our finish to be official. we came in at 2:21:03, much shorter than our normal long run; but still a worthy effort. pokey-slug managed to finagle the "crazy horse award" by finishing dead last. she's my hero. slugs, i hope all is fantastic with your running and your life this beautiful summer day. happy days, john.

baseball in the first state....

I had the good fortune to spend last evening at a minor league baseball game. the wilmington blue sox were hosting the frederick keys during a hot summer night baseball classic in northern delaware. i'd never been to that stadium before, but have loved the minors all my life. being there is much different than being at a major league game. the fans seem more enthusiastic, more interested and more fun-loving. the promotions may be corny, but they are interesting. one of my favorites last night was when a new car was driven around the field, and fans were allowed to try to throw rubber golf balls into the sunroof. or, when they brought out three large trash cans, and some lucky contestant got to choose one to pick up a prize. interestingly enough, the prizes for every contest seemed to be free tickets to the next home game. baseball is surely a deep reflection of life in this free country. and, at a time when the dollar (and, steroids) has shaken the integrity of the game it is refreshing to be sit and watch the young and old, men and women, spread out in the bleachers enjoying the sport the way it should be played. so today if you're reading this and you want to enjoy a cross-section of american life, go to a game; a minor league game. if you want to get on the field that's easy too. during the month of may the final couple hundred yards of the frederick marathon are run around the outfield grass and finishes at home plate. now that's a marathon :)

i hope your running is going swell this summer season. rbc is now just 78 days away, and we have 18 confirmed entrants. whooo-hooo. that's a big field for us. while "running man" has officially closed all entries, if you really wanna come and run an ole-time, real life ultra, please give me a call. i could squeeze in another or two. take the app seriously, this is not a serious run. it'll be a nice little gang of adventurers chasing yet another wild dream. kind of like the young men on that northern delaware baseball field last night. traveling around the east coast, playing for peanuts, all sharing a dream that their hard work and talent will get them to the next level. keep dreamin' and enjoy every moment of your life. happy days, john.

cool air at 1400 feet in my maryland....

my weekend long run was perfect....out on the catoctin loop; straight up to wolf rock and around the upper perimeter, thurmond overlook, hog rock, cunningham falls, and back to the start. my ole budd, carolina blue, was out with me (in the cool air---low 50's early a.m.) and reminding me to start taking better care of myself. he said, "...the years between 44 and 54 are critical; everything starts to clog up and slow down..." and i'm taking his advice. additionally, the internet has allowed us to communicate immediately and across the miles---and this allows us to find some fellow humans with similar dispositions. that's what we've tried to do at tsi. attract and surround ourselves with positive, kind, loving, and motivated people. accepting anything less is not being fair to yourself. so please today and always be kind to yourself and those around you. i always try to remember, when it's hard to be loving, that each fellow human being is doing the absolute best that they can in that given moment of time. it may not be very good, and it may be hurting you or others, but in that moment they're doing the best that they can. the clear air up there in northern frederick county made for a perfect running day that facilitated a lot of clear thinking. i hope that each of you are happy where you are in your lives. if not, please heed one of my absolute favorite quotes ever spoken by one mister timothy leary, "if you're not happy with your life, just pick up your needle and move to another groove." happy days from the first state, john.

From the ROK: Firing Missles at da' Slugs.....

ok, so North Korea is now launching missles at da' slugs and i know why. he is still pissed because i wouldn't give him a slug-shirt and name him an honorary member during TSI's "Run to the DMZ in 2003" team trot. now he's takin it out on my budd, the animal, and i assure you tsi is takin it seriously. the white house is aware of the situation and is working with japan on settling this issue. in the meantime my bro, d'animal, promises me plans are well underway for the fall run. it'll be in conjunction with the rbc50k, and finishers will receive the original slug-shirt. so shoot all you want crazy man, team slug will not be deterred!!!!!! happy days, da'hitman

The Bird tried to Kill Me; or My Best Run Ever!

ok slug fans, so our (me and pokey's) training has not been particularly hard, or fast. that's true. but what our training has been is steady and regular. and, we all know that steady and regular, combined with refusing to quit, gets ya to the finish line. and, for runners like us, that remains priority number 1. yesterday was our best training day of the year as the time climbed to four hours, and the mileage to over half of the 50K+ course. the humidity was down, but temps were still well into the 80's and with the diving red-winged blackbirds coming literally within inches of us, it made for an unforgettable long morning jaunt. delaware is so unusual, in a good-way of course :) ms. pokey continues to work hard, and remain a positive delight during the long runs. she's coming into rbc, having never run a marathon. and, while i don't normally think that's a good idea, right now i'm beginning to understand that maybe it doesn't matter in what order we approach these long runs. we just need to keep doin it and get ourselves prepared. ms pokey believes in herself, her body and mind so much, that she will finish. no matter what it takes. it reminds me of an old t-shirt lost so long ago, put out by a running company; "all it takes, is all you got." and she's got it, and i'm just along for the ride. it's an exciting year. so many changes and all of them good.

Other news; i received a nice note from the "All-Nighter" as he continues to mount TSI's next attempt at jfk. He's hard at work recruiting some of the "finest slugs dat ever wobbled." We have a chance to not only pick up the Individual Crazy Horse Award, but are the favorites in the Team category as well. Could be a clean sweep!

I hope each of you are having the finest running & life days of your entire life. Stay kind and positive, and take care of yourselves. I'm looking forward to the day when we will each/all meet again. happy days, john.

Three Month Countdown...

...until the Russell B. Cheney 50K on September 30th. and, we all know the summer will fly by. We currently have fifteen (15) registered plodders. Normally, I'd cut it off right there. But, after convening with the tsi's most honorable board of directors in last night's executive council meeting, we've decided to go for the record. The very next entry will break that record, and receive a lifetime of harassment from da' slugs. That's right, in the past 17 years, and 44 events the largest number of runners ever registered was 15*. so please if you're determined to run this fall please get the entry in. i really don't expect everyone to show up, so no worries, there'll be plenty of pond-water and day old bread for all. i hope each of you are enjoying your best running and life-year ever. happiest of days, john.
*that's in "official" slug non-events. i realize that some of the "semi-official" slug non-events, including those in the d.c. area, the "peanuts' gallery", and even my personal favorite, brother claude's "slugs from hell", have had many more starters. and, i assure you all, that here at tsi we absolutely love all of our affiliate organizations. in fact, the "gulf coast ufo division" of tsi, headed by the big brown pony is now entering its 10th consecutive year of failing to finish even "one" plodder at their annual convention/beach-plod in Navarre Beach, Florida. now, that is an accomplishment! congrats bbp and keep up the great work.

Another Great Morning Run......

...and one day closer to rbc and jfk. this morning was a fantastic exercise in putting in some long, slow miles; and swatting some gnasty gnats that bite. we were out extra early this morning to beat the stormy rain that's slowly and surely descending into downstate delaware. and we talked and enjoyed peaceful quiet, it was all good, as we experienced the intense and beautiful humidity that completely envelopes you as you move through time in the summer in the mid-atlantic. if you're reading this today, take a minute to click on the WS100 live-link and check on ms. catra's progress. she's been in my thoughts a lot lately, and continues to motivate me towards my personal goals. how much effort does it take to go out into this heat and run three hours...plenty....but my budd in California is out "right now" facing not only the beast of one hundred miles; but then fully intends to turn around and run back. let's face it...the girl's got what it takes, and we love her. so slugfriends enjoy your runs today and this weekend, and keep in mind that it is a privilege to be healthy enough to get out there and do what we do. please be thankful for it. lookin forward to seeing each of you all later this summer and into the fall. happy days, john.

First State Ultrarunning in the News!

Please take a moment to check out the article by Ms Jennifer Goldblatt in today's News Journal . I put a link on the front page for you out-of-staters. Also, Carl Camp, The Sleep Monster himself, has announced that this years Delaware 100 will be held on September 30th. I put the link on TSI's schedule page. That just happens to be the same day as the RBC 50K. So if you're gonna be close by that weekend, and are interested, i'll be leaving the finish line at rbc and heading straight to Newark to help at the 100 mile Aid Station overnight. Shouldn't be so cold this year (read last years story on 2005 race page). Also, this weekend is the Western States 100, starting in Squaw Valley, California. Team Slug wants to wish Ms. Catra the best of luck as she goes for the double. happy days, john

The Great Delaware Spotted Mushroom Hunt

Don't ask about the title. It doesn't matter. Main thing is that me and ms.mandy got out there this morning and put in some miles. And, that's what counts. As RBC draws closer and closer my motivation continues to waiver, it has taken ms. m to get me out there. And, historically that has been the trend. The right person always shows up at the right time. And today was a good one; and now it's back to one day at a time. Just Get OUT and Do It! The heat is on in delaware and i'm thankful for it. Running this morning felt great. Nice and slow and easy and steady. Running and relaxing and being thankful for every breath. That's what it is about. As we inch closer to the Mr. Cheney 50K, and then onto jfk; From the firstest status. da' hitman.

Newsflash! RBC hostage in ND !!!

RBC checks in from North Dakota. Don't ask me what he's doin there; what would anybody be doing there? Runnin marathons of course.....and doing what he does best. Meeting, greeting, and befriending the natives. Wow; under four months til the fall race; time sure is flyin. I'm still working hard to keep the entries down; and have chased off several prospective "real" runners. One look at the pic of me and ole rbc last october, and any sane person would decide they had better things to do, than come and eat watermelon with us. Anyway, i mean it; i'm gonna start training seriously. Just joking, i only wrote that so john clark would spit up some of the suds i'm sure he's sippin in front of the old computer screen. jc ya better show up, or i WILL get out that voodoo doll and use it. i m.e.a.n. it!!! keep runnin sluggos, and keep the faith. see y'all in sept. happy days, john.

Livin, Luvin, &Trippin' on da Rocks

I'm finally back out and runnin after fallin off a big rock and twistin my knee on Mt Mitchell. In my defense, the rock was wet. Not that I haven't fallen off a lot of dry ones too; over the years. Ms Pokey was out with me on the top-secret slug-training course as she continues to prep for her first ultra at RBC in Sept. I'm certain she'll be successful as she's one of the strongest, not necessarily fastest (and that is a very good thing), young runners I've met in a while. She is exceptionally patient and determined to finish, and all good endurance runners know that's about 99% of the battle. Today was a bit hot and humid, for May in the Mid-Atlantic, and working up a sweat was easy. We did a fine job of ploddin/sloggin & wobblin for about 12 miles, and hope to work up to 20 within the next 4-6 wks. The forested trail has begun to shrink and the spring foliage is in full green apparel, as even the frogs were out this morning admiring the beautiful season and jumping for joy. Applications continue to filter in for the fall race. Please keep in mind that our policy of selection is now, and always has been, at the whim of the race director. DO NOT SEND $$$$ WITH YOUR APP---you must be accepted. It's OK if you write to Ultrarunning Magazine and tell them and all your friends that TSI is mean and unfair. After all, it's not even a real race and we're certainly not trying to grow. In fact, the Running Man himself has threatened to disband TSI Worldwide if he sees another Slug Shirt on the Today Show. And with John Clark tenatively scheduled to appear; who knows what manner of varmint may come crawlin into the First State with him. We will keep the Official Entrants in the 15-20 range, however, we do encourage bandits. After all Bertha's Beau will probably be armed. Any more than 20 and the event takes on an aura of realness. And, for goodness sakes, we can't have that at TSI. happy days, da "if there's something to trip over i'll find it" hitman.

TSI Race Filling Fast......

OK, OK; i've gotta interrupt my Key West sojourn, because ole' flatfoot freddies telling me TSI is getting a lot of e-mails about the Russell B. Cheney 50K coming up in September. Let me be perfectly clear, friends. This is not a real race, all you're gonna get is some stale bread, pond water, and a black slug shirt; and you must adhere to very stringent RULES. Though they are few---we are very serious about them. First, you must not quit. The only reason you will be allowed to drop is if you are d.e.a.d. OK, so that is our only rule. While i know several folks are already planning on coming thousands of miles; for no particular reason, this madness must stop. Surely you must have something better to do in the fall than come to Delaware. If you can't think of an excuse, then call John Clark directly; he has millions of them. In fact, he has helped me duck Big Butt for the last ten years. But one of these days, my brotha, Mr. Claude's gonna get me. We all know it's coming. Anyway, I hope all of you are having a fantastic running year. I really do. You know how much I luv da' slugs; but if this slug-mania continues I'm afraid Chief Slug will step in and take us back under-ground. from Duvall Street, where they Love Slug's; da' hitman

hitman eatin key lime pie on duvall street

just for da record; and so'se y'all don't get to worried. j-daddy is wit me in ole key west. don't worries ya pretty li'l heads off. i'se take care of em. me and mamma bear. he'd lyk to send his regards but can't seems to lift is head off da street ta talk. don't worries he's happy. seeyalls up northest in da fall. flatfoot freddie.

Big Ole Slug Sightin in Western Carolina

h-man sighting at milepost 148 near aronkatonk, north carolina (called in by ranger rick who observed black slug shirt being shredded by big ole black bear. dat's way out west in da hills. no doubt he's headed up mount mitchell. is so nice to sleep up there and awake abouve da clouds. y'all know how theese works; please help'm git home. i got lotsa stuff do to over heres in keywest. the feesh is bitin; and mamas hungry. gotta run; j-daddy if ya readin this in cherokee library give me a call. big berthas gots important qestiun. yo bro, ole flatfoot.

hitman goes overboard......everyone stay #?@ calm

It's true...da' hitman is chekked out; AND goin' communin' in da woods. surely y'all remember when dis happened in '93. we eventually found him (shoeless in vermont); though da runnin' man is STILL golne. now then, TSI rolls on---and is in good hands wit' me. j-daddy told me his own-self to tell all thanks for all the friendship, kindness and good wishes over the past several months. I assure you he continues to improve. He took a short-notice leavest of abstentia this morning for parts unknown (north or south or westest), but has promised to keep in close touch with da cellular monstular. I'll be handling his personal e-mail and official slug duties while he continues his recovery. he's promised to return all calls, unless it's mr. clark (whom he will be chasin at RBC & JFK). he's also promised to attend some upcoming u.l.t.r.a. events; possibly even slogging through a few. from key west, mister flatfoot-freddie. p.s. i promise to put sum bedder pics on site :)

Crowder's Mountain (bro. Claude) & VOL-STATE

Congrats to all 22 finishers at Crowder's Mountain this weekend. The Runner's From Hell do things right....and stick together. It was great to see the personalized race report from "Doom" and read about the outstanding job Sam, Eliza, and Ray K did in keeping a great race alive. Report can be seen on Slug-site. Also, checking in this week was The Laz-man himself. Announcing plans for this year's Vol-State. He announces; "just in case someone is looking for something fun to do in july. the last annual VOL-STATE ROAD RACE. july 22, 2006 (10 day limit); 500 km (310 miles) Dorena Landing, MO to Cole City, GA ; divisions for aided runners and solo ; includes distance in missouri, kentucky, and alabama to go with about 295 miles in tennessee. ever wanted to run from missouri to georgia? ever wanted to do ten 50k's in a row? ever wanted to run a race where anyone could win? last year barry crumrine won, in his first ever ultra. if you are interested, contact me. laz (drystoneman@hotmail.com)." On the positive side, i do believe that gary is not detouring through frozen head :) Hope each of you are having a fantastic spring running season. sunnin and sandin, flatfoot freddie from key-west (for da' hitman).

The Great One to Appear at RBC! Autographed pics available.

It's raining in The First State! Hallelujah. We need it so bad. The field for the RBC 50K continues to get more interesting. I sent a very nice note to Mr. John "The Great One" Clark of Sunbury, PA inviting him to come and start this year's field of world-class slugs & sluggettes. In the invite I checked my spelling and grammar, put some scented lilac spray on the official TSI stationary, and sealed it with a kiss. I've always treated Mr. Clark very nicely (I've even continued to not make fun of his dented shiny baldspot) ; and even though I have a million reasons to exsluggunicate him from the Slugs---with, at the top of the list of good reasons being, his physical assault on me at Seashore State Park in which he intentionally pushed me off a 20 foot sand cliff so he could beat me back to the finish line; and his rompings at an official Slug event with Big Bertha from Bethesda in public while impaired ---but NO; i like him soooooooooo much i continue to maintain contact with him. In fact, I've even offered to name him Mayor of the Sunbury Slugs. So what kind of e-mail do I get back---well here it is. Mr. Clark says, "Hitman, you sh#*-head, what do you want now? I'm busy watching girls gone wild infomercials. Hey, by the way have you ever tried any small blue pills?" Then he went on to accuse me of writing mis-information (lying) on the website. Well, of course, this is true. If I really wrote the truth about what has happened at dozens of TSI events over the years, no one would believe it anyway. I only believe it because I was there. His dastardly comments being exposed in public is of no concern to the Great One. Because, he is, well the Great One, the Famous Midnight Overhand Bowler, and per Bertha, even more hard-core than Wrong-way Charlie himself. And that's why Team Slug loves him. So he's promised to be here; even though he didn't show up last September when TSI named a race after him. FOR THE RECORD; if he shows up with a Starter's Shotgun and fires it in the State Park; I (the hitman) told him NOT too. So from the mountains of central Delaware that's the news on this perfect rainy weekend. happy days, john.

The All-Nighter Speaks....and da' Slugs listen!

Great news Slugs!!!! In order to get my lazy arse out on the trails on a daily basis; i have summoned the one man who can and will get/keep me moving. I am truly committed to completing my fifth (5th) JFK this year. My goal is to finish in 13:59:59 and earn the Crazy Horse Award; though with da' Slugs there en' masse there will be some stiff competition. The All-Nighter, TSI Hall of Fame 1995, has graciously accepted duty as Commander of the Team Slug entry. He along with his bride, and my favorite Sluggette write, " When duty calls, we will be there. Rebecca and I accept this position. What an honor. This is to be Rebecca's year also. She has started her training and I am signing her up for races. We're going to race our way back into JFK shape. We look forward to the TSI 50K in September. Got it on the calendar.....Can't wait. JFK here we come." Slugs, just ignore the sentence or two I edited out. It was just something about John Clark's bald spot. Nothing personal :) Also, got a nice note from Mr. Crisman who popped a s-weet 3:07 at Boston on Monday. If he wasn't a personal friend of Lance Souther's (El Presidente, Sluggette Gone Wild; Ft Walton Beach, FL) and a fine Army man, I'd personnal dis-bar him from the Slug Kingdom. But, he's a great guy; albeit a fast one. I'd like to thank each of you all for the continually supportive e-mails. I've been home nearly a month now, and this retirement thing is driving me crazy. Today and everyday I wish each of you a fulfilling and healthy life. happy days, john

Happy Belated Easter (one day late) :)

All is swell here in the First State. Running weather could not get any better. It has been perfect. We are so fortunate; seeing that most of our friends in California and the mid-West have been struggling with all sorts of impending disaster. Believe me you all are in my thoughts and prayers, and if any need assistance please contact me directly. I try not to watch the news very much; but do enjoy the weather channel; and somedays it's scary. This week I received a running request from Ms. Becky at the University of Delaware. She needs volunteers. She says, "Hi John, Working on my PhD disseration and looking at the effect of asymmetry on injury in long distance runners. I'm looking for some volunteers to come into the lab (one time) to participate. During the experiment I will measure your running style, hip strength, and some structural measurements. None of the tests are painful or tiring. I'm looking for people who consistently run 20 miles a week, are 18-45 years old, and have no current injuries. I'm particularly interested in people who have a history of injuries on one side of their bodies. " If any are able to help her, please contact her at beckyaz@udel.edu or you may contact me a TSI and i'll put you in touch with her. Again Slugs, friends, etc; happy Easter and I hope each of you are enjoying a healthy Spring running season. happy days, john.

More Slug Heroes - - - All-Nighter & Catra

Two posts in one week. That's incredible; and unheard of. But, this past weekend something very special happened in North Carolina. And, in the (ultra)marathon reality most of my running budds live in, it's easy to take such physical feats for granted. While there were several Slug finisher's at the Umstead 100-mile run, two of them are my personal heroes. First, Ms. Catra (CA), an incredibly positive and inspirational human being and competitor whose running achievements are so incredible, the non-runner would never understand them. So many days i haven't felt like running i knew Catra was out doing 30 in the mountains of California. So I went out too. Into the hills of Delaware :) You can follow her exploits on her blog. It's linked (Slugs love Catra) on the TSI front page. Another of my heroes I met on September 26, 1993. It's easy to remember the date because I met him and his beautiful bride at the Slug Ultra Oval in Hampton, VA. They came, and finished the Third TSI 50K Birthday Run. James in 5:45 and his bride in 8:19. He is one of the primary reasons Team Slug still exists. He is also President of the Metro Slugs, and was named to the TSI Hall of Fame in 1995. Of course, it's James "All-Nighter" Moore; married to my favorite "Sluggette" Ms. Rebecca. Over the years the military has kept us apart, but we have managed to remain in touch. He also has a long history of incredible ultra achievements including multi-day runs on the C & O Canal. And, he's not only a world-class athlete, but also has world-class kindness and compassion for his fellow human beings. He is an American Original. James, thanx for being you. I really appreciate you and Rebecca, and i will see you at JFK....this year! happy days, john.

Congrats Magic Moose!!!!

Wow! What a great week it's been. Not so much running-wise for me personally, but certainly in my life. On Friday I retired from the U.S. Air Force after 21 years and 18 days. I've loved the military and was honored and privileged to serve, but am very thankful to be out and be a civilian.
First TSI has to congratulate the VHTRC and Chris Scott on their 14th Bull Run Run. Preliminary reports indicate the 281 finishers enjoyed plenty of "mud." I'm sure more will be posted in the upcoming days. Even heartier congratulations have to go out to Michael "The Magic Moose" Talbert of Oklahoma City, OK who completed his 14th consecutive BRR in 10:16:09. The Mooseman was one of the Original Slugs from way-baaaaack; and maybe we can coax a race report out of him. Also, congrats to the Trail Dawgs who represented the First State very well. Also while eating Chinese this week I received the most appropriate Fortune Cookie of my life. It said, "To truly find yourself you should play hide and seek alone." That's the story of most of my trail runs. Friends, I have each one of you in my thoughts and prayers today. happy days, john.

The Six-Month Countdown to RBC50K

Yes, it's true. Just six months until we do it again. This year it's the Russell B. Cheney 50K. While some of you may not know Russell yet, you will; and believe me he's worth the wait. This 65 years (in the Fall) young Californian has it all; brains, talent, beauty, and a pair of sandals. Incredibly, he won the Crazy Horse Award in his very first TSI event, the John Clark 50K last October. The next several months I will share some of his "life history" with you all. This is Team Slug's Sixteen Year of the Fall Birthday Run. We have had starting fields ranging from four to fourteen. Though in 1997 when we had 14 finishers, one of the volunteers, The Fabulous Flatfoot Freddie (now retired from movement), jumped in the race and "officially" finished well after dark. In fact, he was finished well before he started :) This year we may have to let a few extra folks in. We'll see how it goes. Remember friends, as with all TSI runs, this is a non-event. I absolutely refuse to tell Ranger Rick. He's still upset about the Maple Syrup and Marshmallows, but that's another story. RBC50K's most recent entrant, Ms. Angela from Nashville writes, "Just wait until I tell my non-running friends that in order to run 31 miles, all I have to do is take an original Nashville, TN shotglass to Delaware and become the first-ever Nashville Slug. If they've ever thought I was crazy before, now they're going to help pad my room and starch my white shirt with the long sleeves that tie in the back." Oh, Angela you are going to make a Super-Slug. Another entrant, Charles from Glendale, CA adds, "I know I am out of my senses to be planning on traveling 3,000 miles to run a 50K non-event. I even went further out of my senses by informing the "50-States Club" & the "Marathon Maniacs" that I was planning on running it so they could link it to their site and inform any others who have lost their mind. " You know I've really come to love Californians over the years. There are a hardy bunch of folks out there. So that's the latest news from the mountains of Central Delaware. I hope each of you are enjoying a healthy and prosperous Spring running season. happy days, john.

Spring is on the Way!

I spent yesterday out running around the lake. This time of the year it's very beautiful in the woods. The buds are exploding out of their winter slumber; the squirrels, rabbits, and occasional deer are snooping around looking for breakfast, and the air is fresh. Now is when the runner/plodder/slugger reaps the benefit of healthy lungs and powerful legs. Even if you've added a few extra pounds over the winter, the body is still determined to move; and to breathe in the upcoming season. As the years have gone by, i've become less competitive and now find my pleasures in much simpler things. No longer do i need to "place" in my age group. It's nice and all to win -- or be noticed, but today real happiness is brought to me by those old/new friends that surround me. Especially seeing them discover the true joy of continual forward movement. So this is where we are. The perfect season. I hope each of you are thankful today and every day for each breath. I appreciate all the support for Team Slug over the years and the kindness and friendship that has been shared by thousands of like-minded souls. This week as you step out that door for your run, say a quick prayer to your Higher Being, and remember how fortunate we all are. happy days, john.

Dirty Girl Gaitors Rock!!!

Hi Friends / Fellow Slugs-Sluggettes; just checking in for the weekend. Spring training continues here in the mid-Atlantic amid typical Spring weather. Day to day; 80 degrees to 40 degrees, with the only constant being dryness. Definitely the worst is behind us here---and the warmth is trying hard to seep in. Once the rains start it'll be yard mowing time. In slug-running news; I received my Dirty Girl Gaiters from another one of California's Hottest Slugs, Ms. Xy Weiss. They're awesome, hot pink and black; my two favorite colours :) Please check out the link on the TSI front page, and if you're in the market for gaiters these are the way to go. I'll be sporting them at a Trail Dawg event later this Spring. I hope each of you are enjoying peace and health. happy days, john.

Wide-Bottom Checks in!!!

Yesterday we had 77 degrees in Dover, Delaware. In early March. Absolutely incredible weather, and perfect for being outside and running. Early this morning I was back to Killen's for for some Slug-training; and enjoyed the company of Pokey. She's not an actual Slug yet; but well on her way. We had a good 2 1/2 hr workout and did some real sweating. Maybe a sign of things to come here in the mid-Atlantic. Also received a note from my favorite Connecticut Slug, Ole' Wide-Bottom himself, and he says, "It's me, ole wide bottom and proud new slug. I saw your name on the entry list for Seneca Creek so I signed up too. However I forgot that I should be sluggish DURING the run and not BEFORE the race. Consequently, having thought the run started at 8:30 instead of 8:00, I was late getting to the start area and almost missed the start. Is that a quality of a new slug or what? Anyway, I was too late to find you beforehand and didn't see you at the end. Did you run? Although not as nice as yours, it was a really nice run, until I sprained my ankle twice. But except for the last 11 miles with the sore ankle, I really enjoyed myself. There is something about thistrail stuff that's addicting. If I were smart, I'd take my weak ankles and sorry butt back to the pavement, where all I'd have to dodge were cars and 18 wheelers. But alas, no one ever accused me of being smart. So if my quads recover from Boston, I'm hoping to see you at Trail Dawgs." Sounds like he's doing great and we're surely looking for him at Russell B. Cheney 50K here in September. Well friends, as stated, Springs seem to have sprung. Hope you all are running good and enjoying your time here on Earth. happy days, john.

Chief Slug A-OK!!!

Friends!!!, a gracious thanx for all the kind mail wishing me and da' Slugs well. Life indeed does go on, and i know one day soon i'll be back out on that long, long road....errrrr, canal, as in jfk! I recently received a note from the Chief Slug himself. Mr. Bruce "The Running Man" Chituck; remaining on sabbatical somewhere in the hills of North Georgia. He is the primary force behind TSI, and got it started way back in 1990. Now i have a million great running stories about Chief Slug, but most of them are way too hard to believe. I only believe them because i was there and saw some of his running exploits first hand. He was not only a tough runner, but a gentle-man; and a good man. One of my favorite remembrances starts one cool, wet, spring weekend in 1993. Bruce and I were registered with this new club, The VHTRC --and its fanatical leader, Master Christopher Scott and decided to go up to Manasses and run his brand new 50-miler, The First Battle of Bull Run Run. I'd already completed jfk a couple of times, but was gearing up for my first 100 miler at Vermont in July. And, unfortunately(sic) I was on the Chief Slug's Ultra-training program. He was/and is an Old-Schooler. If you want to run better or faster, you go out and train harder and more often. Now, most fortunately, I was much younger and had a body that seemed to never get hurt. Anyway, his training plan included doing long-runs prior to the 50-miler. So the night before we were out running in the swamps of Southeast Virginia for five hours in the murky blackness before finally leaving around midnight for the road trip to Northern VA. We arrived around 3 A.M and crawled under Chief Slug's SUV wrapped in blankets to sleep until the race folks began to drift in. The run started and I still was wearing the same soggy wet shoes, and dirty clothes I'd been in the night before at Seashore State Park. I don't remember much else about the run, except Chris Scott treated us well, and we met a lot of good folks. Bruce finished in 9:45 and I was just over 10 hours. Did we go straight home? No, not hardly. Bruce decided we'd detour to an old favorite watering hole of his. At 2 A.M the next morning we stumbled back to the parking lot and passed out in his truck. I awoke to use the "facilities" around 5 AM and Bruce awoke. I could barely move, was sore, beat up, and throwing up chunks of something I didn't remember eating. Right then and there the Chief Slug announced we had time to get to Richmond for a 5K at 8AM. Back on the road we headed South down I-95. Bruce fell out of his truck, regained his footing and limped to the registration table. I couldn't even move. At 0800 the gun went off and the Chief Slug was runnin'. Somehow he ran a 17:03 and won his age group, less than 15 hours after finishing Bull Run Run. It was quite a feat; and one i'll never forget. Right then and there, I believed anything was possible if you set your mind to it. So Bruce checks in, and i'll copy/paste it word for word, "Had some heart problems, seems that a couple of years back that I had the left side of my chest crushed, the broken and shatter ribs, never healed right I have ribs that sitck into my chest cavity and from time to time have to have my chest drain from blood if I take a poke or fall the ribs poke in through cavity and near lund, seems that now I have had one that is laying near a artery which cut off the blood and oxygen supply to my heart and brain, which in turn cause me to have what was thought to be a stroke with heart complications, which in turn did some damage to artery near my heart and in left side of neck. 2 surgerys have fixed that, about 2 weeks ago I had operation in Atlanta which put a stent near my heart and in my neck. on Thursday I had that Main artery enlarged by a ballon implant device. Doctor said all other arteries are clear and working fine, said that my cholesterol was fine and no blockages. And I should be back to normal active self within a few weeks, gives me motivation to run again. Just wanted to clear this up with everyone after a number of e-mails. Thanks for the concern." Bruce. Friends, it has been a great ride; and i'm thankful for each and every one of you. My philosophical contention about (ultra)marathoning has always been that every runner/jogger/slogger is on the path to Slugdom, some just reach it sooner than others. For myself, and The Chief Slug; happy days, john

The Daytona Blues

Central Florida is fickle this time of year. We spent the entire week sunning and enjoying low to mid 80's, including a beautiful day with Shamu at Seaworld; before race day saw a literal cumulus cloud descend to sea level onto the famous oval and spit coldly at us all day. Still the race went on, without interruption, and it was a good one. Our man, Jr had a good day finishing 8th and leading the most laps. For complete story www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com . While the despised jj won; it did come with a lot of controversy and that made for a nice day. I hope each of you are running well, and enjoying great health, as we enter the spring racing season. Happy days, john.

The Barkley Full?

What a wonderful winter season we've had on the East Coast. Mild and dry, and perfect for running. Is winter over this year? Don't think so; and coastal Delaware is forecast to receive it's first substantial snowfall of the season this weekend. There's also lots going on in the world of endurance running. If you get a chance check out the March issue of Runner's World at www.runnersworld.com for an enlightening look at depression. A very courageous human being, and great ultrarunner, Lisa Smith-Batchen shares her story beginning on page 68. Also, lots of talk on the ultra-list about Barkley, the world-famous 100-mile race in the hills of East Tennessee. From Matt Mahoney in Florida, " Here is what I know about the Barkley. It was announced yesterday that permission was obtained to hold the race. Some sections had to be given up, so it is a new course. I do not know what the course will be. It will be kept secret until we arrive at Frozen Head. What I do know is there is a new climb of 1840 ft. in 0.97 mile, that each of the five 20-mile loops will have 11,040 ft. of climb (up from 10,000), and we will get our feet wet. The race is already full and there is a long waiting list. For those who don't know about the Barkley. The entry procedure is not published anywhere. The race director goes by a pseudonym. The starting date is furnished with your acceptance. The starting time is announced by conch shell one hour before the start." Many of you are aware of my personal Barkley experience in 1995. I was not only highly un-successful, but was basically squished like a bug. And, as much as i admire Mr. Cantrell, and am fascinated by the idea of crawling through Frozen Head; I just can't bring myself to ever go "out there" again. If you want information on the Barkley, please, please do not contact me. After 11 years it still hurts to think about it :) happy days, john

A Great Day to be Alive!

January 2006 nears the end. What a terrific running month it's been; starting with Fattest Butt on New Year's Day, and the past couple of weekends at Killens with our newest Slug-recruit. The weather has certainly cooperated here in the mid-Atlantic, but it seems there's more to it than that. Suddenly life seems a bit more fresh, and more folks are closer to the old Slug ideal than ever before. It's all about friendship, and sharing your life, being kind, and discovering who you are; accepting it, and being as happy as you can. I have the good fortune to hear from my old & honorary California Slug-bud, Ms. Catra regularly. Today, i want to share an excerpt from her most recent letter/adventure....... Catra says, " I spent a couple of days alone training on Mt. Diablo in the (San Francisco) Bay Area. I got a good 15 mile training run in on Friday....it was super cold Friday night so I decided not to set up the tent; rather I slept in the warm van. It was super foggy and drizzly on Saturday. I ran a good 28 miles. I felt so alone and saw only three other people all day. It was wet, cold, and windy. I couldn't complain. I could only be happy that I was alive and healthy. I forget sometimes how special I am. I can run and travel and do everything I love to do. I see the beauty of the wilderness and explore the trails with my body and mind. We should all stop and think for a moment just how special and lucky we are. We are alive. Be thankful :)" Catra always makes me think, and keeps me grounded in my life. We should all stop for a moment, and remember just how lucky we are. Yes, this is going to be a good year----one day & one moment at a time. happy days, john.

Sixty degrees in January (in Delaware)?

My third good running week of '06 is coming to an end. The weather has been eerily cooperating with the past two days at 60 degrees. Though this incredible warm spell will have to end....we're now only three weeks from TSI's Annual Daytona Spring Training; and greatly looking forward to the break. Today's run at Killen's I enjoyed the company of Ms. Mandy, a Dover native, who's preparing for her first ultramarathon this September at the Russell B. Cheney 50K. She's in the beginning stages of her training but is very physically and mentally strong, athletic, and capable of completing the fall ultra here in the First State and gaining Slug-status. Like all da' Slug's she is a very nice person, and fun to talk to and run with. In her short twenty-seven years she's gained a world of experience, and accomplishments. Thanks for coming out Ms. Mandy, and welcome to what will be a challenging, but rewarding year of training. I hope all friends are doing fantastic this month, and are getting ready for the Spring/Summer (ultra)marathon season. Happy Trails, John.

"The Animal" heading to the ROK!

I'm spending my final weekend with my slug-brother Justin "The Animal" Jones out on the treacherous trails of Central Delaware. The past two years chasing him on long runs have helped me stay focused and motivated to keep moving. We've had a lot of good times --- at Philly with the Swamp Rocket; and with the Trail Dawgs where Justin "earned" a river rock for slu-ogging with me for over 9 (nine) hours. We shared the Honorary Crazy Horse Award that day. Running and Life, don't get no ---pardon the WV, in honor of Justin, English--- better than that. This morning at the top-secret Main Slug Compound & Training Grounds the Dover Post came out to interview us for a story appearing in the local paper about TSI. I'll provide a link on site when available. Justin reports to Kunsan Air Base in the Republic of (South) Korea on 10 Feb. Coincidentally, and i enjoyed chiding him about it this morning, that is the same date on which I report to Daytona Beach for Spring Training. See, getting older does have its benefits. Happy Trails Slugs.

'06 Off to a Great Start!

The year is off to a great start with the Fattest Butt, see report on site, and Daytona Spring Ultra-training just over a month away. Many thanks over the past several months to all my Slugg-budds and other friends for the kind e-mails and phone calls. Many of you are aware of my serious health issues late last summer and into the fall. The physical struggle changed my life, and completely blew my JFK plans off course. But every day i feel just a bit better; and I fully intend to make a complete recovery. Many personal changes are brewing as i prepare to retire from the military after 21 years. I am ready. Running goals this year are The Big Butt (RFH 50K in SC in July), and then JFK in November as I chase my fifth finish. I will mix in some marathons in the meantime, and maybe a 50K or two. Also, Team Slug continues to enjoy success. The site finished '05 with 22,600 hits. Thanks for all the support. While it's true that TSI is not your typical running club (not an actual organized group); it continues to serve it's purpose of spreading kindness, friendship, and running accomplishments; and further providing a forum & opportunity for those interested in joining our community of long-distance affecionados. I wish each of you health and prosperity in the coming year and always. happy days, john.

Fattest Butt Won by Bursler, Koch, and Callahan

Happy New Year's to all the Slugs, and all our friends. The 16th Annual TSI Fattest Butt was held this morning on some of Central Delaware's finest trails. The weather was gorgeous with temps rising to 46 degrees, and a beautiful party cloudy & mostly sunny day. The event was absolutely successful with 11 starters and 11 finishers. Ms. Gloria Callahan repeated and kept the women's title in 7:15, while Dave Bursler and Rainer Koch paced the men with a solid 4:48. The Crazy Horse Award was won by Douglas Bartocci in 8:13. A full report will be posted on www.teamslug.com within the next 2 days.