Race photos are available at: 2008 Fattest Butt
What an outstanding non-event! Incredible time, and wonderful people. We really appreciate all coming out. Normally, as after any Slug event, we like to write a funny, but relatively honest account; of each runner's journey toward the famed black shirt. Today, we're going to approach it a bit differently. There's no way we can write a single article about all the fascinating human interest stories that played out in the First State yesterday. The Race Director's have to be thanked for stepping up and helping out. Derek Hills and Debbie Straub (each shown at left while sober) were excellent in performing their duties. They also were entertaining beyond belief, and I'm not talking about the Ginger Brandy incident(I do have proof). They are genuinely kind-hearted and loving folks. So thanks, your time is appreciated. Without volunteers we couldn't have handled this many participants. What I would ask this time is if you were here and ran, and would like to share some thoughts, please send them, we will post. I've included the "Official" account, sent off to Ms.Tia at UR, and the official results. CONGRATS to all the Slugs, olde and new alike!!! happy days, da'hitman.
Memories Made in the First State
Each race we attend brings the opportunity for meeting new people, and renewing old friendships. And many of our Slug friendships are now approaching twenty years. We are thankful to the ultra community, for two decades of challenge and flat out fun. As the Slugs and potential Slugs lined up on the first Saturday of the New Year in the First State, it was hard not to reminisce of years gone by.
Traditionally, we like to include each finisher in our Slug summation. That is because at Team Slug we consider each finisher a great hero, a master of their physical and emotional strength, and a Lifetime Slug. And, they receive the World-Famous black slug shirt to prove it. Today we can’t honor each one, but a few must be mentioned. First, A.J. Johnson, a veteran Slug, ran near the front all day, pulling away in the closing miles for his first win with us. But that’s not why he’s a hero in our book. Rather, A.J. introduced ultra running to his close friend, Jeff Holloway, trained with him, and encouraged him all the way to the finish line. Now Jeff is an ultra marathoner, and a Slug. Look for them at JFK, there is no doubt in my mind they’ll finish together.
On the women’s side, we were blessed to have some determined athletes; using their friendship to turn the day into a joy for all who surrounded them. Coming out on top was Andrea Berninger, who had run in the lead pack all day. She overcame many obstacles on the course including blown over trees, deep swampy mud pits, and a serious contusion on her back side. She easily won the best blood award, but it didn’t deter her from completing the distance, and finishing first among the ladies.
We also had a mother and son finisher. Aaron and Patti Lipschutz ran near each other all day. Aaron, a college student in Boston, was home on Christmas break, and the pair decided to make the quest for the Slug shirts a family affair. What a pleasure to witness the love and compassion of a mother and son. With all that appears wrong with our world, spending the day with their family seemed to ease everyone’s burden. Aaron said his mom really wasn’t a runner, she was a biker. But today, she had enough energy to finish the long winter run.
So another chapter closes on Team Slug, and we remind all our ultra running friends. Your finishing time is not so important, not who you are. There are always those faster, and slower, than you. What is important is that you don’t give up. When you wake up and pull on those magical running shoes, step outside into the cool, fresh air, and begin to put one foot in front of another, you are fighting the good fight. You are making things better for yourself, and for those around you. So from Slug-land, thanks! Hope to see you on the trails, real soon.
Flatfoot Freddie
TSI's Fattest Butt
January 5th, 2008
Kent County, Delaware
1. A.J. Johnson NJ M 4:26:00
2. Frank Gousman, Jr. NJ M 4:27:00
3. Josh Dennis NJ M 4:36:00
4. Jess Manning DE M 4:51:00
5. Lloyd Thomas OH M 4:52:00
6. Steve Wehrle NJ M 4:55:00
7. Louis D'Onofrio NJ M 5:09:00
8. Gilles Barbeau BC M 5:22:00
9. Dan Rosenberg NJ M 5:32:00
10. John Straub DE M 5:46:00
11. Jeff Holloway NJ M 5:49:00
12. Ravi Gooneratne PA M 5:58:00
13. Andrea Berninger NC F 6:05:00
14. MeredithMurphy PA F 6:09:00
15. Staci Rudnitsky NY F 6:09:00
16. John Lysinger MD M 6:14:00
17. Aaron Lipschutz MA M 6:35:00
18. Patti Lipschutz PA F 6:47:00
19. Phillip Hesser MD M 6:47:00
20. Anders Grant MD F 6:51:00
21. Richard Monroe MD M 6:51:00
22. Larry Macon TX M 6:52:00
23. Carl Camp DE M 7:05:00
24. Edward Murphy PA M 7:14:00
25. Eugene Bruckert IL M 9:20:00
28 Starters, 25 Finishers.
*Miguel Verdun Gomez of VA, finished 27 miles in 8:20, and
was awarded a "Slug Mug" for the 2nd consecutive year. There
is no doubt in my mind he would have finished the 50K,
had he not fallen into the sinking mudd hole... I know,
I found it, and fell in, while sweeping the course,
this morning :)
1 comment:
Hello Hitman and Fellow Runners,
John Straub invited me to this un-franchised, un-sanctioned, un-organized, non-commercialized, low stress, low cost, highly prized and humanized un-officially healthy non-event run.
John slugged along with me of the three laps I had time to do - John ran with me 9 miles! I believe I slowed John way down and his neck must be hurting too as he was turning to check on me often as I was negotiating the unknown territory...or was Joh truning back because of the possibility of an attack by that infamous Killen's Pond Monster? The Bible says something like if you walk with someone one mile go with him two.... Thanks John!....I believe I did see something move in that mud hole....
I could have slugged along longer, maybe another lap or so, especially drafting off John and if Debee spiked my water bottle, but my fat butt would have been in the dog house and I would have missed my son(s) basketball and soccer games.
I couldn't sleep the night before this non-event race, like my excited wound up kids on Christmas Eve! I guess this means I'm hooked or I have lost my mind when I hit my first wall at mile 22 or was or was it mile 17 of the Philly Pavement Marathon?
Please tell Ranger Rick, I plan to return the three pounds of Killen's Pond park mud as soon as I can get it chipped off and out of my right sneaker and sock. Sorry.... the gallon of sweat contaminated swamp water has long since evaporated....or it crawled away?
The dirt, leaves and mud felt so good on the knees! I look forward to running with you all again hopefully in a 50K finish but I'll take any trail miles I can get.
Just wanted to pass along a heart felt thank you to everyone at my first, albeit short, attendance at a Team Slug non-event.
And congrats to all those who finished and thanks to those helpers and finishers that helped, encouraged, pulled, carried, dragged, kicked, banadaged, fed, hydrated, held up and supported the finishers... and held up those supporters. Yes I saw that picture, but hey it was cold if you were just standing!
Newbie Runner, 1/3 Slugger,
v/r
Craig
Lesson Learned (and some to foget):
1. Mud does not freeze off at 28 degrees "butt" other things do.
2. When placing one foot in a one foot deep mud hole, ensure to insert the other foot to same depth at same time.
Slugging with only one five pound foot may cause loss of positive traction rear end, a leg and toe muscle building imbalance, audit by the IRS and a total loss of control on high speed down hill curves, and/ or all of the above.
A five pound weight suspended at the end of a long extremity can also cause centrifugal force to wrap owner of said extremity (leg with mud caked foot) several times around a tree at bottom of said steep downhill. This did not happen to me but I envisioned this possibility several times while going very slow.
3. Bring an extra pair of clean shoes for short notice grocery shopping mission after an off-road race.
Wearing one large black mud covered, still dripping black water and making gurgling sounding sneaker brings weird looks from non-trail slug shoppers and various angry loud speaker calls for "Clean Up on Aisles 2, 3, 4 , and 5!"
4. Never send a lone hungry 1/3 slug guy grocery shopping with expired coupons after a race with the entire family food budget. Yes, the canned goods made it home with only minor teeth marks but that gallon of milk and bag of chips was history and I was still drooling the rest of the way home!
Happy Trails
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