Congrats Pokey-Slug, and all Big Butt Finishers, including Angela Ivory :)

...who took first place in her age group at the Greater Wyoming Buffalo Stampede 10K today in Delaware. She received a very nice Buffalo Trophy for her efforts and in her note referred to it as "pokey slug luck." I think it was the God's smiling down and rewarding her genuine kindness for all around her. Hopefully that energy will carry us both into the fall, and get us a Slug-finish at Baltimore. Good luck at the North Face 50K ms. pokey. I'll be looking for a report :)
P.S. Also congrats to all Big Butt Finishers, the RFH and Claude for yet another outstanding event in Lancaster, SC today. Claude reports, "The race started with the firing of an 1860 Colt 44 Caliber. Tim
Carter of SC led from the start and actually had negative splits the
second half. Ray Krolewicz used the run for a warm-up for the World
Championship 24 hour run next week in Canada. Lisa Arnold of NC also
led from the start and took the female honors. In addition of
getting a shirt they can not wear in public the winners got a wood
plate with the BIG BUTT logo that can't be used to eat out of." Also, big congrats to ms. angela ivory of nashville; representing the slugs well with a sweet 6:14:01.

The Outlaw's Prayer

I heard this song on the radio early on the way home today. I remember it from year's gone by. It was recorded in 1979 by Johnny Paycheck, and written by Billy Sherrill and Glen Sutton. It got me to thinking about the way we treat each other, and all the little chances we have to serve others; yet still pass up. Maybe we don't follow our hearts because we're tired, or lazy, or frightened, or shy. But try to remember that every chance you have to share a smile, or a kind word; you should do it. These positive interactions matter. The past two weeks have been very difficult for me and my family. Whether i've been at WalMart getting groceries, or stopping for gas; somehow i seem to notice those around me more; and appreciate the smiles and kindness they share with me. I hope you're able to share kindness today. I wish each of you peace, love, and eternal joy. Friends always, john.


"You know, I worked the Big Packet show in Fort Worth, Saturday night,
We had all day Sunday to rest and relax, before I caught another flight.
So I decided to walk down town an' get myself a little fresh air.
Before long, I found myself in front of a big church on the corner of the square.

Boy, I could hear that singin' way out in the street, sure was a beautiful sound.
So I just walked up the steps an' opened the door an' started to go inside an' sit down.
But before I could, a young man walked over to me an said: "Excuse me, Sir,
"But I can't let you in with that big black hat, those jeans, that beard an' long hair.

So I just left, went back outside, sat down on that kerbing, an I thought to myself:
That's the house of the Lord. That guy's got the hell of a nerve.
Tellin' me I can't worship anywhere I please.
So right there, in front of that Church, I just knelt down on my knees.

I said: "Lord, I know I don't look like much, but I didn't think you'd mind.
"I just wanted to be with your people, Lord: it's been a long time.
"A while ago, a saw a wino over there in the alley, all bent over in tears,
"An' I thought how one stained glass window, from this Church, would feed his family for years."

"Then there's those fine cars parked outside: too many for me to count.
"Made me think how people walked for days to hear your sermon on the mount.
"Then there's those fine ladies in the choir, Lord, singin' like they really love it.
"Hell, last night, they were dancin' on the front row of my show: drinkin' beer, screamin: 'Sing Shove It.'

"You know, even John the Baptist wouldn't be welcome in this place,
"With his coat made of Camel hair an' sandals on his feet an' a long beard on his face.
"You know, Lord, when you come back to get your children, an' take 'em beyond the clouds,
"To live forever in Heaven with you: well, I'd sure hate to be in this crowd.

"You know, Lord, I'm not perfect; some even call me no count.
"But I'll tell you: I believe a man is judged by what's in his heart, not what's in his bank account.
"So if this is what religion is: a big car, a suit an' a tie,
"Then I might as well forget it Lord, 'cause I can't qualify.

"Oh, by the way, Lord, right before they kicked me out, didn't I see a picture of you?
"With sandals an' a beard. Believe you had long hair too."
"Well, this is Paycheck, signing off.
"I'll be seein' you Lord, I hope."

Black Squirrels, Sore Butt Cheeks, and Ginger Brandy

Waves of emotion continue to roll up onto the shores of my soul; and I joyfully accept each one. Today I am thankful for all feelings, for every moment, and each precious breath of life. Being out alone in the woods brings back childhood. I grew up out here, chasing through the brush with a shotgun and a smile. I don't shoot animals anymore, though I still love venison, and wild game. Now, I find joy in sharing and observing life. Especially the simplicity of feeling a fresh breeze on my face, and being able to move about of my own free will. Another 25 miles on the C & O Canal today; with a perfect blue sky just above me, and just above the strained Potomac River. I reached up to touch the pure beauty, but it moved quickly away from me. If there is one law all long-distance runners observe, and agree upon, it is that "nature is in charge." We humans are simply insignificant in the grand scheme of mother earth and the universe. And, out alone in the woods, hungry and thirsty for hours / days at a time; we can feel it. We know this law to be true and we happily accept it. What choice do we have? It is dry in the hills of Western Maryland. Still, down at the canal, near the river basin; plants and animals thrive. Dozens of turkey hens and their chicks, many dozens of deer with their summer spotted fawns grazing on leaves and seeds, and one very black squirrel. I hadn't seen one for many years, and consider this a positive omen. Life is changing, my well-being is slowly healing, and I will recover, and be strong and happy again. The black squirrel sat steadily on the fence rail, chattering and grinning at me. I pulled the bike over and enjoyed a moment with him. I told him my butt was very sore from the long bike rides; and he laughed out loud. We humans are easy transcendental prey for wildlife. Animals know things we've never thought of. It is true, I swear. A couple of short hours later I was back to the parking lot and my truck, in a small town surrounded by friends. These people know me, know my name; and have known me since I played Little League baseball here in the 1960's. These folks love me; but they are innocently clueless about how I feel inside. An old friend waved from a picnic table, and I tried to tell her about the black squirrel; but she just couldn't take me very seriously. She's known me way too long. No matter, there's no way for her to understand how I feel about being out alone, and moving, in the woods. But runners know. Runners know exactly what I'm feeling. Dang, I am thankful for my friends, and I am thankful for all the blessings in my life. Life is good, one day at a time. Oh, and I found a terrific remedy for sore butt syndrome. Two quick shots of ginger brandy! Hey, I appreciate every single one of you all. Happy days, john.
P.S. Pokey if yer reading this shoot me a note. I'm seriously thinking of slugging into Baltimore undercover with a sweet new alias for the marathon. Yer gonna love this one :)

living life every day...

i've now woke up in my childhood bed for the past week; and i'm enjoying it very much. walking with my mom in the early morning; and then bike riding on the Western Maryland Rail Trail (today 25 miles). it's beautiful out here, and with dozens of "friends i haven't met yet" also out riding; makes for refreshing and lively mornings. Heading west, the path rises a hundred feet above the Potomac on the left, always hugging falling rocks on the right. Most of the ride is in the shade, and while i'm in the worse shape of my life; pedaling hard feels good, real good. I'm hoping to be ready to begin jogging by August. That should get me ready for Baltimore in October. I do miss dad very much; but it's hard for me to stay depressed over his passing. He lived his life every day; and i'm not going to let him down. I'm going to do the same thing. I've gotten a boost from hearing from so many olde friends; and the energy and positive vibes sent to me are real --- i have felt them --- and they have me motivated to keep moving forward. So thanks to each of you, and especially my olde New Orleans marathoning buddy. It was Wonderful to hear from you. Each of you are in my thoughts and prayers, happy days, john.

Thanks for the Love and Kindness.

Friends; I can't express how much I appreciate the notes & phone calls i've gotten over the past week. It's always been an open secret that Team Slug is not really a running "club" but rather a large circle of friends; that stretches back nearly two decades. And, hearing from you all during this difficult time has reminded me how important those friendships are. Dad was first diagnosed with lung cancer eleven years ago. He endured numerous chemo treatments, and three major surgeries; battling, and smiling, the entire way. And, thank God, he was generally "healthy" throughout the period. He never lost the will to live, and remained positive until his final peaceful breaths this past Tuesday at home in Warfordsburg. He often spoke during the past year how good his life had been, and how thankful he was for his family and friends. And, our family home has been overrun with those family and friends this week. What stories they tell, and what a joy it is to hear them. Dad decided years ago he wasn't interested in a funeral, and the traditional burial works. He always believed if people wanted to see him; they should call or visit while he was alive, and they did. Plus, he wanted to do something helpful to society with his death, and he did. Dad donated his body to Anatomy Gifts Registry. The site is www.anatomicgift.com if interested in exactly what service they provide. It's funny, but what i remember most about dad is he was a good friend. Not just to family and friends, but rather to all; i remember well from childhood, dad stopping on the road to change tires for strangers, taking groceries to some old folks, or financially helping those in need. And, listening to the stories this week; that's what i hear most. Your dad was a good friend. And, I know exactly what they mean; because he was my best friend. Today in Western Maryland is a beautiful day. My mom and I walked on the C & O Canal this morning, enjoying a mother deer and her fawns; a brisk fresh breeze, and dozens of other walkers and bikers out enjoying their lives. Today I pray for each of you that this note finds you healthy and happy. Please enjoy each moment, and love those around you. It may take a bit of time, but I promise to return each note. I appreciate everyone of you. God Bless you and yours. john @ teamslug1@comcast.net

Father passed.

Friends; Just a quick note to share that my father, Joe Harper, passed away today at about 2 P.M. He was home, surrounded by family, and left very peacefully. He was 75 years young. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers over the past several months. It is deeply appreciated. God Bless each of you, john.

The Threads of Time

Our lives are made up of threads of time, colored by individual moments. Recently my thread has been strained, and i suppose it would be easy to look back over the past several years and recognize that cumulative stressors may finally be manifesting themselves in my life. Hard times are not necessarily bad; and there's no doubt that decisions I've made regarding careers; and relationships, have made me exactly who i am today. So many of my running friends have molded me with kindness, learning, and love. And, i've become a better person because of these friendships. While i am not physically in very good running shape, my emotional well-being is stronger than ever. And, it's just in time. For, today my dad is very ill. He is in end-stage cancer; and basic tasks for him are difficult. His movements are measured and slow; only able to move, with hands steadied on a families arm. He doesn't eat, and sleeps most of the time. His eyes are glasslike, meandering around the room in a dreamlike state. He seems to have a limited awareness, with one foot in each world. Each passing day brings him a little closer to death. And he seems at peace. To this point the morphine seems to be effective; and he denies feeling pain. Friends, tonight whereever you are please know that you are each in my thoughts and prayers. The notes and phone calls of condolences, i continue to receive, bring peace to my heart and comfort to my soul. Know for sure that each of you are in my thoughts and prayers daily.

The D.E.R.T. Team of Dover Air Force Base, Delaware

Over four years have passed since the day that changed every life in America. This story is not about that fateful and horrible day. However, that day is the singular reason the D.E.R.T. team exists today. September 11, 2001 saw over 3,000 human beings murdered in terrorist attacks. Incredibly these atrocities occurred on our home soil, and all within a few hours drive of our small military base here in Delaware. Our free country suffered an incredibly destructive blow at the hands of pure evil. There could no longer be any doubt among free and loving people that evil exists. On September 11th that evil stood up and challenged our faith. The days following 9-11 are days filled with pain, suffering, and misery. It hurt every single one of us, scarring our souls, and searing our memories with previously unimaginable thoughts. Indeed, it destroyed the very foundation of our innate belief that we were safe. Suddenly we werent. During this time of trial, many heroes emerged. Those determined to find hope in fellow Americans through a deep and unshaken faith in their Higher Power. God helped the believers to close ranks and muster the strength to never give up. Those days were surreal for all of America, and the reality of despair was no different in our little corner of the world. That morning I remember sitting with Robert Sundquist in our Clinics waiting area watching in disbelief as the second plane hit the tower, and the subsequent disasters at the Pentagon and in Western Pennsylvania. The history of Dover Air Force Base in central Delaware is a long and distinguished one. Though small in size, with a shape mirroring the flight line, the base contains a major airlift hub supporting worldwide excursions in wartime and peace. In addition, the base contains the militarys only Port Mortuary. The mortuary is staffed by a diverse array of professionals from numerous federal agencies, along with active and reserve personnel from all military services. This essay is not an attempt to provide a total view of the installations impeccable mortuary service. Instead I will focus on a very small and distinct group of airmen. A group of ordinary Americans placed in an extraordinary situation and discovering that together, as a team, they could persevere and accomplish great things. This is the story of the D.E.R.T. team of Dover Dental Clinic, and its a story that I know well. While the dental clinic, like the base, has a long history of honorable service to its nation; I will pick up the story on the morning of 9-11 sitting in disbelief and watching history unfold with Dr. Sundquist. Moments after the second plane struck the WTC, and for the first time in my military career, the entire base went to real-world Delta. Gates were closed and base personnel were frozen in place. Doors in the dental clinic were locked as our staff remained in stunned silence. While I had only been at Dover for 10 months, I along with the staff knew exactly what this meant. Even before the Pentagon was hit later in the morning we realized that the mortuary would soon be filled with the tragic aftermath of what was unfolding in front of us on live television. And that meant we needed to prepare. Diane Beecher was currently in command of the clinic, and along with Roberto Lebron and Dan Hines began working the administrative side of preparations. Additional manning needed secured, chains of command needed briefing, and the dental clinic needed to get emotionally and physically prepared. And we had to do it quickly and accurately. On the information systems side our team was working hard on a dream. The subsequent buildup of hardware and technology allowed our clinic to achieve the unthinkable. Indeed, in only days the systems effort led by Hines stood up the capability and further executed the technology becoming the first forensic dental team in history to fully utilize digital radiology in a mass disaster response. On the medical logistics side Ed Anderson was working feverishly to obtain the bulk supplies that would be required for this mission. I was preparing a shift schedule, and helping to prepare the mortuaries dental area for its largest contingency in many years. This entire process was taking place in the old building. It stood in the parking lot of the new facility we enjoy today. And, it was a much more difficult place to work. The heating and cooling units were inadequate. Despite our efforts to maintain a neat and clean environment, the concrete floors, walls, and even equipment were stained with years of use. It stood for over three decades and enjoyed an incredible history of its own, culminating in the events following 9-11. So our team, along with hundreds of other professionals, were off and running. Let me remind you again, because it is important, this story is not meant to be comprehensive. Even on the dental side of the effort there are names and faces long since forgotten. We had help from numerous sources, including Andrews, Langley, and Keesler Air Force bases; along with a group of forensic dentists from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C. The old building quickly came to life. Soon the dining/break area was filled by the USO with a wide assortment of snacks and sundries. McDonalds often provided breakfast biscuits, and coffee was consumed by the gallon. It seemed the entire local community wanted to assist, and we on base genuinely appreciated the care and concern. The building swarmed with the FBI, OSI, and NCIS, along with numerous other universally recognized units such as AFIP, and OAFME, the armed forces medical examiners. Within days, helicopters began to ferry in human remains from the Pentagon. Not only those military and civilian personnel killed while working quietly at their desks, but also those souls aboard American Airlines Flight 77 destined for destruction. Body bags were opened, and now the devastation only days earlier just an eerie nightmare on CNN was among us. The earliest shocking hours are eternally etched in my mind. Faces distraught with grief were all around me, and on a bathroom break looking in the mirror I realized my face was no different. Probably everyone thinks about death at some time in their lives, but being confronted with it on a scale this large hurts one desperately and intimately. These were not just ordinary deaths one accepts with a fully-lived, aged life. Rather this was the death of lives cut short, with dreams terminated instantly, leaving families grappling with pain that can never disappear. The dead lay quietly. Those of us privileged to assist identify them did so diligently and with dignity. Only three days before the dead had been like us. They were living, breathing, warm and fleshy citizens, full of hope and desire wanting only to share life and love with their families and friends. Some were young, some a bit older, but all were now gone. Closing my eyes I still see their faces to this day. The face of death is not easy to forget. One victim was wearing a Timex Ironman sports watch, still ticking, and exactly like the one I had on. They were only 22 seconds apart. It may seem unusual that I would remember that, but frankly there is no way I could ever forget.

Amidst this pain our team worked courageously. Those early days are what defined who we are today. Following three 16-hour days our team was struggling and tired. We were beat up, and worn down, but the people on that team were highly motivated airmen, and refused to give up. To this day, I am positive each member was at Dover because of a higher purpose. I do not believe coincidence exists in this lifetime. This story is not about me, or any single one member of our team, or any single moment of time. This is a story of hope, and singleness of purpose, and deep inside being determined to serve fellow human beings at any cost. And that is what we did. Sunday morning rolled around and we were running two dental radiology rooms. I worked the middle one placing films in the mouths of the deceased, and was assisted by Melanie Key. Next door my old friend Steve Sedlock, and Summer Grager were performing the same tasks. We were bantering back and forth, trying to keep spirits high, and talking about how tough a situation we were in. We were exhausted, dirty, and feeling extremely sorry for the victims, their families, and to be perfectly honest, ourselves. It was a difficult time. Steve is one of the hardest workers and kindest human beings I have ever met. It was unusual to see and hear him discouraged. Still he pushed forward and refused to quit. On a quick break I went over to look in his eyes, and encourage him in any way I could. All around us the beat went on. The FBI was fingerprinting remains, AFIP was doing dental exams, and the Medical Examiners were prepping for autopsy. This entire scurry around us was within plain view. Across Steves chest I wrote with a Sharpie marker, D.E.R.T. The Dental Enlisted Response Team was born. Though we were just ordinary dental technicians and feeling unappreciated, we too were an important part of the process. And, I refused to let our team forget it. Quickly, Summer Grager added that if we were the D.E.R.T. team then she, Melanie, and Aisha Dean would become Dust Bunnies. So Steve Sedlock became the first member of our dedicated team. Other charter members, affectionately known as the DERTY Dozen are: myself, Dan Hines, Roberto Lebron, Greg McCulley, Ed Anderson, Summer Grager, Melanie Key, Aisha Dean, Phillipia Reynolds, Rebecca Taylor-Vogt, and April Kantner. Within days, a longtime friend and fellow team member suggested we change the title to Evidence rather than Enlisted. After all, it does take dentists to perform forensic dental exams. The effort wound down. In all, 189 human remains were processed by our team in about ten days. We eventually returned to the dental clinic, to patients, and other military duties. Time passed, and we were closer than ever. We had become family, caring about and fighting with, each other as only those closest to one another ever can. There is no way to forget what we went through together, and no doubt it bound us forever through common and shared experience. The D.E.R.T. story could very well have ended right here. But it did not. Just as Dan Hines quarterbacked the digital buildup, he now chose to tackle this cause. He sensed a higher mission, and looking back, he was right. He chose an emblematic design from the 436th dental clinic, and built a challenge coin around it. The very first D.E.R.T. coin was issued to Diane Beecher, our flight commander, for commitment and leadership to her troops. In very short order the DERTY Dozen also had coins in pocket, as a small token of remembrance for what we endured together. For the record, and I assure you it is fact, the list of team leaders is short. It includes myself, Hines, Anderson, Lebron, and currently Mike Hoard and Jennifer Jones. Becoming the team leader is always by appointment and consensus of the original twelve. While officers and civilians can only be honorary members, we have had three D.E.R.T. commanders. They are Diane Beecher, Kirby Amonson, and presently William Vosburgh. There are no comprehensive lists of actual members, as there is no one person singularly responsible for our existence. Hundreds have been admitted to our humble dental forensics team. Our legacy for service continues today. Since March 2003 the D.E.R.T. team has helped identify and return to their homes 2000 American heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Our team members have continued to rotate/change in the face of PCS and retirements. However, one thing remains the same today, as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow. The D.E.R.T. team serves with honor and distinction and continues to embody the Air Force ideals of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. Let me assure all who read this that serving with this team has been the highlight of my six assignment, 21-year military career. The people that have worked alongside me under circumstances that human beings should not have to endure are people that I love. Today more than ever I understand that God brought us together to achieve what none of us could have accomplished alone. Not one member has ever been more, or less valuable, than any other. Every single member has made me proud to be a part of something greater than myself, and a part of something that will stand long after we are all gone. If you have been presented a coin, treasure it, and know that those who came before were just like you, and determined to make this world a better place for us all. May God Bless You and God Bless America.

Editor Note: This short article was written by myself in the summer of 2005. It was meant to leave an account of the small group of dental forensics members that were dedicated to their fellow human beings; and more importantly, cared about deeply and took care of each other during a devastating period in all of our lives. Presently, I am working on a manuscript providing a much more detailed account of those two years, but also presenting the incredible emotional and physical toll it placed on the individual team members.

finding peace up on Wolf Rock....

yesterday morning i climbed up onto Wolf Rock. and, i got to thinking about old friends, and how people come and go in our lives. most of the ones that are the deepest, that teach us the most, and that last the longest are those that usually come unexpectedly. friendship, it seems, is like love. you can't go out and find it. but, when you most need it, if you're really lucky, it finds you. and thats where i'm at in my life; looking back; recalling those special folks who came and went. some for weeks, some months, some years, and some continue to this day. and each one provided some blessing in my life. all taught me something, sometimes against my will; but in recollection as time goes by, it's easy to realize why they appeared when they did. so far in my life i've learned many important lessons, but none more important than this; if you can live gently in peace, live in love - loving and letting others love you, then, things always seem to work out. sometimes just not in the time frame that we desire. i've said it before on this blog, and i'll say it again. i don't believe anyone is reading this by accident. i don't believe in coincidence. you are here to receive a loving message, and if it's meant to be, then you will give in return. either way is ok. things are happening exactly as they are supposed to. so tonight my friends, go in peace and go in love.

TSI Congrats to all 10-day Runners...

New York Self-Transcendence 10 Day (12th annual) Race
at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, NY
April 25 to May 5, 2007

1.02 mi, loop, 99% paved bike path
Weather: 40F to 78F, some monster rain storms with serious flooding of paths
--------------------

1. Petr Spacil, 29, Zlin, CZR 670
2. Glen Turner, 47, Louisville, CO USA 654
3. Pavel Seraz, 31, Komjatice, SLK 636
4. Trishul Cherns, 50, Middle Village, NY/ CAN 625
5. Bob Oberkehr, 52, Northvale, NJ USA 624
6. (1W) Surasa Mairer, 48, Salzburg, AUT 595
7. Vladimir Baltalsky, 35, Graz, AUT/ Ukr 566
8. Manfred Edinger, 45, Vienna, AUT 542
9. Igor Mudrik, 33, Vinnitsa, UKR 533
10. Garry Wise, 60, Yuendumu, NT, AUS 531

11. Sergey Sydenko, 34, Donetsk, UKR 531
12. Luis Rios, 59, Brooklyn, NY USA 525
13. (2W) Tatyana Jauk, 36, Graz, AUT 523
14. Christopher Muellauer, 34, Zurich, SUI 518
15. David Luljak, 51, Baltimore, MD, USA 517
16. (3W) Pratis. Khisamoutdinova, 63, RUS 507
17. (4W) Ingrid Kirschner, 41, Munich, GER 503
18. Frederick Davis III, 59, Bedford, OH USA 500
19. Zoran Marinkovic, 43, Leskovac, Serbia 493
20. (5W) Svitlana Samarina, 32, Kiev, UKR 486

21. Rastislav Ulicny, 26, Presov, SLK 481
22. (6W) Dorothea Vogeli, 43, Ettingen, SUI 478
23. Valentyn Ionov, 36, Kiev, UKR 472
24. Uwe Postler, 43, Innsbruck, AUT 472
25. (7W) Karina Ward, 31, Canberra, AUS 454

Mighty Frederick Marathon Team...ROCKS!

Congrats to Ms.Melanie Key and her "big" sister with a sweet 5:51:25;
and daddy Larry in 4:14:12; at the Frederick Marathon this past Sunday.
We are proud to consider them all "Slugs" of the highest caliber...
wishin' y'all well from Key West. Flatfoot Freddie

Slug News from Key West....

...hope all Spring-training and runs are going good for da' slugs...if ya saw message on front page, tis true; da' hitman is again di-verted. who knows when/where he'll show. in the mean-time all with TSI goes on. Rob Powell continues to send sweet messages of hope, as he preps for the RBC in Sept. joining him in that event will be Pokey Slug, Tony Creszendo, William from VA, Frank Schuetz, Gregory Calloway, Larry Macon, and Rick Beyer....so far. remember friends, we've got to cap it at 17; so if y'er interested in gettin' that black slug shirt; please get the apps in...from the far south, keyest westest; flattest foot freddie...

Slug News

From Pokey Slug
Hope all is well with you. Just wanted to drop you a few lines and update you on me and some other slug news. I ran the MtPenn Mudfest in Reading April 6th and had a complete blast. It was cold and there were some serious water crossings, but a race I will do again. Down and Durty Slug Derrick Hills finished Bull Run over the weekend with a time of 11:30ish. He ran with James Moore for a bit and also with John Straub.
In Other News
The RBC 50K is well on track. Plans are being made, the governor has been notified, and of course John Clark will not show up.
Hope you all are enjoying your spring racing seasons.
Hope to hear from ya soon.
John.

Team Slug Tribute to USAF SMSgt (Ret) Steve "The Real Steve" Boudreaux

lotsa slug fat-butts (courtesy of u.r.magazine).......

the new ultrarunning magazine arrived in the mail this weekend. i enjoy it every month, but i always particularly look forward to the march edition. it has the national fat ass results, including our own fattest butt edition. but more than that i enjoy looking through other results to try to find wayward slugs, and i am seldom disappointed. first off, our heartiest congrats to da' muddstomper hisself, mr douglass bartocci; who finished the mid-hudson fat ass in staatsburg, new york on january 7th in a fine 7:03. that's sweet. and also to the slug king; rob powell who won the cleveland fat ass 50k in 5 hours flat. in the same event mr. don baun took second in 5:30. not to be outdone ms angela ivory finished two (i hope i'm not missing any); on dec 30th in huntsville in 8:09, and one week later in atlanta in 7:17. no doubt there were many other slug fat-ass finishers this yr, and no doubt i'll hear about it :) and, that's the way it should be; still friends after all these years. special thanks to ur magazine (don allison) for posting full results and nice article on da' slugs.

Peyton Manning has NOTHING on Ms. Angela!

i watched the super bowl like another estimated 89.99 million world citizens. and, while some people say they read playboy for the articles (not me!), i really do watch the super bowl for the commercials. nothing against the athletes, no doubt, they work very hard to achieve that level of success. however, not even peyton himself could have worked any harder than my fellow slug, dear friend, and one of my personal heroes, miss angela ivory of nashville, tennessee. i had the good fortune to meet her back in october at the rbc50k here in the first state. she toed the line with da' slugs, and proved highly slugworthy, and a genuinely kind and humble human being. a month later the december 2006 running journal (www.running.net) arrived in my mailbox; and who to my wondering eyes should appear (on the cover) than one of our newest sluggos. yes, ms angela herself appeared in full stride. and, on page 12 the magazine profiles her wonderfully. it seems ms angela (Vanderbilt '90) is quite the accomplished endurance athlete. in fact, on january 8th, 2006, on her birthday in newport beach, california; she completed her goal of finishing a marathon in each of the 50 states and d.c. most folks would consider that accomplishment enough. but not ms. angela. rather she decided to pursue an ultramarathon in each of the states. she is a tough human being. oh, i forgot to mention; ms. angela also had to fight her way through chemotherapy, after diagnoses of the big C, and removal of 22 lymph nodes. the author of the article dallas smith says, "Chemo is tough, right? Tougher than the Tour de France, Lance said." so my friend, ms angela runs on. a true life hero. all this week, and for months to come, people all over the world will be admiring peyton and the colts. not me, i choose angela. she is an inspiration; and i am thankful to consider her a fellow slug and friend. happy days, da' hitman

Slugs in the news...

congrats to U.S. Navy pilot, Lt. Commander Rick Ryan, for accomplishing his one-year goal of raising over $35,000 for the families of those military members wounded and killed in the middle east. Rick did this by completing 30 marathon/ultra events in 2006. tsi was blessed to have him here for his twenty-sixth event at the russell b. cheney 50k in the fall. at the Slug event Rick ran in memory of LCPL Cory Palmer, LCPL Richard Chad Clifton, and LCPL Richard Z. James, three of the seven Delaware Marines who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rick is still accepting donations for service members at marathonsforhope.org. Rick was also profiled on page 22 of the March 2007 Runner's World.

One Mister Phillip Hester.....

.....is the proud owner of a brand-new Slug name; conferred by "Pokey-Slug" herself...and she writes, " As the RD for the Fattest Butt and self-proclaimed most wonderful Slug namer in da' history of Slugdom, I, with the blessings of all slugs NEW and OLD, hereby declare you "Sir Sweet Cheeks." Use your name wisely....any un-sweetcheek behavior could result in immediate revocation of said name, and you will be unceremoniously rendered, 'Sir DooDoo Shoe'. " So heartiest of Congrats; brother phil; it is an honor to share da' trails with ya.... happiest of da' days forever, flattest foot freddie, suckin' SUN AND SUDS in key west.....

Congrats Dirt Diva on HURT 100K Finish!!!

TSI sends heartiest congrats to Catra, and all finisher's at the HURT 100 this weekend in Hawaii. The Dirt Diva continues to motivate and inspire all da' slugs. No doubt, she'll soon post a report on her blog (link on Slug homesite); which will be full of wonder and delight; and, will make me personally want to go outside and run. Thanks Catra!!! Also today; Brother Claude, TSI Hall of Fame 1993, posted the race application for the 2007 Crowder's Mountain Run in Gastonia, North Carolina. Please read the disclaimer carefully; "RFH/Team Slug reserves the right to refuse anyone who they don't like from running in this race. You know who you are. If you are offended by this application then you are too sensitive to run this course. It will probably be cold, raining, snowing, or something and you will probably fall. People fall and are killed yearly at Crowders. Usually it is a drunk trying to fly like Superman off one of the cliffs. I release all of those involved in the race from liability. I have been informed not to complain about the hills." Sluggos be careful, ultra-super-secret-society THE Slugs From Hell lose a couple of members a year down there. If this madness continues, who'll still be alive to buy da' beer. any-who; happiest of days, mr.clean.

Please send ALL POSITIVE VIBES Far West....

....as Catra and friends challenge H.U.R.T. (See link on TSI front page.) Here in the East planning has already begun for the 2007 RBC50K; now just 258 days away! The trail is currently under construction, and while the sleek, wooden handrails have failed to materialize; flattest foot freddie was down at da' guvner's house yesterday for a hoedown (beer and wings). Seems the guv agreed to allow TSI to erect a large butter carving of old john clark hisself out at the trailhead. So we're bringing in world-renowned dairy creamer Nikolov Aemilius, of Sofia, Bulgaria to begin the job. Chief Slug has agreed to trade two cases of Pete's Wicked Ale, and a half-dozen t-shirts for the butter. Which is all fine and dandy, 'cept this year da' hitmans chili will have to go. Rather we're bringing in about 15,000 ears of corn. That should satisfy demand. Of course all rules are subject to change! Hope all da' slugs, and all friends, all over the world are enjoying this beautiful saturday morning. happiest of days, mister clean.

Congrats to TSI's 2007 Fattest Butt Finishers!

Another Fat Butt in da' books old friends. Congrats to all who toed the line this morning in the Central Flats of Delaware. An unseasonably warm 73 degrees challenged the runners, and all responded with incredible efforts. A.J. Johnson of NJ, Jason Cooper of TN, and Ryan Carter of DC shared the win in 4:42:05. Top female in her ultra-debut was Katie Ka of PA. Crazy Horse went to Jason Mattis of PA in 7:11:46. A full report will be posted to www.teamslug.com in the next two days. happy trails, flatfoot freddie.

fattest butt eve...my favorite night of the year :)

from our fearless race director, the most-pokey slug, "hey, the guidedogs are ready and the blind squirrels are on their worst behavior, ready for tomorrow; see all in the a.m." and from the national weather service (and, i'm not making this up), "highs in the lower 70's." bring da' sunscreen, it's gonna get hott. finally, good news from ms katy and hubby. day do expect to be's here. happy days, flattest foot freddie.

I know it's 268 days away; but.....

...da' King Slug has been named FIRST OFFICIAL ENTRANT into the 2007 Russell B. Cheney 50K non-event here in the Central Plains of Delaware. Dat's right...one mister rob powell has chosen to preside over the Great State of Ohio, and all its Slugs. Congrats, bro. The Final Countdown is on for 2007 Fattest Butt....everyone take a deep breath :) happy days, da' hitman.

Happy New Year Slugs!!!

sluggos and future sluggos! the year is off to a great start here in the first state. sixty-five degrees and pouring rain most of the day. received a note today from eugene bruckert of illinois. he is the 22nd, and probably final victim into the 2007 fat butt field. to get in now will require a personal note from big bertha, and as bad as she's missing john clark; it ain't likely she'll write you one. final preparations are nearing completion; official tsi slug-shirts are in for all first-time sluggos, and official 2007 finisher's awards for current slugs will be picked up by wednesday. the course is receiving it's final comb-down, with bright orange markers and glow lights planted approximately every twelve yards. handrails are expected to be installed by friday afternoon --- barring any foul weather. we've never lost anyone yet, but in 1996 wrongway charlie became disoriented and ran all the way back to the maryland line. not this year! this year we will have a perfect non-event. fresh pondwater is being boiled, and two week old bread is being bargained for down at the local food shelter. remember, ya go over seven hours; you receive EXTRA CREDIT. see ya on saturday!

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