Last week, I was filling up my car and happened to notice a nail in my tire. My tires were fine, still holding air, no big deal.

Took it in Wednesday and was patched for $28.99. Ugh. Fine, whatever.

Today, Jmoo and I headed to lunch. We didn't get a quarter mile before we heard (and felt) chu-chunk-chink-cha-chunk-chink-cha-chunk-chink. OMG, is my tire flat? I thought. I pull over. No, we're good. Must be the road right here....

Then it continues. I stopped a couple times trying to figure out what the hell it was. Sally was driving just fine, no pulls, stutters, etc. We make it to lunch, about 1.5 miles from work. I get out, survey the car again. And then, there it was...

The culprit.

I'm pretty sure it looks like this:

Luckily, the auto shop folks said they think this can be patched, like the other. And because I'm such a valued (read: auto work magnet) customer they gave me $4.99 off. Provided there's no extra work to be done. I should see if these guys want to sponsor me!

Can somebody, anybody, JUST GET ME TO FRIDAY, AND GET ME ON THE PLANE, WITH MY BIKE, AND NO MORE TIRE ISSUES? Seriously!!!!!

ARGH!

Friday, April 11, 2008

A Triathlete’s Guide to Wildflower 2008

By Nick Tuttle

For many triathletes, the Wildflower Festival weekend has served as the exciting and competitive start of the summer triathlon season for over 25 years. 2008 marks the 26th annual offering of the popular Central California race brought to life by professional and highly regarded organizer, Tri California. On the weekend of May 2nd through 4th, over 7000 athletes will flock to Lake San Antonio, just east of King City, to participate in one of the weekend’s many challenging races. Known for its challenging terrain and competitive field of racers, Wildflower is an event that every triathlete should experience in his or her lifetime because of several unique factors.



Festival Fun



Wildflower’s festival atmosphere sets it apart from other races throughout the world. A tent city of vendors, musicians and athletes is created overnight at the campgrounds surrounding Lake San Antonio. The vast majority of racers elect to stay at campsites adjacent to the transition area. Thousands of peers enjoy the atmosphere of the weekend together. Many friendships have been forged around a campfire or while waiting in line at one of the restrooms throughout the campground.



Logistics & Accommodations



Another unique aspect of Wildflower is the need to plan accommodations well before race day and how to get to transition on time on race morning. As is typical in a triathlon of this magnitude, racers need to arrive at least a day in advance to check in. In addition, campsites fill quickly and can be hard to find for a large group. One of the advantages of camping at Lake San Antonio is that on race morning, triathletes can bike easily down to transition. Staying in hotels in surrounding areas can lead to long commutes in and out of the park on registration and race days. It is much easier to avoid the car and bike directly to transition from campsites. Hitting the hotels also may lead to missing what so many people love about this race—the camping and camaraderie. There is nothing better than carbo-loading at a campfire with friends old and new.



Nutrition & Tips: Another issue unique to Wildflower is preparing pre-race meals sans fridge, microwave or an assortment of local restaurants. Try to plan pre-race meals that can be grilled or prepared on a camping stove. With some careful planning, preparing the right meals should not be a huge issue. On the contrary, restroom availability on race morning can be. Restrooms can get busy on race morning and waiting in line should be the least of a racer’s challenges. Leave plenty of time and look for restrooms off to the side, and less crowded.



Pre-Race Transition:

Tri California is a highly regarded, professional and organized race production company with everything running like clockwork including transition. One of the best things about Tri California events is that each triathlete’s transition spot is pre-designated by race number. There is no need to scramble looking for the best spot race morning or any spot at all. You will have an amply-spaced, designated spot to rack your bike and set-up your transition. With 7000+ athletes competing, this feat is impressive and makes for a super-sized transition area! It is crucial in Wildflower for racers to memorize their race numbers to find their spot quickly during the race. There are rows and rows of bikes to sort through. Typically, this transition offers nothing in terms of landmarks to help you find your spot as it’s in a huge, flat, concrete parking lot, so get to memorizing!



Take note of the steep hill when entering transition from the main campground and gate. All race courses at Wildflower include this hill at some point during the race. This infamous hill gets the most talk but there are plenty of other challenges on this course. Just take a mental note of this one, since all athletes will either be going up or down it shortly.



Before the swim start, racers should avoid putting on their wetsuit as long as possible. The event directors will call each wave down to the boat ramp well before it's time to go. Don’t feel rushed but don't sit around in a wetsuit for 20-30 minutes while you can continue to loosen up those limbs for the work to come.



The Swim



Wildflower's swim is the easiest part of the day, and it's the only segment that is totally flat (hee hee). There are a few things to take note of for this particular swim. Unless you are in one of the first few waves, it can be challenging to get into the water before wave starts to warm up. Most likely age groupers will get 5 minutes or so just before each wave horn sounds to get in the water but this isn't enough for most people. This pre-race limitation makes land warm ups even more important including arm swings, shoulder rolls, breathing exercises, and anything else to prepare the body for the swim ahead.



The first part of this swim is the most challenging. Leaving the boat ramp out into the lake, there is a very narrow channel to maneuver through and this creates a bit of a wrestling match amongst the swimmers. Either get out in front or sit back and wait so you can settle into your rhythm early. There is nothing like lost goggles or a good ole’ kick to the face to start the day. The swim course bears right out of the boat ramp and into the open lake for a clockwise swim around the buoys and back into the ramp. Upon exiting the water, prepare to hustle up the steep ramp and into transition. The ramp's rough concrete isn't the best on bare feet but the crowd cheering and adrenaline help get racers up and over to transition quickly.



The Bike

Racers need to remember their transition spot and get ready for a great bike ride. It is very important to plan gearing out of transition ahead of time. For both the long and Olympic courses racers have a minute to shift but are climbing up some super steep hills quickly. This is especially the case in the Olympic where you are climbing the main hill out of transition within a minute of being on your bike. Make sure you are in the correct gearing--for most people that will be in the smallest ring in the front. Don't let your day be ruined by being in the wrong gear and trying to shift, only to have your chain not cooperate. Be smart and possibly consider putting your bike shoes on in transition for this race if you are used you having them attached you your pedals before mounting your bike. It will certainly save some possible frustration and only cost a few seconds.



After the swim, folks are excited to get on the bike course. This makes for a crazy exit area at times so have your head on a swivel. When you do eventually reach the initial climb out away from the lake, settle into a rhythm and focus on steady, deep breathing to lower heart rate. These hills are long and steep, so it's not a sprint to the top. There is plenty of road ahead to hustle on, which will be hard to do if your heart is jumping out of your throat in the first few minutes of the bike. Conserve your energy stores for later in the race, as you will surely need them.



After exiting the main gate of the park, you are still climbing a ways to the main road. From there it's a right hand turn and the next 30 miles are mostly rolling hills or flat for the Long Course. Enjoy this section and find a steady-state effort you can sustain for the bulk of the ride.



One key to this race is how to handle your nutrition. This bike has the real hard work near the end, which adds to the challenge. For the Long Course bike, this makes eating early and often key. Each athlete should have a calorie target for the bike, which is easy to pace within the first 3/4 of the ride. Once at the uphills and the eventual downhills, racers don't have a lot of time to focus on nutrition. Emphasize taking in plenty of calories between the 20-40 mile marks. This will fuel your body for the hard work to come. The Olympic course is easier to take nutrition on as the hills are not quite as step heading home and there is much less technical descending.



On the Long Course, “Nasty Grade”, (a 5 mile long climb that raises you up over 1000 ft) will come around mile 40. That's a serious climb on legs that have been enjoying ripping speeds for the last hour plus. Slowing down and finding a new rhythm can be hard psychologically and many people do not train specifically for this type of hill. One thing to consider with this climb is when you think you’ve seen the top, you haven't. At the top of the first peak, turn right and continue climbing for another few minutes. This knowledge will guard you against the shock that so many have had turning the corner seeing MORE hill! Once you peak the next summit, you are there for the most part. Having read this paragraph is enough to give you an advantage if you've never ridden the course.



What goes up must come down. This is one fast downhill on the Long Course that will really benefit the technical cyclist. Lots of people sit up after this climb to take in nutrition, but there isn't a lot of time. Get a drink and get ready to focus on the downhill descent. Make sure to practice hills late in training rides and incorporate plenty of technical descending. The winds can be strong up on top of the ridge but know that you are almost home at this point. There are still some miles to log but they scream by while racers focus on spinning out to prepare legs for the run to come.



Careful coming back into transition as the descent is steep back down the main hill. This applies to both the Long Course and Olympic as both use the main gate for re-entry into the park. Watch out for slower racers and runners finishing the run course as it’s a busy area.



The Run



Throw on your run gear and get ready for a doozy! The first few miles for both courses are rolling along the lake, mostly asphalt, but it turns to dirt and single track pretty quick. This is a tough run course, so runners need to stay fueled the entire day. Get some liquids early and stay on top of it. Calories should be 150-200 calories per hour but limit calorie amounts, to avoid gastric distress.



The hills start around mile 3 to 4 as runners need to make it from the lake to above the main campground, which is virtually the same height as the hill you just rode down into transition. Once you start climbing, don't stop. Keep on trucking! Around mile 4 you will come across the famous "nude aid station" were several college-student volunteers are ready to cheer you on in the buff. I mention this only because it took me by surprise the first time I witnessed it and runners need to remember they are just starting a significant single-track climb.



Make sure to have some hills in pre-race training. A workout like 5x1 minute hill repeats built into an hour run will increase hill-climbing strength. Once at the campground, continue through the grounds for several miles. Around mile 9 of the Long Course, feet will hit asphalt for the first time in a while and runners will be tempted to pick up the pace. Remember there are still 4 miles to go. By reaching the run turnaround at mile 10, runners are finally racing to the finish line as opposed to away from it. The last section of both courses can still provide some challenges back into the finish line.



According to long time race announcer and publisher of Competitor magazine, Eric Gilsenan, the final downhill can be the most overlooked portion of the race. According to Gilsenan, several pro races have been won and lost within the last mile of the run due to pacing down the hill. A hard day’s work can be erased by the steep downhill grade if you are looking to podium in your age group. Pepper some downhill running into pre-race training in a controlled effort to strengthen the supporting muscles of the legs. Quick turnover is key on downhills. Strides are a great way to focus on leg speed and aim for 90-95 foot strikes per minute per foot. This will allow you to change leg support quickly while flying down this hill. Both Long and Olympic courses run down this main hill into the finish.



Take the time to look around and enjoy the experience as the road flattens into the finishing chute. Listen for your name being called by the great Tri-California race announcers and cross that finish line in style. You just completed one of the most difficult Long Course or Olympic distance triathlons in the world. If you conquer this course, there isn't much that can stand in your way. Most likely you will push yourself past your comfort zone on race day so take some time to pat yourself on the back for completing one of these challenging races!



Eat, Drink & Be Merry

Enjoy the post race festivities; cheer others finishers on and even stick around to watch the next day’s race. Soak in everything that has made Wildflower a destination weekend for so many around the world. Happy racing!

Crutcher, Gale K.	View/Sign Guest Book
Gale K. Crutcher, 77 of Belton, Mo., passed away April 16, 2008, at the Hospice House. Visitation 9:30 to noon Saturday, April 19, at McGilley & George Funeral Home, 12913 Grandview Road, Grandview, Mo. Graveside service and burial at 3 p.m. after the visitation in Oak Lawn Cemetery, La Cygne, Kan. Contributions suggested to American Cancer Society, The LiveStrong Foundation or Kansas City Hospice. Gale was born on October 7, 1930, in Cass County, Mo., and was a lifelong Cass County area resident. Survived by wife, Norma, of the home; sons Gary Crutcher, St. Charles, Ill., and Jerry and wife Robin Crutcher of Belton, Mo.; brother Lyman and wife Priscilla Crutcher; sisters Nancy Baltinsky, Wynona Crutcher and Betty Crutcher; two grandchildren, Courtney Crutcher, Blue Springs, Mo., and Jeff Crutcher, Belton, Mo. (Arr.: McGilley & George Funeral Home, 12913 Grandview Road, Grandview, MO 64030, 816-966-0250.)
Published in the Kansas City Star on 4/17/2008.
Notice • Guest Book • Flowers

Susan Cagney 1961-2008

Cagney, Susan K. (Lambert)	View/Sign Guest Book
CAGNEY Susan K. Cagney, 47, Belton, MO, passed away April 12, 2008 at KC Hospice House. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at Mt. Moriah & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Rd. Burial in Mt. Moriah Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to KC Hospice House, 12000 Wornall Rd., Kansas City, MO 64145. Susan was born April 10, 1961 in Kansas City, MO, daughter of William Joseph and Harriet I. (DeGroff) Lambert. She graduated from Loretto Academy in 1979 and, received an associates degree in electronics from Electronics Institute in 1982. Susan was a member of the American Quarter Horse Association and was a member of the Protestant faith. She was preceded in death by her father William Lambert and grandmother Nora M. Maupin. She is survived by her mother and stepfather Harriet and Glenn W. Ladd; husband Robert Cagney of the home; son Justin Cagney, U.S.A.F.; brothers Jeff Lambert, Jack Lambert and John Lambert; stepbrother Marlon Smith; and stepsisters Stephanie Sample, Carla Pryor and Karen Schultz. Susan was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend who will be missed by all. (Arr: Mt. Moriah & Freeman 816-942- 2004)
Published in the Kansas City Star on 4/16/2008.
Notice • Guest Book • Flowers

Hey.



I figured I'd give a little update, since I doubt I'll be logged on for a while to give another.



Last night we rec'vd a call from the hospice hospital that a bed was available, so this morning around 11 a med team is coming to transfer him to the hospital. We discussed letting him stay at home, but my grandma was beginning to have qualms about being comfortable in her home if he passed away there. Also, this way she can have a bed right beside him in the hospital without worrying about having to do all of his medical needs.



For about a week he was "eating" a half bottle of Ensure everyday, but on Friday morning he stopped that. He quit drinking fluids altogether on Saturday, and we've doing water drops to help keep his mouth and lips moist.



Our whole family will be in town tonight, and thank God last week when he was coherent I was able to tell him how much he meant to me.



Right now he's really not there mentally, and has pretty much stopped all verbal communication other than a 'yep' and 'nope.'



Basically, the nurses have said he might make it to the weekend, but not to expect it. My cousin gets into town tonight, and she's the head hospice RN at a huge hospital in Phoenix, so it will really be great to have a family member that understands medically where he's at.



--as a "woe is me"-- things have been exacerbated by a family f friend's death, from a similar fate, on Saturday. Her visitation and funeral services are Friday and saturday. If everyone could maybe send and extra goodwill vibe to her family that would be great.







I want to thank you folks for your continued thoughts and prayers. It is all very very much appreciated.

99 Things You May or May Not Know, or Care to Know, About Me

1. I tan a lot


2. I have two pit bulls


3. I can’t stand TBone on the Johnny Dare Show (KC Radio)


4. I have 4 visible tattoos, but have received 5


5. I recently got into a bar brawl with against my best friend. We are still best friends


6. I am marrying on Halloween


7. We started dating on Halloween


8. He proposed on Halloween- on a beach, two days before Ironman


9. I’m really really bad with money. I like to spend it. All of it


10. I hate that I sit in a cubical for 8hrs + a day


11. I’ve only had my bike outside 3 times since Ironman


12. The weather in KC SUCKS this year


13. I’m pumped for WildFlower, but I’m not expecting a whole lot


14. I have a bridesmaid that lives about 100000 miles away but she is still quite up to date with all the wedding stuff


15. My fiancé looks like Travis Barker


16. Travis Barker is hot


17. I’m really really lucky


18. I used to have a rabbit but he died :(


19. There’s a woman at my work that drives me INSANE


20. I cannot survive without coffee


21. I cannot survive without Pope, Drewie, Freffy, Jmoo, or Robo (aka my bridesmaids)


22. I didn’t cry when I finished Ironman, but I did when I saw Julie finish


23. My weight fluctuates A LOT when I’m training heavy, but for whatever reason my body wants to “be” at a weight about 40 lbs over my ideal weight. Ugh


24. I have a girl crush on Desiree Ficker and Bree Wee (yes Bree, you)


25. There’s a new beer called Land Shark Lager that I LOVE


26. I really like cheap wine


27. My bike’s name is GoldMember


28. My fiancé made me cut up all my credit cards after I paid them off. I was mad at him but now I understand why he told me to. He’s so smart. Like I said, lucky


29. My first tattoo was a Mustang emblem


30. Yes, I drive a Mustang


31. My Mustang’s name is Sally and she has 150k miles on her now


32. I bought her my senior year of high school and I won “coolest car” in the yearbook


33.  I paid her off in 11 months and refuse to get a new car because for over 5 years I haven’t had a car payment


34. I wear a size 9 shoe and a size 11 pant


35. My boobs *are* real


36. No you can’t see them


37. Eric and I have never broke up in almost 8 years


38. Both of my bosses are wearing pink and black today. One of them is a man. He is wearing the most pink


39. I am 5’10


40. I plan to wear a LiveStrong bracelet in my wedding


41. I have to wear glasses or contacts, even though my vision is supposedly 20/10. My optometrist one time told me that my eyes were fine. I challenged him to go for a ride down I-70 with me at night. He decided that maybe I did need glasses


42. I love penguins. I want one


43. I have never been to Las Vegas


44. I have visited over 10 countries out of the USA


45. My fiancé owns a boat dealership and a sports agency


46. No, we’re not rich


47. I dye my hair A LOT


48. I’m kind of snobby


49. I have lost toenails


50. My engagement ring is a trillion


51. My favorite color is black


52. I look best in bright purple or royal blue


53. I can’t remember how, but I’m a descendant of General George Patton


54. The year Carrie Underwood won American Idol, my cousin made the top 10


55. I met my fiancé at a motorcycle race


56. I used to have a beagle named Princess


57. Eric’s friends are also some of my very best friends


58. Perezhilton.com keeps me entertained from 7:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri


59. I ordered my wedding dress Saturday. It will arrive June 30^th


60.  While I’m 70 inches tall, I actually have a wingspan of 74inches. That’s 6’2. No wonder I always looked like I would clean out the lane lines when swimming fly


61. I hold the high school girls swimming record in every distance and every event except the 100 yard breaststroke


62. I love the movie Fight Club


63. Johnny Depp is my favorite actor


64. Orlando Bloom is a very very close second


65. Eric and I have a saying that goes across the top of a wall in our kitchen “In For Life”


66. I won’t explain it if you don’t get it


67. I really like popcorn


68. I have a palm tree tanning tattoo


69. Every time Eric and I see a great big poufy palm tree we put our hands up in the air and say “Pouf” and do jazz hands


70. I couldn't keep a plant alive even if it was a money tree


71. Every time I ride by a cow on my bike I must moo at it


72. I was a cheerleader in high school


73. If I ever become a multi-millionaire I’m going to pay off my friend’s student loans and my family’s mortgages


74. I just had a random nose bleed while sitting at my desk


75. I do not do cocaine


76. I used to burn things in the oven


77. I now could maybe qualify for Hells Kitchen


78. I have really started to have a passion for cooking, and for making things from my own recipes, from scratch, on the fly


79. I occasionally will still burn things


80. Like an oven mitt


81. I’m not exactly Christian, not exactly Catholic, not exactly Buddhist


82. I write letters to people or companies if I find something in distaste or receive poor service


83. I am a foreclosure analyst at a law firm. It’s a fancy term for somebody’s bitch


84. I love my fiancé’s tattoos, I think they’re sexy


85. I have six piercings


86. My maid of honor hasn’t any tattoos or piercings


87. Tequila is a dangerous thing for me


88. Shots not good for my tummy


89. I have an abnormally long butt crack


90. I really enjoy do-it-yourself projects


91. I was voted “most organized” in high school


92. I have clothing scattered all of my bedroom and various items on my dresser, etc


93. I have a CHI hair iron and it is amazing


94. Skull and Crossbones are my theme


95. I can occasionally be really rude and snobby


96. I almost always feel bad about it


97. Anchorman and Talladega Nights are the best movies


98. I want to race the Hawaii World Champ Ironman before I’m 30


99. I’m considering doing an English Channel swim


100.        I’m an overachiever

Westboro Baptist Church Cult

I want to take a moment to point out how disgusted I am with these people. I neary wish a harmful thought on another person, but this is terrible.

I was going to post the link to their page, but I'll spare my blogging friends from reading their biggotry. It's un-freaking-believeable.

If anyone reading my blog feels the same as those brainwashed people, please close out my page and never come back.

I am quitting blogging. Ok. you're right April Fool's. Here's some good ones from the past.

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/

In 1957 the respected BBC news show Panorama announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees. Huge numbers of viewers were taken in. Many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree. To this the BBC diplomatically replied that they should "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best."

In its April 1985 edition, Sports Illustrated published a story about a new rookie pitcher who planned to play for the Mets. His name was Sidd Finch, and he could reportedly throw a baseball at 168 mph with pinpoint accuracy. This was 65 mph faster than the previous record. Surprisingly, Sidd Finch had never even played the game before. Instead, he had mastered the "art of the pitch" in a Tibetan monastery under the guidance of the "great poet-saint Lama Milaraspa." Mets fans celebrated their teams' amazing luck at having found such a gifted player, and Sports Illustrated was flooded with requests for more information. But in reality this legendary player only existed in the imagination of the author of the article, George Plimpton.

In 1962 there was only one tv channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert, Kjell Stensson, appeared on the news to announce that, thanks to a new technology, viewers could convert their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon stocking over their tv screen. Stensson proceeded to demonstrate the process. Thousands of people were taken in. Regular color broadcasts only commenced in Sweden on April 1, 1970.

In 1996 the Taco Bell Corporation announced that it had bought the Liberty Bell and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Hundreds of outraged citizens called the National Historic Park in Philadelphia where the bell was housed to express their anger. Their nerves were only calmed when Taco Bell revealed, a few hours later, that it was all a practical joke. The best line of the day came when White House press secretary Mike McCurry was asked about the sale. Thinking on his feet, he responded that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold. It would now be known as the Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

In 1977 the British newspaper The Guardian published a special seven-page supplement devoted to San Serriffe, a small republic located in the Indian Ocean consisting of several semi-colon-shaped islands. A series of articles affectionately described the geography and culture of this obscure nation. Its two main islands were named Upper Caisse and Lower Caisse. Its capital was Bodoni, and its leader was General Pica. The Guardian's phones rang all day as readers sought more information about the idyllic holiday spot. Few noticed that everything about the island was named after printer's terminology. The success of this hoax is widely credited with launching the enthusiasm for April Foolery that gripped the British tabloids in subsequent decades.

FAKE TATTOO SLEEVES

Now you can get "inked" by night and still keep your day job with our "tattoo sleeves". The tattoo is printed directly on the stretchable fabric sleeves fabric which is a machine washable nylon. They come in pairs; wear one or both.

In 1992 National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation program announced that Richard Nixon, in a surprise move, was running for President again. His new campaign slogan was, "I didn't do anything wrong, and I won't do it again." Accompanying this announcement were audio clips of Nixon delivering his candidacy speech. Listeners responded viscerally to the announcement, flooding the show with calls expressing shock and outrage. Only during the second half of the show did the host John Hockenberry reveal that the announcement was a practical joke. Nixon's voice was impersonated by comedian Rich Little.

The April 1998 issue of the New Mexicans for Science and Reason newsletter contained an article claiming that the Alabama state legislature had voted to change the value of the mathematical constant pi from 3.14159 to the 'Biblical value' of 3.0. Before long the article had made its way onto the internet, and then it rapidly made its way around the world, forwarded by people in their email. It only became apparent how far the article had spread when the Alabama legislature began receiving hundreds of calls from people protesting the legislation. The original article, which was intended as a parody of legislative attempts to circumscribe the teaching of evolution, was written by a physicist named Mark Boslough.

In 1998 Burger King published a full page advertisement in USA Today announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu: a "Left-Handed Whopper" specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, the new whopper included the same ingredients as the original Whopper (lettuce, tomato, hamburger patty, etc.), but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers. The following day Burger King issued a follow-up release revealing that although the Left-Handed Whopper was a hoax, thousands of customers had gone into restaurants to request the new sandwich. Simultaneously, according to the press release, "many others requested their own 'right handed' version."

In its April 1995 issue Discover Magazine announced that the highly respected wildlife biologist Dr. Aprile Pazzo had discovered a new species in Antarctica: the hotheaded naked ice borer. These fascinating creatures had bony plates on their heads that, fed by numerous blood vessels, could become burning hot, allowing the animals to bore through ice at high speeds. They used this ability to hunt penguins, melting the ice beneath the penguins and causing them to sink downwards into the resulting slush where the hotheads consumed them. After much research, Dr. Pazzo theorized that the hotheads might have been responsible for the mysterious disappearance of noted Antarctic explorer Philippe Poisson in 1837. "To the ice borers, he would have looked like a penguin," the article quoted her as saying. Discover received more mail in response to this article than they had received for any other article in their history.

In 1976 the British astronomer Patrick Moore announced on BBC Radio 2 that at 9:47 AM a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event was going to occur that listeners could experience in their very own homes. The planet Pluto would pass behind Jupiter, temporarily causing a gravitational alignment that would counteract and lessen the Earth's own gravity. Moore told his listeners that if they jumped in the air at the exact moment that this planetary alignment occurred, they would experience a strange floating sensation. When 9:47 AM arrived, BBC2 began to receive hundreds of phone calls from listeners claiming to have felt the sensation. One woman even reported that she and her eleven friends had risen from their chairs and floated around the room.

Do not barf. Don't barf. Don't do it. Don't.. don't... ::bbaarrf:: Do. Not. Barf.

Ugh, and it's not even my leftover meat patty and salad from lunch... no, it's my phlegm. Choking, coughing, sputtering, PUKING my own phelgm.

Runner's phelgm.

UGH.

Well, here's to the fastest 3 miles I've done yet this yr.  Mile 1.5 split 13:46.54 (wind at back), Mile 3.0 split 15:47.37 (wind at face split). Average mile time of 9:51.

I know, I know. Not blazing fast, hell, not even warm up speed for so many of you. But I'm working on it. I'm feeling a lot more comfortable with this new stride and techniqe even JMoo commented that I was moving faster. I beat her back! That is RARE!

Now, well, now I need a nap to recovery from a high quality high speed run with quick turnover and the 1.5 slices of Costco cake from the birthday party in my office. At least, AT LEAST, I can call that cake market research and no one will be able to comment!

Okay, I'm dozing, off to get some tea! YUM! (Yes Robo, TEA. T-E-A. The good stuff. The shiznit, the almost as good as a Scooter's Hazlenut coffee Stuff. TEA.)

My workout orginally called for a MORNING run with recovery before my lift session, but it was misting and about 38 degrees out- even worse than the conditions this afternoon, so I'll just fight my way thru it at the gym tonight.

Oh, here's today's route. Nothing special, but fun anyway!

http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=203410