Unfair treatment!

I have been a USTA (Tennis) official for several years. I have had the privilege of officiating matches which included many great players include John McEnroe and Andy Roddick. I once had a 130-mile an hour serves from Roddick that he did not agree with my call. Replay showed
I was right (about an 1/8th an inch…). How did I do that? Training… Lots of it…

Through the years I have not been so accurate, I have made mistakes. There are days I have felt ill but had to officiate anyway as there was no sub available. Did I do well? I will argue I did as well as Randy Moss and Tom Brady if they were playing with a 101-degree fever…

I have to live with those mistakes. Officiating is a different animal. Once when I was on my way out to officiate a McEnroe match, the head official gave us a motivational speech. He said something I will never forget… He said "you are expected to be 100% perfect out there, and you are expected to improve on that!" That is how society looks at officials.

Over the years, I have become more hardened to accept that perfection expectation. Now we have so much press about Ed Hochuli's acknowledgment that he erred on a call late in Sunday's San Diego-Denver game a few weeks ago. He is human; god forbids this from an official.

What irritates me is we are in a society that always looks for an easy person to blame for a loss, a failure or other negative aspect in life. Did the official make a mistake that truly cost the San Diego Charger the game. I argue, not really.

How can I say that? I watched most of that game. I guess if we hold officials to a one clear mistake and we should be banned, we should ban several receivers from ever playing football again for dropping a pass that was right in their arms. I guess we need to ban many defensive players for missing what seemed to be an easy tackle. I guess we need to ban the offensive players who negated a major gain because he grabbed onto a defensive player and threw them to the ground? But those are just forgiven as issue in a stressful situation by a player who makes $10 million a year. But the official who makes $80,000 a year better not make one little mistaken means a death sentence.

In baseball, we should ban the outfield who drops an easy fly ball? What about a hockey player who missed an open net shot? Let not even discuss the number of botch open lane lay-ups I have seen in Basketball. Hey, we have all seen dunks missed…

But we would never say such a thing. The San Diego Chargers made many more mistakes, which cost them the game… Did the official goof up in that game, yes, but he is the only one people want to fire, harm, or ridicule. What I find most interesting in all my years of officiating
(Baseball for 9 years prior to tennis) is that the people who bitch the most have never officiated a high-level game or match. If they did, they would understand that officiating is a high-level stress job, which it takes a sick person to enjoy… I also have seen a major shortage of officials in all sports… Many great officials have left the profession due to one or two mistakes and major backlash. If I were Ed Hochuli, I would retire and the NFL would now lose another quality official but would still have all those players who goofed up many times throughout the game! But he, as well as I, keep officiating though the name calling and threats… We must be sick?

I guess that could explain why I want to run 100 miles?

Carry on…

Carlin's Wisdom for staying young

An earlier post made it known I loved George Carlin comedy... He was not always being funny, he just put serious stuff out there selectively. Here is a favorite piece of his which ends with a very strong sentence about life.

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them "
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening,whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be
ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies,
whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9 Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Carry on!

I am 46 today..some jokes... Stolen words

You know you're getting on in years when the girls at the office start confiding in you.

Middle age is when it takes longer to rest than to get tired.

By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere.

Middle age is when you have stopped growing at both ends, and have begun to grow in the middle.

You're getting old when you're sitting in a rocker and you can't get it started.

You find yourself in the middle of the stairway, and you can't remember if you were downstairs going up or upstairs going down.

NOW WORDS FROM MY favorite comedian...

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead. "How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16!

And then the greatest day of your life when you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony. . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you Sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!! So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60. You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92." Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

GEORGE CARLIN

Happy 46th Birthday to me!

Carry on…

Gaiters.

After frustration with REI gaiters at ST 100, I decided to order Dirty Girl gaiters. (http://www.dirtygirlgaiters.com/) I went to the website and saw how little the cost compared to what the REI pair cost me, so I fell in love with several designs and finally settled on three pairs... I need to learn to make a decision as why do I need three pairs? I always mail order stuff to my office as it is a sure way to get them as opposed to sitting outside a door or in a mail box. Well, the administrative staff read the return address on the envelope which read "Dirty Girl". So she logged into dirtygirl.com... When she saw that, she proceeded to open with caution. (Her co-worker told me she was acting like it was the plague...) She took one of the vibrant gators out of the pouch they came in and walked back to my desk with a funny look on her face and said "what are these". She was holding it like a soiled diaper with a funny look on her face. I said "why did you have the urge to open my mail" (she and I get along great so I did not care) and she said I found it strange I would order from Dirty Girl as it sounded like a place that sold girl products which you would not ship to the office. I explained the company and the use of the product, but for the day, it was a laugh that "Londell buys skimpy clothing from "Dirty Girl"... Glad I have a sense of humor, at least I think I do... Carry on... PS: She thought they could be "decorative nut cup holders" until she saw there were two in a pack and was confused...

Christmas

Some blog readers noticed I have a Christmas countdown working on my blog... Today is 100 days to Christmas. WOW. What is that all about? Should we not count down to a race? After all, we are athletes.

I do not feel athletic. I have been training so hard my close friends know I have had a whole lot of trouble sleeping, headaches and other ills which are common for the human body pushed to hard. My back spasm which took me out of the 100 this year were most likely by-products of a lack of stretching and improper over-all training. I did a whole lot of running and biking but less weights and did not keep the muscles balanced. That is my opinion. So I decided not to run anymore... this year, or very little. Basically, between now and Christmas, only if I have the urge. I am just going to eat well and repair...

I think I have been working hard and my body just needs to repair. I think the weight issue was I had pushed so hard I am so tired that I was always seeking nutrition I to replenish all I expend. Not just in my exercise world but the job has been at least three times as intense and difficult. So I will focus on eating right, doing yoga, simple weights and other light enjoyable activities. Feel much better already after 9 days. Weight is 3 pounds less than the week before the race. So I will decide on Christmas if I will try the Superior 100 in 2009... That is my countdown. Commit then and plan and train smarter, or send my name to the volunteer list. (or offer service of a pacer?) or both. Isn't that worth a countdown timer?

Carry on!

Molly and I at Silver Bay

Courtesy of Kel!

Clueless...

In 2007 I knew exactly where I went wrong and right when I quit at 77 miles. I knew what needed correction and worked hard on those issues. I was not confident in my 2008 preparation although I traind more and my times were a little faster. I had no clue it would be the result of packing it in at 24 miles.

The whole week prior was issue after issue. I had back spasms, a tight hip and other pain I tried to work through. These are not excuses because I thought I was tough enough to work through them, but I was wrong. From the start of the day, I was not doing well. I woke through the night with diarrhea. (Sorry for that detail) I was worried, as I did not now why. I was really congested in the chest. Even though I had plenty of support from fellow runners and my crew, I left the motel later than I should. Felt I rushed through preparation once at Gooseberry. The race start was hard. I was ready to stop as I was sore and felt fatigued as I crossed the start line.

I trogged along (A Phillip term) through the first aid station in about 2 hours and 30 minutes. My back was tight and I had a few spasms. I continued but slowed to Beaver Bay still making my planned time. My breathing was tight and I was doing what I could to make my back comfortable. I was ready to quit but my crew and the great station workers convinced me to continue.

By the time I got to Silver Bay, I could not long climb a hill using my right leg without pain in the back which can only be described as a knife stab and twisting motion. Now I have never been stabbed so it may not be that bad, or could be worse. I saw Molly Cochran at Silver bay and she was just returned from the Hospital from a bee sting. I almost was going to continue with Molly but did a test push with my leg and the back was painful. I knew the right decision was before me.

This is not a spine pain, but the lower right. Almost like Sciatic Nerve. But lower toward the hip. I am beginning to wonder if this is not all tied to the knee issue. The entire right leg seems to be going bad. Knee is sore, hip is sore, and lower back. May look not a few weeks of focus on starching and balanced weight lifting. Anyone out there have a routine they like for balanced weight lifting for the lower body? But then could be the upper body needs it also.

I did stop by later aid stations during the race. It was great to see Chris at the 50-mile point. It was about 9 hours and he looked like had had not been running. At 6-9 AM at Sugarloaf, I saw Julie Berg just after sun-up, she was looking solid. Christian came into that station ready to quit. I watched that aid station crew work the magic earlier and revive the runner and they continued. Christian was sure he wanted to quit. But after about 30 minutes, they had him up and going! I went to Cramer road and saw Carl. He looked like I did last year. I told him I regretted the past 364 days my decision not to go on and he had more time than I did and the best crew in the world. I was happy he continued. Many others went through and were so strong. I am anxious to read many posts as I think this year had some pretty interesting challenges.

Rambling aside, this seemed to be a hard race for many this year. Could be the air? Could be many things but one final thought, I am not sure if I will try again, I say that with sad thoughts as I really want to achieve this just once. A next attempt would be a third, and I view my third attempt as my last chance. A personal thing. So next year, I am committed to one thing with regard to Superior. I will work a station or I will have lost at least 40 of the pounds I carried this year and enter. That is the only option.

I feel bad for others who were placed in the same position as I was, call it a day or continue. Phil worked so hard and was going strong when I was with him. Hear Adam had a major injury. Les and I started with and I will not stop attitude but something swallowed us both. Molly and the bee attack, ouch.

But life goes on…

Carry on my friends.

It is here... or close

At the writing of this entry, I have less time before the start of the race than I do anticipated finish time. It is just over 34 hours from now I will be 200 miles from home and 102.6 miles on the Superior Hiking Trail Lutsen where I hope to be before 38 hours of constant movement ends… I am not as nervous or excited as last year, in fact, I am not confident in my ability to finish. Many challenges will be a surprise to be throughout the race but I just need to keep going until I am told to stop. That is the key, as I see it.

Either way it has been another interesting year of preparation. Challenges were more than I cared and life was ever changing. Emotions run wild as I over evaluate much of what I am doing and what I desire for the future. No matter what, I can only do my best and that is what I will do. Next entry will be my success or failure report. Take care and smile!

Carry on…

To much to late?

I am beginning to regret my last hills run. Still today, I feel exhausted that walking is a chore. I ran 3 miles Thursday, lifted weights (upper body only) hard Friday, did a 27-mile bike ride Saturday and walked around the Renaissance Festival Sunday. I think I am not going to do anything I do not have to except rest from here on out!

Getting a little more excited but nothing compared to last year. The race director should be happy to know this year I will have drop bags less then half the weight last year. Last year I packed one of everything I might want and the bags were huge. Live and learn. Although, I still will have the bottle of pickle juice! Swear that this is the best for an ultra run for my body, especially in the heat.

Either way, the daily weather format is fun to watch. I am just going to expect rain and not worry about if it might rain. Takes to much energy. A fellow ultra runner did some major damage to his right hand in a fall. He is not sure if he will run or will have the clearance to run the 100. I am just going o be careful as anything can happen over the next 92 hours before the start of the race.

Carry on!