| Author |
Topic: Boomer 4x400 relay (lap 2) |
rochrunner
Cool Runner |
 posted Aug-19-2007 11:34 AM
   
---------- INTRODUCTION -----------
What was I doing here? I figure that a good rule of thumb is to not drive much further than the time that I’ll be racing. So I’d drive an hour for a 10K, two hours for a half-marathon, and so on. So why am I driving an hour across the busiest part of metro Detroit to get from Rochester to Ann Arbor for a race that will take me less than two minutes? Call it foolishness, or the lure of Boomer camaraderie, or both. To make more of a trip of it, I took the afternoon off and arrived early, spent a couple of hours in a museum, strolled around downtown, and got a caffeine recharge at Starbucks before heading out to the track.Have you ever been on one of these? All I can say is that, from ground level, it looks a lot bigger than a quarter-mile. Taking a warm-up jog around the perimeter, it seemed to take about 5 minutes, which could hardly have been right. And when the runners started arriving and stretching, I saw that I was the oldest one there – maybe by 10 years – and I really started feeling out of place. But when DaveinAA, MarkGuy, and timlooney got there, I saw that we were going to have some fun with this. I was also glad to see dg9; she had apparently left her short skirt and pom-poms at home, but was ready to cheer us on nonetheless. Also spectating were WifeinAA and BabeinAA, so we were ready for anything! ------------------ LAP 2 ----------------------
Mark has already described Lap 1, so I’ll take over from there. The young studs in lanes 1 & 2 were long gone, but Mark had a good lead on the kids in lane 3. I was standing at the starting arrow of the exchange zone and I think we made a pretty good handoff as Mark crossed the line and I began accelerating (accelerate being used loosely in this context). We were running a “3-turn stagger”, meaning that Mark ran his whole lap in lane 4, and I had to get around the first turn before being allowed to merge over to the inside lane, which I did. About that time, I thought I could hear footfalls coming up behind me, but I was running about as fast as I thought I safely could. About halfway down the backstretch, the teenage girl from lane 3 passed me. I felt like saying “Do you feel good about passing your grandfather?”, but didn’t want to admit to the age gap. But with someone ahead of me to pace off, I ran as hard as I could and I don’t think that she picked up much more distance on me. Coming around the turn and down the front straight, I was deep into anaerobic territory, and it still felt like the lap was taking 5 minutes! But then there was Tim with his hand reaching out, I slapped the baton into it, and I was veering off to the sidelines on the verge of collapse. Amazing what a quarter-mile can take out of you when you’re all-out! So we slipped into fourth and last place on my lap.  Will Tim make up the distance on lap 3? Or will we have to depend on our ringer of an anchor-man to save us from the ignominy of last place? To be continued… --------------- EPILOGUE ----------------
Afterwards, we all gathered at HouseinAA for some SudsinAA and a great spread put out by WifeinAA. And we got to know BabeinAA and SonsinAA as well. So a greta TimeinAA was had by all! Wish you could have been there. 
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- Runnin' in Rochester
Rochrunner [This message has been edited by rochrunner (edited Aug-19-2007).]
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tomwhite
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 11:52 AM
........well written RR roch//.........can't wait for Installment #3...........what was your time??
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MarkGuy
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 11:52 AM
Doug, nice report and I think you did a greta job holding your own against that young whippersnapper. I meant to ask, after that long tortured discussion about the first exchange zone being staggered, how was it that it took place at the finish line?Thanks for coming all that way to compete. I hope you had enough fun to come do it again next summer. I'll host the next get together.
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DaveinAA
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 02:45 PM
Sure it was a long drive, but hey, you got to chase after teenage girls!
quote:
Originally posted by tomwhite:
.........what was your time??
Unfortunately I was busy taking pictures and didn't get their individual splits. The overall time for the team was 5:10, so they averaged 77.5s per 400. Not too shabby!For a guy who'd never run a track race in his 60 years on planet earth, you looked pretty good out there. I hope this whets your appetite for more. Great seeing you again as always.
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timlooney
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 03:05 PM
Doug - it was nice meeting you. I thought you did a great job chasing down those youngsters. Fun.
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Econo
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 04:24 PM
heehee, "I think we made a pretty good handoff" --- roch, roch, roch....Time to get you boys out to Hayward Field for some handoff drills! 
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John2635
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 04:34 PM
I think you answered your own question, both geat foolishness and boomer camaraderie!! Great report and sounds like you had a fine time, plus you didn't drop the baton.
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choover
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 04:40 PM
TooMuchFuninAA!I enjoyed your humorous report of Leg 2. I'm so glad you broke your driving rule to participate in this Boomer Fun! Great report
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ksrunr
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 05:17 PM
Sounds like a greta time. Where were all the promised cheerleaders? Probably at football practice.ksrunr
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hally
Moderator of Boomers and Beyond |
posted Aug-19-2007 07:07 PM
LOL inAA!! Going to look for part 3 now.Barb
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dg9
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 07:54 PM
sorry Doug! they were sitting right by the back door... I must have had sympathy pre-race jitters... next time for sure. it's so nice you drove all this way. (which museum did you visit?)I agree with Dave. way to go. I'm so sorry about the numbers for your splits! I may spill my beer, but I could've managed that. great report, great race. next year?
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Sans Souci
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 08:32 PM
SnorkinAA, Roch![SSmusing] That young 'un with learn as she gets older. It's much more fun to chase the Old Guys. [/musing] You didn't really hear me say anything just now, did you?
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FlyingFinn
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-19-2007 08:58 PM
I love you Michigan boomer gods...you sure know how to have a good time! Great report. Wish I could have been in the cheering section.
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Ileneforward
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-20-2007 12:41 AM
Oh Rochrunner, you made a sweet hand-off and you ran a great leg! swoon! I do indeed wish I had been there to see you run! Congratulations!
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cajohnson5
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-20-2007 04:07 AM
Roch -- interesting rule of thumb. Glad you had such a good time. cj
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Spareribs
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-20-2007 04:53 AM
Well done Doug. I am happy for you doing this. Spareribs
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smpankowski
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-20-2007 05:08 AM
This RR is great.------------------
Never regret anything that made you smile, SteveP My User Profile
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bigapplepie
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-20-2007 06:54 AM
This is better than Harry Potter except I didn't have to wait 18 months for the sequel.
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Canfit
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-20-2007 10:33 AM
Great race, rochrunner! Really enjoyed your "leg" of the RR too! Had me laughing, especially your line "I began accelerating (accelerate being used loosely in this context)."
Isn't it the truth when you are surrounded by fast runners or marathoners. We often think we're running fast until someone blows by us!
So .... will you continue to run these short "fast" races?
Gotta move on and see if Tim pulls the leaders in!
PJ
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tselbs
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-20-2007 01:03 PM
Way to go, Doug. You upheld the honor of the &B part of B&B. I liked your phrase, "great foolishness and boomer cameraderie". What can compare to such a good time. It's neat that you got a gettogetherinAA afterwards. Congratulations.TomS ------------------
My Profile
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rosecoloredglasses
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-20-2007 01:13 PM
Hi Doug.
I loved reading about your leg of this journey.~ Rose
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Jim24315
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-21-2007 05:32 PM
What a fun read Mr. rochrunner,You have got cajones, and are a great storyteller too. I hope you have some left for the Crim. Good luck to you in that one,
Jim
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JJJessee
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-21-2007 09:31 PM
Greta Job Doug, way to push the limits. Thanks for the report.
jjj
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hollys4874
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-28-2007 01:20 PM
This is so much fun! Great racing, Doug, and very fun report. ------------------
Holly
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SkipAZ
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-29-2007 12:23 PM
Nice racing Doug! I think it's neat they you were willing to try this - I'm pretty sure they couldn't have dragged me out there with a herd of wild horses.
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