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LAMBEAU

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LAMBEAU

Flew into Green Bay for the college reunion weekend. Spent the night at the Kohler Lodge, just across the street from Lambeau Field. The view out my window was the iconic Packers' stadium. I spent time in their merch shop, which is as large as a Target. Bought a nice windproof vest that I could wear year-round if I still lived in the midwest. In the morning I ran laps around the stadium in the absence of nearby running trails. Lambeau Loops, I called them on Strava, taking a page from the venerated Lambeau Leap post-touchdown celebration.

E

E

It's not often I want to leave a cross country meet early. But yesterday's Central Park Invite saw temps in the high 90's and a little muggy humidity from being just a mile from the beach. In all my years as a coach I've never seen so many runners walking the final mile. I even saw three kids collapse. I was wiped out just walking the course to cheer.

FASTER: CHAPTER ONE (CONTINUED)

FASTER: CHAPTER ONE (CONTINUED)

“And away they go,” the race announcer yells over the public address system. Billy Brailes, as he likes to be called, has practiced this race call for weeks. Forever after, he will be part of the pantheon of great race narrators once Dash Thorogood breaks four. Brailes is in the middle of a lackluster career calling horse races. Nine to an afternoon. Sometime after the seventh the bottle comes out. But not today. The failed stage actor is sharp as a tack.

FASTER: CHAPTER ONE

FASTER: CHAPTER ONE

Hey Team, 

Here's a first look at that fiction piece I've been working on. Enjoy!

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“You’ll be the one, Dash,” the official says quietly, lest the other runners hear.

“Thank you, sir.”

Dash Thorogood takes a deep breath and dances on the starting line, bouncing on his toes and letting his relaxed arms swing free. Wembley Stadium is packed on this warm August evening.

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GET HAPPY

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GET HAPPY

I had my annual physical this week.

That's a loaded way to start the blog. So let me start over:

I broke my reading glasses yesterday. Had them folded into the neck of my t-shirt when I lifted Sadie out of the back seat of the Rover. I read that letting her jump down from the vehicle is bad for her joints and I want to prolong her life and health as much as possible.

BBQ SAUCE

BBQ SAUCE

The Astorinos held a BBQ last night. They were kind enough to invite me. We have a great neighborhood but I've been reclusive these past six months. It was nice to catch up.

Calene had a birthday last week, which I made it through without tears. I learned the hard way that paying tribute by kissing the gravestone may be a sentimental and heartfelt gesture, but is a very bad idea when the temperature is 103 degrees and the stone is polished black granite.

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WORLD TOUR

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WORLD TOUR

I've written before about my morning ritual with the yellow legal pad. It's nothing unusual, me getting my bearings by writing down the events of the day. The same list is already in my phone's calendar app, but if I write it down on paper it seems to stamp the day a little more firmly on my brain. On Sundays I go one better, writing down the entire week to come.