Jail Break! Martin successfully Escapes from Alcatraz

Martin lived out a dream of his this weekend and kicked some major arse in the process at the Alcatraz triathlon. Here's his report:

Escape From Alcatraz has been a race that I have wanted to do for a long time. I remember seeing it on television years ago and thinking "What is that?" It was not until later that I started doing triathlons that I remembered the race, realized it was a triathlon, and signed up. I entered the lottery last season and got selected on the first round. That was when I figured out how much the entry was - $400.

We got into San Francisco on Friday and had a rental car. Hindsight 20/20, I would take a van to and from the hotel next time. We thought that we were going to sightsee a bit but we didn't have the time. Parking was very expensive at all of the hotels. Saturday was the triathlon expo, sign-in, marking, orientation extravaganza. The expo was mainly food and unrelated services - no real gear booths or clothing booths - kind of surprising. We got our goodie bag - for the price of the entry I thought that we would have been given more gear but it was reflective of the expo. No socks or hat or anything like that and no advertisements for other races either - oh well. The day was absolutely beautiful - Chrissy and I actually got a bit sunburnt. A speaker gave us an overview of the course - what to expect and some strategies. The trick with the ocean swim is that there is a strong current out to sea - so you have to travel to cross the current before directly heading to the transition. I was a little upset that during his presentation he kept saying that unless you were a pro that you have no chance and should just not even try in the race. For the amount that I spent to get there and enter the race and whatnot - just keep your mouth shut and perpetuate the fantasy of the race.

We went back to the hotel, prepped my gear and laid low. I had to be at the transition area for 4:30am the next morning. i had two bags to pack and place plus set up transition area. One bag was handed off that contained gear for the transition from swim to bike. Between the swim and bike was a 1/2+ mile run. When you get out of the bay, you take off your wet suit, cap and goggles and place them in the transisiton bag. you then take out the shoes in there and run to the bike transition, leaving behind the swim gear in the bag. From there you take another bag with your wetsuit in it and whatever you want on the ferry and get on a shuttle - when we jump off the boat this second bag is left behind and collected. We were driven down to pier 3 several miles away where the ferry was that would take us to alcatraz and from where we would jump into the bay. We got there about 5:30 and hung out until 6am when we got on the boat. At around 7 we left the dock and started heading to the start. At 8 the pros went off with helicopter over head. We were all divided by age group and were supposed to go off in that order but the second the pros jumped, everyone crushed to the 3 jump spots and it was a mad dash to get into the water. It was a crush of people on the way to the jump spot - with the neoprene cap and goggles and wet suit on it was a quiet sensory-depravation calm. Suddenly the guy in front of me disappeared and there was the water. I jumped and was suddenly confronted with 55 degree salt water. Wet suit + salt water = super-buoyant. It took me a few minutes to get used to the cold water but finally I really put my head in the water and dug in for the swim. For the first 1/3 of the race, the water was glass - totally calm. After that there was a mild but steady chop. You could feel the current taking you as you sighted for shore. I was steadily passing people but it was unclear where the finish for the swim leg was so I was a little timid in my angle of attack to avoid overshooting the finish. They did not have the swim exit marked the previous day and just kind of pointed and said that the exit was "over there" during the orientation. The swim was so amazing. out in the middle of the bay with the golden gate on the right and land coming up in front and to the left. I paused a few times to take it in.

Finally we started funneling and the finish became obvious. I made a final surge for land and stumbled onto shore. Up a set of stairs was the swim-to-bike run transition area with bags. My bag was not in the row that it was supposed to be and it took me a while to locate it. I then stripped my wetsuit and put on my shoes. I was so disoriented and didn't want to waste time stuffing my swim gear into the bag that I just grabbed everything and ran. That was a mistake. It was a 1/2+ mile run and that stuff was heavy in my arms. I got to the bike transition, dropped the gear and put on my bike gear. The sun had come up by now and the day was perfectly clear and very sunny. I took of on the bike and as having a good ride. I was attacking the climbs and battling. The scenery was varied and hilly and stunning. Around the turn around point at mile 9 I suddenly realized that my pedal stroke was feeling shorter and that I wasn't getting power. I discovered that in reassembling my bike, I had not tightened the seatpost bolts sufficiently and the seat had begun slipping - spectacular. With 9 miles remaining and the most substantial section of hills, I gave up in total ~4" of seatpost height. Lots of standing going up hills. Burning quads.

Despite the difficulty, the bike was not terrible and I came into the transition. I had a quick transition and was out on the run. I had my best leg on the run. I had nobody pass me and was able to claw back many places. The run was 8 miles, very hilly and very tough - it wound its way along the shore, in the cliffs and down on the beach - going under the golden gate bridge. There was also a substantial sand section followed by a brutal set of sand stairs. After this was another uphill section and then it was mostly downhill and flat back to the finish.

The race was really amazing. It was an intensely-challenging course. It was a great way to start the season and I think that I have a lot of impovement ahead of me.

Of 1800+ entries, 1492 people finished. I was 75/1492 and 16/208 for my age group with a time of 2:30.32. Here are the full results.


The winner was an animal. He finished in 1:58.21. The top age grouper finished in 2:04.20 - he was in my age group.

Some ponies charge up the Blue Hills

There were a select few members of the NETT stable out at the Blue Hills Trail Races this past weekend. Yes, they were the ones who remembered to register early.

Chris Smith put in another solid effort there (his third year in a row) finishing 9th overall and 4th master (yikes!) in 1:12.

Marshall Randolph won his age group (yawn) and cracked the top 20 in 1:20 over the rugged course.

But run of the day goes to Jack Burke who finished in 1:24 this year. "I was able to knock seven minutes off my time from last year," he tells the NETT news room. "Of course, if you recall it was hot as hell last year but this year the weather was perfect. But man did those trails take a beating from the rain this year. I felt like I did as much hopping and criss-crossing as I did actual running."

Let's see, Jack's done both the Merrimack Rivah and Blue Hills races but swears he's not vying to win the Eastern New England Trail Race series this year...do we believe him?

Mini Pony may have set WORLD RECORD in New Hampshire

Yes, you read that right. There's a mini pony that may have set a world record in New Hampshire recently.

Want the details? READ MORE HERE

NETT's "extended family" at Boston Marathon

Some of the NETT gang gathered on Route 16 in Wellesley on Monday to cheer on some NETT members and friends. Frank, Tina, Mary, Eminem, Crazy Dave, Doris, Dave Molk and others were on hand to cheer Big Ben Winther as he came barreling by on his way to a 3:07. And in the annual Battle of the Scanlans, Brian edged out his sister Claire by a nose in 3:19:14 to 3:20:04. Longtime NETT pal Tricia Grenier notched a 3:25, while Karen Mahoney-Ringheiser clocked a 3:44. Dima Feinhaus cranked out a 2:58 at 47-years young while Rick Cleary finished his umpteenth Boston in 3:54.

Congrats to all!

NETT kicks off multisport season at Wrentham Duathlon

NETT kicked off the multisport season in good form today at the Wrentham Duathlon. Here's Frank KJ's report:

Despite the cold weather a record number of people showed up for Wrentham duathlon. And NETT was well represented with 6 people racing and 3 getting on the podium. The man of the day was NETT friend Barry Phelps who posted an amazing 57:05– 1st in M40-44 and good enough for 5th overall in a very strong field. Barry used Wrentham as a tune-up for next week’s national championship in Richmond, VA. Good luck Barry!

Katherine swept the F0-19 in the sense that she was too only girl in that category. Who cares, a 1st place is a 1st place and equally important she continues to get better. Jim broke his promise and raced in the Clydesdale division – Jim!!! And he lost the father-daughter challenge with Katherine being right on his tail coming into T2 and quickly passing him on the second run. Yes, Jim they get faster and faster while us parents just try to hang on to old splits.

Chrissy showed guts by holding true to her Friday decision on racing and she was solid from start to finish; looking very comfortable when she crossed the line. Martin took his new bike out for its first race and first rainy day. He was right behind Barry on the first run - 3M in sub 16:30 that is, had a solid bike leg, especially the second half, and finished off with another fast 2M split. Martin just missed the podium this time.

Lastly, I Frank continued my tradition of just missing the hour mark with another “one hour and change” time. My run splits at Wrentham continue to be very consistent, literally with +/- 2 seconds. Scary but in a good way! I was battling it out with Gary David from MRC for most of the race but I couldn’t match his second run leg. I thought I had come in 5th in my age-group but to my positive surprise I was actually 3rd.

Full results at http://www.firm-racing.com/

The original Ponyette comes out of the stable!

Great news from up North. Cindy Winther has returned to racing and we're all pumped to here about her first race in a couple years. And she hit her goal time to the bloddy minute! Here's her report:

"I did the Great bay 1/2 in Newmarket, NH. My goal was to hit 1/2 of my fastest marathon time (3:38) so I needed to hit 1:49. Ben's advice was to go out easy for the first 8 and then if I felt good to push it the last 5. So I ignored that and went out hard the first 5 and just stuck it through for the last 8. It was like running in Henniker, a little hilly with some dirt roads thrown in. It was a nice course.

I ran the last mile near trail runner extraordinaire Tom Parker. After the race we chatted a little. He said he had run the Merrimack 10 miler the day before and said he knew Crazy Dave. I also saw NETT's Paul Young there and he was flying as usual and super supportive.

It was good to be back - other than our local 5K in Henniker I have not run a race since I had Elsa. I think Ben and I are going to try to the Yankee Homecoming in Newburyport in August."

For the record, Cindy finished in exactly 1:49, her goal time on the nose! Don't we all wish we could pull that off after a couple years out! Nice work.

I know it's hard for some of the current NETT Ponyettes to picture it, but in the early days of NETT, Cindy was often the sole female participating in our early excursions(think Lynn Woods 2003). Even during her break from racing, she has been a big supporter coming out to races (cheering us on at Topsfield, volunteering at the Chamberas race EVERY year) and supporting us all.

AND OF COURSEshe has the distinction of coining the phrase "MiniPonies" so we ALL owe her a big thank you for that one.

Congrats again Cindy!

NETT runs wicked awesome at the Rivah

(Editor's Note: The following blog post is written in the vernacular of the region where it takes place, the Merrimack Valley, circa the late 1980s, a region and era this reporter knows all too well).

Oh my Gawd you guys, you shouldah been theah!

That frickin rivah race? It was soo awesome. I mean it was totally awesome. I thought there was like gonnuh be some mud, but oh my gawd it was wicked muddy and people were like wipin' out and stuff everywhere.

You know that chic Adrienne or whatever? So she like thought she did bad, but she did wicked good you guys. Her time was like 1:23 and I'm like oh my gawd that is awesome. Jack was wicked good too and did like 1:25 and he says he's going to Doyle's with his brothuh tomorrow cuz they have free beah and I'm like I'm theah, Burkey.

It was so cool to see guyz pukin theyah guts out and stuff at the finish with mud and stuff. Fricking Smitty was theah too. I guess he like rode his bike or something queer and I was liks Smitty you shoulda run it was soo awesome. That Greek guy and his hot wife were theah too just watchin. I was like tellin his kid he should be a runnah cuz you can get muddy and stuff and no one gives you crap about it.

It was soo cool. Petey and Dunham did such an awesome job you guys. Petey's frickin' nuts. His like watchacallit awahds speech at the end was soo funny. Tommy get outta heah. Okay my little brothah needs the computah to like talk to his stupid friends, but you guys shoulda been theah.

(The author clearly enjoying a typical day in the The Valley circa 1989.)

Rivah pics courtesy Steve Wolfe. More pics and videos here. Last pic courtesy of bad haircuts and misspent youth.

Chrissy strikes a pose

If you've been to CitySports lately you might see a familiar face up on the wall! It's our own Chrissy Durden looking all fit and friendly in a new full-wall sized CitySports ad. Take a look (photo courtesy O'Shannon, McGillicuddy Productions)

Multi-Brick gets multisport season off in strong fashion

Frank and Tina helped NETT tune up for the multisport season by organizing and hosting a multi-brick workout at their place in Lincoln. Here's Frank's report:

First of all the weather was phenomenal making it feeli more like racing a duathlon in June than do a workout in early April.

The usual suspects included Joe, Bruce, Martin, Jim, and me. Martin showed up on his new ‘Felt’ (see photo) which he had literally picked up less than 24 hours before and thus never had a chance to ride. Talk about a serious way to break in a new ride! Barry joined the action and showed incredible strength and speed. After missing the peloton of Joe, Bruce and Frank on the first bike leg he single-handedly closed the gap and then steadily increased his lead on each laps thanks to some very fast run splits. Ed (swims with Minuteman Masters) got my email around 8:15am in the morning, packed his gear and biked from Burlington to Lincoln, then did all four laps looking relaxed and smooth

Joe looked strong overall; Bruce substituted a couple of the run legs for chatting with the local residents; and Jim was kind of “now you see me, now you don’t”. I, myself, had a good workout thanks to drafting behind Joe and using Barry as motivation for the run. Coffee and bagels on the porch afterwards - not bad for a spring day in New England.

Hopefully the calendar allows for another multi-brick later in the spring.

Looking for a new challenge? Try orienteering!

Getting bored of plain old running? Using a trail just too mundane for you? Maybe it's time to check out something new?

Well that something new might just be orienteering. That fun sport where you run through the woods with a map and try to find "controls" and complete a course. It's a lot of fun and it's a great way for runners to get a workout in. But to give you a bit more information on orienteering, the NETT News Team recently sat down with Andy and Kristen Hall, NETT's resident orienteering experts, for a quick Q&A on the basics of the sport.

Q: How long (time-wise or distance wise) is a typical orienteering event?

A: It depends on the type of event. Sprint courses like the CSU Park Series are typically around 2km. How long it takes you depends on how well you navigate - winners will be about 12 minutes, those who have to stand still to read their map/ get lost/ run way past the control before realising that they should have stopped after 100m will take a lot longer.

Weekend events normally have a wider range of courses, varying from 2km to 8km (shorter ones have easier navigation, based around trails; longer ones are more technical for the navigation and may rely on you not running on trails to be fast - there will often be trail routes but they will take you a long way around). Winning times are, of course, longer (expect the fastest to be around 8 min/km)

Q: Do you need any special equipment to participate in an orienteering event the first time? (Fancy compass, shoes, GPS?)

A: No, but it helps to have a compass. Compasses are sometimes available to rent at the registration. GPS are not allowed. If the sun is out, it is generally in the south, so you don't necessarily need a compass

Q: What advantages would I have as a runner in an orienteering event?

A: Fitness is the runner's biggest asset.

Q: What disadvantages would I have as a runner?

A: Runners tend to run faster than they can navigate, meaning that when they make mistakes they are really big. Dave Dunham took a long time to realise this fact. He now tends to run slower when orienteering and therefore orienteers faster!

Q: Any other advice or words of wisdom you give to first-timers?

A: Go slow and make sure you know where you are on the map AT ALL TIMES until you are confident with your navigating abilities. It is a great way to get out in the countryside, in places that you wouldn't necessarily go otherwise.

UPCOMING ORIENTEERING EVENTS
Cambridge Sports Union has a great weeknight series of shorter races. See the 2010 Boston Park Orienteering Series here that has events in familiar places like Fresh Pond, Arnold Arboretum, Cat Rock Park and even Boston Common on Thursday nights starting April 15. http://csu.attackpoint.com/series

Another great resource is the New England Orienteering Club, which has events coming up in Westwood, Nashua and even Prospect Hill in Waltham (April 18).
http://www.newenglandorienteering.org/

NETT Travelogue: Taiwan

Frank and Tina recently took a trip to Taiwan and were gracious enough to provide us with a review of their trip!

Tina and I just returned from a trip to Taiwan, Indonesia and Singapore so I wanted to share a few photos with you. This time I borrowed a mountain bike and thus was able to venture a bit further up into the Yangmingshan mountains. I have created the route I took up here it is 8.4M all uphill for a total of 2500 ft and an average grade of roughly 5.5% (very similar to the Kanc) but with some very steep sections that it was nearly impossible to ride.

This was taken about halfway up with Mt Datun (1077m in the background

Folks practicing tai chi at sunrise.

These are the sulfur pits at Mt Cising (seven star mountain) – it is still an active volcano!


As I crested the top I can see the clouds on the other side below me rolling in from the Pacific Ocean.

The view from Mt Datun towards the sulfur pits and with “Bamboo Lake” in the foreground. It used to be a lake long time ago but it is now dried up and very fertile because of the lava soil.

Refueling at the local 7-Eleven.

There are no moose in Taiwan but apparently I need to watch out for low flying owls! Good to know.

We spent 3 days at a resort on Bintan Island in Indonesia. It is located right above the Equator so the temperature was a solid 90F when I went for a run around the resort.

Tina chose to ride the elephant instead of a bike this time!

Last stop was Singapore where I went out for a run in the morning and swung by Raffles Hotel.

JD speaks to WBUR about Haiti

In an effort to remind people that the devasation in Haiti will take years, not days, to rebuild, Jean Dany spoke with WBUR this morning. It's something we all can keep in mind in the months ahead.

NETT ladies take bronze at Hyannis

Fresh off Canada's winning the gold in hockey, a downright giddy Eminem sends her report from Hyannis, where the NETT ladies' relay team took home the bronze, and a host of other NETTers posted some top-notch results.

"Now that the pandemonium at my household has subsided momentarily, I'm ready to write about the OTHER important athletic event today--the NETT women's relay. Our team of me, Chrissy, Mary and Karen ran very strong this year, beating our last year's time by a little over 3 minutes (we finished in 3:16) (official results here). The field was very strong this year though, and that time (good enough for first last year) landed us the bronze medal this year. Everyone ran very well and the weather cooperated beautifully. Have to crack open a few beers and light a cigar now like a true female Canadian hockey player!"

But it wasn't just all about the women down in Hyannis. There were a few of the NETT men out there putting in their best efforts as well. For more on that we go to Frank KJ for a report:

"Yeah - Go Canada!!! What? Oh yes Hyannis. We were there. It was pretty good day for NETT. With Youngstah going easy on us in the 10K, I was fortunate enough to take 1st place in the Masters and 4th overall in 38:45. Paul took 2nd and 6th in 39:19. Martin (1:19), Ali and Dima all had solid 1/2M races. Karyn, thanks again for driving the team van."

For the record, Martin ran a 1:19:33 in the half, good for 5th in his age group and Ali was just 20 seconds back in 1:19:56 good for 4th master. "Dimo" Feinhaus as he's referred to in the results was 1:22.

Congrats to all! Even those with the Maple Leaf on their sweaters. (And in case no one noticed, our poll on Meetup actually predicted Canada's gold medal!)

Poetry festival submission: Bear in there!

Almost forgot, here's Chrissy's favorite that brought the house down!

Bear In There
Shel Silverstein
There's a Polar Bear
In our Frigidaire--
He likes it 'cause it's cold in there.
With his seat in the meat
And his face in the fish
And his big hairy paws
In the buttery dish,
He's nibbling the noodles,
He's munching the rice,
He's slurping the soda,
He's licking the ice.
And he lets out a roar
If you open the door.
And it gives me a scare
To know he's in there--
That Polary Bear
In our Fridgitydaire. There's a Polar Bear
In our Frigidaire--
He likes it 'cause it's cold in there.
With his seat in the meat
And his face in the fish
And his big hairy paws
In the buttery dish,
He's nibbling the noodles,
He's munching the rice,
He's slurping the soda,
He's licking the ice.
And he lets out a roar
If you open the door.
And it gives me a scare
To know he's in there--
That Polary Bear
In our Fridgitydaire.

Poetry festival winding down

For those who didn't get to attend the in-person poetry festival, I thought I'd post my last submission here. Still open to others, but we'll be returning to regular non-poetic, programming here on the blog soon.

My friend the poet

I have a friend
Who speaks in verse
In iambic pentameter
Without need to rehearse

He came from an island
To visit a friend
And found a new home
In which to spend

The next 20 years
Learning to teach
Others to share
The value of speech

La Camisa Blanca
He wears a white shirt
And converses with dogs
In language diverse

From Creole to French
From English to Spanish
His relaxing tones
Make stresses vanish

And on days when he chooses
He runs like a deer
One moment away
The next moment near

But there’s a part of my friend
I find most admiring
A simple habit
That’s simply inspiring

He puts forth an effort
(As all of us should)
To always remind us
That “Life is Good”

NETT jams out at poetry festival

It was a great time at the first annual NETT Poetry Festival/Haiti Fundraiser/Olympics viewing party. We enjoyed some great food, some fun and thoughtful reading and a jam session by the NETT all-star house band. Special thanks to Jean Dany for reading and talking to us a bit about how we can help Haiti. Also, huge thanks to the Miller-Medzons--what a generous and talented family, huh? Imagine if the Patridge Family could run and play hockey and you get the idea. If you didn't get a chance to donate, you can text Haiti to 90999 to give to the Red Cross or text "world" to 50555 to donate $10 to the "we are the world".

Click the "play" button below to check out the video of the NETT house band jamming away!

Submission #2 from Jerry

This one goes well to the tune of "Graceland" by Paul Simon.


The Massachusetts forecast was calling for heavy snow.
I am weaving along the city streets towards the campus of MIT.

I'm going to track, track – down at MIT – I'm going to track.
NETTers, GBTCers, all runners with OCD, and we are going to track.
My traveling companion is Crazy. He longs to be in the Castleton Hall of Fame.
I've paid dues and like to blow out the tubes so I believe we both will be received at indoor track.

Bruce Bond writes out the workout.
As if I didn't know that. As if I didn't know what he said.
As if I never noticed the sweat on my forehead.
Bruce said 200 meter ovals is like a burning in your quads.
Everybody sees you're running fast.
Everybody sees you're working hard.

I'm going to track, track – down at MIT – I'm going to track.
Geno, Eri, Jack, Crazy and me, and we are going to track.
And my running companions are NETTers and GBTCers.
I'm looking at their sweaty backs.
But this is expected so we all will be received in track.

There is the select group from NETT, and we look at the splits we are running.
And sometimes when we’re running – 3K pace or LT – whatever the tempo, I say Whoa, so this is what Bruce means.
He means we’re training to get to race land.
And I see track is like a burning in your quads.
Everybody sees you're running fast.
Everybody feels you're working hard.

Indoor track, track, I'm going to indoor track.
For reasons I cannot explain, there's some part of me wants to see the 200 meter oval.
And I may be obliged to sprint on cold Wednesday nights again and again.
Or maybe there's no obligation since I’m more of a cyclist now.
Nevertheless, I've a reason to believe we all will be received at track.

Whoa, indoor track, indoor track.
I'm going to MIT track.
I'm going to MIT track.

Poetry festival submission: They Tried to Make me Go to Indoor Track

Oh, this one is fecking brilliant, from Jerry the Tick. Sing it to the tune of "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse.

They tried to make me go to indoor track
By Jerry De Zutter

They tried to make me go to indoor track but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I had an eating injury but when I come back you'll know know know
I got better for my workout time and for the others track's just fine
They tried to make me go to indoor track but I won't go go go

I'd rather be out on the trails with NETT
I ain't goin' nowhere today
Cause there's no way
There's no way you can reach me
And make me circle that way

I dread weaving in and out of the MIT track running mass
Maybe just stay at home drinking from my beer glass

They tried to make me go to indoor track but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I had an eating injury but when I come back you'll know know know
I’ve avoided injury on the 200 meter oval, not gotten dizzy and haven’t gone out of my mind
But meet me at CAC and we’ll run over to Beacon Hill that’s where we’ll go go go

Crazy said 'the track is very near'
I said "I like the river path my dear"
I'm gonna, I'm gonna lose my cool
so I'll just keep my legs right here
He said 'don't get yourself depressed,
just tell that story to the rest

They tried to make me go to indoor track but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I had an eating injury but when I come back you'll know know know

I don't wanna run 200 meter circles again
I just ooh don't care that they're my friends
I'm not gonna spend ten seconds
have everyone think I'm on that trend

It's not just my pride
I just want to run hill repeats outside

They tried to make me go to indoor track but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I had an eating injury but when I come back you'll know know know
So I’m better for my time but keep going and I may whine
They tried to make me go to indoor track but I won't go go go

Q&A with Marshall up on the ENETRS site

Folks, we interrupt our poetry festival coverage to bring you some "creative writing" of another kind. The organizers of the Eastern New England Trail Race Series have just posted the Q&A I did with Marshall Randolph after his tremendous performance in winning the series this year. For those interested, it's posted here.

Poetry festival submission: Peace, at eight minutes a mile

The first-ever NETT PoetryFestival/Haiti Fundraiser/Olympics viewing party is only a couple days away! Please RSVP ASAP on the Meetup page if you can attend. To keep things going we're posting another original submission into the festival.

Peace, at eight minutes a mile

Snow crunching beneath your feet
Winter sun above
Gentle wind upon your back
This is what you love

This is what you live for
This still fills your dreams
This makes all the turmoil
Half of what it seems

Laughing conversation
With many-miled friends
Worth the early rousing
A means and yet an ends

This is health embodied
This is body and soul
This was de Leon’s dream
To keep from getting old

Sometimes it’s pushing limits
Sometimes a full-on test
Sometimes a well-paced journey
Is the only way to rest

This is what you go to
This is what you need
When the mapped out path ahead
Is impossible to read

Long May You Run

I always kind of liked the "trunks of memories still to come" phrase.

Long May You Run
Neil Young

We've been through some things together
With trunks of memories still to come
We found things to do in stormy weather
Long may you run
Long may you run
Long may you run

Although these changes have come
With your chrome heart shining in the sun
Long may you run

A particularly appropriate lyric for NETT

In keeping with the poetry festival theme, here's a unique set of lyrics that grabbed my attention. Local rock legend Bill Janowitz's band Crown Victoria put this song out and it references our own Battle Road (he lives in Lexington these days).

One, Two, Three
By Bill Janowtiz

See the spotlight’s on her tawdry dresses on the bed beside the fire
She’s always kept her word, she’s not a liar
Walking down the Battle Road, the Lincoln woman’s family is not home
Oh, you’re beautiful you know
Oh, we beg you not to go
She probably drinks a glass a beer a thousand miles away from here
Or maybe she is underneath the sea
One, two, three, so easily

Another Frosty poem from banana #3

Okay, this one comes in from Banana #3, an NETT founder who prefers to stay on the fringes these days (I mean the fringes of reality, not the fringes of NETT-land!). Anyways..

I first read/learned about this Robert Frost poem in 9th grade English class with Mrs. Silva (RIP). It has always stuck in my mind and alot of times when I'd be out on the trails on a solo run.

The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Favorite poem: Stopping by woods on a snowy evening

Okay, I'll keep the momentum of our online poetry festival going by submitting what I think might be one of my favorite poems for a couple reasons. One, it's by New Englander Robert Frost, who not only knew what it was like to live here in the winter, but loved hiking so much, they named a very long trail in Western Mass after him. But it's also one of my favorites because I think we can all relate to it as trail runners, no? Admiring a patch of woods you'd love to explore...even if it's someone else's property? And, yes, we all know what it's like to have "miles to go before I sleep" don't we?


Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Kicking off our Poetry Festival with..what else...a limerick

Okay, since it's February, we're going to kick off the online portion of our poetry festival with a couple limericks submitted by Dave Molk.

Oh the coyote will run wild and free
from the woods to the roads he can see
all his foes will give chase
when he lines up to race
but they can't catch NET and T


Crazy D what a scandal did make
as the cheat sought his glory to fake
'fore he entered each race
all the course he would case
so he'd win by a shortcut he'd take


I don't know about you, but it makes we want to hoist a pint of stout in the local pub! Who's next?

Update: NETT Poetry Festival to serve as Haiti relief fundraiser

This is just a quick and uncharacteristically serious, update in response to the many NETT members who have made inquiries about some kind of Haiti fundrasising. A few of us are currently working on planning an event in the near future where we can get together to donate clothing, sneakers, and money to Haiti while also celebrating our Poetry/Song festival.

As many of you know, one of NETT's members, Jean Dany Joachim, is a native of Haiti and was scheduled to visit there the day after the earthquake hit. (For those who asked, yes, Jean Dany is safe here in Boston but is very distraught at the devastation to his homeland and continues to try to get news from the ground or a flight to Haiti. See his interview here on WBUR's web site and this interview and video on the WickedLocal Cambridge web site.

So we'll go forward with our festival in the hopes that we can use it to raise some money and spread Jean Dany's message of hope--there will be a new sunrise and despite the turmoil, Life is Good.

Senator Multisport

EDITOR'S NOTE: This blog post is not a political statement in any way shape or form. NETT does not officially support any political candidate unless we are outright bribed or promised something in return for our support. Please read the following blog post with that in mind.

Well the suprising turn of events in the Massachusetts senatorial campaign has produced something of a surprise winner. And while Scott Brown might be a new face to many political junkies, he is in fact, a familiar face to many of us on the multisport circuit.

Just for kicks the NETT newsroom took a minute this morning to look up some of Senator-elect Brown's performances on the FIRM web site and found some interesting results. In fact, many NETT members have raced against--and clobbered quite frankly, our future sentor.

Wrentham Spring Duathlon 2009:
9 Brown, Scott Males 50-54 4 53 19:44 :46 6 65 32:21 :51 5 50 13:11 4 49 1:06:54
(Puts him in just behind Bruce and in front of Eri.)

Wild Cat Tri 2009 (8th overall)
474 Brown, Scott Males 50-54 1 12 4:54 1 11 30:26 1 12 20:34 1 8 55:56
(Put him about five minutes off Paul Miller--not bad at all).

Old Colony 2009
6 Brown, Scott Males 50-54 6 53 22:53 1:42 3 38 1:04:09 :30 5 45 46:32 4 33 2:15:48
(Clearly he doesn't like the longer stuff, but was only 7 minutes off Joe and Frank here).

Webster Lake 2009
5 Brown, Scott Males 50-54 3 47 12:43 3:33 3 39 35:05 :33 2 43 18:51 2 33 1:10:47
(Eminem is NOT going to like that result! He even beat our relay team in that one!)

One thing I noticed is he seems to get low bib numbers in these races. Either he's entering them all very early or the FIRM folks were WAY ahead of the curve in snuggling up to the future senator.

Announcing the first ever NETT Poetry Festival!

February is Poetry Month for NETT!

In our never-ending effort to make NETT more than the typical running club, we have come up with a unique and creative idea I guarantee no other running club has: A poetry festival.

Here's how it will work:
Beginning February 1 all members of the extended NETT family will be invited and encouraged to submit a creative "something" to Crazy Dave that they feel represents NETT, its members, running, nature, whatever. That "something" can be an original poem or story you've written (short, long, rhyming, not rhyming, whatever), a poem by someone else (be it Shakespeare or one you read on the bathroom stall), the lyrics to a song you know that reminds you of running, whatever.

We'll gather them up and continue posting them on the NETT Blog during the month and at the end of the month, we will invite folks to read them at a social gathering. No one will be forced to read them and I'm sure we can find other folks to read if you're too shy.

Yes, this is a "festival" to celebrate the creative arts and no this really won't be a "contest" with a winner and losers.

By the way, I've posted a poll up on the Meetup group to get your reaction to this idea as well. If you hate it, love, etc. let me know.

NETT freezes its arse off from Massachusetts to...Florida

It was a cold weekend of racing for several NETTers, including one that tried to escape the cold by heading to Florida.

Yes, when Chrissy Durden booked her trip to the Disney World Marathon in Florida on January 10th, she was probably more concerned with not overheating than dealing with frozen water cups. But thanks to a freakish cold spell, there she was toughing it out as always. Just seems this girl can't get a break when it comes to weather in marathons! Here's her report:

"The marathon was so fun, but it was also so cold, freezing actually! The cups of water at the aid stations were partially frozen and I think the volunteers deserve more of a congrats than the runners, at least we could run to keep warm!!

I finished in 4:09, a little slower then I wanted. But, in all I am happy with my performance. It was around mile 21 that I just felt as if I was standing still – despite giving it my all. I tried to dig deep, but I didn't have much left. It was also hard not to get distracted up in the fun of the theme park (I had never been)!"

For her troubles, Chrissy was given a medal with a big gold Mickey Mouse’s face on it.

And NETT sister Claire Scanlan was also in Florida, doing double-duty in the "Goofy Challenge," according to Chrissy (You'd have to be "Goofy to take this challenge!) Brian's sister ran the 1/2 marathon on Saturday morning in 1:45 in the freezing rain and then the full marathon on Sunday in 3:25for close to 40 miles in two days of record cold.

Closer to home, where it's SUPPOSED to be freezing cold this time of a year, a couple Mini Ponies made the most of it and race in snow-related sports. On Saturday, Chris Smith finished 8th overall at the Olde Salem Greens Classic snowshoe race in Salem, Mass.

And on Sunday morning with temps in single digits, Crazy Dave narrowly escaped complete humiliation by toeing the line in the Weston Winter Duathlon at the Weston Ski Track. "Basically this winter duathlon played out just like a summer one for me," he told the NETT news room. "After getting over the shock of an insanely high entry fee ($55 in this case), I finished the first run in the top few competitors, watched the vast majority of the racing field blow past me in the non-running portion (this time on skis instead of a bike, so that was a nice change of pace) and then just ran like hell again and tried to catch as many people as possible. Same strategy, different surface and season."

When the snow dust settled, Dave was 16th overall, but claims to have been first in the self-calculated "classical" skiing division.

Frank KJ wins the First Annual Mini Pony Cup competiton in dramatic fashion

Well, it's official. After a wild ride in the final month, an official audit by accounting firm Dewey, Cheatum and Howe has confirmed that Frank KJ is the official winner of the First Annual Mini Pony Cup! Big big congrats to Frank.

And Frankly, it couldn't have gone to a more deserving participant. Frank completed 12 of the official categories (listed below), outpacing Eminem, Jerry and Chris Smith who all scored in 11 of the categories. But beyond that, he does a LOT for NETT in terms of organizing teams, tracking triathlon series points, he and Tina open their home regularly for brunch runs and more.

Here's Frank's officially approved list:

Road race under 1/2M: Stow 5K, 5K in Lexington in June, Lincoln July 4th
Road race over 1/2M: Stu's 30K
Track Race: BU Indoor Meet
XC Race: Mt Hood
Team XC Race: Topsfield, Andover
Team relay event: Sudbury triathlon with Tina and Nicholas
Duathlon: 2 x Wrentham (short), Black Bear (long - another point?)
Triathlon under 1/2Iron: Old Colony, Barrington, TDD
Triathlon 1/2 and over: Firmman, Patriot
Volunteer at race: Jerry's race for ALS
Host a social event: Brunch runs, Skellig's, New Year's Party
Organize a workout: Multi-brick workouts, trail runs

Please join us all in congratulating him in winning this prestiguous award.

Putting the first "T" in NETT

A trio of Ponyettes took to the BU track this weekend to run their first-ever track race(s) while Frank KJ took what looks to be the final lead in the Mini-Pony Cup. And Chris Smith just seemed to like it so much he came back for his second track race in as many decades!


Here's Karyn's report:
"Not sure which would be easier--an afternoon of water-boarding or another 1-mile track race. But at least I can say I now have at least one of those under my belt.
We had a great NETT showing today. Tina and Frank showed the greatest courage, running BOTH the 1-mile and the 800. Chris and I "specialized" in the mile. And Chrissy showed up about an hour after the registration table had been removed (noonish) and sweet-talked her way into the 800!

After Frank and Chris battled it out in the mile, with Frank edging out Chris by a few seconds in the end (finishing in about 5:13 and 5:16 respectively), eventually it was time for the 8th heat of the mile. Tina and I lined up side by side. She claimed she would be 'slow,' and proceeded to take off so quickly that I didn't see her again until the finish line. She finished in 6:18 to my 6:55.

In the 800 meters, Frank finished in 2:25; Tina in 2:53; and Chrissy in 3:13.
Of course, I should mention that Little Skittles kicked Tina's and my collective Mini-Pony butts in the mile (he actually lapped his beloved mother as you can see in this pic) finishing in 5:55; and also beat Chrissy and Tina in the 800 meter race (finishing, I think, in 2:41)."

Are there no ends to a mother's love?

After his last-minute point-grabbing in the MiniPony Cup, Frank says: "Oh, the mini-pony cup. Hmmm, in the end we all know that Crazy was uncontested; afterall that's why he's called Crazy! I did hear Karyn mentioning something about racing Iditarod next year though so Crazy might need to consider doing an Ironman!"

NETT loses one of our favorite masots

The NETT News Room got some sad news this week. Bertram Pants Winther, aka Bert the Pug, has left us at the ripe old age of 14. Bert was an avid running fan and supportive of NETT from its inception. As you can see here, he was at the barefoot mile race, he was a frequent volunteer and greeter at the Chamberas Cross Country Race and loved to attend social events. He was a very very good dog and will be missed. Have fun in Carrot Heaven Bertie Pants. You earned it.

NETT shows up all over the ENTRS standings

Once again, big congrats to Marshall Randolph for his winning the Eastern New England Trail Race Series this year and Jack Burke for placing second overall. In addition to Marshall and Jack, NETT had members in the top three in a host of age groups. Here's a quick look at the standings:

Men Overall:
Place Name Age Town Team Races Points
1. Marshall Randolph 60 Wellesley, MA NETT/ CSU 14 1109.70
2. John Burke 43 Cambridge, MA NETT 15 1095.09
3. Rob MacDonald 30 Rowley, MA 10 648.49

Women 30 to 39:
3. Adrienne Cyruilik 35 Belmont, MA NETT 4 349.12
Men 30 to 39:
2. Dave Hannon 38 West Roxbury, MA NETT 6 542.15

Women 40 to 49:
1. Kristin Hall 42 Arlington, MA NETT 4 755.03

Men 40 to 49:
1. John Burke 43 Cambridge, MA NETT 15 1095.09 (Second overall)

Men 60 to 69:
1. Marshall Randolph 61 Wellesley, MA CSU/ NETT 14 1109.70

Breaking News: Last minute push planned for Mini Pony Cup points

This tip just into the NETT Newsroom: Reliable, but unnamed sources have told NETT News there will be some very interesting faces showing up at the BU track meet on Saturday, which could have a significant impact on the standings in the Mini Pony Cup.

While we're not at libery to provide names or events under the threat of very specific legal action and threat of very specific bodily harm, it does look like the leaderboard could see a major shakeup in the last full week of competition. Be sure to check back for details or even better, head down to the BU indoor track to watch it firsthand and report on it here (since the NETT News Team may well be on the road this weekend).

Smith's track attack creates three-way tie in Mini Pony Cup

HHHEEERRRREEESSS CHRIS!
By running his first track race since high school, Chris Smith scored an extremely valuable point in the Mini Pony Cup this weekend, crashing his way into a three-way tie for first with Jerry and Frank KJ.

The last-minute push by Smith comes after last week's scandalous exit of Crazy Dave and Jennifer Shultis. Just to be sure he was counted for his track meet, Chris ran both the mile and the 400 at BU this weekend, clocking 5:16 and 70 respectively. Not bad for a guy who hasn't raced on the boards since Reagan was president!

With only a week and a half to go, it looks very unlikely any of these three competitors will add points, but there is one more BU meet to score at which either Jerry or Frank could pony up to. And there are plenty of dark horses such as Eminem, who hosted a brunch in an effort to fatten up the rest of the competitors (or get them lost in a snowbank!) and Eri, who quietely has snuck into the top five.

Ironically, the original rules to the MPC stated:
"In the event of a tie, the judges (Crazy Dave, Frank KJ, Paul Miller and Jerry D) will make a ruling based on the person who moved the furthest outside their comfort zone. As with everything we do here at NETT, this is a fun, informal, low-key “challenge” and not a cutthroat competition."

However, since two of the judges are involved in the tie, and a third has been disqualified from the competition in a recent scandal, the NETT elders will appeal to Dr. Miller to break any such ties (I'm sure he can come up with a physics equation to figure it all out, right?)

More to come....

Even the worst of weather can't keep NETT from its waffles

Big thanks to Eminem for hosting the Holiday Brunch again this year. Karyn says "here are some photos of those brave, intrepid souls who forced themselves to eat waffle after waffle for the good of the team. What a courageous bunch they were!"

Scandal deepens as Shultis withdraws from Mini Pony Cup in protest and disgust

The NETT News Team received word this morning that NETT’s most decorated member, adventure racing and multisport specialist Jennifer Shultis, was so disgusted by the recent revelations about Crazy Dave that she has withdrawn from the Mini Pony Cup only days before its ever-more dramatic close.

In a statement provided to the NETT News Team by her communications representative, Shultis said the following:

“I had supported this event and enjoyed competing head to head with all of the competitors in the Mini Pony Cup, but the recent revelations and pending criminal case against Crazy Dave have led me to make the painful decision that I must withdraw from the Mini Pony Cup, as I no longer feel this event is in keeping with my personal goals and aspirations. I would appreciate an appropriate level of privacy for myself and my family to allow us to heal during this very painful period.”

However, NETT News has learned that less than 24 hours prior to issuing the carefully crafted statement, Shultis was reportedly furious about the situation, and blasted Mini Pony Cup organizers not only about Crazy Dave’s behavior but also about a minor scoring oversight (in which organizers failed to count close to a dozen of Shultis' qualifying events, effectively eliminating her from the competition).

“Front runner, my a$$!” Shultis raged in an expletive-filled tirade on the Mini Pony Cup’s email list earlier this week. “This friggin’ thing was rigged from the start! Where am I on this pansy-ass list? I won a snowshoe marathon, I did Seven Sisters in a skirt for Christs’ sake (no need to mention that I was still beaten by a pregnant woman), I won Sea to Summit (of the two women entered). I'm the God-damned 2009 US Masters Champion in adventure racing, I was third in the American Zofingen (yes, that is really the name) and I did a little thing called an IRONMAN! I command some F-ing respect now!"

(As this photo from November 2007 shows, the tension between Shultis and Crazy Dave has been boiling for some time.) Shutlis’ credentials are certainly head and shoulders above most of the other competitors in the Cup, but her decision last year to relocate to a small cabin in Northwest Labrador and train soley in purple sneakers did lead many Cup competitors to question her commitment to NETT. “I have a coyote tattooed on my heart,” she told the NETT News Team when questioned about the move.

Where will this story go next? Check back on Go Mini Ponies for the latest developments in this ongoing story as they come available to the NETT News Team.

Breaking News: Scandal strikes Mini Pony cup, opening up the competition

This just into the NETT newsroom. Crazy Dave, previously the frontrunner and odds-on favorite to win the Mini Pony Cup competiton, has been disqualified from the competition amid a deepening scandal that has rocked both the athlete and the Mini Pony Cup to its core.

Early Tuesday morning around 2 a.m., police were called to Crazy Dave's home where they found him lying on the front lawn in single-digit temperatures with his fiancee Doris holding a bloddy running shoe above his head. Police investigators saidCrazy Dave had apparently been sneaking out in the middle of the night to run extra miles while his fiancee slept. But when Doris woke Tuesday morning to find him creeping in the front door all sweaty in his running tights, she allegedly lost her s--t and bashed Crazy Dave senseless.

TMZ.com is reporting today that in addition to the "secret miles", Crazy Dave has also been running routinely with clubs other than NETT, including GBTC and the Parkway Running Club. TMZ.com also claims to have photos of the bloodied competitor, who is suing the website not to publish them.

While in police custody, a toxicology test found Crazy Dave tested positive for 13 banned and illegal substances including EPO, anabolic steroids, horse tranquilizers, Quaaludes, model glue, magic mushrooms and roughly 25 times the normal dose of caffeine intake for an adult male, which officially disqualified him from the Mini Pony Cup.

When asked by the NETT News Team to respond to the allegations, Crazy Dave simply replied "Get a job you blood-sucking parasites I hope you die in a painful sex accident" and spat repeatedly at reporters.

The scandal has not only shamed Crazy Dave, but it also breaks the competition in the Mini Pony Cup wide open with only two weeks left. With Crazy Dave out of the running, Frank and Jerry stand tied atop the leader board with 11 points, while Eri, Karyn MM and Chris Smith are all one point back with 10.

Frank 11
Jerry 11
Eri 10
Karyn MM 10
Chris Smith 10
Jack 9
Bogie 9
Martin 9
Jim D 8
Katherine 8
Chrissy 7
Mary 6

(Send any recent scoring updates to the NETT Newsroom at Ttroll71@aol.com)Valuable points are available in the track competition this weekend at the BU Mini Meets as well as in the snowshoe competition in coming weeks. All races must be completed by Dec. 31 to qualify.

NETT cobbles together patchwork teams for Assualt on Mt. Hood

Big big thanks go out to Frank and Tina and Kristen and Andy for showing up on game day for the Assault on Mt. Hood XC Race in Melrose, on a day when a slew of Mini Ponies opted to stay in the stables. And a special thanks to Jack's better half Jenn, for coming through in the clutch...we owe her big time! Here' Frank's report:

Despite being haunted by cancellations leading up to the race, NETT still managed to do well in the team competition at Mt Hood. Tina, NETT’s recruiter extradionaire, recruited Jack's better half Jenn Levatino for the women’s race as well as longtime trail runner Mike Menovich for the men’s race just minutes before the race. This was Mike’s first race in ages but with his help Andy, Frank and Mike secured 3rd place for the men. And Jenn likewise helped the women take 3rd. The awards were some seasonally inspired Nutcracker – pretty neat.""

Again, big thanks to these folks for coming out and representing NETT when Murphy's Law pretty much over-ran our team plans yet again. Tina for recruiting like a pro, Jenn for stepping up and Kristen and Andy for being rock-steady lately. At least this time Andy had to work for his beer!

For more pics, vist the race site here.

Big congrats to Marhsall and Jack

Huge congrats to Marshall Randolph on winning the Eastern New England Trail Race Series (ENTRS) at the age of 61 years old and Jack Burke for toughing it out head to head with Marshall to finish second overall.

While the "official" results of the series have not yet been posted, ENTRS officials have confirmed to the NETT news room that Marshall and Jack will be 1-2 in the stnadings and each will win their age groups.

It was a long slog for both these trail monsters, beginning way back in April at the Merrimack River Trail Race (Marshall was a spry 60 back then!) continuing all srping summer and fall until the final race this past weekend at Bogie's Fells Trail Race. They raced more than a dozen races each, everywhere from Northern New Hampshire to Southern Rhode Island. They braved a rain and wind storm at the Edaville race, both knowing that precious points were on the line.

Despite being locked in a heated battle over the past 8 months, these two guys showed their class throughout and ran the Fells race together (although Marhsall points out it was pure strategy on his part thinking if he got lost on the course Jack could squeek past, so keep your friends close and competitors closer!)

We'll do a longer interview with both of these guys here as soon as we can get them to sit still for five minutes (after that much racing around New England, these guys are due for a long winter's nap, but don't bet on it!) But for now, please join NETT in congratulating these two trail warriors for a job well done!