“One should always play fairly when one has the winning cards.”
Oscar Wilde
VICKY: And the winners of the first week of the contest are….
GRANT: To be announced during this blog?
VICKY: Of course. We want our readers to actually read the blog and not skip ahead to see who won the beautiful iRun T-Shirts.
GRANT: You seem to be in a better mood. Wow, were you ever in the dumps today. Exhausted from the long weekend?
VICKY: I ran a 16K long run yesterday with my BF on beautiful Beach Boulevard that runs along Lake Ontario from Hamilton to Burlington. By the way, might I add that Burlington, Ontario is #3 on Money Sense’s list of Canada’s best places to live. Along the way, we also stopped to watch the fascinating Burlington Canal Lift Bridge in action as this massive cargo ship from Quebec sailed into the Hamilton Port. It was just an amazing run and I didn’t want to drive back to Ottawa after that. But that’s not it, that’s not why I’m in the dumps today. I think I’ve got the reading blues.
GRANT: What is that?
VICKY: Well, you know what happens after running a race? Many runners get the running blues and they just can’t bring themselves to run again for a while? I get that after I’ve read a book. All the emotional energy just gets sucked out. At the end of it all the last thing you want to do is pick up another book.
GRANT: What are you saying? You haven’t finished PRE yet? I lent you my copy 2 weeks ago.
VICKY: No (sigh). I’m only in the first chapter. So far it’s really interesting but I just can’t get into reading any books at all. I mean for the goodness sake I can’t even bring myself to read my vampire romance novels!!
GRANT: Holy Crow Batman! You have to start reading again. Listen, I have already finished Running With The Buffaloes and am part way through Bowerman and the Men of Oregon.
VICKY: Yeah but you’re a reading machine. I even took your advice and cancelled my cable so I wouldn’t have any excuses. Anyways, I’m failing miserably but don’t worry, I’ll get back on the reading wagon. So those books you’re reading, what are they about?
GRANT: Well, before I answer that I would like to announce that Regan has won our first T-Shirt! Regan wins because she is our first official fan and member of the book club. She comments all the time. The rest of you could learn a lesson from her! Now to answer your question, Running With the Buffaloes follows the University of Colorado’s 1998 men’s cross country team. There are so many parallels to PRE. They even watch the movie “Without Limits” about Prefontaine during the book. Tragically they also experience the death of one of the athletes during the year. It is a very unique look inside the training habits and tribulations of a university running team. Now I’m on to Bowerman.
VICKY: Cool. Well you’re clearly not experiencing the reading blues.
GRANT: Definetly not. In fact it was a challenge to get on here and work on the blog. So much reading to do. I love to sit in my sunroom and relax with a book. Paradise.
VICKY: Ok Mr. I have an awesome fantastic sunroom/perfect reading area, let’s not rub it in. And with that let’s announce the second winner…. (drum roll please)…. Sylvie! Because lets face it, if you read the previous blog you’ll know she needs a shirt. Watch out for those hydrants Sylvie 🙂
GRANT: Congrats to all our entrants. Still one more shirt to be given away this week. And more items to come. Just leave a comment below!
VICKY: For example, tell us your experiences in cross country running. Did you run in high school or university? Or just tell us why you need a shirt.
GRANT: Yeah, I liked Arlene’s story. She almost won.
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I ran cross country in elementary school, or was it junior high? Regardless, it was a LONG time ago. Not sure why I stopped, but it may have been because of my running nemesis. I just couldn’t beat this guy! I think maybe after a while I just stopped trying, but like I said, it was a long time ago so who knows…
I started running again a few years back, maybe 5 or 6 year by now, and guess what? I’ve run against my nemesis in a few races. He’s still beating me – but I’m getting closer! The last timed race we ran in together (a half marathon), he only beat me by 7 seconds!
The next race we’re running together? The Perth Kilt run – it’s only 8K and I’m planning on beating him! Of course I always plan on beating him so… 🙂
Oh and just as an aside, and maybe a crazy coincidence, his name is Grant. (The only Grant I’ve ever known until I stumbled across this blog)
Thanx! I’m so excited! iRead “What I Talk about when I Talk about Running” on the weekend (short book). It was different – not so much about running really – but had some gems. 1) He ran the Athens – Marathon route for an article once (by himself with a road crew driving beside him) – it was incredably hot (to the point of blisters) – it’s off my list. 2) He just up and ran a 62 mile ultra but probably wouldn’t do it again – still on my list but I have a long meticulous plan for getting there (which involves several exit plans along the way!) and I’m thinking of starting small like 25K (yes, apparently that can still be considered an ultra!)
As for running history, I’m a newbie. Did a bit of track sprint stuff in school which I was okay at but never pursued (didn’t really have a program). My sister was doing half marathons and finally convinced me a couple of years ago to give it a try – I told her all the way to the finish line that there was no way I was going to finish!!