Road Shark

"Robin, hand me the shark repellent!"

All the cool kids are talking about sharks.

Last week was Shark Week. Shark Trek anyone? Joan of Shark? Sharksanity?

My California surfing friend Kristina is on the lookout for, as she calls it, "the man in the grey suit"

And I'm running the Road Shark Virtual 5 mile run!

Once again, Gone for A Run has come up with another great virtual race. Complete with swag and a great medal, it's the perfect theme for a midsummer run! 

This will be my 3rd GFAR virtual race this year. I've really enjoyed incorporating these virtual races into my regularly scheduled runs. Knowing that I'm getting a medal for that run makes me push my pace and make it interesting for myself! This time should be no different, and I've got that mental image of the shark to push me! Hey, whatever it takes to run a good race. Sure beats being chased by a clown...

Thankfully we don't have sharks here in the midwest. No salt, no sharks!

Say it ain't so, joe!

Anyone joining me in this fun virtual race? Head over to Gone For A Run to sign up. These virtual races sell out fast, so don't wait too long!

Disclaimer: I was given free entry to the Gone For A Run Road Shark Virtual 5 mile run in exchange for this blog post. 

TMI aka modesty on the run

Last week, I was talking with one of my physician partners as we watched her patient exit the clinic. A teenage girl, she was wearing those super short shorts that all the girls are wearing now. My partner asked me if I would let my daughter wear those shorts.

Well, I don't have daughters, but if I did I'd pick my battles and short shorts probably wouldn't be one of them. Although I won't deny that a little modesty is a good thing. Sadly, I think most of these teens are completely unaware of how the short shorts look--it's fashion and that's that.

It's no different for running. Last winter, I bought a pair of shorts on sale from Asics. I guess I didn't read the fine print, because although yes, I did get a pair of shorts, the ones I got were so short, well, let's just say that there may have been some part of my behind peeking out. I don't think I'll ever wear these in public. Maybe on the treadmill. I just can't. At my first Chicago marathon, I was astonished to see a woman running in a string bikini. Anything goes, apparently..but I digress...

Remember her? 

Even though I'm proud of my legs and buns, I can't say I'd be comfortable putting it all out there while out on a run. And I'm not the only one. Susan Lacke wrote a funny article about booty shorts on Competitor.com where she states: "I'd love something I can wear without a pre-run Brazilian wax".

I have to laugh because with my teenage boys, when it comes to shorts, the longer the better. If the knees are showing, the shorts are too short. Imagine the horror my youngest son felt when he first put on his rugby shorts? They wear them short! The boys on his team all wear compression shorts underneath to make them feel more comfortable and less exposed. I find that interesting!

What about shorts, leggings, or yoga pants that cover your buns but show something else? Avoiding the front wedgie aka the camel toe was featured in this article on Run Haven. If camel toe is a problem for you, check out this product.

Same goes for wearing just a bra top when running outside. Sure, it's really, really hot this time of year and everyone wants to be comfortable. And so many women say that they feel empowered just wearing a sports bra. But I just can't do it. Not only do I need some extra coverage, I just feel like showing all that skin invites unwanted attention. I found some really cute singlets that are super light at TJMaxx and Marshalls. They're made by New Balance and Brooks, and are priced at around $12.99. I feel a lot more comfortable and confident being a little more covered up. No one needs to see my abs.

And speaking of bras...wear one when you run, and when you do, make sure it supports the girls. I can't tell you how many women I see running and bouncing. I cringe when I see this because I always think that running with the girls unleashed would hurt. In the interest of full disclosure here, when I was breastfeeding my boys, I was quite well endowed for that period of time. There weren't as many choices at the time, but I found a very supportive sports bra that kept everything in place. Interestingly, I had perpetual bruises on both shoulders from the straps straining to keep everything from moving. And if you don't think this is a big deal, google "bouncing breasts on the run", and you will be directed to many porn sites like I was. Do you want that kind of attention? Runners World has a great article on running with large breasts.

Along these lines, what about the shirtless male? A couple years ago, the NY Times published an article on the increase in men walking around the city, shirtless. And I quote: "we've lost all sense of decorum and fashion, said Ms (Patricia) Mears". I don't mind a well sculpted torso, but last week on my bike ride, I passed a few older, portly gentlemen riding their bikes, shirtless. They probably could have used some support. Or the bro. The manzier! The article didn't address the shirtless male athlete. I'm not sure how I feel about that, since the image of a male runner at my last race, wearing a singlet with blood stains running down the front from his chafed nipples, still plays in my mind.

Guys, you may want to check the mirror before you head out in your bike shorts or running tights. Let's just say that those clothing items leave little to the imagination. One of the nurses I work with ran into one of our doctors while he was out and about in his bike shorts. Her eyes zoomed into what can only be described as "his junk". Even though she tried not to look at it, you know her dilemma. It's like the sun. You're not supposed to look at it, but you can't help it. And then every time after that, she couldn't make eye contact with him. Because she saw "it". This article in Runners World debates whether or not men should wear shorts over their tights. Or maybe some kind of binder. I don't know but I'm just putting it out there.

Yep, I"m talking about YOU... and black is always safer than red...or white...

I'm not a prude or a deeply religious person. I just want to be remembered for my running ability, not my booty. My advice? Check the mirror before you head out.

And you know what? Black bottoms are always a safe choice. For women and men.

Do you cover up when you run? Or are you comfortable running in a bra top? 

I'm linking up with DebRuns and Wednesday Word. The word of the week is modest. Head over to her blog to see what everyone else is saying!

Book review: Running Like a Girl by Alexandra Heminsley

Do you remember your first run? The day that you decided to put on a pair of running shoes and run? I've been running so long that I don't remember the actual first run. But I do remember about 20-odd years ago, at a really low point in my life, going to work out at a health club where there was a track running around the perimeter of the club. I must have started there, because that's where I met my friend Jayne, who took me under her wing and taught me how to run and how to train. We eventually took our runs outside to the forest preserve path that was near the club. Eventually, I mustered up courage to run races. My first races were 5ks and 10ks. Marathons were for the "runners". Of course, I haven't stopped running since. And yep, there are a few marathons under my belt.

In her book, Running Like A Girl, Alexandra Heminsley chronicles her journey from non-runner to runner.  

"It's the most natural thing in the world. We were born to run. you just put on your shoes and head out the door, that's the beauty of it. It's just you, the road, and your thoughts..."

Cue the sound of the needle scratching across the record. Because as Heminsley says, these are the lies people tell you about running. At least, I think, in the beginning. Running is hard, right? Heminsley is open and honest about her struggles with running.

Because she's us. She is brutally honest in her self assessment:

"I wasn't the sporty type. It was as simple as that. I was a curvy girl with little or no competitive spirit...."

And she talks about the challenges she faced as a new runner. One of my favorite stories was the first time she went shopping for shoes, and was dissed by the running store employee. As if it isn't intimidating enough to go into a running store...

"Well, you'll need to run on our @$$@% machine, and then we'll need to look at your gait and analyze the data, and then @!$^, and in case of pronation pffng." 

In other words, intimidation by professional jargon. We do that in medicine sometimes...

Heminsley turns to her father for inspiration. A veteran of many marathons, he was old school, running in a pair of Green Flash sneakers. He was also her biggest cheerleader, giving her advice and encouragement. How nice that she had her dad to cheer her on!

Heminsley at the Brighton Half Marathon
source:www.mumsnet.com

When she finally does get to the London Marathon, she states:

"I could not have done more to be prepare for my first London Marathon, yet I have never been less prepared for anything in my life..." 

I found myself nodding a great deal while reading this book. She talks about the magical feeling you have after completing a marathon, becoming "the girl who did". After the marathon, she loses her desire to run, and becomes, as she puts it, "someone who has just run a marathon. Not a runner. Eventually she gets her mojo back through helping a friend cross the finish line.

There's a lot more revelation in this book, and anyone who's been a runner for some length of time will find a lot of familiar ground here. For beginning runners, this book will serve as inspiration that if Heminsley can become a runner, anyone can become a runner. Because no matter what your body size or ability, we all start at the same place. And as Heminsley states:

"...as I have learned, it is an honor, a privilege, and a gift."

At the Nike Women's Marathon
source: Huffington Post

Although her journey continues as a runner, the story has to end somewhere, and she ends it with her goal race, the San Francisco Nike Women's marathon. It's quite a story to the finish line, and gave me goosebumps. The second part of the book is chock full of helpful hints for the newbie. And some information that was new even to this veteran runner.

I really enjoyed this book, and found her writing style easy to read. The book is written almost as if Heminsley is right in the room with you, telling her stories.  I highly recommend this book for any level of runner. After all, we've all been there...

Did you read the book? What was your favorite part of her journey? Were inspired by her story?

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Be sure to link up your review below! And if you don't have a blog, feel free to post your review in the comments. If you do link up, you know the rules: link back to this post and be sure to read everyone else's posts! Sharing is caring. Thanks so much for participating!

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And join us for next month's book, which is sure to be inspiring:

The author of this book contacted me about participating in the book club, and after learning about his story, I was so inspired, I said yes! This is the story of a young Kenyan, placed with an American family, who finds solace in running and trains to run the NYCM. I haven't read it yet, but the reviews sound promising! The author has already agreed to participate so it should be another great book for the book club. Link up goes live Friday August 14. Let me know if you have any questions! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Weekend inspiration

For my weekly recap, I could write about my weekend runs and yep, that would be fine...OR I could tell you about some events I spectated this weekend that were really inspirational, events and people that reminded me to never give up. Do you believe like I do that there are no coincidences? Because all of this is perfect timing as I head into my Chicago marathon training and the chase for that sub-4 marathon.

Yep, that's what I'll do, recap those, because man, I had lots of goosebumps this weekend!

Saturday morning, I went for a 5 miler around the 'hood. Despite the foam rolling I had done the night before, my legs were uber stiff from that heavy lifting that Becky had me do on Thursday. I didn't mind the stiffness because I had a hamstring scare while doing my deadlifts. Luckily there were no residual effects and once I got moving, my legs loosened up. Sort of. It was a slowish-5, but I got it done and headed off to work. My son was playing in a rugby tournament, playing for the state championship, and I had hoped to get there later for some of the games in the afternoon.

Matthew with the ball

When I arrived, the second game of the day had just finished up. Matthew was playing on the B team, and I heard the coaches and teammates congratulating him for his hard work chasing down the runners on the field. He also scored a try, which was pretty exciting! (similar to a touchdown in football). He did get thrown to the ground and landed on his head, and I was a little worried, but he told me he was fine, even though his vision was a little funky. I hoped that he maybe was just a little dehydrated, and with some fluids and rest, he said he felt much better. He went back in for the third game, and played hard, but his teammates' play was less than inspired, and they lost, knocked out of the finals. He wanted to stay to watch the A team matches, and I'm so glad we did because we were rewarded with some amazing rugby.

The boys on the A team were playing for the state championship against a tough Catholic high school power team. This group, a combined team from 3 high schools, takes their rugby very seriously, even having a guy on the sidelines filming the matches. Our group is way more laid back. It was clear that the opposing team was planning on winning. Well (spoiler alert), that isn't what happened. Our boys showed up to play, and play they did. I have never seen so much heart and sweat in one game of any sport I've watched. They chased every player down, tackling and denying points. At one point, one of the players from our team was on his knees, trying to catch his breath. But the other players took over. On the sidelines, we were cheering, and the boys picked up the pace. There was some amazing defense, but wow, the offense, the passing, the catches, the trys...I didn't see any mistakes made. I walked away with so much respect for these boys and the passion they brought to the game. They never gave up, even though they were tired. The win was nice, of course, but even more so was the teamwork and camaraderie that I witnessed on and off the field. The championship was shared with all members of the teams, both A and B, and that was really, really special.

The entire Arlington Stallions Sevens team and coaches

Sunday morning, I did my first long run of my marathon training cycle, an 8 miler. Again, my legs were stiff, but they opened up nicely after the first mile, and I was able to finish the second half of the run with negative splits! I loved that I had so much left in the tank at the end, and I credit that to the heavy lifting Becky is having me do. More on that to come in an upcoming blog post.

After the run, I connected with Sara, and we headed out to the Lake Zurich triathlon to watch our friend Michelle cross the finish line of her first Olympic distance triathlon. We met up with Michelle's husband and daughters, and lined up near the finish line where she would be coming in. Her oldest daughter wanted to run in with her, and she got in position, waiting for her mom. While we waited, we watched all the athletes come in. It was a hot, steamy morning, and some of the runners were really struggling. A few were walking. We tried to encourage them, but some just shook their heads. It was hard to see that, but having been there, I get it.

Michelle, finishing strong, with Julia to run her in!

It wasn't hard to spot Michelle in her bright yellow trisuit, and she flew past us with Julia at her side. We met up with them at the finish line, where Mish struggled to catch her breath. Her youngest daughter told her that her heart was beating really fast. No doubt! Mish did better than she expected, but she told us how hard it was. The hardest part for her, she said, was the run. Which I found interesting, considering that she started out as a runner. But I guess after swimming and biking in the heat, the run would be tough for any of us. She kept saying she would never do another one, but you know that's just the exhaustion talking. I felt such a huge sense of pride standing next to her!

Me, Michelle, and Sara. And yep, I loved my salty, sweaty hugs! <3

Having been along for the ride as Michelle pursued this new activity and really going for it with an Olympic distance triathlon, as well as watching my son tackle a brand new sport after playing football all these years, showed me that you should never be afraid to take risks. As I head into marathon training, having witnessed both these special people pursue their passion, I plan to train with the same passion and zeal demonstrated by both my friend and my son and his teammates.

My new favorite inspirational lyrics:

"This is my fight song. Take back my life song. Prove I'm all right song. My power's turned on. Starting right now I'll be strong. I'll play my fight song. And I don't care if nobody else believes. 'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me. "-Fight Song by Rachel Platten.

Who inspires you? Have you ever considered trying something new? Why or why not?

I'm linking up with Tara at RunningNReading and her awesome weekend update! Check out what everyone else is up to!

DebRuns has picked inspiration as the word of the week for WednesdayWord! I'll be linking up this post. It's always interesting to see what everyone else says, so check it out!

Book Club Interview with Alexandra Heminsley, author of Running Like A Girl

This month's Taking the Long Way Home book club selection was Running Like A Girl by Alexandra Heminsley. I hope you enjoyed the book as much as I did. The review and link up will be posted on July 15. Meanwhile, I am thrilled to have this interview with Heminsley to share with all of you! 

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TTLWH: I really loved your story because I could really relate to so much of your story…from being intimidated in the running store (even after 20 years of running and multiple distance events, I still feel not worthy) to your struggle in the San Francisco women’s marathon. Out of all the races you’ve run, which is your favorite? Which race was the toughest for you?

AH: They all mean such different things! I think my favourite race to run is the Brighton half as it's my hometown, it's a road I run a lot, I always feel so proud of my city .. and it's short enough that you can go for a nice Sunday lunch afterwards! The toughest was San Francisco - I had massively underestimated how much the jetlag and the loneliness would get to me. I needed support more than ever that day - luckily I got a lot of texts.

TTLWH: And how did you run that half marathon while crying? As the mom of 2 teenage boys, I leave a lot out on the road, but the one thing I can’t do is run and cry at the same time! It’s too hard to breathe!

AH: Well, it wasn't just non-stop sobbing - it was more a lump in my throat that became a giant gulpy sob when I tried to smile, thinking I was sweating then realising my eyes were streaming with tears, a few gaspy sobs, then calming myself down for 20 minutes, then something would catch my eye and it would begin all over again... It really did mess up my breathing, but my head was so full of emotional after seeing what my sister and her family had been through that it felt like small fry in comparison.

TTLWH: I think that the inspiration you receive from your family, especially your father, is amazing! Does your dad still run? And do you and your brother have any races planned together this year?

AH: My dad doesn't run any more, but he has a mountain bike which he goes on huge expeditions all over Wiltshire on. I think running was such a specific part of his life, when he had three very young children and needed that escape. Now he lives in the middle of the countryside and we're all elsewhere so he has peace and exercise whenever he wants. He is an avid viewer though - we stood on the last mile of the London Marathon together this year and watched everyone from the elite men, to Paula Radcliffe on her final race, to the very last charity runners. 

TTLWH: Speaking of races, SF was your “goal race”. Mine’s Boston. What’s up next for you? Do you have any other goal races? 

AH: I don't have any more goal races, but my goal is trying to run 1000 miles this year. I'm a bit behind so far but I'm going to keep going to 1000 even if it takes me longer than 365 days. It's really changed my relationship with running  - its forced me to do just 2 miles on days when I really didn't want to, but I *hate* that some days it feels as if hill or sprint training isn't worth it as I get exhausted without getting a good mileage in. I've already run significantly further than I did in the two years that I ran two marathons though.

TTLWH: Like many other women, I was inspired by your story! I couldn’t imagine that you almost quit running, after all those people told you that you inspired them! The first marathon is pretty magical, and it’s hard to top that experience. Are you still the “girl who did”? Do people still look to you for inspiration, advice? Have you run any of your other friends across a finish line?

AH: Yes and yes! The book has been published in 13 countries now, so every single day I hear from people in Norway, Mexico, Australia, all over - either telling me their stories or asking for advice. It's incredible the number of miles that have been racked up all over the globe now! And two weeks ago I did a 10k with my sister and my sister in law, whose first ever race it was. It was a fantastic day, and I got to meet loads of readers too. People kept coming up to me in front of my family - they find it hysterical that I can inspire people to any sort of sporting activity given my teenage years!

TTLWH: As I’ve become more serious about running, my circle of friends has changed. I spend more time with my running friends and less time with my ‘mom’ friends. Do you still hang with your same group of friends? Do you find that you have changed, that you have less in common with those friends?

AH: No, my group of friends hasn't changed at all. I was very much the outlier as the runner. I only joined a running club about 3 months ago! The thing that has changed is that I got married, and between us we have a lot of nieces and nephews, so my weekends aren't quite as free for endless long runs as they were. 

TTLWH: Besides your dad, who inspires you? Have you ever met any of your idols?

AH: I find all sorts of people inspiring. There are some feminist pals like Caitlin (Moran) who really gave me confidence to write Running Like a Girl the way that I wanted to, there are sports people like Paula Radcliffe who I have now met, and I'll cherish that for the rest of my life, and then there are people like the swimming teachers I have got to know this year who change lives and give people confidence on a day-to-day basis that I find hugely inspiring. I find volunteer projects like goodgym very inspiring too - running is more than exercise, it can be used for social good.

TTLWH: It took me forever to call myself “a runner” or “an athlete”. How do you see yourself? 

AH: I'm a runner. I'll always been a runner now, even if I'm playing dodgeball that day. 

TTLWH: And finally, did you really think Simon Cowell was sexy? I just LOL’d at this comment! 

AH: It wasn't just me! When he was first on tv about ten years ago he was in all the magazines as some sort of sexy beast and the world fell for it hook like and sinker! It was a collective moment of madness...

Have you read her book? What would you have asked her if you could? 

The book review and linkup goes live on Tuesday July 14! I've included the badge below for you to insert in your blog post. PS: I still haven't figured out how to get the code to link back to this post...any helpful hints would be great!

Remember, you don't have to write a blog to post your review! You can just post in the comments. Thanks again for participating.

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The humbling

Bill Rodgers, veteran marathoner said it best: "The marathon can humble you. " But let's face it. Running any distance is hard. Running is humbling.

Any runner who has trained for an event and then crashed and burned would agree. I talk a lot about my disappointing first Chicago marathon. I trained well for that race. I set a goal time for 4:30 to finish, based on my training runs. My 20 miler went without a hitch. Then came the morning of the race. I was already  a bundle of nerves. But what did me in was the heat of the day. While I was prepared to run the distance, I wasn't mentally prepared to deal with the conditions. And those conditions were my undoing. I was so humbled by this race that I couldn't even consider doing another marathon until I won that entry last summer, a full 3 years later.

Respect the distance? Yes, sir!

I've come a long way since that race. My second marathon was the race I knew I had in me. I've run quite a few halfs since then as well, and most of them have gone well.

Alrighty, then! I've got this thing!

Ok, maybe not. I say most of those halfs, because, last year I had 2 very difficult, humbling halfs. Both of them were run in high humidity and heat, which seems to be the biggest humbler for me.

There are a few other "humblers" that keep me in check.

A few weeks ago, during my virtual half marathon, I got a horrible side stitch! I tried to run it off, which works most of the time, but this one was really painful and I had to stop and walk. I thought only beginners got side stitches? Talk about humbling. According to this article in Runner's World, side stitches are caused by a spasm in the diaphragm. The diaphragm gets fatigued, just like any other muscle in the body. I was tired and hot on that run. But a side stitch? I haven't stopped thinking about it, and have been paying a lot more attention to my breathing since then.

Hitting the wall is humbling. Not just limited to marathon runners, hitting the wall or "bonking" happens when the body runs out of fuel. Not too long ago, I hit the wall when I was running an 8 miler. Seriously. At mile 6, my legs just didn't want to go anymore. I felt like I was running through the mud. When I finally finished and looked at my splits, I was astonished at the drop in my pace. I didn't eat before that run, which isn't unusual for me, but this time it didn't work out so well for me. I felt pretty stupid, because as an experienced runner, I should know better.

My tummy keeps me humble. I may be fast, but I can't always run the paces I want because my GI tract also likes to run. I won't go into details, but I've had to stop in the middle of a race to avoid a code brown, and that's pretty humbling. I've learned mostly what I can and cannot eat, and that has helped this issue a ton. When I eat a food that affects me, I pay the price. How many times do you have to get hit over the head before you learn a lesson?

Injuries are humbling. I've had my share of injuries, and there's nothing worse than having your feeling of invincibility shut down by ITB syndrome. Or patellofemoral stress syndrome. Both due to overuse. Both very preventable. Both very humbling. I do a lot of yoga and stretching to try to prevent some of the more common injuries. Foam rolling helps too.

Sometimes you trip and fall. A few summers ago, I was running across the sidewalk and my toe caught a sprinkler head. I started to fly and knew that it wasn't going to be a good ending. Time passes so slowly when you're going to hurt yourself. All I could think about is, "my teeth!" and I turned my head as I landed on the ground. Ugh. I got up on my hands and knees. A car stopped to ask me if I was ok, and I waved him off. By the way, I did finish the run. Bloody knees and all.

The last humbler is the biggest one of all. There will be people in your life who aren't impressed with all your running and your accomplishments. Maybe it's jealousy or maybe they just don't care. Or maybe it's you? There's nothing like indifference to bring a runner back down to earth. My dad always used to say "when you're as great as me, it's hard to be humble". Tongue in cheek of course, but something to keep in mind.

No matter what it is, just when you think you've got this running thing, something happens to remind you that you're just a mere mortal. I think it's running's way of making you appreciate the gift that is running. It's important to set realistic expectations for yourself. Not every run is going to be awesome. Be grateful for those good runs. When you're having a tough time out there on the road, remind yourself of a good run. And keep it humble.

What keeps you humble?

I'm linking up with DebRuns' Wednesday Word link up! Be sure to head over to her blog and see what everyone else has to say about this week's work, humble.

Street cred

I'm a little late to the party, but it looks like I have two more inductees into my Great Liars in Running Hall of Fame. Did you miss this post? Last year, I took to task those runners who printed copies of a woman's Boston marathon bib after she posted it on social media. I also found a few other runners and race organizers to keep those runners company. I've had a few other inductees since that original post. The candidates just keep on coming forward.

I'm going to put it out there: I despise cheaters. But my teenagers tell me that cheating is rampant in school these days. Tom Brady is letting the air out of footballs. FIFA officials are taking bribes and the St Louis Cardinals are hacking into the Houston Astros computer network. Cheating is everywhere, and why shouldn't amateur athletes be any different?

Everyone's doing it, right?

It's getting hard to be an honest athlete.

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First up is Mike Rossi. You might remember him as that dad who posted a letter he sent to the principal of his kids school. Still doesn't ring a bell? He ran the Boston Marathon, and the school principal refused to excuse his kids' absences from school when they accompanied him on his trip. He wrote a really great letter, all about how they got all kinds of life experience traveling with him to Boston and watching him chase a life dream. This is the stuff that goes viral. And it did. I read it, and I was pretty impressed. Heck, I'd pull my kids out of school to accompany me to Boston, if I qualified. Even though my youngest recently asked me if he really had to go to Boston.

Unfortunately for Mr. Rossi, people scrutinized his self-righteousness. And they found something really interesting. It appears that maybe, just maybe, he didn't actually qualify for Boston. The race he ran was not consistent with any of his past race finish times. Race photos didn't show him in any photos except crossing the finish line. And there were no chip mats along the race to track his progress.

I've run races like that. Last year, when I ran that hot, steamy Zooma Chicago half marathon, there were no timing mats on the course. I could have turned around early and headed back to the finish line. No one would have been the wiser, right? I didn't do it, but I could have and salvaged what was my slowest half ever. Right. And live with the knowledge that I cheated?

I'm not saying Rossi did this. And since there was no proof that he cheated, the Boston Marathon didn't DQ him. He has to live with the knowledge that maybe or maybe not...he didn't actually qualify. His Boston finish time? 4:01:42. Way less than his 3:11:45 qualifying time.

Rossi photo courtesy of phillymag.com

Heck, I want to run Boston. But not bad enough to cheat. Not saying that he did. But you know what? I bet he was just so excited about running Boston that he had to go and make a big deal about it. In the world we live in now, where you can check everything with a click, you need to keep it on the up and up.

Hope he enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame/infamy. I wonder what his kids learned about all this?

I smell a rat....

As it turns out, Rossi isn't alone doing whatever it takes for a BQ. Kendall Schler qualified to run Boston this spring after she came in 3rd at the Go! St Louis marathon last year. This year, she won that marathon! Interestingly, when race officials reviewed the race, they discovered that their winner didn't cross any of the 7 timing strips along the course. Race officials smelled a rat, and reviewed last year's results as well.  Nope, Schler didn't cross any mats at that race either.

When asked about this, she told race officials that she "removed" the timing strip from her race bib. Oh, ok then! We'll just go with your word on it then. You keep that $1500 prize.

Sarcasm aside, I've run a lot of races, and I've never taken the timing strip off my race bibs. Help me to understand why anyone would do that? Supposedly she wears the bib on her leg instead of her shirt, and maybe the strip makes it hard to attach the bib to her leg? You know, that pesky plastic makes the bib a little stiff. Hard to run with that wrapped around your leg. Especially if you're a super fast runner--those quads need to breathe.

I know people do this, put their bib on their leg, but you're really not supposed to do that anyways...but I digress...

Schler photo courtesy of runhaven.com

Ok, just for the sake of argument, let's say she's telling the truth and she won fair and square, sans timing chip. Then explain why, just like Rossi above, there were no race photos of Schler anywhere along the course. Race officials reviewed this year's photos, and nope, none except of Schler crossing the finish line. And when asked to provide photos, Schler could not.

So race officials contacted the Boston marathon, and Schler was disqualified from the race. A BQ and a DQ. You don't see that every day.

I get the desire to run Boston. The Boston Marathon really is the pinnacle of running for long distance runners. I'd love to qualify. But I couldn't run it knowing I cheated to get in. I couldn't live with myself. Heck, I couldn't even quit on my virtual half last weekend! But just say I get a BQ but I don't get in because a cheater qualified with a little better time than me and took my spot. Wouldn't that be horrible? For me it would...

Sadly, these stories are becoming more common, and I can't help but wonder if cheating is becoming more acceptable. The desire to win is so strong and the stakes are so high, it's no wonder athletes are pushing the limits. But we're amateur athletes. We're never going to win. We should be happy that we get to run. Our only competition should be ourselves. We need to set a good example for our children and young athletes. There's pride in a job well done, a race well run, fair and square. And that should be enough for all of us.

To Rossi and Schler, welcome to the Hall of Fame. Say hi to Rosie while you're there.