Some more AAU commentary

Thanks for the comments on the AAU. A few comments on the comments, if you do not mind ...

To Walsh: Easy does it on your Wantagh brethren Quimes! It was his coach (me!) who instructed him not to participate. As a general rule, anyone who runs at ICs really should not be taking part in this exercise, since the week after ICs is their in-between seasons recovery week. But Quimes (unofficial motto given to him by one of his teammates: No Brain, No Pain) was so moved by Nic's sub-10:00 and the fine and festive atmosphere that he felt compelled to strip down and race the boys. Technically, yes, doing just the second one would qualify as "sandbagging," but it wasn't an intentional sandbag. If that makes sense.

One more thing about Quimes, who I love having on the team, by the way: I think he is primed for a big spring. He is motivated and training hard. And as goofy as he can be (I sometimes refer to him as the only middle-schooler I've ever coached), he is tough and smart when it comes to his running. He has, and he will, make Wantagh proud.

To Mike G.: Not sure if it was always like this, but the intended rest interval was 10 minutes. At least that is what Conor said: 10-10-10. After about 8 minutes, though, we all got bored and started the second one.

To Prinz: Keegan is the man and is a great, great 10km runner (along with a sub-15:00 5km man). But when it comes to speed and kicking and the like, you might indeed have the edge. Although you are an "old guy," having graduated here several years ago, based on what I have seen and read you are fit and in your running prime right now. Even though Keegs has you in the PRs department, it certainly would have made for intrigue if you were up here banging heads with him and the other young guys.

To Rolek: I am not too up on who has the records and such. Glad that you still have it. Your history with "school records" is very interesting. Your 30:36 for 10km two springs ago ranks up there as one of the biggest highlights of my coaching career; I will never, ever forget that! It also was perhaps the most short-lived record on the books, as your pal Girma snatched it right away from you at Penn a few weeks later with his far less impressive (but still faster) 30:22. Here's hoping that Girm's mark gets lowered more this spring -- by him or one of his teammates!

Anyway, thanks for chiming in everyone. Your support of the program and the blog is always appreciated. We are heading into spring break, but I will try to keep the blog somewhat lively with a few posts ... if the spirit moves me.