something good!

Wednesday, 14 May 2008

Peggy’s students tell her how it’s gonna be. (toenail count: 4.5)

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Peggy, a lovely lady from Hope, Idaho and a schoolteacher/ultra-runner to boot, received the most hilarious bits of advice from her 2nd grade students. Her years of teaching tots certainly has rubbed off as evidence by her being the only known person on the planet who says “oh, mother-flipper” when faced with a serious case of heat rash and 7 miles of dunes.

I cured her of that. No worries.

Here’s a video of her reading the letters of advice. You’re going to have to crank your volume. And the audio gets clearer after a few seconds. Cut me some slack- it was on a little point and shoot camera.

something good!

Wednesday, 14 May 2008

Keys100. Not exactly Cheeseburgers in Paradise. (toenail count: 4.5)

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Isn’t that where Margaritaville is? In the keys? Who knows, I never liked Jimmy Buffet.

Regardless, Lisa Smith Batchen is running the inaugural Keys100, and no doubt she will not be pulling a Tony and running w/ fat-soaked tasties mid-course.

What it is is this:

The Keys Route. Lisa Smith Batchen not to size.

In other words, a 100 mile race in ridiculous humidity, raising money for cancer research. One day researchers will compute, with the help of Bluefire, how many miles Lisa has run to raise money for charity.

You can go here and “support your runner” (ahem, may I suggest Coach Lisa?). C’mon. Get all warm and fuzzy, willya?

gear

Tuesday, 6 May 2008

Truth in Advertising (toenail count: 4.5)

Here\'s Tony, proving that if not all of America, at least New Jersey runs on Dunkin\' Donuts.
Here’s Tony, proving that if not all of America, at least
New Jersey runs on Dunkin’ Donuts
(not visible- the large coffee w/ milk & sugar )


I’ll do a “race recap” (including vomit stories!) about the New Jersey Marathon. Um, just as soon as I finish the “race recap” on the MdS.

In the interim, you’ll have to dream up the scenario that resulted in this image. In a world where even the most generous of us are hard-core cynics when it comes to Madison Avenue, here comes Anthony P, ultra-runner extraordinare, proving that truth in advertising still exists. At least when it comes to deep-fried fat-soaked artery-challenging morning eats. Bravo to you, Dunkin’ Donuts!

blather and dross

Monday, 5 May 2008

Bad Blogger. Bad! Bad! (toenail count: 4.5)

What a crap blogger I am. I suppose since I haven’t moved my lard-ass since I’ve been back, I haven’t had much to say other than “pass the donuts.”

I promise I’ll do a race report for MdS soon chock full o’ pithy remarks and strategic tips. In the interim, the ABC Nightline & ESPN segments have been moved to this link

And they even use “night vision” for the overnight stage. Wowzers.

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Uncategorized

Wednesday, 23 Apr 2008

ABC Segment tonight on “World News” at 6:30 PM (toenail count: 5)

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Greetings folks,

It’s probably not the piece I’m in, but very likely about our good buddy, Ted Archer– also lovingly known as “That Speedy Bastard Archer”. It’s a term of endearment. Really.

Here’s the preview on the ABC website. http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=4709544&page=1

whimper whine grouse and carp

Thursday, 17 Apr 2008

Oh that dastardly pope. (toenail count: 5)

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TEE-VEE SEGMENTS POSTPONED!

I just got the following email from the ABC producers…

Good Morning All,

A quick note.

[The segments] have been postponed airing the piece because of news on your side of the pond. This is always a danger with news programs. (Why does the Pope have to visit and can’t the Democrats just make up their minds?!?) However, … ESPN are also interested in re-airing the Nightline piece which is great.

Regards,
Bruno

Details as they come….

blather and dross

Wednesday, 16 Apr 2008

Blister-free & on Tee-Vee (toenail count: 5)

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TUNE IN TO ABC TOMORROW (THURS) AS I’M HUMILIATED ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA, NIGHTLINE & WORLD NEWS

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First of all, thank you to everyone who emailed me during the race. It’s ridiculous how much everyone looked forward to getting their emails at the end of the day. And special thank you’s to everyone who has donated. There are so many generous folks out there that it makes it hard to be a cynic. But I’ll do my damndest.

In an apparent effort to ensure that I never, ever get a date again for the rest of my life, tomorrow ABC will air three different segments from the footage they’ve shot, each focusing on a different runner. They followed me for the entire race, except for when I was doing absolutely fantastically, sprinting into first place. I don’t know how they missed that bit.

We do not know which who’s segment will air during which show (though we’re pretty sure Ted’s will be on Nightline)and there is also the distinct possibility that some politician is named as “client #10″ or is forced to admit that she “misspoke” when she said she spent 10 years administering to the needy on a leper colony in South America and we’re bumped for real news. But the shows are…

  • GOOD MORNING AMERICA (airs 7:00 AM)
  • WORLD NEWS WITH WHATS-HIS-FACE (airs 6:30 PM)
  • NIGHTLINE (airs 11:00 PM)

All on ABC, of course. I’ve also been informed that the accompanying website *may* have a video montage called “Bunny’s Funnies” consisting of the absolute my most humiliating moments captured on film, which means it could be hours long.

dispatch

Friday, 11 Apr 2008

Almost home. (toenail count: 5)

I'll write a lot more about these get-ups later
In Essaouira right now. Re-imagine Provincetown, MA replacing the cars, kitch, fried clams, and transvestites with carts, carpet-sellers, grilled fish and women in haik (see photo).

I’ll be back on Monday and will update the blog then.

Thanks to everyone who wrote emails to me while I was doing MdS, and extra thanks to Brooklyn Bunny, Nona and Hersey’s.

dispatch

Friday, 4 Apr 2008

WADDLE DISPATCH - STAGE 5 (FINAL)

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Oh man. Oh man. How much can one person’s rump hurt? I now know. I was unfortunately and unexpectedly forced into actually *running* today because my glutes were on some sort of civil disobedience action and wouldn’t work.

It hit 122 around noon. This may very well be the only occasion on which you’ll hear folks say “cracking good job out there today!” for running an 8 hour marathon. Obviously, these people are Australian, as no one else says “crackin’ good job” of their own free will.

The Paris Opera is performing for us tonight. A tradition every year where non-running tourists can spend the night out here and see the opera al fresco. Unlike us, they get chairs.

Last stage is tomorrow - 11 miles. No more dispatches until I can find an internet cafe.

Let’s see if I get all emotional when the race director puts the “Finisher” medal around my neck, or if I backhand the bastard across the face before he even sees it coming. Place your bets on the latter.

Check out Lisa Smith Batchen’s blog for better daily coverage

dispatch

Thursday, 3 Apr 2008

WADDLE DISPATCH - STAGE 4 (26.2 mi)

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I’m (technically) still alive

Holy hell on a crutch, that was hard.

My big plan was to “save it all” for the long stage so I could make progress during the cool hours. My achilles, however, decided that it would really be a great time to see the desert at night and threw a complete tantrum until I slowed down to the pace of a thorazine shuffle.

It took me 25 hours. My goal was 15. Whoops.

They handed out 250 ml of cold Pepsi today and what formerly looked like something out of MASH turned into the Wedding Dress Sale at Filene’s Basement as everyone beelined it for the distribution area.

Whoops– the director just said “Brook-leen Boony can you pleeze huurry?” so I must go.

Traditionally more people drop out tommorrow than on any other day, so wish us all luck and keep sending those emails.

Check out Lisa Smith Batchen’s blog for better daily coverage