ATTENTION GOON NATION

We are pleased to announce our newest member.  She runs with Wild Turkey (You know she needs help) and from what we can see she loves to have fun and party.  According to our sources she is a little devil.

Please welcome our newest Goon, Michelle Greene.  Michelle your official Goon Name will be "SHE-DEVIL."

Welcome She-Devil !!!!!

Doctor Death:-/, Hill Checker, Goatie, Judge & the entire family of Goons !    Ruff, Ruff, Ruff

COME HANG OUT WITH THE GOONS, AND EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY!

3rd Annual Goon Smash & Bash Awards Party

Saturday, January 28, 2012 - 6:00 – 10:00 PM

Longmeadow Golf Club

http://www.longmeadowgolfclub.com

(Route 133 off 495) 165 Havilah St | Lowell, MA

Members only $5.00 per Goon

Non Goons $10.00

Pay at the door but reservations must be made.

Reservations please email Doctor Death at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Full course meal / Cash Bar

Chef’s Select Fresh Vegetables and Starch, Rolls and Butter, chef’s Sweet Table, Freshly Brewed Coffee, Decaf and Tea

Mixed Green Salad and Potato Salad

Chicken Marsala

Roast Sirloin of Beef

Roast Pork Loin

Cocktails & Reception 6:00 - 6:30 PM

Dinner - 6:30 PM

Awards - 7:15 PM

Music, Dancing, Rocking & Rolling - 8:00 to 10:00 PM

Yes Goons, the crazy Goon Open Mens Team has done it again.  Under the leadership of Animal, Psycho, Heels and Wheels they pushed their team to first place at the Mill City Relay.  The Goon Squad has won Mill City three years in a row. 2009, 2010, 2011

Animal, Psycho and Heels have been together all three years running for the Goon Squad and have actually won four years in a row when they wore a different color. (2008) Rumor has it that next year they are considering the name, One for the Thumb. (projecting a fifth "ring")

I had a series of goals for this past year.  One of them was to complete the TransRockies Run in August with Thundergod.  Once that was securely under my belt, I was ready to get off of the hills and get back to speed.  My next goal was to qualify for the New York City Marathon to run it in 2012.  To do so, I need to run a 1:23:00 half marathon.

For me, running a 1:23:00 is on the edge of my ability.  I knew that if I were to do it, I would have to be in prime shape for this race, not only that, but everything needed to align.  I was signed up for the Mohawk-Hudson Half Marathon on November 11.

After TransRockies, I needed to really adjust my running schedule to get my speed up since running up mountains can be quite slow.  Well, during a track workout, I pushed a little too hard and ended up with an injury just under my butt.  The most literal pain in the ass I’ve ever encountered.  I was able to continue with some minor speed work, but this thing continued to nag.

Once race day arrived, my injury was still there, but it felt okay, the weather was looking slightly warm, and the day to be pretty calm in the wind department. I got onto the half marathon bus with OCG and Enforcer where we were taken to a local high school to await for the start.

After a warm up and strides, I got to the front of the pack and the gun went off.  I started out, hoping to follow PRofessor’s advice and stick to a 6:05 pace for about the first 4 miles while the course goes slightly downhill.  But my first problem was that I didn’t realize the first half mile of this race was winding and through a lot of rock covered, dirt roads and then onto some grassy playing field.  It was an awkward 1st mile, awkward enough to mark me at a 6:26 mile one.  Not a good start.

As I got to about mile 4, I was able to get my average pace down to about a 6:11.  This was okay, as I didn’t want to overdo it anyway.  I was feeling pretty good and my confidence was pretty high at this point.

Right around mile 8, I started feel lethargic.  I knew something had to give, but nothing did.  I saw a water stop approaching and I realized I was running all over the place.  I was not at all running in control.  I stopped.  I popped a salt tab and a Gu, swilled some water and carried on.  Things began to come back together for me.  I was feeling good again!  Well, good being a very relative word here.

I went back and forth in my mind with doubt vs. confidence.  I knew this was going to be close.  At mile 11, I had 2.1 miles left and doing some math in my head, I realized I could still do this.  If I could maintain and keep that needle under the 6:18 pace (average) I could pull this through, but my current pace was closer to a 6:30.  I just didn’t have anything else in me – I was giving it my all.

As I came down the final stretch, I saw the clock and it read 1:22:??  Then it became clear.  I saw a 5 in there and knew I wasn’t going to make it.  I watched the clock tick from 1:22:59 to 1:23:00 right in front of my eyes.  I can still see it turning.  My final time was 1:23:18.  I missed it by 18 seconds.

I crossed the line, and even with a 2.5 minute PR, I was very upset.  Upset enough that a volunteer at the finish gave me grief for looking the way I did with the time I had run.  Honestly, I was very proud, but when you’re that close to a goal that you work so hard for, it can be discouraging.

Now, if you asked me today if stopping at that water stop caused me to not make it, I might say maybe.  But if you asked me right after the race if stopping kept me from qualifying, I would have told you absolutely not.  I was a mess and needed to collect myself.

I have a new PR but my goal hasn’t changed.  I learned a lot from this race.  I can also safely say it’s not only the hardest race I’ve ever run, but it is the best race and one of the best physical performances I have ever completed.  I ended up placing 14th overall, good for 3rd in my age group.  So for that I am very proud.