The Pirañas just finished week 9 of a 20 week training program leading to several ultra races this fall.

Week 9: Aug 25 to Aug 31
47 miles total

Monday - 10 miles on road
Tuesday - 6 miles on road
Wednesday - 10 miles on road
Thursday - rest day
Friday - 11 miles on trails
Saturday - 10 miles on trails
Sunday - rest day

The 2008 Summer Olympics are winding down today. Last night we saw the men’s marathon and a week before the women’s. Both marathons were examples of individuals being willing to risk everything to achieve their ultimate goal.

In the women’s race, Romania’s Constantina Tomescu surged near the half-way point and opened a significant lead. The chase group, including many of the pre-race favorites let her go thinking that she would blow up and they would reel her in before the finish. That didn’t happen. By the final 2 miles the lead was still 58 seconds and the chase pack had fallen apart. Constantina struggled in the final mile, but was able to hold the lead and win the gold. Zhou and Ndereba left it till too late as they made up a staggering 34 seconds in the final 1.2 miles. If the race was 27 miles, there likely would have been a different winner.

In the men’s race, Sammy Wanjiru won Kenya’s first gold medal in the men’s Olympic marathon in record time. Early in the race (in fact, in the first mile) the Kenyans and the Ethiopians pushed the pace. The commentators spent the next 20 miles of coverage telling us how it was unlikely they could hold that pace in the warming and humid Beijing morning. Many other race favorites chose to run a more conservative pace and were certainly hoping to run the lead group down as they faltered in the final miles. That didn’t happen. In fact, Wanjiru pulled away from Moroccan contender Jaouad Gharib with 15 minutes remaining, and entered the National Stadium unchallenged and to a standing ovation. The jubiliant Kenyan raised his arms in triumph, and, with the crowd cheering him on, proceeded to sprint around the track and break the tape in record time (2:06:32). While several of the more conservative runners did move up considerably as the race progressed and they passed fading front runners, no one could keep up with or catch Wanjiru.

Some times it pays to go farther, faster, harder, stronger than you can or should be able to. Sometimes you have to risk everything to win big. Conservative is fine if you are investing your retirement account, but not if you are racing. It doesn’t matter if it is the Olympics or your personal “A” race for the season, you have to push past reasonable and controlled and into the realm of miracles if you want to find out what you are made of.

It took a while to get this pic. We know you have been waiting for this moment for a very long time, so without further delay:

Brother Samsonite naked as the day he was born!

The Pirañas are in week 8 of a 20 week training program leading to several ultra races this fall.

Week 8: Aug 18 to Aug 24
66 miles total

Monday - 10 miles on road
Tuesday - 6 miles on road
Wednesday - 10 miles on trails
Thursday - rest day
Friday - 40 miles on road
Saturday - rest day
Sunday - rest day

The Pirañas are in week 7 of a 20 week training program leading to several ultra races this fall.

Week 7: Aug 11 to Aug 17
63 miles total

Monday - 8 miles on road
Tuesday - 6 miles on road
Wednesday - 8 miles on trails
Thursday - rest day (and Samsonite’s Piraña B-Day)
Friday - 26 miles on trails
Saturday - 15 miles on road
Sunday - rest day

Last night the Pirañas initiated a new brother. P.I.T. Samsonite became Brother Samsonite. The evening started with a little PITnapping:

which led to a PITdrop:

which led to….well, we could tell you, but then we would have to make you a Piraña, and while many are hoping, few are chosen.

When ask how becoming a Piraña Brother compared to other significant events in his life, Brother Samsonite was heard to say, “It is by far the most meaningful thing that has ever happened to me. Far better than getting accepted to West Point, better than passing Sapper training, even better than the first … (this part edited to retain the PG-13 status of this site) … girl.

The Pirañas took the newly anointed brother out for dinner and we will close this post with a pic of him in his finest moment:

Welcome to the Brotherhood Samsonite!

The Pirañas are in week 6 of a 20 week training program leading to several ultra races this fall.

Week 6: Aug 4 to Aug 10
58 miles total

Monday - 8 miles on road
Tuesday - 6 miles on road
Wednesday - 8 miles on trails
Thursday - rest day
Friday - 21 miles on road
Saturday - 15 miles on trails
Sunday - rest day

P.I.T. Sweet Tee turned 14 today. After getting in a 21 miler, Mav and T3 took the youngster out for lunch at a local B-B-Q joint where he ordered the large rib dinner plate. If he had eaten it all Mav would have bought him a T-shirt that said “I pigged out at Earl’s for my birthday!” but alas, he was unable to consume the pile of ribs and double order of curly fries. In celebration of his birthday we thought it might be good to remember his humble beginnings:

Just say no to crack!

Happy Birthday Sweet Tee from the Brothers.

Some people say that running too much makes you crazy. Some people say you have to be crazy to run so much. But it is obvious that something is wrong with this picture:

Mav claims he broke a lace and had to grab another shoe at the last moment. WE think he likes looking this way.

The Pirañas are in week 5 of a 20 week ramp up to the Mother Road 100.

Week 5: Jul 27 to Aug 3
52 miles total

Monday - 8 miles on road
Tuesday - 6 miles on road
Wednesday - 8 miles on trails
Thursday - rest day
Friday - 18 miles on trails
Saturday - 15 miles road
Sunday - rest day