Originally I wanted to title this post, Running Fantasies, but if you read the two previous posts, you know that the word fantasies sidetracked me, and the topic turned into sexual fantasies. I pledge that I’ll stay on track and keep smut off my blog.

There can be two types of running dreams – ones that you have while asleep, or thoughts of great accomplishments while awake.

I don’t have running dreams so much these days, but earlier in my career there was an unpleasant one I had repeatedly. In it, I was trying to run faster in a race, but the harder I tried, the more resistance I encountered. It was like running underwater. I felt very frustrated in the dream, and if I really made an effort to increase my pace, the opposite happened, and I slowed even more, as if the water changed into a fluid that was way thicker. This dream was real enough that in the middle of it, I was trying to discern whether I was dreaming or this was really happening.

Sometimes while on a run, I’ll fantasize that I’m in a race, and I’m at the front of the lead pack, or pulling away to win. I usually do this when I want to push a sustained fast pace or finish a training run hard. It seems to help and I like the small, but noticeable thrill of excitement I get thinking this way.

Here’s another fantasy that might make you chuckle:  When I was in high school, my early, minor successes at running made my head swell to the point that I thought I could accomplish anything. I told my mother that I would win the gold medal in the 800 meters at the Montreal Olympics. Of course, this fantasy didn’t come close to materializing, and fortunately I mentioned it to no one but my mother.

What dreams or fantasies of running have you had?

If you enter races regularly, you probably have a pile of t-shirts. I did an inventory count today, and I have 31 shirts.

Whenever I bring out my valuable collection, I have my attack cat, Gloopy, on guard.

Pictured below is my favorite one right now. I really like long sleeve tees. I’m also hoping to break into the field of male modeling. Beside a nice-looking shirt, hopefully you’ll find my pose professional and fashion mag-worthy.

I have a hard time getting rid of my shirts, and with a size-able inventory, they last a long time. My oldest one, pictured below, dates from high school. I received it because I ran lots of miles the summer before my senior year.

I taught English in Japan in the late 80’s and early ’90’s and have one surviving shirt, shown below. I was told only executives and the very rich had checking accounts. To enter a race you had to buy a money order-like thing at the post office that took a long time to process

After graduating from Washington State University, I got a job offer in southern California and did a bunch of road races. The below shirt is the only one left from that era. Many years later my daughter found it and wore it frequently when she was in high school. 

It’s a treat to get a sweatshirt for finishing a race, and I really got my money’s worth with the below one. I’ve worn it a lot, and it’s still in pretty good shape.

I’m hoping the misprint on the below shirt will make it a valuable collector’s item. They kept the same design from the previous year’s race, but failed to attach the correct suffix to the 23.

Because I have so many, I take the no-shirt option when I sign up for races, On rare occasions the shirts are so nicely designed, I can’t pass them up. Therefore, my collection continues to grow.

I started a running career at John Rogers High School in Spokane, pictured below. I was a baseball player before that, but in my freshman season, I tore up league pitching with a batting average of just over .200. I had a goal of getting a college athletic scholarship, and it wasn’t looking like baseball would do it for me.

Photo by Colin Mulvany, Spokesman-Review

The few times I was in a distance race in P.E. or racing other kids informally, I did pretty well. So I decided to give distance running a shot by turning out for track my sophomore year.

After two or three weeks of track practices, coach entered me in the mile in our first match, a practice meet against East Valley High School. At the starting line were two experienced EV runners, our team’s top runner—a senior, and myself. I was especially nervous being the only newbie in a field of four.  At the last moment I got a gift of company. A fellow sophomore teammate got put into the race. Normally a quarter-miler, I knew he was no threat to win and he’d be in the back with me.

The race started fast and I stayed with the pack. However, the quarter-miler dropped out before finishing the first lap. I instantly felt dread.

I finished last; however, I stayed close most of the race. My senior teammate eventually pulled away, finishing in first, twelve seconds ahead of me. I ran a 5:01, and my times got faster with each race.

Because of our team’s schedule, I only ran three days a week, and my weekly mileage totals were very low. But interval training was tough—there was no comparison to workouts I’d done in other sports.

I eventually attained my goal of earning a college scholarship, though only for one year of my college running career.

How knowledgeable are you about running history? Just 6 questions, a perfect score, however, is rare and only comes under perfect conditions. The correct answers and how you rate follow the quiz. Good luck!

1) John Walker, who ran the first sub-3:50 mile in 1975, is from what country?

A) USA  B) Deer Park  C) Florida  D) England  E) Distancerunistan  F) New Zealand

2) Bernard Lagat, a naturalized US citizen from Kenya and Olympic medalist was a top US middle distance runners for years. What university did he attend?

A) Spokane Community College  B) Villanova  C) Dresden School of Beauty  D) Washington State  E) ITT Technical Institute  F) Penn State

3) What American won the first Olympic Women’s Marathon in 1984 with a time of 2:24:53, then a year later, ran an American record 2:21:21 that would last for 18 years?

A) Lady Gaga  B) Steve Prefontaine  C) I.P. Aard  D) Joan Benoit  E) Brad Pitt  F) Julia Roberts

(source)

4) Pictured above is Paavo Nurmi of Finland, the only runner to simultaneously hold the men’s mile, 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter world track records. He won nine gold medals during his Olympic career in the 1920’s. What was Paavo Nurmi’s nickname?

A) Superbad Fasty  B) The Scorcher  C) 5F  (Finnish Fireball Finishes First Forever)  D) Flying Finn  E) Pantin’ Paavo  F) Golden Legs of Speed

5) Name the Greek soldier who originated the marathon by running from Marathon, Greece to Athens in 490 BC.

A) Pheidippides  B) Minnesota Fats  C) Brad Pitt  D) Aristotle  E) Bernard Lagat  F) Hercules

The difficulty rating for the last question is 10, the highest level possible. Refer to the below photo for a clue to the answer.

6) The runner pictured on this magazine held the world mile record for eight years. He’s the only American runner to run a sub-4 minute mile as a junior in high school, and set an American record in the mile as a high school senior. Who is he?

A) Bill Clinton  B) Mike Boit  C) Jim Ryun  D) Minnesota Fats  E) Jonathan Hill  F) Brad Pitt

Answers: 1) New Zealand  2) Washington State  3) Joan Benoit  4) Flyin’ Finn 5) Pheidippides  6) Jim Ryun

5-6 right – Congratulations, you are an expert.

3-4 right – You are very, very good, and an impressive individual.

1-2 right – You’re above average. Give yourself a pat on the back.

0 right – Please enroll in my low-cost, on-line course, Running History 101.

In my last post, I wrote how I missed meeting Petra for coffee because of a miscommunication. Luckily, a fellow Irish Running Club member, Gerry Manfred, intervened and saved the day.

Petra and I finally made it to the Rockwood Bakery, and after some small talk, I went right to my core issue. “Petra, I’d like to have a relationship with you.”

“What kind of relationship do you have in mind?” she asked, folding her arms.

“I’d describe it as intense realism.”

Petra broke down in laughter. “Intense realism? That sounds like a style of painting.”

“Well, you see, Petra, intense realism has the qualities of bright colors and controlled strokes carefully applied to a soft medium, but it’s not painting. It’s relationshipness.”

“You’ll have to give me a better idea of this style of relationship because, you know, since breaking up with Byron, I don’t look at coupledom the way I used to.”

“I can relate to that. Since I have some experience as well, I know over time how a couple, despite being in love, experience…..complacency.”

“Yeah, but complacency is for mild cases. Lots of couples get to the point where they either don’t want to be together any more, or feel stifled by a lack of freedom.”

“True, oh knowledgeable one, but if a pair are on the same wavelength, have similar experiences and background, and whose greatest desire is simply to be side by side, then I think the worse they’ll experience is complacency.”

Petra leaned back, her eyes locked on mine. “How do you alleviate complacency?”

“By giving each other freedom, which includes the always present desire to be fluffy with others.”

“That’s dangerous territory,” Petra said. “Another always present desire is to not be left for someone else.”

“That’s true, but if you’re a strong couple, and both have agreed to incorporate fluffiness with others, it fosters trust and causes any vestige of jealousy to wane. And in the end, the couple always wants to come home to each other.”

Petra smiled. “I’m starting to comprehend your vernacular. Being fluffy with others would certainly be intense realism.” She took a sip from her coffee mug and set it down, staring at me the whole time. “I haven’t told you this, Jim, but ever since we met, I’ve been a little crazy about you.”

I had to look away, and I fought and fought because there was no way it’d look good losing it in front of her and all the customers. She is my twin soul, and my heart is totally owned by her.

Last Saturday, I arranged to meet Petra at two o’clock at the Rockwood Bakery to discuss having a relationship. Based on comments she made before breaking up with Byron, I believe we have similar views.

The Manito Runners Club meets at Rockwood Bakery following their Saturday morning run. I did not run the day of our meeting. I’m still out with a hurt toe.

I arrived a little early, ordered a drink, and found a secluded table. At 2:20, Petra still hadn’t shown. I didn’t think she’d stand me up, and she lives so close to the Rockwood Bakery. I pulled out my phone, and could’ve kicked myself. I forgot to charge it.

After a half hour of waiting, I left. While walking home, a fellow Flying Irish Running Club member, Gerry Manfred, drove past. He honked, pulled to the side and rolled his window down.

Gerry Manfred’s a dedicated runner and a good guy.

“Jim, what are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m headed home. Why?”

“Petra’s sitting all alone waiting for you.”

“Where?”

“At the Rocket Bakery on 14th. She tried calling. What’s wrong with you?”

“I thought we were meeting at the Rockwood Bakery. May I borrow your phone, Gerry?”

I got hold of Petra and found out I’d said Rocket Bakery when I meant Rockwood Bakery. She told me she’d be right over. Gerry had stopped at The Rocket for coffee and even though he had briefly talked to Petra just once months ago, he recognized her, and they ended up having a lengthy chat.

“Thanks, Gerry,” I said, returning his phone. “You saved the day.”

“Listen, Jim, do the right thing – treat that girl well. She’s a darling.”

“You’re right Gerry. I’ll do my best.”

He gave me a wave as he drove off, and a few minutes later, Petra arrived.

“Sorry, sweet pea. Totally my bad,” I said.

“It’s all right, oh injured one. Let’s get something to eat.”

In next week’s post, I’ll give details about our conversation.