Stupidity in Nike & San Francisco

(Original Article followed by UPDATE at the end)

I'm not a distance runner. I only follow Track & Field during the Olympics every four years. So, I can't believe I'm commenting on a story about a Marathon.

Some things are just to stupid to explain, like when the fastest runner in a race doesn't win. It's especially stupid when a person runs the race according to the rules. The fastest runner wins, get it? Apparently the San Francisco Marathon & Nike didn't get the memo.

In case you didn't catch the original article, here's the link:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/21/BAUC13L3GQ.DTL&nopu=1

So here's the deal. The city of San Francisco & Nike look like idiots. This is because the woman who ran the fastest time wasn't allowed to win. Arien O'Connell wasn't allowed to win because she wasn't in the "elite" group. She didn't consider herself an elite competitor. Makes sense, after all the recent Olympic winner ran a half hour faster than O'Connell's time.

The organizers say she should have declared herself elite. I think maybe none of the other runners should have been allowed to be declared elite.

In other sports when their are separate heats or flights, it doesn't matter if you aren't in the fastest group. Fastest times still win/advance.

I could go on and on, I'll just let you fill in the blanks.

I want to finish this by saying I have always loved Nike. Nike is based in Oregon and grew up as a company as I was growing up as a person. I love the quality of the product. That said, Nike used to be about the athlete. They used to be for those outside the establishement. Now, it appears the company is about red tape, the establishment and bureacracy. Bill Bowerman and Steve Prefontaine might be rolling over in their graves. Shame on Nike. Shame on San Francisco.

I hope Jon Hendershott from Track and Field News Magazine.writes a cover article about the ridiculous city and ridiculous company who screwed up this race.

As far as I'm concerned, congratulations Arien O'Connell

UPDATE:

Apparently Nike has realized the error of its ways and recognized Arien O'Connell as "a winner" complete with prize money.

The link follows:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/22/BACI13MAIT.DTL

Kind of appropriate that a company named after the goddess of victory would want to recognize the actual victor.

Thar Might Be Pirates

Apparently my house is crawling with scurvy pirates looking for plunder. There's a wee one about pillaging and searching for burried treasure. He says things like "Yo Ho" and "Arrgh!" I'm afraid to cross him, lest I be forced walk the plank or might find myself being keel dragged from his piratey vessel.

Now this certain pirate doesn't have a peg-leg or a parrot. He doesn't have tattoos or natsy battle scars, but he does have a fierce scowl that can cause the salitest old sea dog to shake with fear.

Then again, he doesn't want gold or stolen mayan treasure. He's more interested in pilfering a Capri Sun juice box from the pantry or chapstick from the bathroom. His eye patch and hook are just a fashion statements, and his most notable acts of cruelty are attempting to ride the Golden Retriever like a pony.

I suppose if this is the depths of is wanton behavior, I won't have to go reporting him to the port authorities. I dont' exaclty want him put in irons. I kind of like having him around.

A gray and rainy sort of heaven.

I spent last week in Oregon. Most people think of Oregon and immediately picture gray clouds and rain. Truth be told, this sterotype does have some basis in reality. Though actually this only applies to the western half of the state. Nevertheless, even if it weren't true, Oregonians would perpetuate the myth to keep the state to themsleves. I digress . . .

Instead of being dreary or depressing, I find the clouds to be relaxing, contemplative. Its perfect for sleeping in, reading a book, or going for a run. I love what the rain does. It makes everything green, it grows moss and ferns, it makes rivers and creeks. Scenery comes with a price. Along the Southern California coastline this price is financial (and of course dealing with crowds and traffic). In Oregon the price is paid by enduring rainy winters and sometimes springs, and sometimes autumns. Anyway, I love it. I don't know what it is, I guess you live there long enough (I grew up there) and it gets in your blood.

For several years I lived in California. On those rare days when it would rain I would often go outside and stand and allow the raindrops to fall on my head. For those moments, I felt like I was home.

Now I live in Utah. Most of my family is still in Oregon. The rest of it is in San Diego. We don't get to see each other near as often as we'd like. We were always very close. We still are. It's just now that this closeness is separated by distance. Anyway, this last week we were all back together to celebrate my mom's birthday. It was a great trip. It was great to be home. It was even better to be with family. It was so much fun to catch up while watching our spawn play together. Can't believe how quickly the years have gone by.

Incedently, the word gray is peculiar. It is correctly spelled "grey" and "gray." I try to vary my spelling so as not to show favoritism to either option.