The Square State Striders completed every manner of traversing distance this summer: running, ultra-running (possibly different) , biking and swimming (?). Lets hear some first hand accounts from the team about their totally unverified and un-fact checked (thank you very much) reports.
The below mentioned multi-generational Square State family has an important update:
"The 2024 racing season didn't yield the desired outcomes for either Brandon or Melissa. As they have begun to question the time spent training, they have now pivoted to dedicate this time to ensuring people know the correct spelling of their name. Between recent blog posts, and a Long Run Article that featured 3 different spellings of "Stapanowich" within one paragraph, they have finally landed on a strategy to encourage the correct spelling. Adopting a similar strategy to that of the BroAdmoor, Brandon and Melissa will now capitalize the "A" in the name that is often misplaced with an "E". Hopefully this approach will yield less occurrences of a misspelling and maybe even offer the same fortuitous financial future that the BroAdmoor encountered. With love, the StApanowiches."
Felix:
"I'm back - the littlest square. This past month I ran Hard Block at Hard Rock. While there are many controversies that surround this race, the one thing that they do right is the kids race. An opportunity to run around the block, kiss the rock, and get a hard earned sugar cookie was a perfect way for me to start my third year around the sun."
Sam Wood, defeated all comers (maybe not 2) up in Leadville this summer, by that I mean to even include thorns and pebbles in Sam's oft near bare sandaled feet.
Finished my 3rd Leadwoman Series and 7th Leadville 100 run. It’s not a joke that I beat the #RealLanceArmstrong in the Leadville 100 mountain bike race this year by 6-minutes riding flat pedals. Maybe next time I’ll clip in and beat him by 30.
Brian Fleischmann, 'The Soggy Strider', sent this update of him winning a national age group championship with a screen grab of his results. What's great is that I have only a hunch that its 1500 meters or yards, or maybe a mile. I don't know that's all he sent. And before all you frizzy chlorinated folks start applying to the Square State Striders, Brian does run, but these are just the results he sends in.
"I won US Masters Swimming Nats 45-49 age group on light training"
What's 'light training' ? Not sure, but Brian went to FSU, so he could be referencing a tanning lamp for all I know. Congrats Brian, well done at however far you swam.
Kari Romero knocked out some great high country elevation racing. Gerald is slowly back on the mend again, and then sent a whole bunch of personal medical info that would surely be violated almost every aspect of HIPAA. Just know he's happy to be on the road to recovery.
Kari Georgetown to Idaho springs half marathon and Pikes Peak ultra 20k Gerald -- no racing. The big news for injury report -- This week I was cleared too start training again.
Neil McDonagh teamed up with newest Square State team member, Jeffrey Eggleston at several races on the Front Range this summer. Kicking off at the Cookie Chase 5k, where they placed respectably in 15:12 (Jeffrey) and 15:22 (Neil). Dodging goose poop, soon to be brunchers, future heat stroke victims and no less than 4 men shirtless doing pushups at various points of the circumference of Sloans Lake in Denver.
Jeffrey chased his professed White Whale of a lifetime first sub 2:00 in the 800m this summer at various track meets in Colorado (does he know CO is at altitude like everywhere?). He narrowly missed it with a 2:01 clocking in Boulder and several other near misses. Neil mostly chased behind Jeffrey. They both competed in a hybrid road/track mile held in Denver that was multi-factorial humbling for both. But they decided as men in their 40's often do, to try something only children or men recently children should do, by running on a 4x400m relay team because two guys asked them as Neil and Jeffrey were planning to leave the stadium. Both Striders fueled to redeem the respect of USA relay prowess after the botched Olympic 4x100m handoff, did their best and emerged uninjured (the highest masters honor). To celebrate the closing of their summer track seasons, Jeffrey flew to upstate NY to eat some food called 'a Garbage Plate' which believe it or not is grosser in picture than words and Neil stopped eating only vegetables because it likely made him feel generally unwell.
Middle and Right photos Credit- Dave Albo Lane1
Middle and Right photos Credit- Dave Albo Lane1
What the hell Jeffrey. Its Obamacare not European healthcare!
