This episode is a review of the leap year 2008, MMVIII of the Gregorian calendar, Anno Domini of the Common Era.

Like any other year, 2008 had it’s accomplishments and failures, its successes and disasters, it’s good moments and instances of sadness and terror.  We lived through it all and each in our own way did our best, wished the best for others and helped to make the world just a little bit better than it was last year.

This week we listen to some of the skits, sketches and audio bits that I produced in an effort to give my family and I a chuckle or two. 

Happy New Year!

Show Links:
The song “We are Wolves Here” off the new album “Wake Up and Say Goodbye” was by David Usher. http://www.davidusher.com

This week your goofy little host goes “off the deep end” again with a podcast filled with critical thinking, loud enunciation and a very un-holiday-like disposition.

This episode is a statement of my opinion. 

Not all will agree with that opinion, and all are invited to consider and challenge what I have to say here.  I suspect many will consider my premise faulty and my conclusion to be wrong; but this is just MY OPINION, and if I sound angry and passionate in my argument it’s because it bothers me when fellow runners suffer the appeals of a marketing pitch designed to ridicule them without their conscious understanding in an effort to sell books.

Just because someone says that it takes courage for you to run your first mile, does not make it so.  It does not make noble the action by affixing such terms to explain how you came to be.  Terms and words like “indomitable spirit”, “intelligent choice”, “dedication”, “perseverance”, and “commitment” better describe how you became a runner; and credits you with the hard work associated with your effort and success on the road.

In this episode I will prove that “it takes dedication to start running” is no longer a hypothesis, it’s a well founded theory.  I will show that this is a well established principle created from repeated observation and testing.  There are better and more positive ways to inspire and motivate non-runners to take to the road with us than to call them “scared, powerless little misfits”.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that it takes courage to start running. They are offending you, they are appealing to your instinctual desire to be congratulated for doing something noble and brave. 

You deserve MUCH more…you have earned the right to be credited with rising off the couch of doom not because you were once a cowering, fearful couch potato who overcame some dangerous risk to your life; but because you made a choice…you accepted a challenge to yourself: and that doesn’t take courage fellow runners; that takes dedication.

Show Links:
http://theextramilepodcast.com
http://tiree.blogspot.com
http://www.bluedawgsrunning.blogspot.com
Fdip Blog of the Week: http://fittalklive.com
The song “You and I” was by Ingrid Michaelson
http://www.ingridmichaelson.com

Ted Corbitt was without a doubt the “father of long distance running”.  He was a pioneer in ultramarathons and a big part of the running revolution of the 1960’s and 70’s.  He was once called “a spiritual elder of the modern running clan".
We will remember him in many ways: as the quiet guy in the background working to establish rules for age groups and course measurements.  As a promoter of distance running who worked behind the scenes.  He was an amazing athlete who was able to cover distances that is considered impressive by any standard, and he was a kind hearted, soft spoken fellow runner who overcame hatred and prejudice to embrace a sport that he loved so well.
Most importantly, he was someone who loved to run.  It was his life long passion, it was his daily joy and it was something that defined him, improved him and gave his life meaning and a happiness that inspires all who knew him and know of him…because Ted Corbitt was a man with an indomitable spirit who came into this world to live his life to the top, and he left this world a better place for his having run here.

Show Links:
http://bluedawgsrunning.blogspot.com
http://www.usatf.org/about/committees/LongDistanceRunning/RoadRunningTechnicalCouncil/history/corbitt.pdf
http://lelievreetlatortue.blogspot.com
Fdip Blog of the Week: http://beginjd.blogspot.com
The song “What Child is This?” was by Black Lab
http://blacklabworld.com

In this episode I run the 20th Annual Whiten Five Thanksgiving Day Road Race in Whitensville, Massachusetts; a village in Northbridge.  It wasn’t my fastest five miler, but I had fun running it never the less.  I came to celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving, to enjoy the morning with fellow runners, to compete against those around me and most of all, to run.
Old New England towns remain preserved while merging with the modern world and new technologies.  You can see that most clearly when you go for a run in such a town such as Northbridge Massachusetts, and the village of Whitensville.

Show Links:
http://www.tinkoff.com
http://4feetrunning.blogspot.com
http://badgirlsofrunning.blogspot.com
http://badboysofrunning.blogspot.com
http://tiredmamarunning.blogspot.com
http://www.runcast.tv
http://www.dumprunnersclub.com
Fdip Blog of the Week: http://www.runtodisney.com
The song “Run to Your Grave” was by The Mae Shi
http://www.mae-shi.com