I’ve long been campaigning (lamenting to people with no authority or pull, whatsoever) in favor of the four-day work week. It obviously hasn’t happened…yet.
In the interest of idealists nationwide, each Friday I’m going to draft a list of how I could be better spending my time if I wasn’t confined to the office.
Because I am nothing, if not overly productive, during freedom time.
Not for individual sale. If you want them, you gotta plunk down 70 Gs for all 125 pairs of this guy’s Air Jordan collection. All brand new, and in-box.
I used the handy shipping calculator, and it lied to me and said it costs $11.45 to ship these from Las Vegas to New York.
Jaquizz, this can’t be easy for you, friend. But since you’re in Vegas, before you close on a sale I’d advise you to poke around The Trop to see if you can find the real MJ to shell out for this.
Each year hundreds of thousands apply to be amongst the 10,000 or so chosen to compete in the New York City Marathon, a race that draws close to 2 million course-side spectators. On race day, most of the onlookers aren’t there to see the perfect heartrate contol of some Kenyan, but to support everyday guys like Dan Vallejo and Jeff Crowell. Friends since high school, Jeff and Dan – both in their mid-twenties – made a pact that this is the year they conquer the marathon. I traded emails with the guys to talk about the upcoming race, and their marathon charity website WeAreNotAthletes.com.
Fellas, In stark contrast to how most average guys live their lives, you are on the verge of actually following through and completing a life challenge. What I need to know is, can you give me an example of an endeavor where you came up short in a fashion that so many of us have grown use to and apathetic by…?
Jeff: To be honest, we originally talked about running the Marathon last year and never followed through with it for whatever reasons. It’s one thing to talk about doing something like this, but when it comes down to actually ‘pulling the trigger’ and making the decision, it can be easy to make up excuses and not follow through. So this year, we decided that we were going to run the Race, but in our own way, and that’s where the idea for [the website] originated. We wanted to provide an engaging way for our friends and family to get more involved in our training, our fundraising and the race.
Your website promoting the race is called We Are Not Athletes. You are a year into your brutal training regime, and if that were entirely true you would surely either be dead or in some decrepit state. What is your most impressive athletic achievement from your past? Mine was winning the town Little League championship when I was 12 (I’m now 24…)
DAN: It’s a toss up between winning the New England Regatta for men’s crew in high school or holding the high score in photo hunt for a couple of hours.
I’ve heard varied advice for racers post-marathon – ranging from your not supposed to drink, to don’t even try to walk. What is the point in doing something like this, if there is no bruhaha when you’re done? Can you shed some light here?
Jeff: They say you’re supposed to walk for at least 20 minutes after the race. If I can still stand by the time I finish, I’ll probably try to walk for a bit, have some water, then most certainly have a celebratory beer with my friends and family. I mean, how could you not have a beer after completing the NYC Marathon? Guess we’ll see how it goes though.
There’s a place your bets option on WeAreNotAthletes.com. I like this, because it reflects my personal code that in life, gambling is almost always a viable option. Care to elaborate on how this works?
Dan: Who doesn’t like a good competition? We added the place your bets functionality to make the site more interactive and engaging for anyone visiting. The way it works is simple, you enter the time in which you think Jeff or I will complete the race and this number is averaged along with every other bet placed during the last couple of weeks, the updated number is reflected in the race time estimates on the home page. As of today Jeff is predicted to be a little faster than me, I can assure you that will not be the case on race day.
Let me read you the first sentence of Ryan Reynolds story, ‘Why I’m Running the New York City Marathon’,from The Huffington Post: A couple of years ago, I walked uptown to Central Park on one of those perfect November days. The air had a bite to it while the sun shone bright! (guh…) What kind of retribution will you rain down (on behalf of the people) if you see him on the course?
Dan: So the tone of the quote is a bit cheesy, but I can’t knock it too hard, as I am a huge fan of Just Friends. Everyone has their own reason for running 26.2 miles, you could put together a very interesting reel of all the different reasons and causes people run the NYC Marathon for. Parkinson’s disease research is a great cause to be running for and if that is Ryan Reynold’s, than I support it. When I smoke him on the course I will give him a Van Wilder shout out.
(Indeed, to be fair Reynolds is running as a tribute to his father. This question was merely a bitter jab on my part, directly related to Reynolds locking up Scarlet Johannson. Why did you make me do it, Reynolds? Why?)
As someone who plans to join in the raceday festivities, but is only up for about 20 minutes of watching exasperated people scurry by, breathing like a herd of wounded wildebeest before I move on and start celebrating on your behalf, optimum location?
Jeff: Well, the Finish at Tavern on the Green in Central Park will be very exciting for starters. From what I hear, it seems as though another great spot to watch the race from is on 59th and 1st by the Queensboro Bridge. At the 16th mile, it’s the pivotal point in the race where you can really see the effect the Marathon has on everyone. First Avenue, in general, will be a great spot to cheer on all the runners though, and join in on the race day festivities.
Dan: If you are in Manhattan, First Avenue is the most rowdy and the most fun location to watch the race from. Bar Coastal is on 78th and first and probably will be where we direct our friends to stand and cheer. Just don’t be one of those people offering the runners doughnuts and cigarettes, we don’t appreciate it.
Jeff and Dan’s hit the five borough course of the ING NYC Marathon next Sunday, Nov. 2nd. They didn’t have to say it, but I got the impression this interview gave them the added boost they were looking for to get through the last few weeks of training. Don’t mention it guys.
So far, Jeff and Dan have raised close to $6,000 for the American Cancer Society and Hole in the Wall Camps, which was founded by Paul Newman and is the world’s largest family of camps for children with serious illnesses and life-threatening conditions.
Go to WeAreNotAthletes.com to make a donation, and check out Jeff and Dan’s training video below…
Well folks, it looks like the government could be lining up another economic stimulus plan. And according to CNN.com, Democrats are pushing for another round of direct cash assistance to help get us out of the red.
If for some reason this frees you up plunk down a year’s worth of an Ivy League education, have I got an investment for you…
That’s right. 3,000 pair- 6,000 count – of Reebok British Open Socks. Officially licensed, amigo!
Your looking at a brand new never thrown 2007 USDGC CE Champion Rancho ROC 180g #2638. Rare 1 of only 1 ORANGE ICE champion plastic roc with a RED Metallic stamp.
Interested?… But they’re only gonna juke you for 20 bucks on the shipping!
DATELINE! Salt Lake! When evading the authorities, meets leisure sport activity. The Associated Press is reporting that a Utah man has been apprehended after leading police on a high speed chase in a golf cart…
“Officers started pursuing the driver after he was spotted spinning out in a city park in Morgan. He took off into an alfalfa field and jumped irrigation ditches that the sheriff’s cruisers couldn’t cross. Morgan County Sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Peay suspects the cart was fitted with a car engine instead of the original electric motor. “
Suspects? He jumped multiple ditches!
I’ll stay on the case (not really) to see what, if anything, this guy gets charged with – improper handling of a motor vehicle within 100 yards of irrigation technology? unlawful destruction of a legume crop?
The Roller Derby Revival gets cooler everyday. And if you don’t agree with me, I assure you I’m correct.
Just last weekend, a team from New York City called the Gotham Girls All-Stars competed in the Eastern Regional Championships at the Derby in Dairyland, in Madison, WI. Not only have they embraced Batman’s nom de guerre for NYC, but they won the tournament, so apparently they’re dirty.
Giving it its due recognition, COEDMagazine.com pieced together a photo album that shows the softer side of hell on wheels. Here are some of the goodies…
