High Beamin

Well it’s November and for Greenville this year that apparently means snow time. While living in Greenville I have come to expect snow at least two or three times a year, I’m still a little unsure of what snow is about. To me, the experience of snow is like ripping a band-aid off: it’s something you want to happen (band-aids are annoying and snow has a certain alluring nuance to it), it happens about once a year (a last resort for a cut that won’t stop bleeding and snow just doesn’t happen very often in the south), its terrible when it actually happens (pulled hair and freezing substance that makes you wet when it melts), but it has great implications (no band-aid and no school). To southerners, snow is supposed to be this exciting, fun thing to build snowmen, sled, and have snowball fights in, but I’m convinced it’s just a front. First of all, no southerner likes being cold, and a snowman?, might as well be a rock man, at least your hands won’t get hypothermia building a rock man. Sledding? Sledding never works in the south. People always try so hard to sled but with a half inch of snow on the ground, you will go no faster than 2 mph and will stop about every 10 yards. The only thing I will concede as a fun snow activity is a snowball fight. Something about making a great snowball and landing a solid hit in a snowball fight is really fulfilling.

November in Greenville means more than just snow however, it also means base training for Furman Elite. With the group finally all together after the addition of two new members, the solid training grid to USA club cross country has begun. This time of the season is unique also in that everyone is together for everything. Since club cross is next on everyone’s schedule, for the time being there are no individual race specific days separating the group. Being all together everyday is great. Not only does it make life more pleasant, but it also makes us better, better together. Throw in the addition of two fresh new personalities in Isaac and Melissa, and there is never a dull moment. Both Isaac and Melissa bring great qualities to the group and have been enjoyable to be around, only adding to the strength of the group.

Finally and most notably November means college football. This is a monumental year for the sport of college football also. With the establishment of a four team playoff decided independently of the BCS rankings, it seems like every team still has a title shot. One thing is certain though: Alabama is on the rise and poised to make a move. With both top 4 opponents in Mississippi State and Auburn being played at home, Alabama’s chances to win out look promising. There is also no possibility that Auburn will win this year in Bryant Denny. When this video leaked yesterday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFvqdQnWu9I (yes that is Auburn’s head Division 1 college football coach) there is no way Gus can keep the locker room and pull out a win in a crowd full of people singing Dixieland Delight, shaking shakers, and yelling roll tide every time Alabama gets a first down. Derrick Henry for Heisman.

Turn off the lights,

Wilkerson 

You Don't Know... Bolas

Part VI: Sound of Music

Remaining with the theme of my previous blog, I want to continue to shine light on the true identities of my Furman Elite teammates through the use of mediocre metaphor. Last time you learned what career each member will get involved in once this running thing gets the ax. Well, the other day, I cornered the Eliters in our locker-room shed and politely asked them the following: “If you could be any musician dead or living, who would you choose and why?” Some answers are to be expected, while others may surprise you. I strongly believe that one’s musical interests and/or musical idols are a reflection of both one’s louder personality traits as well as those more subtle characteristics hidden deep within our souls… Ok, enough of the cheesy stuff. Check it out! Keep in mind, though these answers have been slightly edited for formatting purposes, the responses are more or less untainted.

Wilkerson – Carrie Underwood

This artist is beautiful, soft-spoken, and multi-talented, just like our own Wilky-Way. A deep connection with the south, with a politeness and humility that has attracted a massive fan-base, Wilks could actually teach Carrie a few things, except for a love of country music—they were born with that!

Lee – Eric Earley

Lead man for that quintessential underground indie alternative rock band, Blitzen Trapper. With roots in the Northwest, his complex lyrics and acoustic guitar work have always spoken to Lee, who would fit in quite nicely among the intellectual, progressive crowds of Portlandia.

Heidi – Elena “Ellie” Goulding

Super talented and possessing incredible vocal ranges, both of these exotic foreigners have turned the U.S. into their personal playground—Goulding transforming the synth-pop music scene and Heidi taking it to her American counterparts on the track. Goulding, coincidentally, deems herself as a running-enthusiast, but she’s got nothing on the Mama Kitty’s track skillz.

Jeff – Buddy Holly

Now this one caught me off guard but Jeff made a good argument. Buddy was the front-man for a band at the heart of the Rockabilly musical revolution, just as Jeff is the clear leader of Furman Elite, which is attempting to transform the post-collegiate running scene. In addition, both sport that lovable, nerdy charm.

Steph – Michael Buble

This fabulous singer/songwriter simply has the biggest heart in the music scene, much like Steph’s in the running world. He’s one of the best at what he does, dropping beautiful rhymes about love while Steph is one of the best at what she does, crushing competition for one PR after another.

Rob – Chad Kroeger

Officially stumped with this one, but let the man explain. Rob has always found inspiration from Nickleback’s lead man. Though Rob claims allegiance to death metal, deep down, Nickleback’s post-grunge, pop rock tunes give him one endless adrenaline rush. He knows that the future of rock ‘n’ roll lies in the hands of Chad, and Rob will always admire him for that.

Michael – Matt Berninger

This guy is a true rock star and lead man of The National. Michael and Matt share similar stories—a deep baritone voice and glorious facial hair, a dark, mysterious past and a quiet, yet spectacular rise to stardom.

Craig – Scott Stapp

In Craig’s own words: “Where do I start? First off, who doesn’t love Creed? Secondly, ‘With Arms Wide Open’… I mean really, what else is there to say? Greatest. Band. Ever. Go to for every pre-race pump up cuz you know, I just really respect Scott’s commitment to the craft.”

Nicole – Annie Clark aka St. Vincent

For those of you unfamiliar with St. Vincent, please take a few minutes to youtube a video or two of hers and this will all make sense. Totally unique, incredibly talented, rather eccentric—the makings of a true artist. Annie and Nicole share similar characteristics in their respective industries as exceptional individuals at the forefront of their fields.

Cory – Macklemore

The man stormed the international rap scene this past year with an eclectic style that caught everyone’s attention. Meanwhile our man, Mr. Leslie, dominated the running scene, ripping world-standard times in two separate events. They’re cool, well respected among their piers, the best at what they do, and show no signs of slowing down.

Me – TBD

As a strong believer in reincarnation, I need not make a decision on any past or present musician, but will instead wait for the moment when I am reborn as a musical god, raining my musical genius down upon a world that has long been tortured by the slow decay of the music scene.

Cashmere Thoughts

Phil was right this year. Even amidst a cloudy day in Pennsylvania where chances for a shadow were low, spring did not have an early arrival. Winter lasted those 6 extra weeks, but, with highs in the upper 70s this week in Greenville, I think it is safe to say spring is finally here.

Springtime is a great time of year. Spring means warmer weather, Easter, my birthday, summer is closer, and the very important Outdoor Track season. For Furman Elite, the start to outdoor track is under way for some and is very close for others. Although the season opener was rough (to put it lightly) for me personally, both Lee and Michael started the season strong. Even with a punch in the mouth to start things off though, there is always something positive to take away or a lesson to be learned. Muhammad Ali said it well, “Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.”  In life, ups and downs are a guarantee. How you respond to them, however, is not. For me personally, every down day or circumstance only fuels my resolve and passion to work harder. In my mind, when something doesn’t go the way you want, you’re not working hard enough. Also, just as Albert Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result,” when something doesn’t go right, change needs to occur. Running is no exception.

            

Well it’s March and a blog post in March should not go without some madness. As you may or may not know, Furman Elite does have a bracket pool and it’s pretty important. With odds of 1 in 9.2 quintillion for picking a perfect bracket this year, the only thing certain is uncertainty. In the Furman Elite pool, the rankings have been pretty unstable as well. Coach Rita dominated the first rounds of the tournament, ranking in the 100^th percentile at some points (actually really impressive considering millions of people play), but has been overtaken by Coach Mickey and Cory who are now both contending for the lead. While my bracket went down with my rock chalk Jayhawks and boy Andrew Wiggins (I am actually an Alabama fan but since they just barely missed the tournament with a 13 and 20 record, I adapted and pulled for the Jayhawks), it was still better than an Ohio State all the way strategy (sorry Chad, I do respect the loyalty though). This year’s tournament has been phenomenal to watch nonetheless. There have been so many close games and surprising upsets, and the tournament isn’t even over yet. The most impressive upset in my opinion, however, was Mercer over Duke.  With Mercer joining the SoCon next year, Furman basketball will no doubt have its hands full. Not only can Mercer play, they can dance. I don’t know how many people saw that Mercer player throw down that Nae Nae at the end of the game, but it was great. Also, the rise of the SEC throughout the tournament has been fun to watch. How superior the SEC is in not only football but now clearly basketball is incredible. Alright, enough about March Madness. Hope to see y’all at Blue Shoes in two weeks!

Primetime,

Wilkerson 

Out of the Blue

                 I was desperately adjusting the broken strap of my Walmart goggles as she leaned down into my lane, carefully balanced on her walker, and smiled, eyes bright behind her glasses. I paused for a moment and met her gaze, listening as she said something I didn’t quite understand. I returned her smile, defaulted to “Yes, Ma’am,” and kicked off on a sprint to end the workout. Though a product of Gulf Coast summers, I’ve never been at ease in a swimming pool, or really in the water for that matter; I swim most laps one breath short of frantic.  But as the gears in my hypoxic brain turned underwater, I pieced her words together:

“I would give anything for that”

Minutes before, I was imagining how silly we must look to the old folks in the rehab pool, fit young people, a US Champion in Nicole, no less, jumping around in the shallow end with foam weights held high above our heads, part of a workout disguised as a “recovery routine.” Now I sat on the ledge, catching my breath and my thoughts. Given the soft kindness in her voice and face, she didn’t say it to chasten, nor did it seem mawkish or wistful…and she certainly wasn’t hitting on me. 

              Instead, I took it as a charge: to earn my fitness and never for a second take it for granted, for there will come a time when we cannot do what we are now capable of doing. Ignore or fixate upon it at your own peril, or accept it and leave little to chance as you strive to accomplish all you can while you can.  But forgettable platitudes abound—talk is cheap, and the proof is in the pudding. I went to bed early that night.

  

With a refreshed sense of purpose worthy of a new year, I joined Jack, Michael, and Wilkerson in accompanying our resident cartographer, the intrepid Jeff See, down a long dirt road in Sumter, SC on Saturday morning. 

Our unseasonably warm run degenerated into a proper downpour, and in short order we were soaked to the skin. Slinging sand and mud, we barreled forward into our progression, no longer mindful of the weather, though it did occasion some ill-informed speculation on survival strategies if stranded in a South Carolina pine forest.  Upon completion, we huddled under a small church house porch to change, grateful for dry clothes, shelter, and the mere possibility of Chipotle burritos back in Greenville; sometimes it takes running in a storm or two to be reminded of how little we actually need in life and how much more we demand of it. 

Speaking of rain, here's a quick music story to tie it all together: 

In 1979, many critics predicted the death of rock and roll and the end of Neil Young’s career; he responded with Rust Never Sleeps, widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of the decade. Young risked everything and succeeded in fusing his acoustic folk-rock sensibilities with the punk ethos of the late 70’s, signaling the consummation of an artistic rebirth that cemented his status as one of the greatest musicians of the era.  Though I’m usually skeptical of mantras and mirror writing, the titular declaration stayed with me long after other lyrics and passages faded. Perhaps it’s the simplicity and broad applicability that I find so appealing—“rust” can be anything entropic, the result of disuse and inattention in any facet of our lives.  And though entropy is inevitable, striving to build, to create, to improve is to affirm life itself. Both humbling and emboldening, it is a rallying cry in the battle against complacency and mediocrity, carpe diem's sharper-edged brother, and my first message for 2014.  

Finally, I would like to honor Furman’s Allie Buchalski for her selection to the US Junior National XC Team and 18^th place finish in Edinburgh and far more so to recognize her inspirational strength in competing in memory of her father, Jim, who she lost suddenly and tragically on New Year’s Eve. French historian Hippolyte Taine once wrote that much great poetry only knows one style: “a suffering, triumphant cry from the heart.” 

At times, such is our sport-- and our lives.

Sincerely,

Lee

The Blueprint 2

The New Year is here and what better way to start off 2014 than with the much anticipated sequel to The Blueprint. Although The Blueprint was written in a much more favorable time of the football season (a time when the tide was high), I brought the flutes this time. Thus, in the spirit of the New Year, it seems appropriate to look at the year ahead, recount some highlights from the previous year, and throw in a ranking of the Furman elite pets.

2014 is shaping up to be a great year for Furman Elite. With a fall full of base and strength training, the upcoming indoor racing season looks promising. As the group now shifts its focus to more specific track work, fast times are just around the corner. The group is finally back in Greenville and very excited about its newest member, Rob Finnerty (more to come on Rob, he’s been here 3 days). I hope everyone ate their black-eyed peas on the 1^st because I am expecting good things in 2014.

2013, however, had some great memories. Craig touched on a few in his most recent post but I thought I would add a couple to the list.

1. People watching in the Furman dining hall (been at it for years but more fun with Craig, Michael, and Lee)

2. Looking for “hots” at the pool (and now spring is right around the corner).

3. Experiencing the incredible Ohio State marching band with Cory.

4. Eating at Roost for every downtown meal.

5  Getting the full buzz city (Charlotte) experience and seeing Lebron James in person with James and Cory

6. And lastly, learning about tennis (or something) at a New Year’s party.

2013 was a good year.

Alright enough New Year's stuff, lets talk about the Furman Elite pets. Going under the radar until now, Brail (Michael’s dog), Nermi (Nicole’s cat), Trent (Jeff and Heidi’s cat) and Samson (also Jeff and Heidi’s cat) are all an integral part of Furman elite that is often forgotten. In order to best describe the animals, I will rank them based purely on my observations and experiences with the pets. Admittedly, I have not spent much time with them so my personality descriptions may not be entirely accurate. However, first impressions are important. The rankings also have no connection to their owners whatsoever. Here’s the list:

1. Brail: Brail wins by default because he is not a cat. Brail is a black lab (labs are my favorite dog) and will never turn down an opportunity to play. Always there to greet you with a big jump (actually a lot more than one), Brail is pretty well behaved, especially for his young age.

2. Trent: Trent is an adventurous cat, which I can respect. Never satisfied just sitting around, Trent will do anything to stay busy (including hiding in the fridge).

3. Nermi: Nermi is a fat cat. With an indifferent to the world attitude, Nermi does have some redeeming traits but looking good is not one.

4. Samson: Samson finishes last really because he has two major strikes against him that can’t be overcome. First, he looks like a living Swiffer. Secondly, he is scared of everything. With big eyes and timid movements, Samson (whose name implies strength) is a real pussycat.

Now that you know the entire Furman Elite squad, we can really start the New Year!

What more can I say?

Wilkerson

The year that was...

As 2013 draws to a close I'd like to reflect on my favorite Furman Elite memories.  I do have a small handicap having only joined the group this September but a lot can happen in 4 months! So here are a couple of my top moments of 2013 with Furman Elite...

1. Visiting Furman in July and telling Coach Gary I wanted to join the group.  His reply, "why don't you think about it some more and tell me by mid-August." I hope he never gets into sales.

2. Receiving an email from my soon to be roommate, this kid Michael Hammond, saying that he will be bringing a puppy to live with us. The pup, Brail, has turned out to be part black lab and part cat-dog as he climbs around the apartment with little grace.

3. Putting my altitude tent together with my girlfriend Bridget, our first true test of compatibility.  The tent still stands.

4. Ripping the football across the pool with the next great American steeplechaser, Wilkerson Given.

5. My first workout on the Furman golf course were I was dropped like a bad-habit.  A summer of life guarding and eating pork roll sandwiches didn't help my fitness level.

6. The "lunch at Ale-House" that turned into lunch, and dinner, and Sunday night football.

7. When it was time to strip down to singlet and shorts for our first race as a group and mother nature decided to give us a shower to add to our cold early morning plight.  Thanks for the good times Richmond.

8. Arriving at our month long rental house in Flagstaff, Arizona and running around the place calling rooms like the first episode of "The Real World." Especially when we found the missing room outside the main house which Jack and I claimed and coined "The Bro Den."

9. Beating Jeff See twice in a row in Ping-Pong.

10.  The arrival of Furman Elite's father, Coach Robert Gary, in Flagstaff.  It was no surprise that with his arrival we all had our best workout of the trip, capping a great month of growth as athletes and as friends.

Happy New Year, 2014 looks bright for Furman Elite

-Craig

A Very Furman Elite Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the nation
Furman Elite trained hard, through cold weather frustration.

Craig went northeast to the so-called Garden State.
I'm not sure if Bridget joined, probably left her in the crate.

Nicole traveled north to her home state of Michigan.
That cat seriously better not scratch my chest again.

It was off to the See's for Furman Elite's favorite pair.
I'd love to see the Christmas sweaters Heidi makes Jeff wear.

For Jack, family was near, in the town of Chapel Hill.
A good thing, as he's likely tying his shoes still.

Stephanie roamed the land, traveling who knows where.
T. Paste has no boundaries, no bad days and little hair.

Surely Wilkerson rests at a ranch in the south
Shooting skeet, eating duck, hardly moving his mouth.

Back in Ohio, Cory plays his PS4.
I wonder if he can do grass field loops any more.

Lee and I argue, sometimes intensely debate.
He's probably happy back in 'Bama where I can't make him irate.

The Chad likely slumbers, fatigued from our nonsense.
Actually, probably not, as I keep having to move those hurdles myself; it's quite intense.

RG and the gang are back in Chicago, the place of his birth.
Hopefully enough eggnog and he'll forget about 15 by K on the first.

That last one was a questionable rhyme, but it's okay.
I'd just be happy to celebrate New Years the right way.

As for your humble author, Brail and I are just great.
He has a certain surgery upon our return so we're hastily searching for a mate.

So to my family, friends, and those many I've yet to meet:
Happy Holidays and New Year from Furman Elite!

-Michael