Four Days til the Race and a Rant about the Clydesdale Division

Well we are four days out and I am thinking about what I am going to be packing in my race bag. I have a tradition for my long races, can you call it a tradition if you have only done it one time Mammoths? Anyway, I will pack my race bag tomorrow night. I will pack my shirts, my bandanna, my shoes, my socks, my Glide (if you aren't using Glide Mammoths then you need to invest because CHAFFING IS REAL), my undies, my gels and my CamelPack. I then close up my bag and the next time I open it up it will be race day. I am so excited! Tomorrow morning is my last pre-race taper ramble and then its off to Albany, GA for the Snickers Half Marathon. So if you are a Mammoth in the area of Albany please come by and check me, Jackie, Matt, and of course the mini-Mammoth Tilly out and say howdy.

Okay Mammoths its time to get political here. As most of you who have been following the news lately you have seen what is going on in Wisconsin. Out of this debate I am hearing a great deal about how things are "Unfair." Well Mammoths I have one thing to say about that! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS UNFAIR UNTIL YOU HAVE RUN A RACE WITHOUT A CLYDESDALE DIVISION! For those of you who don't know what the Clydesdale division is, I will briefly explain: The Clydesdale division is a recognition of the first, second, and third place finishers who are all over 200 pounds. Some races have a Clydesdale division and that is awesome, most however do not (un-awesome). To me this is so unfair it is not even funny. Now its not an Egypt toss out a dictator unfair, more of a Hey, I wanted spicy mustard on my sandwich and I got plain Frenchs on it kind of unfair. Annoying but you have to deal with it, well Mammoths I have decided that this shall not stand!

So I am going to start using my blog as a place for we Mammoths to have a voice. Now I know in the past that I have written about how the journey is important and that winning is not as important. On one level I totally believe that. I also know that it is extremely unfair to us larger runners to not have a chance at recognition for what we have accomplished. Especially when you think of just how much more of a sacrifice it is for the bigger runner. This past weekend I did a 5k in which I came in 4th in my age bracket. When I looked at the guys I competed against (and some I beat) I noticed that I was giving up 190 to 200 pounds and still putting in a decent time. If there had been a Clydesdale division I would have at least placed and gotten the recognition I deserve. To some of you this may seem childish but to myself, my Mammoths, and those who have rambled before us it is time for our sport to recognize our work ethic, dedication, and sacrifice.

Well now that I am fired up I have to get some rest. As always my Mammoths I hope to see you on the range, stay close to a good watering hole, and watch what you are grazing on.