Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - The Bulky Bullet of Berks Breaks 30!

Sayre Kulp set another personal best today by turning in a sub-30 minute 5k, coming in at 29 minutes 48 seconds. That's about a minute and a half faster than his time in Phoenixville last week. Sayre said that when he saw he had the chance to break 30 minutes he burned every match he had. Even a half hour later he was so drained he had to steady himself against my car while we talked about the race.

Three cheers for Sayre, the Bulky Bullet of Berks!

Oh, and I turned in a sub 51 minute result, about 4 minutes faster than Phoenixville last week. Some of that speed was rage; one of the race volunteers at an intersection told me to stop running because he was alarmed at my gait. I tore one of the race officials a new one after I finished.

Congratulations to you both, gentlemen (though maybe if I'd heard your tirade at the race official, I might not use that term). Excellent work all around!

Congratulations to you both, gentlemen (though maybe if I'd heard your tirade at the race official, I might not use that term). Excellent work all around!

As pleased as I am for Sayre, the race is pretty much spoiled for me because of that incident. As I said to the race official, I may not be winning, I may not be the fastest or fittest, but I'm entitled to respect as a participant, and I didn't get it.

Grats to both of you. How did the volunteer ask you to stop running? Was it out of concern for you? I can't wrap my mind around why else they would say anything to you.

Grats to both of you. How did the volunteer ask you to stop running? Was it out of concern for you? I can't wrap my mind around why else they would say anything to you.

The volunteer was holding traffic at the intersection of Stoudt's Ferry Bridge Road and Dietrich Farm Road. I was fast walking. Seeing he was holding traffic, I broke into a jog so I could get through the intersection without delaying traffic. I'd turned my head to keep an eye on traffic and saw a look of shock on the volunteer's face as I jogged. He said, "No, don't run, take your time." This is in a RACE, mind you.

Why would they have concern for me? Would they have shown such "concern" for any other runner? My registration gives my name, address, sex, and age. Nothing else. I wouldn't run if they wanted to put an asterisk after my name.

volunteer <> authority
volunteer = free help

Hopefully without offending anyone, the volunteer may have seen you pick up your pace, and simply wanted to let you know that it wasn't required. He would hold traffic no matter your pace.

Hopefully without offending anyone, the volunteer may have seen you pick up your pace, and simply wanted to let you know that it wasn't required. He would hold traffic no matter your pace.

I can't imagine that's standard practice with all runners.

You guys keep getting lighter and faster, you'll have to move one county over and call yourselves the "Lithe Lightningbolts of Lehigh"!

Congratulations to both of you. Sorry that your buzz got harshed...there's always the next race.

Photos:

Sayre getting his race face on.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1168.snc4/151082_1623618722827_1607271639_1420516_989723_n.jpg

At the finish line.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs601.ash2/155345_1623618322817_1607271639_1420514_4268457_n.jpg

Sayre has some action photos of me, including one just before I blew up at a race official after I entered the 'shute.' I can't wait to see that one. :-)

Historian, I do not know you nor am i one to get involved in something I did not witness. However, since you relayed the story here i am going to assume you are open to a discussion on it. Just from what you have said
I was fast walking. Seeing he was holding traffic, I broke into a jog so I could get through the intersection without delaying traffic, coupled with the fact that you have a noticeable gait, again as you have stated in the past, I think you are doing him a disservice. It seems he thought you were laboring, with or without the gait, and he wanted to let you know you could go back to the pace you had been at.

I see no malice here. It might be time to take that chip off. You ASSUME he is telling you to relax because you ASSUME he thinks you have a handicap. It would be like me going into a restaurant and being seated at a table instead of a booth and assuming the waiter thought I was too fat to fit in a booth. That may have been the case but it is just as plausible that the table was their station and the booth was not. I am not saying that this sort of thing has not happened to you before, but I refuse to believe it is malicious behavior in every case.

Most people have ten fingers, I have nine. I find folks looking at my hand a lot and it makes me chuckle, especially the kids. Does not bother me a bit, except when i go through a drive-thru, I lose a lot of change on the ground. Life is way too short to waste any of the minutes I have left being pissed off about what I assume others think of me. You seem like a good guy that others seem to gravitate to for whatever reason. Once you start thinking of yourself as normal you might stop thinking others don't.

Historian, I do not know you nor am i one to get involved in something I did not witness.

That didn't last long, did it?

That didn't last long, did it?

Seriously? Why do you put something out on a public forum if you don't expect a comment? You focus only on what you perceive as negative. You may want to save a bit more money and buy a thicker skin. I apologize if you took my comments as an insult, my intent was only to maybe give you a different perspective on an incident that obviously upset you.

Seriously? Why do you put something out on a public forum if you don't expect a comment? You focus only on what you perceive as negative. You may want to save a bit more money and buy a thicker skin. I apologize if you took my comments as an insult, my intent was only to maybe give you a different perspective on an incident that obviously upset you.

Oh trust me, my skin is thick enough. It's your 'perspective' which is a little thin, dearie. Your diner analogy, for instance, is laughable - do you really think a waiter has never sat anyone else at a table before you? I saw many runners going through the intersections and not one was told to not run.

As for maliciousness on the part of the volunteer, that's your addition to the narrative. I never claimed he was malicious.

You can flame me too now for chiming in.

You said you were walking before the intersection & then started running to get through sooner. Were "all the other" people that the volunteer didn't say anything to change their pace to get through the intersection??

Maybe, just maybe, they weren't trying to belittle you - just let you know you didn't have to change your pace to get through faster.

I'm sorry that it clouded the memories for the day.

You can flame me too now for chiming in.

You said you were walking before the intersection & then started running to get through sooner. Were "all the other" people that the volunteer didn't say anything to change their pace to get through the intersection??

Maybe, just maybe, they weren't trying to belittle you - just let you know you didn't have to change your pace to get through faster.

I'm sorry that it clouded the memories for the day.

I seem to be the one getting flamed here.

My jog and fast walk aren't that far apart in speed. You are also overlooking that the guy looked alarmed to see me. And, remember, this is a RACE. It's my understanding that at a race a person tries to win, or at least set a good time.

You also seem to be creating a straw man of a malicious volunteer. Once again, I never said he was.

Historian - I've been around here for a while (despite my misleadingly low post count). You do seem to have an awfully big chip balanced on your shoulder lately, and be looking for anyone to knock it even slightly askew. Without being present at the situation, I would also assume that the volunteer was simply trying to tell you that you did not need to change your pace in order to make the crossing -- that he would wait for you, at YOUR pace, and accommodate YOU as a race participant. Who knows, perhaps that volunteer has seen that very scenario play out at other races as well -- so was speaking from a position of experience.

The world is not out to get you. If you think it is, you will miss out on a lot in life.

On the other hand, congratulations on your setting a new personal best.

I've said all I'm going to. Enjoy your strawmen, folks!

The tone of every post in this thread offering you a possible different take on a minor situation has been met with a tongue lashing on your part. If my post was the only one that took this point of view I would be inclined to reevaluate my perspective on what I had written. However, it is blatantly obvious to everyone that reads this thread that you don't like anyone inferring that you may be incorrect. I read your post, gave you a comment on something you decided to share, apologized for anything I may have said that offended you, yet what was your response?
It's your 'perspective' which is a little thin, dearie. Your diner analogy, for instance, is laughable

Let me be frank. This is a Bike Forum yet you continue to post threads asking for validation for everything. Should you run? Should you not run? Should you ride across country? Should you not ride across country? My life sucks blah blah blah blah. We all have issues but you know what? We make our own beds. Don't flame me because you have a gait, i don't give a crap. We offer support and you piss on us for saying anything you don't like. So be it. I have always told my kids there are only too types of people on the planet, positive and negative it is their choice what they want to be. They, like me choose to be positive.

Photos:

Sayre getting his race face on.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1168.snc4/151082_1623618722827_1607271639_1420516_989723_n.jpg

You call it "getting his race face on." I call it "no longer has enough blubber to protect him from the damn cold!"

Neil less than a mile from the finish:

181163


Neil just after crossing the line for a new PR:

181164


The obligatory "buddy shot":

181165

Historian - I've been around here for a while (despite my misleadingly low post count). You do seem to have an awfully big chip balanced on your shoulder lately, and be looking for anyone to knock it even slightly askew. Without being present at the situation, I would also assume that the volunteer was simply trying to tell you that you did not need to change your pace in order to make the crossing -- that he would wait for you, at YOUR pace, and accommodate YOU as a race participant. Who knows, perhaps that volunteer has seen that very scenario play out at other races as well -- so was speaking from a position of experience.

The world is not out to get you. If you think it is, you will miss out on a lot in life.

On the other hand, congratulations on your setting a new personal best.

A couple thoughts: I read the OP and thought Historian was were celebrating a sub 30 min and sub 59 min 5 km bike ride, not run. :D I thought "well good for them for struggling through, but that is pretty slow no matter who you are!"
But I doubt I could run 5km at any pace - I doubt it so much that I won't even bother trying. Good on ya for getting out there!

On the other hand, from your story I assumed the volunteer saw you change your pace and was simply telling you to run your race and don't worry about holding up traffic. My understanding is that in an endurance event you must pace yourself and not let outside factors change your strategy. That is what I would do if I were in a similar position as the volunteer and saw someone change pace seemingly to get through an intersection I was controlling. This is what I do when I hold open doors for people, and when I am driving an letting pedestrians cross the street, etc. Perhaps the volunteer could have phrased it better (or could have done better by simply keeping his mouth shut) but didn't realize anyone would take offense.

Anyhoo, great job on the PB!

Revisting this to see Sayre's photos......




On the other hand, from your story I assumed the volunteer saw you change your pace and was simply telling you to run your race and don't worry about holding up traffic. My understanding is that in an endurance event you must pace yourself and not let outside factors change your strategy. That is what I would do if I were in a similar position as the volunteer and saw someone change pace seemingly to get through an intersection I was controlling. This is what I do when I hold open doors for people, and when I am driving an letting pedestrians cross the street, etc. Perhaps the volunteer could have phrased it better (or could have done better by simply keeping his mouth shut) but didn't realize anyone would take offense.

Anyhoo, great job on the PB!

Thanks, for both the compliment and the temperate reply to my post. I concede I might have overreacted. I should be used to this stuff by now. However, it's pretty clear what the volunteer was reacting to. And leaving my gait aside, a volunteer telling someone how to run a race is just wrong. What if I were channeling my inner Kenyan at that moment? :-)

I ran or jogged through a number of other intersections and no one else said anything about it. I did have a problem with another volunteer, who I had to tell three times I was in the race and then had her send me the wrong way, but that's another matter.

You call it "getting his race face on." I call it "no longer has enough blubber to protect him from the damn cold!"

You know, they make these things called 'base layers'......

Neil less than a mile from the finish:

181163


Neil just after crossing the line for a new PR:

181164


The obligatory "buddy shot":

181165

These are nice photos, Sayre. Thanks for taking them and posting them. I'm pleased I look a lot more alive in these picture than in Phoenixville a week before. In those shots I look like the mortician ran out of embalmer.

Historian, Without completely beating this dead horse, I know too late, I think I also over reacted to your reply to my comments the other night in this thread. You certainly don't need my permission to react in anyway you see fit in any given situation, but I think you took me wrong also. I was not initially attacking you or your reaction to the volunteer, I was just trying to maybe give you a different slant on what he may have been thinking. You did not take it that way and I will take the blame for not presenting it clearly. So for what it is worth, I have enjoyed your posts and will continue to do so.

You know, they make these things called 'base layers'......

I had 'em. TWO of them!

I had 'em. TWO of them!

I'm not carrying that much more insulation than you do, and I did OK with one. What are you wearing? That UA shirt isn't very insulating, and the cotton t shirts you favor do you no, err, favors in this weather. Go to Wal-mart and get the UA knockoffs in your size, in other words, form fitting. Or wear the insulated cycling jersey I gave you; I found it very warm when I could fit into it. See below:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3209/2976554711_05770bded6_b.jpg

That UA shirt isn't very insulating, and the cotton t shirts you favor do you no, err, favors in this weather. Go to Wal-mart and get the UA knockoffs in your size, in other words, form fitting.

Sayre, I was tempted to get you some of the stuff I mentioned above as a Christmas gift, but then I realized it's your wife's job to buy your underwear, not mine. :-)

... the cotton t shirts you favor ...

A parable for Sayre Kulp:

A few years ago, while I was working in a XC ski shop, a lady came in with some nice Salomon ski boots she had bought the previous year. She told me the waterproofing on the boots had failed and every time she goes skiing her feet get soaked with water. I thought this odd as it was a cold winter and for your feet to get as wet as she claimed you'd have to pretty much be standing in a puddle for a few seconds... and it was so cold there were no puddles within two hundred miles. SHe was sure, however, that the boots were leaking so I said we would send them back to the manufacturer (at her expense :)) to be inspected. THe manufacturer sat the boots in a tank of ankle-deep water for two days and there were no leaks. It turns out she insisted on wearing cotton socks while skiing, and the socks were simply becoming saturated with her own sweat.

THe moral of the story is: Cotton is completely unacceptable as a material for athletic clothes. Wearing cotton on even a mild day will get you from overheating while you are moving to freezing while standing still in a matter of minutes. Wearing cotton when excercising when it is actually cold out greatly increases your risk of hypothermia! And you don't need anything expensive or fancy to combat this - like Historian suggested, go to walmart and get a couple of synthetic (no cotton!) shirts and you will be warmer. Or get a very thin fleece sweater. If you don't like nylon or polyproplyne clothes then get a very thin wool sweater - you will be the most comfortable and the coolest looking guy at every event!
Again, some of the nicest stuff is made by Helly Hanson and Smartwool and Swobo and the like, but really, you can get by with $10 synthetic underwear from Walmart. ANd don't even use cotton over top of the synthetic - the synthetic will wick the sweat away and deposit it into the cotton and the wet cotton will lose all of its ability to insulate.

A parable for Sayre Kulp:

A few years ago, while I was working in a XC ski shop, a lady came in with some nice Salomon ski boots she had bought the previous year. She told me the waterproofing on the boots had failed and every time she goes skiing her feet get soaked with water. I thought this odd as it was a cold winter and for your feet to get as wet as she claimed you'd have to pretty much be standing in a puddle for a few seconds... and it was so cold there were no puddles within two hundred miles. SHe was sure, however, that the boots were leaking so I said we would send them back to the manufacturer (at her expense :)) to be inspected. THe manufacturer sat the boots in a tank of ankle-deep water for two days and there were no leaks. It turns out she insisted on wearing cotton socks while skiing, and the socks were simply becoming saturated with her own sweat.

THe moral of the story is: Cotton is completely unacceptable as a material for athletic clothes. Wearing cotton on even a mild day will get you from overheating while you are moving to freezing while standing still in a matter of minutes. Wearing cotton when excercising when it is actually cold out greatly increases your risk of hypothermia! And you don't need anything expensive or fancy to combat this - like Historian suggested, go to walmart and get a couple of synthetic (no cotton!) shirts and you will be warmer. Or get a very thin fleece sweater. If you don't like nylon or polyproplyne clothes then get a very thin wool sweater - you will be the most comfortable and the coolest looking guy at every event!
Again, some of the nicest stuff is made by Helly Hanson and Smartwool and Swobo and the like, but really, you can get by with $10 synthetic underwear from Walmart. ANd don't even use cotton over top of the synthetic - the synthetic will wick the sweat away and deposit it into the cotton and the wet cotton will loose all of its ability to insulate.

I suspect in Sayre's case it's both the cotton and the fact this is his first year in a long time not being super-obese. My first winter below 300 pounds was hard for me, and it was a lot warmer than the temps Sayre faces in Reading. Sayre's cotton socks didn't help him either.

I ran wearing bib tights, a long sleeve cycling jersey, wool hiking socks, cap, long fingered winter cycling gloves, and a Champion winter base layer I picked up at Target for cheap. I felt the cold on my face but not anywhere else.

FYI - I wasn't wearing a bit of cotton this past weekend. My two base layers were a UA shirt, and a long-sleeve RedHead compression shirt, both made of cationic polyester and elastane. Same thing with the UA socks.

Yes, I wear cotton T-shirts, but not to run or bike in. I may be a wuss in the cold, but I'm no dummy.

Wouldn't it be hard to move around in catatonic clothes?

Wouldn't it be hard to move around in catatonic clothes?

Oy veh! 181546

FYI - I wasn't wearing a bit of cotton this past weekend. My two base layers were a UA shirt, and a long-sleeve RedHead compression shirt, both made of cationic polyester and elastane. Same thing with the UA socks.

Yes, I wear cotton T-shirts, but not to run or bike in. I may be a wuss in the cold, but I'm no dummy.

My mistake.

May I suggest switching to wool socks in freezing weather?