UniWatch

Alan Weeth, Columbia UniWatch Co-Creator

January 2006, the Columbia Track and Field Team receives some fresh new duds to wear to meets. Boathouse makes the uniform, and to the team who was split between Hind and Adidas singlet’s, they are happy to have the new singlet’s and short shorts.

The next weekend, my buddy Alan Weeth and I, who were obsessed with an ESPN column called “UniWatch”, decided to do our own Columbia version of “UniWatch.” Complete with a long analysis of why in the ham sandwich would Sarah Decker be running with a hot dog in her hand?

Now, Columbia has moved on to bigger and better unis…sick right? But that doesn’t mean there can’t be a runLBP mini version of "UniWatch". Where we look at all things track and field uniforms. Just two things to point out for now…

- So what’s the deal with arm warmers? I guess they kind of make sense in terms of not wanting to wear a long sleeve under your jersey, but just put some socks on your arms! Plus, it could lead you to looking like this… But then again, you could be Ritz, and anything you wear is cool, cause he’s from Michigan. Midwest boys have style.
- The other new trend popping up is compression socks. Chris Solinsky may have broken the American 10k Record in them, but if he thinks he looks as cool as Bill and Wilt he’s got another thing coming. If he pulls the Kerry Kittles, he may be onto something. Meanwhile, Columbia runner Tom Poland may have just qualified for NCAAs in XC (a big congrats to the first guy to do so in over 5 years!), he has quite the style going…

Times change, and soon enough, there will be a new compression sock or arm warmer out there…and I’ll probably be all over it. The original Columbia UniWatch is currently being searched for, but Alan Weeth is too busy making clothes for Ambercrombie and I am too busy worrying what my new uniform will look like (I’m thinking Empire State Buildings all over it). Until then, don’t wear anything that foolish, kids who wear headbands are losers.

Pay It Back

My perusing of Let’sRun.com’s “World Famous Message Board” depends on how well I have run. Yes, as vein as that is, it is true. I check the message boards if I’ve run well so that I can see what people are saying about me. If I’ve run poorly, I stay the hell away from it. It is not a confident booster to read that you don’t have what it takes. But I’m not solely self-centered, I actually check the message board if a teammate or friend has done well too.

So when Kyle Merber broke 4 last night in a race I rabbitted, I made sure to check out Let’sRun. While he was receiving his due praises, there were also some notes that mentioned breaking 4 doesn’t mean anything anymore. That too many Americans are doing it. That it has become too easy.

I beg to differ.

While the University of Washington may be excused, where sub-4 miles seem to come a dime a dozen, the mystique is still there. The problem with Washington is that no one races. Everyone sets one another up in a line and then runs accordingly to a really fast time. And don’t get me wrong, the fact that people run that fast is just amazing, I am jealous that I haven’t run a 3:57. But then watch Kyle Merber’s race from Friday night and tell me that it isn’t a little different running 3:58 for the win than running 3:59 to take 8th place in your race. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pitqexSNLcQ)

What happened at the Armory on Friday night was a sight to see. Kyle was able to accomplish a goal that he most likely set when he was in 6th grade when he first laced up his running shoes, and he was able to do it in front of and with people that mean the world to him. If he had run 3:58 at UW he would have been able to hug Coach Wood at the finish line and that would have been it. Instead, he was able to share it with his entire team.

So congrats Kyle, and congrats to anyone who ever breaks 4. A Syracuse coach came up to me after I rabbitted and thanked me. I asked him what Brad Miller ran. “4-flat,” he replied. I apologized. He said I didn’t need to, I did my job. I went on my way. But I hadn’t apologized because of my job, I apologized because I know what it feels like to break 4, and I wish that the Syracuse kid who I have talked to maybe twice in my life could have done the same.
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There are more stories from last night, but they are ones that may be kept secret for a while, ones to be told later when they make more sense. My training is going well. I am pretty excited to see what can happen this outdoor season. I have begun my training block and am discussing what my outdoor season will look like with coach. I’ll post up what I know as soon as I do. But I’m going to hit 73 miles this week and got in a nice tempo run of 7 miles on Tuesday before this pacing job last night. It’s going to be fun come April, May, June and July.

Let’s Go!!

Ps – check out two added LBPjams…BOO YAHHH.