Ed Budde,Conrad Dobler of the NFL in Kansas City

"Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody."– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Next week I am going to Kansas City where I’ll be joined by Ed Budde and Conrad Dobler for a book and autograph signing. I first met Ed on the football field at Denby High School in Detroit, Michigan in the late 1950s. I am one year older than Ed and in my senior year we had a tremendous football team that was talked about in the press. In fact, they compared our 1957 team to other great football teams in the history of the state of Michigan. We were considered one of the best. That year, I made the Detroit All- City Team while Ed made All-American.

Frank and Ed which one's Frank?

Ed graduated the following year and went on to become All-American at Michigan State University. He was drafted by both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. He chose the Kansas City Chiefs and was signed for $15,000 in 1963. After 13 seasons, his salary rose to $75,000. Currently, he is the president of the Kansas City Chiefs alumni Association. His oldest son Brad graduated from USC as an All-American and was also the number one pick by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ed arranged and invited Conrad Dobler to join us at the following book signings. Conrad has written a book titled “Pride and Perseverance”    and played for the St. Louis Cardinals NFL football team. Our schedule next week is as follows: on September 5^th between 3 and 7 PM we will be at the Outlaw Cigar at 136 th and Metcalf. On September 6^th between 1 and 4 PM we will be at the Casual Male at 8721 Metcalf; and from 5 to 8 PM At the Foundry, Big and Tall on 119^th and Metcalf. On September 7^th we will be from 11 to 1 PM at Jerry’s Sports at 149^th and Metcalf; and from f 4 to 6 PM at Diebel’s Cigar at 119^th and Roe.

Conrad Dobler

Ed is also involved in raising money for charities and is hosting a silent auction and an NFL alumni golf tournament. Aside from being an All-Pro, Ed is really a nice guy and I’m fortunate to have a friend like that. Remember his saying “keep moving.”

I also want to direct you to the September/October issue of endurance racing magazine.com for an article that I wrote on mental toughness. Also, listen in to Ed’s radio interview on sports radio 810 on this blog.

Overcoming Polio,Trail Running and Kigali Library

"I AM A RUNNER because I run. Not because I run fast. Not because I run far. I AM A RUNNER because I say I am. And no one can tell me I'm not."

John Bingham, \

I just received a letter from Dr. Don Nichols. I met Don at Oakland Community College in the early part of the 1970s, while Don was Dean of Students  and I was an Assistant Professor  and working on my PhD.  Don’s story is inspiring as well as interesting. For instance, Don was diagnosed with polio at the age of three and had a number of successful corrective surgeries at 11 years of age. Don was thankful for the aid he received from the March of Dimes.

 So to tell you a little bit about this man’s character, guess what he did? He learned to ride a bike, in his later years, and rode from Detroit to Florida in order to raise money for the March of Dimes and in some way pay them back for that earlier assistance. And, he did complete the trip and raise money in the process.

Although not able to run long distances, this 75-year-old man runs 5 miles to keep in shape and to be physically active. So for his 75^th birthday, he increased the mileage to 7.5 miles for celebration. Even though it took him 2 ½ hours to complete this distance, he was successful despite the dreary drizzly day. He did it and congratulations go to him. By the way that was the longest distance he has ever run.

Don’s new project is raising money for the Kigali library in Rwanda. Don writes “The library is dedicated to promoting reconciliation and forgiveness as a result of the genocide there in 1994 which took the lives of almost 1,000,000 people.”

Read more about Dr. Don Nichols http://nonprofit.davenport.edu/70nichols/drnicholsbio-photo.html

Those that want to help can e-mail Don at ddnichol@gmail.com. To receive updates on the project one can go to KigaliLibrary.org.

 Secretariat and I hit the trail yesterday I and we called that tapering. Today Joan and I did a short trail run and plan on running a longer trail run tomorrow in order to get her ready for her first marathon. Remember, keep moving.

Do you have sufficient testosterone ?

"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself."– Anna Quindlen

 An article regarding testosterone appeared in Bottom Line, September 1, 2012. Apparently, about 40% of men age 45 and older have what is called a testosterone deficiency. Unfortunately, current  research suggests that low levels of testosterone may be associated with an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, osteoporosis, depression and Alzheimer’s disease. These  conditions are obvious since symptoms of low testosterone include fatigue, low libido, erectile dysfunction, enlarged prostate, muscular weakness, poor endurance, irritability, poor concentration and poor memory.

If you don’t have energy , muscle strength, or endurance, just think of the kind of life you would be able to lead. You certainly wouldn’t have energy for exercise nor for having a zest for life. Being tired and weak would also obviously  lead to having a depressed mood as well. It is also clear that diet alone couldn’t solve the problem. It would be no wonder that  having this condition would increase the probability of a greater likelihood in weight gain. And we know what happens with all the many conditions associated with  excess weight .

If you are a woman , a testosterone deficiency can cause symptoms similar to the one in men such as fatigue, depression, weight gain, low libido and osteoporosis.

So if you’re having difficulty getting off the couch to begin your exercise in changing your lifestyle it might be wise  for testosterone testing. For those of you who like to do things on your own, testosterone might be boosted by the following : losing weight, managing stress, weight training, getting eight hours of sleep, eating healthy monounsaturated fats , limiting processed carbohydrates, and eating organic food.

Sunday, I did a 10-11  mile training trail run with Joan and today Linda Nails, Digger, and I are planning on for a going out  for a ride and trail run. Remember, keep moving.

Brisk Walking, Exercise,Ed Budde Poster, and Cool Feed

 Secretariat sent me a Kaiser Newsletter article titled “Exercise a Prescription Pill. “The doctor called brisk walking as exercise. I don’t know exactly what he meant so I looked up brisk in the dictionary. The dictionary defined brisk as “quick, active, and lively.”  The dictionary definition did not answer my question. It seems that we all have some notion about brisk walking. My idea of brisk walking might be different than yours. Well, one way to solve the problem is to define “brisk walking” so that we all know (common understanding) what it means. Secretariat suggested that we employ an increase in pulse rate number. Another way to define it would be based on speed or miles per hour. In essence, we need an operational definition so that everyone’s brisk walking can be measured and is the same. Then perhaps, we can more intelligently discuss the relationship between brisk walking and exercise as long as we have an operational definition. Don’t forget to operationally define exercise as well.  

Secretariat created a poster for a book and autograph signing for my Kansas City trip. I have a 1957 photo taken by the Detroit Free Press of Ed and me when they selected us as linemen of the week when Denby played Eastern High School the previous Friday.  I had a good game in that I caused and recovered a fumble, blocked and recovered a punt all in the first half. Coach Rutherford  freely substituted I don’t remember what Ed did in the game however the final score was Denby 35 and Eastern zero.

So the poster reads “Join 1957 Denby High Linemen of the Week “above that 1957 photo. Below the photo reads “Ed Budde Kansas City Chiefs # 71   1963-1976” and below that “Author Dr. Frank Lieberman, autograph and book signing. “And underneath the last line is picture of the cover of my book “It Has Nothing to Do with Age.”

Ed, an All- NFL Pro, last week was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. He has won many honors and has been the president of the Kansas City Chiefs Alumni Association for over 20 years.

Early Saturday morning on the 25th, Secretariat, Randall, Diane and I are doing a trail run. After the trail run join us at Cool Feed for Customer Appreciation Day from 10 to 2 for festivities and a book signing.  As Ed would say “keep moving.”

Self-Deception,Reality,and Fuelling the Brain

"Man's main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is."– Erich Fromm

As I promised, more information about self-deception. According to the Wall Street Journal article, by the age of three children have a tendency to see themselves as smart regardless of their abilities as well as exaggerating positive traits in others. How many mothers have called their kids “precocious” and “smart”   at an early age?  Did your mother tell you that you were a smart and precocious kid? By adolescence, one fourth of college bound students rated themselves in the top 1% in their ability to get along with others.  On another study by Dr. Keating, female students who took leadership positions, on campus, scored higher on measures of self-deception than the control group. According to Dr. Triver’s, many people have a way of fooling their inner eye and believe they are more successful or attractive than they really are.

In the late 1970s, I did research on Ego Identity development comparing pregnant versus non- pregnant teenagers. On one projective of measure of body image, I found that the pregnant teens viewed themselves more significantly more attractive than the control group as far as clothing accessories and lean attractive bodies were concerned. What is your perception of your body image?

Since more than likely, at times, we all employ self-deception; the task is not to rely on self-deception so it becomes a habit. For me, I have to remind myself that I don’t run quite as fast as I used to and that is okay. That does not mean that I don’t want to improve with my speed and endurance as Secretariat can attest.

Often self deception can become a hindrance as related to job, running or relationship issues, if your major focus is on achievements or public image. So if you fail at your goals or have a lack of achievement success and maintain an excuse over and over that you will solve it or remedy the problem with the next run or the next task, watch out. Individuals like Steve Jobs, Einstein or Thomas Edison type are obviously exceptions.

During yesterday’s trail training run, Secretariat told me that he may start out with a self-deception i.e. running a three hour marathon but then reality hits and then he readjusts his goal. We also talked about holding two contradictory ideas or beliefs at the same time and traced that quality back to our fathers.

Today’s trail run was with Joan and covered about 12 miles.  Fuelling the brain and proper hydration is very important. Being on the trail is difficult and we require the necessary fuel to keep moving.

Marathons,Walking,Laughing,and Self-Deception

"The Noah rule: Predicting rain doesn't count; building arks does."– Warren Buffett

Today’s trail run was about 10 miles and a training run for Joan who registered for her first marathon October 7^th in Susanville. During the run, I reminded her of the importance of hydration and eating about 200 calories per hour. We all know that hydration and fueling the brain with glucose are keys to success. Another component for either the new or experienced trail runner is incorporating walking while training. She has a very fast walk and that will serve her well both during training and in her marathon. I kept on reinforcing the notion that walking was good.

As a matter of fact, Secretariat and I did some easy trail runs last week incorporating walking into our program since we were both tired during the week. I do not have trouble walking especially when I have a friend that has a good attitude and likes to laugh. Yesterday he told me during our run that at times serious people were critical of his laughing. That evoked a laughing response from me and we both laughed.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal dated July 31, 2012 was about lying to self with the description that some self deception can boost power and influence. According to the article, most of us do it at one time or another. Anthropologist Robert Trivers claims that believing we are more talented or intelligent than we are can help us influence and win over others. In his book “The Folly of Fools”, he gives an example of an executive who talks himself into believing he is a great public speaker. This man ,according to Trivers ,not only feels better as he performs but increases the belief of how much he fools people by having a confident style that persuades them that he’s good.

There are two ideas regarding this idea of self deception. One point of view is that people deceive themselves in an unconscious effort to boost self-esteem or feel better. The other point of view states that different parts of the brain can harbor conflicting beliefs at the same time, and that self-deception is a way of fooling others to our own advantage. Further, some people appear to have the tendency as an inborn personality trait while others may develop the habit as a way of coping with problems and challenges.

 I’m not done with this subject and more to follow about the idea of self-deception. In the meantime, keep moving. Do not use self deception to justify staying on the couch. If you use self-deception to justify staying on the couch, you’re not going to boost power or influence but instead become sickly, old, overweight and unhealthy.

Overcoming Resistance, Pep Talks and Cavemen

"He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality."– Anwar al-Sadat

Running on the trail, as you know, Is much more difficult than running on a treadmill. My new training partner Joan can attest to that fact. Prior to today’s trail run, she had difficulty starting. She knew we were going to climb Maine Bar, and that may have had something to do with it. Trouble getting off the couch is something that we’ve all encountered at some time or another. We know that it is imperative to begin talking positives to ourselves like “Going out is good for me” or Just do it.” Some use negatives like calling self a wimp seem work too. Joan used her own “Pep talk” to get her going today. Find and discover your own” Pep Talk.”


On another note, during my recent lectures at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Chautauqua Institute, and Fleet Feet Running Camp, my discussion regarding the hazards of sitting elicited quite a response. So, I am providing the data again.


* Be Like a Caveman and Keep Moving


How much sitting in a chair, during a 24 hour day, are you doing? Sitting in a chair, for long amounts of time, is a major contributor to poor health in this country. Think about it for a moment. Would it be interesting to you to know how many minutes or hours a day you find yourself sitting down? How much time do you spend driving in a car, eating your meals, at your computer or at some other electronic device, in an office, or sitting around talking to friends and family?


Why not with a stopwatch record time spent sitting during a week day and evening along with one day, from the weekend. This will give you some idea as to how much time spent being active, vs. time spent being inactive. Sitting is detrimental to your health.


The body, regardless of age, adapts to whatever you do with it. Too much time spent without moving results in your body becoming stiff and uncomfortable to move. Further, being sedentary results in muscle fiber connective tissue contracting since the fibers gets stiffer and less flexible. When this happens, the body produces less and less of its natural lubricating substances. When tissues, muscles become dry, short and inflexible they are more likely to tear since lack of movement lowers the blood supply in the bones. With a lower blood supply, bones become brittle and more fragile.


*Other significant findings of too much sitting include the following: 1. when sitting, the electrical activity in the leg muscles shuts off. 2. Calorie burning drops to one per minute. 3. Enzymes that help break down fat drops by 90%. . 4. After two hours of sitting, good cholesterol drops by 20%. 5. When, in a fixed position, like sitting, the muscles in the torso, neck and shoulders squeeze blood vessels, reducing blood flow and causing fatigue. 6. Insulin levels effectiveness drops and the risk of diabetes rises. 7. High amounts of stress are placed on the spine specifically the lower back and neck. 8. Blood often pools in the lower legs which can cause numbness and varicose veins. 9. Decreased fitness reduces lung and heart efficiency, and a higher risk for injury and disease.


Sources include: British Medical Journal; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Science Daily; Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.


Keep moving my friends.

Running Faster-Slow Twitch vs. Fast Twitch Fibers

"Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out."– James Bryant Conant

How many of you want to run faster? I do. There are many supplements to consider as well as testosterone, HGH etc. in fact just yesterday, San Francisco Giants major league baseball player Milky Cabrera got suspended for the rest of the season because of his testosterone levels. Different training regimes such as intervals, tempo runs, high mileage, heavy strength training and plyometrics are other things to consider.

We know that some runners have superior speed while others have exceptional endurance and  the differences is likely due to the different types of fibers that make up the different  muscles. Do you have a majority of slow twitch fibers which are good for aerobic running? Do you have majority of fast twitch fibers which are best for short or high-intensity sprinting? Apparently some distance runners may have 90% slow twitch and 10% fast twitch fibers i.e. marathoners while others may have 60% slow twitch and 40% fast twitch fibers i.e. milers.

One way to evaluate your fiber type was found in the May 2011 Edition of Trail Runner. When you race, A) Are you able to hang with your competitors during the middle stages, but get out kicked in the last quarter to half mile?  B) Do you have a hard time maintaining the pace during the middle stages, but can finish fast and out kick others?  Answer A. is associated with more slow twitch fibers while answer B is associated with more fast twitch fibers

Which type of workouts feels easier and more natural?  A) Long intervals such as 800 m to mile repeats, long runs and tempo runs. B) Short, fast intervals such as 200 and 400’s.  Answer A. is associated with more short twitch fibers. Answer B) is associated with more fast twitch fibers.

Which workouts do you look forward to more?  A) Long intervals and tempo runs. b) Short fast intervals.  A. is associated with more short twitch fibers. Answer B. is associated with more fast twitch fibers. According to the article, we tend to get excited about tasks in which we excel while being more anxious about tasks that are difficult.

Hopefully, you are more aware now of your fast or slow twitch fibers. One rule of thumb is the more slow twitch fibers you have the more you’ll benefit from aerobic training. Also, the more fast twitch fibers you have the more you’ll benefit from speed work.  In other words with more slow twitch fibers the emphasis should be on mileage and   with more fast twitch fibers the emphasis should be on interval training.

Stay tuned as there are other ideas to improve speed. Remember, keep moving.

Young Secretariat

"The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen."– Frank Lloyd Wright

Young Secretariat was born in 1951.  He grew up in the Woodstock era in Southern California. During that time, he was influenced by his culture and the music of his day notably The Righteous Brothers, Beatles, Beach Boys etc. Although you might not picture him as a hippie; he certainly had a fun-loving and independent streak that is still alive today.

He didn’t play team sports in high school, as he did not like to practice. Not liking to practice didn’t mean he didn’t like competitive sports. In his teens you’d find him racing motorcycles in the desert. On the other hand, one could also find him driving his hippie, peace signifying VW bug around the town. Back then he even had hair with an accompanying mustache to boot.

He enlisted in the Air Force, lost his hair and 40 years later we find him with a full beard that is graying. Although he is no longer racing motorcycles or horses, you can find him with his unconventional, that he created, Jeep climbing over rocks and boulders in the Tahoe area. You point out the rock and his jeep will climb it with its deflated tires and powerful first gear.

 Just wait till you see an early picture of him. It is hard to believe that is him. Keep going my friend and don’t ever stop.

Get off the Couch, Beer, Ed Budde and Keep Moving

"Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody."– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 To begin, we all know how difficult it is to wake up in the morning, to leave the bed or get off the couch, put on your running clothes and shoes, leave the house and begin your run. I’m sure everyone has experienced difficulty at some time or another before going out for your run. Today was one of those days per Secretariat. He indicated that he had to force himself to leave the house. How does one force himself to leave the house? It goes back to your thinking and your decision-making process. Nike has a good saying “just do it.” I agree, tell yourself whatever you need to but just do it. First, push yourself to get in the standing position. Two, then put 1 foot in front of the other and continue. If you have negative thoughts, challenge them and reframe when necessary. If you say “I’m too tired” replace with “I will feel better and have more energy, I guarantee it.” Don’t forget to keep moving.

While running Monday on the 1960 Olympic trails near the Homewood Ski Resort, Secretariat admitted he did not like the taste of beer. All these years, I have seen him either with a beer in his hand or engaged in conversation such as “I brought the beer” or” it is your turn to bring the beer.” Even this year during the Jed Smith 50 K., he got out ahead of me on one of the loops and had a beer at one of the aid stations. During the subsequent loop, he was looking forward to having another beer and was disappointed when that pretty woman wasn’t there to give him a beer. All these years I was under the impression that he liked his beer. So when he told me he didn’t like the taste I was surprised. He certainly fooled me. Occasionally I will have a beer but generally not after a run since I’m already dehydrated.
From Secretariat: I guess I need to give a bit of a explanation here. Frank would have you believe I always had a beer in my hand truth is I maybe drank 2 or 3 a week and I hardly ever had beer in my refrigerator at home. About a month ago after having a colonoscopy they found I had a Ischemic colitis. This can be caused by long distance running. So I did some research and found it had to do with hydration. Also that alcohol can inflame it. So I told Frank I was quitting drinking beer. So that brings us to the run at Tahoe. Frank ask me if I missed my beer I said no I really never liked the taste of it anyways. It mostly was a social thing. I also knew Frank would get a good laugh out of my contradictive answer.

I want to plug an ice cream store called Aloha in South Shore at Lake Tahoe. Debbie, Secretariat, Linda and I stopped there after dinner Monday evening. Our waitress recommended that establishment and she was right. Make no mistake about it we all like our ice cream and do not require an excuse to indulge.

On another note, I just got off the phone with Ed Budde the X NFL star of the Kansas City Chiefs. Ed has just been elected to the Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame and will be inducted later this month. Congratulations Ed, the honor is well deserved. I frequently use one of Ed’s quotes “keep moving.”

Garrett Ford,Easy Boot, Sally Edwards, Fleet Feet , Australian Connection and Merry Maids

"We cannot swing up on a rope that is attached only to our own belt."– William Ernest Hocking

Congratulations Garrett “Easy Boot” Ford on your Tevis Cup victory last weekend. A victory that was well-deserved since the ride is difficult and the trail technical .I had the pleasure of first meeting Garrett a number of years ago at a ride and tie in San Diego. For those of you who do not know, Garrett is the owner of “Easy Boot “a godsend protection device for the endurance horse and rider.

Monday, I had the pleasure of being invited to speak at the Fleet Feet Running Camp in Lake Tahoe. The topic of my lecture was” My 10 Principles of Mental Toughness.” In future blogs, I’ll be writing about my hypotheses about this topic and why  I believe that some people have “it “while others don’t have “it.” I have thought about this subject for the past year or so and believe I can make a contribution to the understanding and the necessary components of “it.”

At my presentation, I wore my” Merry Men love Merry Maids and Ride & Tie “T-shirt. Linda is the proud owner of the Merry Maids cleaning service and sponsored one of our ride and ties at Cool a few years back. David De la Rosa was my partner and we wore the T-shirts. Needless to say we did very well at that event. David was also my partner on other ride and ties notably at Quicksilver. He runs a marathon in about three hours and also rides well. That T-shirt generated much discussion at the beginning of my talk and was a good fit with the topic of discussion.

Sally Edwards originally started Fleet Feet, the running shoe store, about 35 years ago as well as the running camp. Although she sold the company name she retained the rights of the Fleet Feet Running Camp.   It’s great to be able to present to runners and active individuals. It seems they get it. The trails out of the camp were part of the 1960 Olympics and are simply beautiful with the rugged rocks and tree formations.

Secretariat and Debbie accompanied Linda and me. First, Secretariat and I did a trail run, before my lecture, while Debbie and Linda hiked the trails. After my lecture, we headed for South Shore and the Ridge adjacent to the Heavenly Ski Resort. On Tuesday, we took our kayaks to Kings Beach and paddled for roughly 3 hours. The day was glorious, the weather terrific, the company excellent, and the Lake Tahoe views out of this world. Oh yeah, we found an ice cream store after kayaking. Finding ice cream stores is one important part of our pleasures.

Today, I met Janet “Australian Connection” Pucci and her women friends on the trail. She inquired about Secretariat. For those of you who do not know the “Australian Connection” has wonderful gear and things for your horse and for you runners.

I had some difficulty waking up this morning and getting out of bed to feed the horses.  I didn’t know what today’s trail run was going to be like as I felt sore and tired.  After my morning breakfast smoothie, I hit the trail and immediately felt better and enjoyed my run. Once again it just goes to show you that an important motivational key is what happens between your ears. My next book is likely to be titled “It’s Between Your Ears. “Keep moving my friends.

Tevis Cup and It's the Worst Day of my Life

"Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome."– Samuel Johnson

Did you know that, on August 4, the Tevis Cup ride begins at Robie Park? This endurance ride was first held on August 7, 1955. The ride was originated, organized and implemented by a man named Wendell Robie. On his inaugural historic ride, he was accompanied by five men however, only four completed this 100 mile one-day ride. The finishers were: Wendell, Nick Mansfield, Pat Sewell and Bill Patrick.

Since that time, many other competitors have entered and about 50% have completed this ride. This year there are over 200 entries, countless volunteers, and veterinarians to support the riders and the horses over the rugged, technical Western States Trail.  There is plenty of elevation about 22,000 linear feet and much downhill about 25,000 linear feet during the 24 hour period of the ride. It is cool at the early morning start, at the high elevation and temperatures can easily reach 100° or triple digits in the canyons later on in the day. And there are rocks and roots on the trail to make the footing uneven as well as dangerous. Also, the trail gets very dusty in parts because of all the horses, weather and trail conditions.  Some other things that make this ride difficult are lameness, hydration and night riding with steep and treacherous trail drop-offs that scare many riders “to death.” It is not uncommon to hear riders screaming during the night on the California loop.

There are many stories about this ride and the man Wendel Robie who started it.  At the time, one of my neighbors Fred Jones was appointed Director of the California Department of Parks and Recreation in March 1965 by Gov. Pat Brown. On a side note Pat’s son Jerry is currently governor of California .Fred met Wendell in the olden days. As a result, Fred also got to ride in this event since Wendell had his friend Paige Harper procure a horse for him. More about Fred and Wendell can be found in my book “It Has Nothing To Do With Age.”

Just yesterday at the Tevis Cup banquet, I had a conversation regarding Secretariat with Chuck Mather. The story goes something like this: a number years ago Chuck (one of my Western states Pacers, a top 10 Tevis Cup finisher, a 24 hour WS 100 buckle holder and ride and tie competitor); Tom Christofk (a top 10 Tevis Cup finisher, and ultra runner, and ride and tie competitor); and Secretariat ( Ten time Tevis finisher and top ten Tevis Cup Finisher)  had just completed one of their noon workday runs. Tom and Chuck were county employees and had the use of a shower. Although the single shower was by no means elegant as the facility was old and grungy, it’s served its purpose.

After showering, Secretariat said something like “Chuck you have my underpants.” According to Secretariat, Chuck screamed in horror and said something to the effect of “this is the worst day of my life.” I’ll leave the story as is and if Chuck or Tom wants to tell me another version I shall tell that story as well. Carrie enjoyed hearing Secretariat talk about the event on today’s 9- 10 mile run. Other Chuck stories will be told on another occasion.
From Chuck: Tony got the undie story about right. What he failed to say is he went commando for the rest of the day and threw them out when he got home.   Yep it was the worst day in my life.

I didn't know Tony when that pic below was taken. There was this happy bloke running up through Squaw having so much fun I hung with him for awhile. What a surprise to see the picture...it's me!

 

Ride safely this weekend all you Tevis endurance folks.
Pictures are: Top the first 5 riders  1955, 2nd Tom Christofk rideing up to Watson's Monument, 3nd Tony Brickel (Secretariat) tailing up to Michigan Bluff on his way to his tenth finish., 4th Tony tailing up to Waston's Monument, 4th Tony and Chuck at the top of Squaw.