Soooo.....right. Well, I feel like quite the dead beat blog-daddy now, don't I? What's it been 8, 10 weeks? I'm certainly not going to try and blame it on some lame thing like a lack of internet connection (it's 2011, damnit!)--but I will say that I ceased my blog-tastic run due to the fact that I have real concern for anyone passingly reading this. What does that mean? That didn't do anything all summer. I mean, I chilled--a lot--and a definitely watched some serious television and got caught up on all the BBC only shows I'd missed and over the spring semester at school. I ran too, but that's really pretty lame to talk about. How fun would it be to write, much less read, this over and over again: "Yeah...so...ran today. It was hot. I didn't go very fast, but it wasn't, like, slow, or nothin'. Miss having people to run with. Did I mention it was really hot??" How much fun? Nawt very!
This being said I'll just surmise the summer quickly beyond that parody. After finishing the NCAA season I still had a few weeks of summer school left so I enjoyed the chance to live the muggle life for a bit. It actually wasn't that bad (well, I guess because I was merely impersonating a muggle, not actually one. Their lives must really be lame and unfulfilled)! Hell, I even studied for a French III test once! (That's not a lazy athlete remark, that's a Seth L. Proctor had a hatred of study-like efforts instilled in him during his time in private school remark. Plus, despite actually being kicked out of University during my illustrious career as an eff-up, I've actually become enamored with the 4.0 GPA)
Overall, really, I just enjoyed time with my family and ate like a king. I've got a really close knit family and it really does feel good to get back and see everyone and finally be present at those giant Sunday dinners I've been missing for so long! (Especially when you're allowed to dictate what's made since you've been gone so long!)
Buuut we're all back in Tally now and, despite it being no fun to not have Mommy cooking again, It's great to see all the guys I've missed running with so much over the last couple months. It's a different team to be certain, but we're still a damn good squad. What's scary, however, is that I'm now the grizzled old veteran! Seriously, it's a strange, strange feeling to look around the room and see that you're the only senior and that the guys you still remember as little kids in Fout and Brooksy are now elders on the team themselves.
What's different for me, too, is that I've now got the kid I remember as an 80lb HS freshman on the same team as me! Little Will grew up a block over from me, went to the same school, and had the same coach--and now we're on the same college team. It's weird. I can't put my finger on it, but it is.
Right now we're all just starting to wind into things and get into the swing of training as a unit again--all whilst enjoying copious amounts of post-run Jim & Milt's (something I may have missed more than anything). We've just finished our first workout together again, and though we didn't have the massive crew as quite a few guys are still in the process of getting medically cleared, I can really feel things starting to come together again. Plus the art formerly known as Banter has been of the highest of quality, and it seems as though everyone has been working on their Kuba impersonations! Plus, with the addition of a tougher standard and a good number of kids looking to make it, the annual Time Trial on Friday is something to look forward to and enjoy seeing what happens.
However nice it is to be back, though, I've gotta say that I'm sad to see the best training partner I've ever had (wellll...at least in very high contention with Old Man Hughes and Chris) say farewell to his collegiate career. Mayday was a damn good athlete, a great friend, and a dependable constant roommate on trips. Not someone to be replaced easily! I'll miss him, but I'm sure he'll be vastly successful at whatever he gets up to now. The guy's sharp and has a hell of a work ethic--one doesn't go for a 16:3X, 9:48 HS athlete to a 14:13 guy without it (and some talent!)!
So, that's it. Now that I'm back I will dedicate myself to cranking out more consistent postings and, more importantly, more entertaining ones that this long, dry, re-introduction/summary. The year and the season are young, but I swear I felt a bit of Fall in the breeze the other day (even if it was still 93* with a 75* dew-point)!
