This page is intended to immortalize the words of Central Park Track Club people. As is customary for this web site, everything is supported by factual details (dates, places, witnesses, etc.). This page will grow over time, but obviously that will depend on your contribution of new stories.

WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT THIS WEB SITE

• Rich Joseph: "Entertaining"
• Jiyon Lee: "... uh ... entertaining"
• Jeff Kisseloff: "Horrifying"
• Alan Bautiste: "Informative"
• Bonny Rozzo: "Dystopic"
• Doug Kabbash,aka DK(NY): "Fun(ny)"
• Peter Gambaccini: "Crepuscular"
• Peter Gambaccini (again): "Neotenic"
• Michele Tagliati: "(Clockwork) orange"
• James Calderwood: "Nefandous"
• Irene Jackson: "Incredible"
• Herb Schon: "Goodstart"
• Tyronne Culpepper: "UNglaublich!!!"
• J.P. Cheuvront: "Cruel"
• Luca Trovato: "bloodyhot"
• Mary Rosado: "PEP" (for Patience, Enthusiasm and Persistence)

#700. WHO: Sid Howard
SITUATION: At the 1999 Pete McArdle Cross Country 15K Race, it was made public that anyone who ran six or more races this year would be guaranteed a NYC Marathon entry.  Therefore, hundreds more people than usual showed up at this cross-country race, which accepts race-day entries only.
WHAT HE SAID: "This registration line is at least half an hour long.  I'm going to go for a jog and then come back to register."

#699. WHO: Stuart Calderwood
SITUATION: Near the finish of the 1999 Hot Chocolate 10 Miler, Stuart shouted at Yves-Marc Courtines, "Sprint! Sprint!  Sprint!" (right about this point)  Although Yves-Marc did not understand the reason, he sprinted past half a dozen people anyway.  Afterwards, he asked Stuart if there was an emergency that required him to sprint.
WHAT HE SAID: "There was a race going on.  That's an emergency!"

#698.  Eve Kaplan
WHAT SHE SAID: "I love those photo collages on the website.  You should have more of them."
COMMENT:  Unfortunately, it takes a fortune (in the sense of being lucky to take the right photos) to get them that we only had two sets (set 1 and set 2) in 1999.

#697.  WHO: Scott Willett, NYU Triathlon Coach
WHAT HE SAID: "I don't know if I can call myself a coach anymore because I can't do anything right now.  But then, coaches are not supposed to do anything other than say, 'You could have done better today.'"

#696. WHO: Ross Galitsky
WHEN: December 7th, 1999, first indoor workout of the season at the Armory Track & Field Center
WHAT HE SAID: "Sid Howard is not here tonight.  How am I going to get home without a ride from him?"
ANSWER: Take the A-train and sing Sid's favorite song, Night Train

#695. WHO: Roland Soong
SITUATION: In response to the question, "Why must you insert a workouts page before getting to the distance runners and/or sprinters workout page?  Why not provide a direct short cut from the home page?"
WHAT HE SAID: "What appears on that page are messages common to both groups, such as the rules and regulations at the Armory Track & Field Center.  More importantly, since it is known that you are a captive audience member, this would have been an opportunity to throw some paid advertising at you.  For example, we can have a celebrity endorsement of a significant product (as in this  photo)."

#694. WHO: Tony Ruiz
SITUATION: In answer to Victor Osayi's question, "What do I have to do to beat Alan Ruben?"
WHAT HE SAID: "I don't know ... maybe you've got to eat nails ..."

#693. WHO: Toby Tanser
SUBJECT: At the 1999 Hot Chocolate 10 Miler, he was spotted in a Kenya uniform (see Photo).  Earlier in the year, he was seen in an Ethiopian uniform in one race and then in a Jamaican uniform in another race.  He had obtained all these uniforms through swapping over the years.
WHAT HE SAID: "Actually, the one that I really want is the uniform for Tanzania.  Then I can pin my race number over the 'nia' with only the letters TANZA showing."
COMMENT: Yes, we recognize this to be the same meandering mind that devised those quizzes ...

#692. WHO: Tom Hartshorne
WHEN: 1999 Annual Club Awards Party
WHAT HE SAID: "Some years ago, I went to a meet and saw Earl Fee did 2:15 for the 800m (men 60-64).  I calculated that based upon my pace back then, I can afford to lose at most half a second per year, in order for me to run that time when I reach his age.  That was of course quite impossible.  This year, Sid Howard set the American record of 2:12 for men 60-64.  This means that I can now afford to lose only three-eights of a second per year.  This is getting to be absurd!"

#691. WHO: Frank Handelman
SUBJECT: His award as Most Outstanding Track Male Runner 50-59 on the club
WHAT HE SAID: "As you know, I have been with the club since it was founded.  Over the twenty-seven years' history, this is the first time that I received an award for running performance.  So, for all of you older people, I recommend that you don't look at the times that you used to run ... and that means you, John Kenney! ... but you should look ahead."

#690. WHO: John Kenney
SUBEJCT: Lists, lists, lists, and more lists ...
WHAT HE SAID: "Since becoming the President of the Central Park Track Club, I have had to learn more about using spreadsheets than I ever imagined I needed to."

#689. WHO: Stéphane Bois
SITUATION: Upon reading the following exchange on this website about the dress code for the Club Awards Dinner/Party: "Technical question: 'What's the requested attire for this dinner? I don't want to be the only person there wearing a kilt.'  Answer: 'Learn by observation from last year's party.'  Another hint --- no sandals, unless they are orange-colored."
WHAT HE WROTE: "You are really not good at public relations: Who wants to go to a party full of weird people wearing kilts and orange-colored sandals ... ?"
COMMENT: Hmm, why is that considered weird ... ?  It seemed perfectly normal to us ...

#688. WHO: Sylvie Kimché
SUBJECT: Her time at the 1999 Church of Heavenly Rest 2 Mile Race
WHAT SHE SAID: "This is either a personal best or a personal worst.  I don't know for sure if I have ever done this race before.  If I have done it before, then this has to be a personal worst.  If I have not done it before, then this becomes my worst personal best."

#687. WHO: Kim Mannen
SUBJECT: Priority setting
WHAT SHE WROTE: "On one hand, I know that the Joe Kleinerman 10K is a scoring race.  On the other hand, a friend of mine has a house in Puerto Aventuras, south of Cancun, free from Dec 11-18.  I'm torn between Mexico and the 10K? Yeah, I think I will run the 10K --- NOT!   I would never intentionally let the team down, but I have my priorities.  I'll take my demerits and my running shoes to Mexico."
COMMENT: Just don't get sunburned ...
VACATION REVIEW (according to Kim): "It was not easy to run when it is eighty plus degrees outside."

#686. WHO: Mary Ellen Howe
TO WHOM: Roland Soong
SUBJECT: Movie review
WHAT SHE SAID: "Have you seen the movie American Beauty?  There is a boy with a camera in that movie.  He reminds me a great deal of you ..."
COMMENT: Really?  You mean like in this photo?

#685. WHO: Dan Sack
SITUATION: In the four weeks of November 1999, he ran the New York City Marathon in week 1, the NYRRC Cross Country Championships in week 2, the Philadelphia Marathon in week 3, the Knickerbocker 60km on the Saturday of week 4 and finally the Peter McArdle XC 15K on the Sunday of week 4.
WHAT HE SAID: "I did them for the t-shirts."
COMMENT: Hmmm, we didn't think that they give out t-shirts for the $3 entry fee at the cross-country races ...

#684. WHO: Roland Soong
WHEN: Thanksgiving, 1999
WHAT HE SAID: "Although I was in Bogotá (Colombia) at the time, I made sure that I did my Thursday workout in Central Park.  I even took a photo as  proof.  P.S.  This was at 2,732m altitude."

#683. WHO: Bola Awofeso
TO WHOM: Dan Sack
WHEN: Two days after the 1999 Philadelphia Marathon, in response to Dan's question: "How come you didn't tell me to drop out of the race at mile 14 when I saw you and Jesus (Montero)?  I was dead!"
WHAT HE SAID: "For the same reason that I did not advise Jesus to continue --- I believe that we are all grown-ups capable of making our own decisions."

#682. WHO: Jane Harris
QUESTION: What do biathletes/triathletes do when their season is over?
ANSWER: Find an out-of-town race, like the Nyack 10K
WHAT SHE WROTE: "We cycled from Manhattan on Saturday morning to Nyack and then ran the race. Also, David (Monti) carried panniers with our belongings (about 20 lbs.).  It was a really challenging course."

#681.  WHO: Bola Awofeso / Roland Soong
WHEN: Road workout, November 19th, 1999
SITUATION: As they watched from the back of the pack ...
WHAT BOLA SAID: "See what you can do when you are 23 years old ..."
WHAT ROLAND SAID: "Yeah, but the guy running with her is 60 years old ..."
COMMENT: So just make sure that you either young or old?  Wrong!  They were all trying to chase a 40-year-old woman ...

#680. WHO: Sid Howard
SITUATION: For the 1999 NYRRC Cross Country Championships, a photo of Sid was published with the comment: "Sid Howard eyes left.  Who's there?"  Sid saw the photo and annotation, and chuckled.
WHAT HE SAID: "I was watching Pat Cosgrove.  He is 58 years old now, but he'll be in my age group soon."
COMMENT: Final times in this race, Sid Howard 20:51 and Pat Cosgrove 20:55.

#679. WHO: Fritz Mueller, allegedly retired runner
WHEN: Upon being told that his contemporary, the 65-year-old Guenter Erich, had just come back to complete the New York City Marathon, Fritz made this comparison
WHAT HE SAID: "Guenter is older by a year and a half, but I am smarter because I know what I cannot do."

#678. WHO: Isaya Okwiya
SUBJECT: His first trip through the hills of Van Cortlandt Park, during the 1999 NYRRC Cross Country Championships
WHAT HE SAID: "I hate those hills!  I hate those hills!"
COMMENT: Could he be the first Kenyan to ever use those words?

#677.  WHO: Roland Soong
SITUATION: In discussing the 1999 NYRRC Cross Country Championship, this following rule in the entry form was cited: "AGE VERIFICATION: In the event of age protest ($25.00 protest fee) only an original Birth Certificate, Baptismal Certificate, or Driver's License will be accepted."  The comment "May God help all you foreign-born pagan New Yorkers who don't drive!)" was appended by him.
WHAT HE WROTE: "I have talked with various people about this matter, and I thought I should elaborate on this.  When I first read the rule, my personal reaction was, 'I am screwed!'  The facts are that I am in the 50+ category, I look like I am in the late 30's and I act and talk like I am 15 years old (or so they say).  So I am a likely candidate for an age challenge, even though I am not sure why anyone would spend $25 on me.  Yet, I know that I am unable to produce any of the three required pieces of document.
(1)  I don't have a birth certificate.  I was born in China in an era of chaos, just as the Great Battle of Shanghai was shaping up and my family barely got away in time.  I was delivered at home, not at a hospital.  There was no registration system in existence in that country at that time.  The fact that I do not have a birth certificate has caused me problems over the years, but I cannot undo this fact.  In the present case, the irony is that, even if I had a birth certificate, the 'original' certificate would have been in Chinese!
(2) I don't have a baptismal certificate, since I am not religious.  I am not going to be dunked in the river just so I can be eligible for an age-group award.
(3) I don't have a driver's license.  Once upon a time, when I was living in California, I had to have a license because I couldn't go anywhere otherwise  Having moved into Manhattan twenty years ago, I must say that I would have to be out of my mind to want to drive in this town  (or pay $300 a month for a garage parking space).  I have let my old California driver's license lapse since.
I do have a valid US passport.  I can use this same passport to apply for a driver's license if I wanted to, but this is apparently not good enough for the NYRRC.
We can sit here and laugh about my personal predicament due to my unusual set of circumstances.  Yet, the situation is much more general.  The assumption behind this rule is that the runners' world is one of American-born WASP/Catholic suburbanites.  Unfortunately, that day has long passed, and we now live in a multicultural world in which the elite runner is more likely to be an African who was born in a remote small village.  Hence, he (or she) has neither birth papers nor baptismal certificate, which is understandable under those circumstances.  When he cannot document his age, then the tendency is to suspect that either he is understating his age to get more appearance money and endorsements, or overstating his age to qualify for masters money and records.  He is also someone who would prefer to run from one place to another, rather than drive.  If he wins a Mercedes in a race, he would just as soon as leave it in storage than learn to drive it.  
I guess what I am saying is that this situation is more common than one would think, and any civil rights lawyer will tell you that these rules are discriminatory!!!"

Stéphane Bois wrote: "I think that you are the only guy who is not pleased to look younger than he really is !"
Response: "When I was forty-seven years old, the clerk at the supermarket demanded to see an ID before she would sell me the six pack of beer.  At that moment, I wished I could have looked a whole lot older because we are talking about a really serious matter, much more than an age group award ..."

The ever helpful Stéphane Bois also offered this piece of advice: "If you want to look older, I can give you an advice --- just run a marathon in the cold wind...and you'll see at the end."  You mean, like this photo of  someone at the 23 mile mark of the 1999 NYC Marathon?

#676. WHO: Alan Ruben
SUBJECT: How to shave one second off your marathon chip time
WHAT HE SAID: "Make sure you cross the finish line with your chip foot first and not the other foot."

#675.  WHO: Audrey Kingsley
SUBJECT: A photo for her Armory track identification card
WHAT SHE SAID: "There are so many photos of me on the website.  I think I'll just go and print one."
COMMENT: Okay, but try not to use this photo, because they'll never let you in ...

#674. WHO: David Pullman
SITUATION: Our club newsletter is printed by various club members who have access to copying equipment at their work places.  Usually, each person is responsible for a number of pages, and the pages are then assembled at a big working party.  Since David is his own boss, he is obviously one to count on.
WHAT HE SAID: "When I read the staff reports from my people, I saw that they spent all day doing the newsletter ahead of all else.  Whatever happened to the core business of making money that they are supposed to be in!?"

#673. WHO: Dan Sack
SUBJECT: His 'experience' at the 1999 New York City Marathon
WHAT HE SAID: "Oh, you can publish on your website that I dropped the chip in the portosan and I had to reach down and fish it out."
POSTSCRIPT: He added, "Of course, you know that I am just kidding."  Do we?

#672. WHO: Roland Soong
TOPIC: How he too was in the television broadcast of the 1999 New York City Marathon
WHAT HE WROTE: "Not to let those television stars Stefani Jackenthal and Hank Berkowitz outdo me, I reviewed the tape of the race many times.  I have determined that there were three seconds in which I appear while the race leaders sped through the park.  As evidence, I submit this frame in which I can be seen on the left in light blue jeans, a dark blue jacket and an orange cap.  So, there you have it.  P.S.  If you can't identify me, then you should get glasses.  I was able to spot myself immediately ..."
POSTSCRIPT: Toby Tanser, who was doing the live report from the control booth, said, "Actually, I know for a fact that you were on television that day in more places than that ..."

#671. WHO: Sylvie Kimché
SITUATION: During the week of November 1st-7th, 1999, Sylvie's photo appeared on our front page with the caption: "Having done alpine skiing, running and golfing already, I think I'll take up boxing next."
WHAT SHE SAID: "I haven't visited the website for some time, and someone just told me that I was on the front page.  But it was gone before I got there.  Can you replay it for me?"
COMMENT: Yes, indeed we will oblige, because we don't take special requests from boxing pugilists lightly.  Now if she were a golfer, we would have ignored her ...

#670.  WHO: Alan Ruben
SUBJECT: 1999 New York City Marathon results trivia
WHAT HE ASKED: "What do John Kagwe and I have in common?"
KNOWING FULL WELL THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A PRAYER TO GET THE RIGHT ANSWER, HERE IS THE RUBENESQUE ANSWER: They are the only two people who finished in the top 100 in each of the last five New York City Marathons.
COMMENT: So we now know what someone has been doing during his post-marathon recovery ...

#669. WHO: Frank Handelman
TO WHOM: Roland Soong
WHEN: November 9th, 1999
WHAT HE SAID: "Hey, how would you like to make $100?  All you have to do is to run the national masters cross-country championship race at Holmdel."
COMMENT: This is called scraping the bottom of the barrel ...
REPLY FROM FRANK: "Not at all.  Scraping the bottom of the barrel would be to make that offer to Jack Brennan."

#668. WHO: Audrey Kingsley
SUBJECT: Camaraderie after the New York City Marathon, 1999
WHAT SHE SAID: "After that tough race, it was gratifying to have Jean Chodnicki (Warren Street Athletic Club) come over afterwards and say, 'Good race!' to me.  I really appreciate that."
COMMENT: A class act ...

#667. WHO: Richard Kind (from Spin City)
SUBJECT: Project A.L.S., with a team of 18 runners in the 1999 New York City Marathon
WHEN: Street interview during the 1999 New York City Marathon, broadcast on the WNBC television coverage
WHAT HE SAID: "The cause is Project A.L.S., also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.  There is a girl there.  Her last name is Angell.  That is easy to remember because it is so apropos.  Margaret Angell.  Her mom has A.L.S.  And we are here supporting that team."

#666. WHO: Roland Soong
SUBJECT: The number 666
WHAT HE WROTE:  "When I came to writing up this item, I thought about how it might upset people to receive that number (for example, see the field notes for the Norway Run, 1997).  So I decided to leave a gap in the numbers, and I was going to award the space to the first smart aleck to complain to me about it.  Unfortunately, the usually vigilant people like Ross Galitsky stayed away in droves.  As a result, after one week, I was stuck with this saying.  You may argue that there is some justice, because this is just what some people think of me anyway (see Julie Vignola's rendition)."

#665. WHO: Stefani Jackenthal
WHEN: While being interviewed for her book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Rock Climbing", during the live television broadcast of the 1999 New York City Marathon
WHAT SHE SAID: "It's a lot of fun.  That's what life is all about, isn't it?  It doesn't matter what gender you are.  Life is just one big ball of fun!"

#664. WHO: Paul Stuart-Smith
SUBJECT: His plans after his 2:48 marathon debut in the 1999 New York City Marathon
WHAT HE SAID: "Now it's back to the 1500m, and you can quote me on that."
COMMENT:  Let us rewind the tape to the 1999 Fifth Avenue Mile, where Paul ran a 4:33 with this analysis: "It's the same story every year.  I would do great for the first three quarters, and then die in the last quarter."  Now fast-forward to the 1999 New York City Marathon with his analysis, "I was comfortable through the first half (in 1:20), I was flying from mile 13 to mile 18 and passing all sorts of people, and then fatigue set in at mile 20."  It is déjà vu all over again?

#663. WHO: Sid Howard / Audrey Kingsley
SUBJECT: 1999 New York Marathon, where bigtime cheerleader Sid is traditionally stationed at 102nd Street
WHAT HE SAID: "Audrey, we have a date to meet at 102nd Street on marathon day."
WHAT SHE SAID: "And you better not be late ..."

#662. WHO: Ross Galitsky
SUBJECT: Ramon Bermo and Scott Willett
WHAT HE SAID: "Ever since Ramon met Scott, he has learned to deny everything."
ADDENDUM: Based upon the analysis of the intercepted e-mail, here is what is being denied at this moment: "Upon once a time, at a respected educational institution in a big city, there was a cycling coach who could run and a running coach who could bike.  To decide once and for all who gets the bragging rights, there would be a matched bike/running race in Central Park ..."  Now the running coach denies everything, and the cycling coach only says, "Oh, it's just a lot of trash talk."  Well, if that's trash talk, then the garbage is piled higher than that mountain at Arthur Kill ...

#661. WHO: David Diviney
TO WHOM : Coach Tony Ruiz
SITUATION: The 11/2/99 outdoor track workout was cancelled due to heavy rains and high winds.
WHAT HE SAID: "Can I do some 200m's on the track anyway?"
WHAT THE PERPLEXED COACH SAID: "Of course.  You can do anything you want ..."

#660. WHO: Toby Tanser
SUBJECT: The cancellation of the East 6th Street outdoor track workout of 11/2/99, due to heavy rains and high winds
WHAT HE SAID: "In Iceland, we don't cancel a workout unless the volcanoes erupt."
REVISIONIST HISTORY: As it turned out, this was NOT true.  To wit, at The Volcano Show website from Iceland, we read the following: "A series of small earthquakes started in the Hengill Central Volcano in the afternoon of Saturday August 23rd. The earthquakes could also be felt in the capital Reykjavík 40 km away. The annual sporting event The Reykjavík Marathon was due to start at eleven o´clock the same morning, Sunday August 24th. Registered participants numbered 3000, among them many foreigners. Fifty Japanese athletes had come to Iceland from Japan to take part in the Marathon. They decided to stay the night before the race in a hotel in the peaceful town of Hveragerði. At three o´clock in the morning the big earthquake woke the Japanese. Japanese people know what earthquakes can do to buildings and humans so they ran panicking in their underwear into the street. As they got there the electricity went and the whole town was blacked out. Nobody could tell them anything except there were continuous earthquakes. At six thirty in the morning they were told that everything was now all right. The epicentre of the earthquakes had been located in the volcano above the town. The earthquakes were subsiding and they were told to go back to sleep. The Marathon was now only four hours and thirty minutes away and the Japanese still had a 30 minutes drive to Reykjavík. The word volcano has a certain meaning to Japanese people and it was impossible to get them to return to their rooms. They spent the remaining hours of the morning in the hotel reception. The events of the night had a bad effect on the athletic performance of the fifty Japanese sportsmen. Only one completed the Reykjavik Marathon, Shigemi Takenaga, who was placed 80th. His time was 3 hours, 55 minutes and 51 seconds. The winner was Toby Tanser from Britain. His time was 2 hours, 27 minutes and 7 seconds. Best female competitor was also from Britain, Ruth Kingsborough. Her time was 2 hours, 51 minutes and 35 seconds."

#659. WHO: Roland Soong
SUBJECT: Marathon weather forecast
WHAT HE SAID: "At the last (and final) marathon that I ran, I remembered that the forecast on Thursday was for a perfect cool, dry fifty degrees for marathon day.  As the updates came in, it seemed to climb up by degree by degree.  Before I left home on that morning, the forecast was for sixty-four degrees.  When we got to the starting line, the word was sixty-nine degrees.  At the finish of the race, it was 75 degrees.  In other words, don't trust the weather report because it may mess up your head!"

#658. WHO: Dr. Randall Ehrlich, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Montefiore Medical Center
WHERE: New York Post
WHEN: November 22, 1999
WHAT HE SAID: "I've seen patients who have run on stress fractures so severe they've fractured through the bone, requiring surgery."
COMMENT # 1: Now, which one(s) of us is he talking about ...?
COMMENT # 2: This is the same Randall Ehrlich who achieved immortal fame at the 1996 New York City Marathon by being one of 14 runners who were brought to the finish-line medical staff and refused medical attention.

#657. WHO: John Kenney
SUBJECT:  The book Train Hard, Win Easy: The Kenyan Way written by Toby Tanser was mentioned on this website
WHAT HE WROTE: "I didn't realize that Toby Tanser wrote this book, which is one of the few running books I've read over the past several years. It's really quite fascinating. The really funny thing is, there was one excerpt that I've been meaning to forward to you for several months for publication on our web-site under 'coaching' or 'training.'  It speaks volumes of Kenyan toughness.  'Whenever I think I am in pain during running, I remember the pain of my circumcision. The pain when running does not compare.  Kenyans have no pain barrier after circumcision. My father told me to remember the pain and gain knowledge that I could face any pain with my eyes open after that ceremony.'  Young male Kenyan Kalenjin Runner (Page 83).  Nor is this lesson limited to running.  I am tempted to mention it the next time our kids start crying in the back-seat of our car because Taco Bell has put sauce on their burritos by mistake.  Not sure if the above is politically correct enough to put on our web-site, but the book is definitely worth reading."

#656. WHO: David Pullman
SUBJECT: Web information quality
WHAT HE SAID: "Nothing has been going on with the website for the last two months, as far as I can tell."
QUESTION: Why would he say that?
WHAT HIS EXPLANATION WAS: "Because there was nothing about me."
COMMENT: But you can now listen to David Pullman twist and shout here ...

#655. WHO: Michele Tagliati
TO WHOM: CPTC web photographer
SUBJECT: Multiple standards of excellence for the New York City Marathon
WHAT HE WROTE: "I definitely won't come anywhere near my time last year, but I'll do my best to look good when I pass by your camera ..."
POSTSCRIPT: Here is the photo of Michele looking around for the photographer at mile 23

#654. WHO: Toby Tanser  
SITUATION: On October 27th, 1999, Toby sent in this note to be posted
WHAT HE WROTE: "Det ar jatte bra - suvuran!"  This could translate as "Orange in Running," "Red on the web," "Did I see Sid?" or "Was that Geb?"  But it doesn't.  The first correct answer, if turned in before Sunday's 5km race, will get a TeamStick coolmax singlet from me on race day.  Send your claim to Toby at  run@about.com .  P.S.  A big thank-you to the members of the Tuesday 6th Street crowd that have made myself, and Julia, feel most welcome!
COMMENT: When that note was posted, we were rooting secretly for Carsten & Mette Strandlod to win this.  Wouldn't it completely logical for two Danes living in Malawi (Africa) to identify a Swedish phrase written by an Icelander on this New York City website?  Alas, they live in a different time zone, and the winner of the competition was Kiet Vo (who needs to get a life).  Of course, our story is just as good now --- a Vietnamese from San Francisco identified the Swedish phrase written by an Icelander (who wrote a book about Kenyan runners) on this New York City website run by a Chinese who came from Australia.  This is why the web is said to be worldwide.

POSTSCRIPT: By way of explanation of the note, the following was appended:

HINT FROM THE WEBSITE GUY: Toby is from Iceland.  If I were you, I would rush down to the local Barnes & Noble store (there has to be one within two blocks of you in this town), go to the foreign-language dictionary section and look those words up (of course, you would never buy that dictionary!).  P.S.  And just in case your teammate may be trying the same thing, make sure you hide that dictionary in another section of the bookstore ... tsk, tsk, tsk ...

After the competition was over, there were loud protests as the appendix was said to be deceptive and misleading.  Toby's sentence was in fact written in Swedish, not Icelandic.  Wait a minute!  We ask you to re-read the appendix very carefully again.  It says that Toby is from Iceland and that you should consult a foreign-language dictionary.  Everything is absolutely correct.  Any inference that you make that the foreign language is Icelandic is completely your own.  This has been a public service announcement from your friendly website.

SIDE STORY: Here is Stacy Creamer's story on her efforts: "I was a slow second on the translation of Toby's phrase.  I didn't get around to it until last Thursday; Kiet Vo had me beat before I began.  But rather than skip to a local Barnes & Noble as you suggested in your subsequent note, I did a web search of online Icelandic-English dictionaries.  There's slim pickin's there, so I next dialed the Icelandic Consulate here in Manhattan and asked for help.  The woman I spoke to immediately identified the phrase as being in Swedish, and was able to translate it for me.  I was leery of her translation since I'd been expecting something with more of a punchline (not realizing that the phrase was Toby's intended description of the CPTC site), so I consulted online Swedish-English dictionaries (there are many from which to choose) and ultimately confirmed my translation with the Swedish Consulate.  Meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, Stuart (Calderwood) was working on a translation of his own.  He mis-identified the language as Finnish, and came up with a rather blue (and I don't mean cold), entirely-off-the-mark translation as a result.  But that's another story . . ."

SIDE STORY: If you think Stacy Creamer's problem-solving approach is unusual, please read what our winner Kiet Vo's story, "I called the Icelandic consulate first.  When I read the phrase over the phone, they identified it as Swedish and gave me a translation.  For confirmation, I called the Swedish embassy.  Then I got on Yahoo and went to Reference > Dictionaries.  It was a short phrase, so it was easy to get a translation."  The folks at the Icelandic consulate and Swedish embassy must be wondering what was going on that week, but we are glad to have offered them some unusual, if unchallenging, diversion.

SIDE STORY: John Scherrer had an easier time, "I showed the phrase to a lawyer from Norway at my firm, and he told me what it meant."  Unfortunately, his reply came in too late.

#654. WHO: Ross Galitsky
SUBJECT: His amazing propensity for being quoted in these pages
WHAT HE SAID: "You probably have my mind copied over onto a zip disk (tm)."
COMMENT: He is severely under-estimating the size of that database, by several orders of magnitude ...

#653. WHO: Frank Handelman
SUBJECT: The mark of excellence --- 28:18, as hand-timed by Frank
WHERE/WHEN: The track workout of October 26th, 1999, hand-timed by Bola Awofeso
WHAT HE SAID: "Bola is a terrific timekeeper.  He pushes us relentlessly through the recoveries.  As soon as we reach the line, he yells 'Go!'  By my timing, he got us through this 10x400m workout in exactly 28:18."
COMMENT # 1: This reminds us of the Spy vs. Spy stories in Mad magazine.  Thus, the spies shall be spied upon, the timers shall be timed, the photographers shall be photographed (Photo) ... 
COMMENT # 2: If the above is true, who was timing Frank Handelman timing Bola Awofeso? and so on ...
COMMENT # 3:  Having just completed the Chicago Marathon, Bola Awofeso said before the workout description was given, "I can't do the timing today, because I won't be able to sprint across the field to call splits."  Wouldn't you know it, but this workout was a series of full laps, so all he had to do was stand still and walk slowly across the field to start the next one.  It's Destiny --- he was destined to end up as the subject of Famous Saying #653.

#652. WHO: Brian Barry
SUBJECT: A photo of him that appeared on the cover of our home page during the week of October 24-31, 1999
WHAT HE SAID: "I have no idea when that photo was taken."
ANSWER: As always, it was when you were not looking ...

#651A. WHO: Stéphane Bois
TO WHOM: Stuart Calderwood
WHAT HE SAID: "I know that you ran 1:14 at the Brooklyn Half Marathon."
QUESTION: Given that he was still living in France at the time of the race, how does he know that?  Answer

#651B. WHO: Toby Tanser
TO WHOM: Sid Howard
WHAT HE SAID: "I know all about you already even before I arrived in this country."
QUESTION: Given that he was still living in Sweden, how does he know that?  Answer

#651C. WHO: Kiet Vo
WHAT HE SAID: "I came across the club website when I was still living in California.  I thought it was very funny.  That was how I found your club."

#650. WHO: David Pullman
SUBJECT: Cross country races
WHAT HE SAID: "I should be running faster later on in the season.  I am hoping that it gets really cold and I'll run in my shorts.  When I am cold, I have to run faster."

#649. WHO: Roland Soong
SUBJECT: Usage fee for the Armory track during the winter season
WHAT HE WROTE: "Here is my dispassionate analysis of the economics.  Okay, the currently quoted price is $100 for the season, if I sign up early enough.  Compared to the $0 that I pay for using the East River Park track for the summer season, this is infinitely more expensive.  But then I don't expect to use the East River Park track at 7pm in January or February --- been there, did that, froze my butt off in the wind / snow / sleet, no thanks, no matter what Frank Schiro says about real manhood.  Now at $100 per season, I get to use this track for the four months from December to March.  That would be about 16 or 17 sessions in total, for about $6 per session.  That is not too bad.  After all, the last I heard, movie tickets were about $8 each.  Can I get a better deal elsewhere in this town?  The last I heard, the walk-in rate for the track at Chelsea Piers is $30 each time.  And look at what that odd-sized, concrete track has done to my knees.  The Armory has a brand new world-class track.  So let's make a deal, now!"
ADDITIONAL COMMENT: "Upon further reflection, there is an additional reason why I want to sign up.  I can leverage my frugality (read: stinginess) to get some running done.  Knowing that I have paid a lump sum up front would force me to show up."
ADDITIONAL COMMENT: "Whether I run or not, I would show up anyway with my camera.   The Armory has beautiful lighting in a confined area, and therefore perfect for taking great photographs (e.g. photo of Alan Ruben blowing his nose)."

ADDITIONAL COMMENT (from Sid Howard): "And you can enter those Thursday track meets in January/February for free!"
ADDITIONAL COMMENT (from Audrey Kingsley): "Don't expect me to enter a track meet anytime soon."
ADDITIONAL COMMENT (from Kim Mannen): "At $100 per season, I better show up every time."

#648. WHO: Jim Aneshansley
SUBJECT: Eden Weiss, who does long tempo runs on the track, like 10K in 25 laps
WHAT HE SAID: "Now Eden even walks slanted at an angle."

#647. WHO: Ross Galitsky
SITUATION: A notice was posted on October 21, 1999 about the Armory track, asking people "to provide by 10/28/99 at the VERY LATEST --- a passport size of yourself for your Armory ID card ..."
WHAT HE WROTE BACK: "Please tell me how to do that.  Signed: Ross-without-a-mini-me"
COMMENT (from Tyronne Culpepper): "Ah, yes, Ross is not the type to miss this sort of thing, just as he is not going to miss any free food."

#646. WHO: Gordon Bakoulis
SUBJECT: Gift-giving
WHERE: Editor's Note, December 1999 issue of Running Times
WHAT SHE WROTE: "Finally, allow me to take a line to announce the greatest gift I received this year: the birth of my son, Samuel John Ruben, in September 1999."

#645. WHO: Guillermo Rojas
WHEN: Tuesday track workout, October 20th, 1999
SITUATION: Just as the groups were about to start, G'mo was seen running in and changing into his racing shoes.  He was then warned that he was not properly warmed up on this cool night.
WHAT HE SAID: "No, that is not true.  I had to sprint all the way across town to get there.  That was my warmup."
COMMENT: Sorry, we had assumed (via projection, as Dr. J.P Cheuvront would say) that everyone else would also get to the track by taxi cab or limo service ...

#644. WHO: Michele Tagliati
SITUATION: Upon being told that the best way to find Sid Howard is through his company Super-Fast Deliveries Inc.
WHAT HE SAID: "I know about Sid's company very well, as he used to work for my wife's office. Way before I joined the Central Park Track Club, she used to tell me about this amazing guy, always in sneakers and sweat-pants, who apparently was a world class runner and his name was Sid.  You know, we live in a small world."

#643. WHO: Alan Ruben
SITUATION: When Alan gave Stuart Calderwood a pair of used size 9- 1/2 running shoes, the recipient happily said, "Since you wore these shoes, I hope something rubs off onto me."
WHAT ALAN SAID: "Well, I got injured running in those shoes.  So I am hoping that you would get injured too."
COMMENT: O, that wry British sense of humor ... 

#642. WHO: Mary Ellen Howe
WHEN: Being surprised to encounter the web photographer right outside the ladies' room on her office floor ...
WHAT SHE SAID: "Hey, you don't have your camera out!?"
COMMENT: We couldn't tell if that was disappointment or relief ...

#641. WHO: Joey Ruben
SITUATION: His little brother Sammy Ruben was born on September 12th, 1999, and was brought home in a carriage with a balloon.  Upon seeing the group arriving home, ...
WHAT JOEY SAID IN GREAT DELIGHT: "Hey, it's a balloon!"
COMMENT: It might have taken some time, but Joey has finally discovered his little brother (see photo). 

#640. WHO: Rori Spinelli
SUBJECT: Letter to the Editor, published in the Long Beach Press Telegram on October 7th, 1999
WHAT SHE WROTE: "I'm writing in brief to tell you a very sweet story about my dad, Joseph Spinelli, and how his strength and will have forever changed my life.  My father worked for the City of Long Beach for 22 years.  With four kids he went back to school at night to advance and graduated.  He suffered a heart attack at age 48, underwent a triple bypass.  Survived.  Started cardiac rehabilitation at Memorial Hospital.  Began by run/walking on a treadmill for one-eight of a mile and worked his way up.  In 1984 he carried the torch for the Olympics, donating all the money he raised for the event to the Long Beach Boys and Girls Club.  Not leaving well enough alone, he continued to train, slowly, and at age 58, he ran the Long Beach Marathon.  My father is now 71 and he walks very slowly for exercise now, at best.  Using his strength and his determination as my motivation, I pushed myself to do things that I know I couldn't do --- with my career, my relations and my goals.  As a tribute to him I've been training and I am flying to Long Beach to run my first marathon on November 14.  You must hear success stories like this all the time.  I may have just described the typical type "A" personality to you; but to me, I've just told you about my hero.  Rosemarie Spinelli, New York, NY."

#639. WHO: Harry Morales
WHEN: 1999 Grete's Great Gallop
SITUATION: In response to Tyronne Culpepper's question, "Where is the registration tent?"
WHAT HE SAID (IN INDIGNATION): "You asking me?  YOU ASKING ME?"
EXPLANATION: Harry specializes in small out-of-town marathons, so he really doesn't know much about race registration inside Central Park.  Everybody knows that ...

#638. WHO: Tyronne Culpepper
WHEN: 1999 Grete's Great Gallop half marathon, in non-stop rainy conditions
WHAT HE SAID: "I guess the web photographer won't be out here today ..."
COMMENT # 1: It's all about protecting the equipment and no other reason.  Fair dinkum ... 
COMMENT # 2: Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35

#637. WHO: Max Schindler
SITUATION: After the track workout on Tuesday, October 12th, 1999
WHAT HE SAID: "I think I am getting too old for this stuff.  (pause for reflection)  I guess I have been saying that for the last 30 years."

#636. WHO: Eden Weiss
SUBJECT: The book Road Racing for Serious Runners by Peter Pfitzinger, Scott Douglas and Bill Rodgers
WHAT HE SAID: "Over the many years of running, I have read just about every running book.  This is the best one that I have ever come across, and I am going to train for the 1999 Bay State Marathon with the program."

#635. WHO: Terri Sonenclar
SUBJECT: 1993 Houston Marathon, where an overnight cold front brought in 35 mph winds.
WHAT SHE SAID: "My husband and friends pointed out optimistically that the winds couldn't be against me the whole time.  And I believed them.  Alas, I went out and battled unrelenting headwinds for the next 23 miles."

#634. WHERE: Folio magazine, October 1999, page 46
ARTICLE TITLE: Runner's World's Second Wind
WHAT WAS WRITTEN: "Ads from car makers have made the auto category the title's second largest category after athletic footwear.  The next leading categories are drugs and medical aids and food, says associate publisher Claudia Malley.  While the size of the magazine's food advertising hasn't changed drastically in years, it has diversified from simply sport food and sport drinks into 'real food' such as milk and oatmeal, she adds."
COMMENT: Oatmeal?

#633. WHO: Bola Awofeso
WHEN: October 7th, 1999 road workout
SITUATION: When the first group reached the Sixth Avenue entrance into the park, Bola Awofeso was observed to shift into a fast sprint --- right into the bushes.
WHAT HE YELLED: "Don't pay any attention to me!"
COMMENT: As a matter of protocol, it is important to say those words.  A legendary moment in the history of these workouts was when newcomers Lucy White, Jill Gisvold and Josh Vendig followed veteran Mel Washington right into the bushes ...

#632. WHO: Codename "Sleepless in Boston"
TO WHOM: Eve Kaplan
SUBJECT: Eve's photo and movie clip from the 1999 Club Championship race (see Famous Saying # 599)
WHAT WAS SAID: "If my running club's website (Boston Running Club) is as nosy as yours, I would have trouble falling asleep at night."

#631. WHO: John Sargent
SITUATION: He was being asked why he skipped the 1999 Fifth Avenue Mile
WHAT HE SAID: "I was in Bulgaria."
COMMENT: That is a long, long way to go to avoid a race.

#630. WHO: Roland Soong
SUBJECT: Kim Mannen recently sent him a link to a race pace predictor.  That is to say, you enter your time for a certain distance (5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon), and the program will provide you with your projected time at the other distances.
WHAT HE SAID: "To validate this program, I went back to my running log when I last ran a marathon (circa 1988!).  I entered my 5K time and I found that my predicted 10K and half marathon times were reasonably close.  But my actual marathon time was about one hour slower than the predicted time.  So there you have it!"
COMMENT: That one hellish marathon experience is the reason why he has not and will not do marathons, but that's beside the point ...

#629.  WHO: Jim Aneshansley
SUBJECT: Cross training
WHAT HE SAID: "It is okay to cross-train by bicycling, as long as you don't fall off.  Swimming is okay too, as long as you don't drown."

#628. WHO: Peter Gambaccini
SITUATION: His course record for the All-Star division of the Fifth Avenue Mile was broken by half a second in 1999.
WHAT HE SAID: "There goes my last grasp on immortal fame."

#627. WHO: Sylvie Kimché
WHAT SHE SAID: "Unless you race often, you don't get your picture on the web site."
COMMENT: It doesn't help if you live in Ohio.
REVISIONIST HISTORY FROM SYLVIE (10/5/99): "Just wanted to rectify that I don't LIVE in Ohio anymore, I only WORK here/there."
REIVSED REVISIONIST HISTORY FROM SYLVIE (10/31/99): "Home is wherever I happened to be at the moment."

#626. SITUATION: As of September 1999, we have operated an Amazon.com affiliate program for three months.  Amazon.com provides us with a list of book titles that have been purchased, but they do not identify the people.  We believe that 'You are what you read' (almost as much as we believe 'You are what you eat') in the sense that what you read say a lot about you.  In buying these books, these people are trying to say something.  We make the following best guesses.

• A Latin Americanist purchased books about Brazil, Peru, Puerto Rico, Borges as well as the writings of some well-known latina writers (Isabel Allende, Esmeralda Santiago and Julia Alvarez).  Shall we say Harry Morales, the professional Spanish-English translator?

• An artificial intelligence specialist has been buying books about genetic algorithms, evolutionary computation, neural networks and wavelets.  Shall we say Jonathan Pillow, the mathematician/cognitive psychologist?

• A wannabe web designer has been buying books about web design, web marketing and Adobe Photoshop.  Shall we choose between Blair Boyer and Audrey Kingsley, both of whom have been dropping hints about their secret websites?

• A physicist has been purchasing books about classical dynamics, quantum field theory (QFT), superstrings and M-theory.  We have asked Tivon Johnson (of Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences), but he denies knowing anything about superstrings.  So what about Alex Peterhansl (of Columbia University)?

• A German poetry lover purchased a bilingual version of the collected poems of Ingeborg Bachman.  You might jump to the conclusion that this is our Übermensch Fritz Mueller, but this particular author is definitely too morbid for Fritz's taste.  And it is even less to the taste of that student of German language, Tyronne Culpepper.  So who is it?

• A media planner has been purchasing books about media planning and scheduling.  Shall we say Kim Mannen, of Ammirati Puris Lintas?

• A writer has been purchasing books about creative writing, including haiku.  Shall we say Stuart Calderwood, who is reportedly working on a book?

• Someone has a new kitchen.  Could it be one of the recent movers: Stacy Creamer, Alan Bautista or Eve Kaplan?

• Someone has a new DVD player.  The fact that he/she bought Monty Python's programs may date him/her somewhat.  There may be more than one person, because the classic Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (all the dialogues are sung in French) and the postmodernist The Matrix are polar opposites.

• Someone bought a book on the mathematical theory of financial derivatives.  Well, that must not be David Pullman, since he knows it all already.

• Nobody bought any running books.  What is going on here?  Do you think that you know it all?

• ... and someone has been making these wild guesses that are completely off the mark, as he seems to have learned nothing from the classical books in statistics that he has been purchasing!

WARNING (READERS BEWARE!): Almost all of the guesses are in fact known to be wrong, but the truth is just not as entertaining.  To be more precise, we were right for exactly one-third of one guess (plus the last one).

#625. WHO: Roland Soong
TO WHOM: Audrey Kingsley
SITUATION: In response to her question about which year did he obtain the bright orange Gore-Tex New York City Marathon cap that he was wearing
WHAT HE SAID (IN DEADPAN FASHION): "That was before you took up running."
COMMENT: That moment when Audrey decided to start running is a defining moment in history, and we regard anything that happened before that singular moment as unworthy of discussion.

#624. WHO: Stacy Creamer
SUBJECT: Corporate Challenge Championship race on Park Avenue, New York City
WHAT SHE SAID: "Every year, I look forward to the turnaround point on this course.  I know I can expect to be cheered by Chip Olsen, whose apartment building is right at that point of the street."

#623. WHO: Ross Galitsky
SUBJECT: Hammerfest Triathlon 1999, featuring the Scott Willett-Guillermo Rojas-Ramon Bermo and the Julie Denney-Ross Galitsky-J.P. Cheuvont teams.
SITUATION: He had just received a note from the Global Surveillance System (TM), "Yes, that was very smart of you guys to enter into a relay race where your individual names are not listed ..."
WHAT HE WROTE BACK: "I just forgot to report this one in ..."
COMMENT: Yeah?  How come we don't believe him ...?

#622. WHO: John Scherrer
WHAT HE SAID: "I am a history major, so this website is perfect for me as the repository of local running history."
COMMENT: As a history major, you are undoubtedly aware that 'history' is always tainted by ideological biases.  On this website, the practice is carried to the extreme ...

#621. WHO: Audrey Kingsley
SUBJECT: Her running plans for the weekend just five weeks before the 1999 NYC Marathon
WHAT SHE SAID (WHILE POINTING TO THE TWO GUYS STANDING NEXT TO HER): "I think I am going to run 20 miles with these two bozos this weekend."
COMMENT (from Stuart Calderwood): If we were the two 'bozos' (David Newcomb and Gordon Streeter), we would throw in a 5:30 mile at mile 16 ...

#620: WHO: Alayne Adams / Stacy Creamer
SUBJECT: Their very intense-looking photos at the 1999 Fred Lebow Cross Country 5K (Alayne and Stacy)
WHAT THEY SAID: "At least you can say that we tried really hard."
POSTSCRIPT: When Stacy read this, she said, "How did you ever find out?  When I spoke to Alayne, we were virtually whispering to each other!"  Well, the answer is self-evident ... and it is not about that professional eavesdropper on the club.

#619. WHO: Tony Ruiz
SUBJECT: Jonathan Pillow's 4:14.7 at the 1999 Fifth Avenue Mile, which someone suggested was the fastest ever in Central Park Track Club history
WHAT HE SAID: "No, it is the second fastest, behind the 4:14.4 by someone named Tony Ruiz.  By the way, that other time was for indoors.  So Jonathan still has some work ahead of him."
COMMENT: Yes, we have some good mathematicians on this club.
COMMENT: As it turns out, the official website listed Jonathan's time as 4:14.3.  Who's crying now ...?

#618. WHO: David Pullman
WHEN: At the sight of the long line for registration at the 1999 Fred Lebow Cross Country 5K
WHAT HE SAID: "I'm early today.  I think I'll go and do a warm-up run, and I'll come back and register at the last minute."

#617. WHO: Jane Harris
TO WHOM: To one of this website's camerapersons
SUBJECT: New York Biathlon, 1999
WHAT SHE SAID: "Don't you want to come out at 730am to take photos?"
ANSWER: "No, thanks."

#616. WHO: John Scherrer
WHEN: 1999 Fifth Avenue Mile, when his photo was taken.
WHAT HE SAID: "I am the most non-photogenic person ever.  Why take a photo of me?"
WHAT HE SAID (AFTER PREVIEWING THE PHOTO): "I've seen worse ..."
COMMENT: We'll let the public decide ...
COMMENT: Also, see Famous Saying # 607 below.

#615. WHO: Brian Barry
SITUATION: People don't always run the entire workout, so they usually seek out the known short-cut takers and discuss their plans.  At the September 23rd, 1999, the course was 7.5 miles long.  When Brian asked a teammate about taking a short cut, the guy said that he would just cheat by running a 4 mile loop.
WHAT BRIAN SAID: "Wow!  I won't be able to run with you because that is shorter than even I intended to do." 
COMMENT: Everything is relative ...

#614. WHO: Rick Shaver
SUBJECT: His time of 1:26:00 at the 1999 Philadelphia Distance Run
WHAT HE SAID: "That was 14 minutes slower than my PR."
POSTLUDE: To the follow-up question "How does it compare to your PW?" he just grimaced.  His PW time was set in last year's race, which was miraculously not listed in the official result list.  

#613.  WHO: J.R. Mojica
SUBJECT: Harry Murphy Cross Country 5K, September 12th, 1999
WHAT HE SAID: "I was in this race.  I don't understand why I am not listed in the NYRRC results."
COMMENT: Famous words, indeed.  (Hint: please compare notes with Jeff Kisseloff)

#612. WHO: Stuart Calderwood
SUBJECT: The September 16th workout, when only two people (Stuart Calderwood and Bola Awofeso) showed up on the day that hurricane Floyd went through New York City
WHAT HE WROTE: "Bola and I ran a 5-mile loop, sometimes through one of the several six-inch-deep creeks that we found to be crossing the Park Loop. When he exited the loop at 110th Street, I ran up the southbound 'Big Hill' in bizarrely unfamiliar circumstances: a true flood was coming down at me, and each of my feet produced, with each landing, a little two-foot-high geyser that immersed that foot's leg briefly.  The rushing water covered the street's whole width, and that, plus the complete darkness, made the ground invisible and therefore no longer a reference-point; I seemed to be running very fast over the "ground" --- actually the flood-water --- which was full of leaves and twigs.  There was a very high wind that kept blowing twigs and sometimes even thin branches OFF the trees; several of them hit me.  The odd thing --- and the reason, no doubt, that despite the ridicule heaped on people who run in weather like this, they continue to do it --- was that the experience was ecstatic: rather than unpleasantness, there was only a good kind of wet and cold, a weird atmosphere of flying leaves and diagonal gusts of rain, a constant roar of trees whipping in wind, and a near-hydroplaning effect which made the running seem shockless, as on a pleasantly soft grass field."

COMMENT (from Roland Soong): "Most of us have logged hundreds (and even thousands) of training sessions on the road.  How many of these can you remember the precise circumstances about?  I can only think of a handful, either because something extraordinary happened to someone or the weather was unusual.  Among those that are etched firmly in my memory is the one referred to in Famous Sayings #608 and also the wintry day on which the ground was covered with one foot of solid frozen ice.  I am not sure how long ago they occurred, but they came back to memory immediately."
ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Yes, why do buses always come in threes ...?  Answer:  Because you would never pay attention when they come in ones or twos ...

#611. WHO: Blair Boyer
WHAT HE SAID: "My training was derailed last week due to bruised ribs from a mountain bike spill.  This is the first time such a thing has happened. It's strange being sidelined from a non-running injury. I was told the fastest way to heal would be to 'avoid breathing'".
COMMENT: ... and avoid sneezing.

#610.  WHO: Audrey Kingsley
SITUATION: As team rep, she has the responsibility to remind people to run the NYRRC scoring races
WHAT SHE SAID: "I would like to remind everyone about the next scoring race, which is the Fred Lebow Cross Country 5K up at Van Cortlandt Park.  This is a good opportunity for you to show us your cross-country racing ability.  But please make sure that you don't step on me when I fall flat on my face ..."
COMMENT: Do you know what Famous Saying # 1 was?  (After Audrey looked it up, she said, "I can't believe that was the first famous saying, but I can believe that you would remember that too!")

#609. WHO: Fritz Mueller
SITUATION: He had just heard about a teammate's time at the NYC Marathon Tune-up 30K with the explanation that this was just a hard training run.
WHAT HE SAID: "In my days, when you enter a race, you run to win."

#608. WHO: Coach George Wisniewski
WHEN: At an East River Park track workout in the early 1990's, when there was a hurricane coming into the New York City area.  On that evening, the rain was coming down hard ... correction ... the rain was coming sideways in the steady 40 mph wind.  It was impossible to even stand up straight.
WHAT HE SAID (TO THE 12 PEOPLE PRESENT): "I will not have any part of this insanity.  I am here only to tell you to go home."

#607.  WHO: John Scherrer
SITUATION: While anxiously waiting for information about his application ...
WHAT HE ASKED: "Is there any hazing of new members on this club?"
COMMENT: Yes, if you count getting your name and photos posted on the web site ...

#606. WHO: Eric LaRay Harvey
SITUATION: He played a jailhouse gambler in the movie Rounders.  When he lost a poker game, he said ...
WHAT HE SAID: (see Clip)
COMMENT: ... remember, it's only a movie ...

#605. WHO: Randy Ehrlich
WHEN: Post-race television interview, 1999 Central Park Triathlon
TOPIC: The importance of investing thousands of dollars in your bicycling equipment
WHAT HE SAID: "One of the aspects of the sport, be it good or bad, is that, on the bike at least, you can buy speed.  And the more money you put into your equipment, all other things being held equal, the faster you will go.  This is an example of a fairly high-end triathlon bike.  The frame material, titanium, has excellent tensile qualities --- very light and strong.  Triathlon bikes have a higher seat-tube angle and a higher head-tube angle.  The result of this is to put the rider more forward in relation to the handle bars.  So instead of coming back here, you can be in a more forward position with the head centered over the aerobars and down more .  It gets you more aerodynamic.  These are aerobars and they are basically invented for the sport.  They put you in a position which cheats the wind.  The caveat is, if you riding in a pack ride and you are drafting, they are very dangerous.  These horns basically function as probes that can go through someone's liver in a crash.  That is why drafting in triathlon is illegal.  It is very dangerous with these kinds of bars.  You can see the shifts that are mounted at the end of the bars.  You can stay in aero-position while you are riding the bike and shifting the gears.  The longer you are in aeroposition, the more aerodynamic you are, the faster you can go.  The wheels are made of tense carbon fiber struts.  They are very light.  Everything on the bike is designed to cheat the wind.  In the seatback pouch, we carry an extra tube.  And instead of carrying a bike pump, which would cost you about 300 grams of weight, we have carbon dioxide cartridges and tools.  The carbon dioxide cartridges can inflate the tire to about 150 psi in about half a second and get you on your way fairly quickly if you have a flat tire.  A good usable entry-level triathlon bike costs about fifteen hundred.  They go all the way up to four or five thousand dollars.  This bike is about thirty-three hundred, as you see it."

#604. WHO: Michele Tagliati, M.D.
SITUATION: At the 1999 Lesbian and Gay Pride Run, a friend of Michele took a picture of him crossing the finish line.  Michele's review was, "I looked like as if someone just shot me.  I think I will keep this one in my drawer."  After a couple months of badgering on this web site about the unforgivable crime of restricting information, Michele finally relented and sent in the photo. 
WHAT HE SAID: "It goes to demonstrate that the Doc is a man of honor ... capiche?"

#603. WHO: Marnie Mueller
BACKGROUND: We recently began to do a careful reading of her novel Green Fires.  A principal character is the German husband (named Kai) of the narrator.  We don't know where the fiction begins and the biography ends.  Certainly, the character in the novel is a chemist who is a bird watcher.  But there is much anecdotal material that we suspect must have been derived from her real-life husband Fritz.  Here is one paragraph:
WHAT SHE WROTE: "I'll get the packs," Kai said.  His German accent was magnified by his fatigue, so the sentence came out, "I'll get ze pahks."  He raised himself up and hit his head loudly on the rack.  "Verdamme Scheisse!"
COMMENT: We suspect that Fritz's friends will derive great pleasure from reading this book.

#602. WHO: Mark Gombiner
WHEN: September 7th, 1999 track workout on a 100% humid evening
WHAT HE SAID: "I only brought one shirt, which is now completely soaked."
COMMENT: Bringing another shirt may not help unless you also bring a towel (see #601 below for associated pitfall)

#601. WHO: Audrey Kingsley
SITUATION: Upon seeing a teammate with only a towel with a Barney figure and nothing else on after a workout
WHAT SHE SAID: "Where is the camera when we needed it most?"