The Second Lap - Gary's Blog

Just What the Doctor Ordered

gcattarin@nortel.com — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:22:00 GMT

Sunday was a milestone, the close of a full year since returning to running after the Big Slice foot surgery. A year is a long time to keep feeling like you’re working on a comeback. At some point you have to either get there, or change your destination. Sunday’s occasion was Stu’s 30K, and the result was that I’m pretty close to getting there.

Quest for the Quahog

gcattarin@nortel.com — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:35:00 GMT

In what’s become an annual event for my club, but was a first for me, we spent the weekend on Cape Cod at the Hyannis Marathon and Relays. Hitting this event en masse as a club multiplied the fun, even when punctuated by the self-induced pain of some hard racing, and best of all we came home with a bunch of the coveted Quahogs!

I’m Crazy Ain’t I?

gcattarin@nortel.com — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:03:00 GMT

Really, any coach, any authority, any doctor would have said it was stupid. Even to myself, I’m convinced I’m a bit of a sick puppy. But it just happened, and it felt good, pretty much up to the last few miles, I’m tickled that it happened, and I survived. So, so what? I’m a bit crazy, ain’t I? Enjoy it.

From Springing to Spring

gcattarin@nortel.com — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:03:00 GMT

So far as the global environmental crisis goes, an early spring is rather concerning. So far as our mental states go, an early spring is exciting and invigorating. I’ve gone from a state of springing to a state of spring in the last few days, and to put it mildly, I’m pumped.

Opportunism

gcattarin@nortel.com — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:40:00 GMT

You’ve got to take it when you can get it. Sometimes that means taking it even when it’s hard to get. On those occasions, sometimes you just get it, but sometimes you win the lottery and get more than you’d expected.

The Other Troy

gcattarin@nortel.com — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:22:00 GMT

Winter arrived a bit early in New England this year – nearly a foot of it in early December with more following soon after. But since then it’s been light going. No matter. Whenever the snows fall, I’m reminded of a wonderful memory – a summer memory – from those First Lap days, through an odd running leftover.

Not Vegas

gcattarin@nortel.com — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:34:00 GMT

This week I was faced with a good news / bad news scenario. Given that choice, I prefer to try to extract and enjoy the good news.

Club Empower

gcattarin@nortel.com — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:21:00 GMT

You’ve heard me rant on the power of running clubs. Here’s another dimension: they empower, too. Empowerment is a funny thing. It represents power that exists because you believe it does. In a way, it’s an angle on confidence.

A Very Larry Day

gcattarin@nortel.com — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:06:00 GMT

There are legends out there amongst us, entirely unknown to us. Then one day we realize just who that person was, we shake our heads and mutter, “Wow.” One of those legends died last month. This weekend, the running community came out to say thanks, in a way, for being who he was.

New Year’s Merriment, Parts One and Two

gcattarin@nortel.com — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 04:27:00 GMT

We’ve started 2010 with a bang. Actually, it was more of a swoosh, followed by a crunch, but we’ll get to that in a few paragraphs. We’ve got New Year’s Merriment Part One to cover, first!