Welcome to 2018!

What a year it's going to be. A year of miracles maybe, with the Buffalo Bills leading the way by making the playoffs for the first time in seventeen years! Because of this Jan and I decided to gamble on our 403b accounts and withdrew all our money to play the slots at the local casino. What could go wrong?

Normally I would be reminiscing on some successes from the previous year and goal/race planning for the next, but Jan and I have been so sick for most of the past two weeks that it's hard to imagine being able to run/swim/bike with any success. We did make Rochester Runner of the Year top five in our respective age groups for 2017, but that's about it.

Here are a few things I hope happen in 2018;

1. I hope to never hear the term "Overfat" again. The tv was on in the waiting room of the health clinic on New Year's Day with Dr Oz's show. When did he become such a doofus? Really, a whole show on being Overfat? What the hell is that? You are either fat or not. Maybe obese. There is no word Overfat, it's stupid.
2. The next time I fly I will seriously consider looking weird and wear a mask. Flights are too crowded with too many sick people. Now I'm sick, have been for quite a while and am sick of being sick. You may also be able to tell being sick makes me a bit grumpy.
3. Okay, maybe I can come up with a couple of athletic goals too;

• Make top five again for RROY.
• Complete three sprint triathlons, thereby qualifying for a national ranking (it might be #1,223 out of #1,224 in my age group, but hey, it still counts)
• Improve all of my race times from the mile-10k from what I've run in the past 3 years. Screw this getting too old crap. 
• Stay healthy. The past three years I've fallen while running ending up with shoulder surgery, had tendinitis in my knee requiring rest and physical therapy, had a severe case of plantar fascia, ruining the end of 2017. WTF. No more of this. 

I hope anyone reading this has a great 2018. Please share a few good things that happened to you in 2017 or your wishes for 2018. 

Tough Being a Buffalo Bills Fan

We have suffered through fifteen years of not making the playoffs, the only NFL team not to make the playoffs at some time in those years. This year there was some hope, if only the Bills could beat the Oakland Raiders, a lowly 2-12 team with a rookie QB they would still be in the running for a spot. As usual the Bills flopped and lost the game and all chances of playing in the post-season.

MW came up with the Top 10 Good Things About the Bills Losing Yesterday (Sunday):

1.    We now can openly discuss the real truth that they are not a playoff team and stop filling our heads with false hope. 
2.     When the Bills get slaughtered by the Patriots next week it won’t be so bad.
3.  Sundays just got 4 more hours of free time.
4. Time to focus on how much the Yankees will disappoint us next spring.
5.   We can play the Bills’ favorite off season game, Name Our Next Quarterback.
6.  Post season awards. Is there a Most Valuable Offensive Defense award? The Bills are the only team I know that wanted to keep their defense on the field to score points.
7.   Lou and Mikes can now go back to discussing health care and injuries.
8.   We can get back to saving our money to buy the Bills a new stadium.
9. We can purchase E J Manual Christmas jerseys for $5 instead of the original $85.
10.  For the last game maybe they’ll do some trick plays, like the Statue of Liberty play or the old Three Stooges ball under the shirt play. 

I responded to MW with my own list.

Before the game I had a sick feeling they would lose. That is the type of game they always blow. It was sad to watch. Bringing back Spiller was a huge mistake, the offense didn’t know what to do with him and he just kept running directly into defenders instead of using blockers. Not that their O line is really good.

Top Ten Bill predictions:

1. Orton will be back starting at QB. 
2.  They will let EJ Manuel go to another team.
3. They will draft a QB who will be let go in 2 years.
4.   They will get a top notch offensive lineman from college, develop him over 3 years, and let him go.
5. 2015 will be the year they win 9 games and don’t make the playoffs.
6. The Pagulas (new Bills owners) will alternate Buffalo Sabres hockey players with Bills players. They all know how to lose.
7.  Spiller will be traded for a tight end who will get injured in game 4. Spiller will gain 1,200 yards and be all-pro and in the playoffs.
8.  The Bills will keep their incompetent offensive coordinator and remain a bottom 10 offense.
9.  Brady (Patriots) will beat the Bills 2x again next season.
10. All the home games will still be sell out crowds.

Lou A Buffalo Bill?

Sals runner Lou K. has announced his retirement from the real world of work. This change won't take effect for awhile, but we need to have plans in place for Lou's transition to a life of leisure. I see the Buffalo Bills needing Lou to quarterback the team next season. Why? Well, there are ten reasons of course:
1. Lou has the Ryan Fitzpatrick look-alike beard going for him, what Bills fan among us doesn't long for the days of Ryan?

2. Lou will be retired and have plenty of time to travel with the team

3. Lou has his passport and can play the “home” game in Toronto

4. Last year the Bills paid QB Tavaris Jackson over $1 million to not get dressed for games and hold a clipboard. Lou will do this for $500k, a bargain.

5. Lou is a local phenom and will be great for ticket sales

6. He will be a father figure to the Buffalo Jills cheerleaders

7. Lou will get his friends/family a suite and limo rides to all home games (and one in Miami where the sun shines)

8. Lou may not be able to throw a pass like Brett Favre, but he can scramble in the backfield tiring out the fat defensive linemen, then hand the ball to Spiller

9. Lou is great at pumping up bike tires, the same skill can be used for all the footballs during training sessions

10. The Bills haven’t made playoffs in 12 years, do you really think having Lou as QB will ruin their season record?


Lou already commented on these facts, stating; " I can do the 40 in under 9 seconds and am deadly accurate passer to anyone within 6 feet. I will do all this just for #7 , plus free parking".

Sunday, Buffalo Bills

I grew up a staunch Baltimore Colts fan. No, not the Ravens, not Indianapolis. The Baltimore Colts, Johnny Unitas one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, many other all-pros. As a kid I could name all 50+ players on the team each year, bench warmers and starters.

Then a greedy owner decided it was better to move the team to Indy. WTF. I was crushed. Now who do I cheer for? The Buffalo Bills. It's a form of torture, self-abuse. After the first game this season, a horrible loss to the Jets in which it appeared the Bills could've cared less about playing, I decided that was it. I was no longer going to waste three hours every Sunday watching these losers. With this goal I made a list this morning of what I could do instead and have been checking things off.

1. Fix curtain rods in sunroom.
2. Wash my wife's car, vacuum it and check fluids.
3. Take inventory of my running shoes, clean them and organize.
4. Begin the long project of cleaning all the windows in my house.
5. Bake some apple crisp.
6. Begin the gigantic Sunday crossword puzzle.
7. Finish the photo and written inventory of household goods in case of nuclear attack.
8. Continue reading Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper's book, "The Skinny Rules".
9. Eat a relaxing lunch without fretting over the game.
10. Follow my fantasy football team (yes, I'm one of those people, I don't play computer games, never really enjoyed pinball machines, but being a pretend football owner is fun).

My wife watches the Bills. She is a more devoted fan than me, so I'm not completely done with them, but Sunday with Buffalo is not going to rule my time.

Tim Tebow

Yes, this is a running/triathlon blog, but I think it is great how Tim Tebow, quarterback of the Denver Broncos, is proving the skeptics wrong each week. If you visit his website, go to the one minute mark and watch his situp routine. Maybe I'll have Jan beat on my abs like that.

Just think, the Buffalo Bills could have drafted Tebow instead of C.J. Spiller, who so far has been underwhelming in the NFL.

Top Ten Things I like about Tebow

10. He can bench press 480 pounds (MW - can you do that?)
9. He speaks well on camera.
8. Tebow is exciting to watch play football, whether he throws like Brady or not.
7. The Broncos never give up, which usually starts with having faith in yourself and the QB.
6. He has thrown only one interception in seven wins.
5. He doesn't have a big messy beard like the Bills Amish Rifle (Ryan Fitzpatrick).
4. Tebow has led the Broncos to a 7-1 record as a starter and close to the playoffs.
3. Other teams haven't figured out a way to beat him, despite the "fact" he can't throw well.
2. Tebow always gives credit to his teammates.
1. Remember early in the season when the Bills were a comeback team? Yes, I know it's hard to think of them winning now. Never count out the Broncos and Tebow.