"IMG_4890.JPG" 701060 bytes

It's not raining!

"IMG_4891.JPG" 1083945 bytes

Three newbies, they have *no* idea what they're getting themselves into..

"IMG_4892.JPG" 1749613 bytes

The Go Go's all wanted to have their picture taken with me!  Who am I to refuse!

"IMG_4893.JPG" 1239679 bytes

Andy, ready for the challenge of the dreaded leg 1!

"IMG_4894.JPG" 1157287 bytes

And everybody is offering him their condolences..

"IMG_4895.JPG" 1185054 bytes

At the starting line, note the ultra cool Mass Hole team shirts!

"IMG_4896.JPG" 1127733 bytes

Still at the starting line, we haven't made much progress since the previous picture, huh?

"IMG_4897.JPG" 906769 bytes

And he's off!  Hurry up Andy, everybody knows you win or lose a 210 mile race in the first 50 yards!

"IMG_4898.JPG" 1245496 bytes

Note the distinct lack of blood and gore on the sneakers!

"IMG_4899.JPG" 1142384 bytes

Well done!!  207 miles to go!

"IMG_4900.JPG" 1267208 bytes

Hopefully Van 1 didn't notice that Van 2 didn't know how to spell the team name..

"IMG_4901.JPG" 1097848 bytes

Everybody knows there are 3 S's in a$$$hole!

"IMG_4902.JPG" 1103741 bytes

All is well, that 3rd S really clears things up!

"IMG_4903.JPG" 785202 bytes

Danes pretty fast, but imagine if he put all that up and down motion into running forward, he'd be even faster!  Also, note the running instructions - SERPENTINE!!!

"IMG_4904.JPG" 913493 bytes

He looks way too happy..

"IMG_4905.JPG" 1350464 bytes

Jason, slamming on the brakes before the turn!

"IMG_4906.JPG" 1813539 bytes

Adrien burning rubber.

"IMG_4907.JPG" 1331069 bytes

A corner?  I have no idea why I took this picture..

"IMG_4908.JPG" 1340575 bytes

Adrien getting ready to pass!

"IMG_4909.JPG" 1455771 bytes

Note, 3 car lengths before Adrien was 10 feet behind this guy!  Now he's passing him!

"IMG_4910.JPG" 1541906 bytes

And 20 feet later, the other guy is no where in sight!

"IMG_4911.JPG" 1299258 bytes

If I could just lose 60 lbs, and learn how to run, maybe I could look like this..

"IMG_4912.JPG" 1212500 bytes

Smokin'!!!

"IMG_4913.JPG" 1084508 bytes

Some times, I wonder why he puts up with us.  After all, there must be some *real* teams with fast runners that could use another.  Are the Mass Soles so much fun to hang around with?

"IMG_4914.JPG" 1033637 bytes

Captain Pat, embarking on what surely must be the single most difficult leg of the race.

"IMG_4915.JPG" 1237588 bytes

The vehicles coming up this hill are all in low gear..

"IMG_4916.JPG" 1233491 bytes

Slow down Pat!  You're actually running TOO FAST up these hills!

"IMG_4917.JPG" 1074051 bytes

Rear mirror view.

"IMG_4918.JPG" 1496570 bytes

The hills never ended on this leg.

"IMG_4919.JPG" 1579348 bytes

And Captain Pat never got tired of them!

"IMG_4920.JPG" 1642147 bytes

After all of those hills, look!  Another hill!

"IMG_4921.JPG" 1321910 bytes

This damn flower girl ran the same leg as Pat, and never lost that sh!t eating grin!

"IMG_4922.JPG" 1499428 bytes

What goes up must come down!  Finally!!

"IMG_4923.JPG" 1274601 bytes

Got any curdled Half and Half?

"IMG_4924.JPG" 1478406 bytes

After 8.8 miles of pure hell, at last we can hand off to Bao!

"IMG_4925.JPG" 1350616 bytes

Only 2 minutes behind the Indian girl, no problem!  (for her...)

"IMG_4926.JPG" 1267223 bytes

No, he's not running that fast.  The blur is because we took the camera shot from a moving vehicle, not because Bao was running fast up the hill!

"IMG_4927.JPG" 1940150 bytes

A message to Dave?

"IMG_4928.JPG" 1708103 bytes

???????

"IMG_4929.JPG" 1665889 bytes

Bao!  You're at the top of the hill!  Er, except for the next half mile, that is..

Whoops!

"IMG_4930.JPG" 1314274 bytes

We sent Captain Pat to offer the tasty beverage, who could complain to Pat about hills?

"IMG_4931.JPG" 1567481 bytes

Liz, displaying the eye of the tiger!

"IMG_4932.JPG" 1511069 bytes

Bao, displaying the eye of the defeated turtle!

"IMG_4933.JPG" 1376770 bytes

Take this, please!  I don't ever want to see it again!!

"IMG_4934.JPG" 1373549 bytes

At the top of some nasty hills!

"IMG_4935.JPG" 1385481 bytes

Bao is trying to keep up with Liz!

"IMG_4936.JPG" 968777 bytes

Rear mirror view!

"IMG_4937.JPG" 1340084 bytes

For the record, and for anybody in Captain Pats family who may be reading this, Pat took really, really, *really* good care of Liz.

"IMG_4938.JPG" 963854 bytes

Piece of cake!

"IMG_4939.JPG" 1113127 bytes

Slow down Liz!  The speed limit is 30 going up this hill!

"IMG_4940.JPG" 1073232 bytes

And 40 going down it!

"IMG_4941.JPG" 1524508 bytes

Our closest call of the race, Nathan had to turn around, run back up and around the cone, and start again.  We almost screwed up this transition, didn't expect we needed vests at this point, it was still broad daylight!  It cost us 5 seconds..

"IMG_4942.JPG" 1361692 bytes

Nathan, at mile 2, running up the hill that was supposed to crest at mile 1!  Shhhh, don't tell him!

"IMG_4943.JPG" 1070889 bytes

He's never done anything like this in his life!

"IMG_4944.JPG" 1146266 bytes

Little fitment problem with the vest.

"IMG_4945.JPG" 1229300 bytes

I thought my team mates were taking a picture of a lost boater in a life jacket, then noticed myself somewhere in this picture.

"IMG_4946.JPG" 1514221 bytes

The official Mass Soles team salute!  "Stop looking at me!!"

"IMG_4947.JPG" 1169114 bytes

Yes, this picture is blurry because I *was* running that fast!

"IMG_4948.JPG" 969352 bytes

I'm SMOKIN'!

"IMG_4949.JPG" 1424863 bytes

Here's proof (I think), that I did pass at least one person during this race.  Not the life jacket *behind* me now!

"IMG_4950.JPG" 1231852 bytes

Dr. Brian, rushing to my next gynecological exam!

"IMG_4951.JPG" 1090232 bytes

There's a story here..

 This file generated by HtmlTree 1.02, Copyright (c) 2003,2004, Brian P. Shorey

 bshorey@comcast.net

 www.shorey.net