Monday, December 18, 2006
So I went up to Minnesota a couple of weeks ago (Sunday, Oct. 1st) to run my first marathon. It went all right and I picked up a nice little check. I was thinking that I had a shot at winning the thing and I was feeling real good and with the leaders through 20 miles in 2:13 pace. I then proceeded to die a horrible death and struggle home to finish in 5th place at just over 2:18. The good thing is that I qualified to represent the United States in the Pan Am Games Marathon next summer in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Here's a few more pics from the race. Sunday night I flew into Charlotte, NC to hang out at my older brother's condo for a few days, then it was on to Tempe, AZ for 7 days of debauchery and filibertos delicious burritos. I think the average high was right around 99 the whole time I was down there. A few gentle 30 minute runs and nights of adult beverages were just what the doctor ordered. And this was the first of many nights that culminated at the aforementioned Filiberto's for some Arizona Burritos w/sour cream.
Friday, after a nice little morning jog, me Ronnie and Juan and Fresh headed down to campus for a little Lunch at the Memorial Union which brought back some nice memories. Me and Juan got some Alumni License Plates from the ASU bookstore. Then my buddy Zach came into town. we played some pool at the Cue club with Mannie and Juan. He's in the national guard, and this will probably be one of the last times I see him before he gets shipped off to Iraq in January. Let's hope he makes it back in one piece. Dinner at Z-Tejas with Cox, Lisa, Kris, and Zach was nice, I had the Diablo Chicken pasta. It was good. All of us , minus Lisa, headed over to suite 301 (formerly Owl's nest) to see My old roommate Derek who is a bouncer over there.
Saturday morning was the ASU Alumni cross country race, I was feeling a little rough off of 4 hours sleep, an Arizona burrito percolating in my stomach, and a one week old marathon in my legs. I still managed to run with Juan Reyes as we came in 13th and 14th place as the #3 and #4 man for the alumni squad which finished second overall in the meet. At least we beat the ASU B team. We all wore these Uff Is Tough shirts that a couple of the girls had made to support Joe Uff, a guy who used to be on the team, who is currently battling cancer. After a well needed nap, a bunch of people met up for dinner at the Four Peaks Brewery for dinner and drinks on Saturday night. I had a couple of Oatmeal Stouts with my dinner that were very tasty.
Sunday was mostly spent sleeping. That night, we checked out the new movie The Departed which was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Monday, I went for a nice little jog in Papago park with the Buuuuuuu-Cannon. Then Fresh, Juan, Ronnie and I went to Oregano's for some pasta and Pizookie. Pizookie is this pizza cookie thing that is the best dessert ever. Its a half baked gooey chocolate chip cookie covered in Vanilla bean Ice Cream. They stick it in the middle of the table with 5 spoons and then it's every man for himself.
I had to get to the Airport at 9:30pm for my red eye flight back to Charlotte by 8:30am. Little nap at my brothers followed by me dominating him is some foosball. Then I got in the Golf for a 3 hour drive back to Bristol. Time to go back to work training for a big 5k in Chiba. If everything goes as planned I'll be in Chiba, Japan for Thanksgiving representing the US in an international Ekiden (6-man marathon relay). My roommate, Cabada, will probably be making the trip over there as well. So that should be a lot of fun.
Thx for stopping by,
Fasil
Twin Cities Marathon And ASU Alumni Weekend
FasilBlog
“I was thinking that I had a shot at winning the thing and I was feeling real good and with the leaders through 20 miles in 2:13 pace.” - Fasil
