What is out..........

O.k, something happened today that got me thinking, and the end result is a new blog segment that I shall call: "What Is Out," or in other words; what is definitely NOT "in." This great idea came to me, as do many great ideas, while I was on the Jon, which is actually kind of ironic come to think of it. You see, while I was out running errands for the boss, I was overcome by a tremendous feeling... a feeling that if I didn't get to a bathroom soon I would urinate in my pants. Needless to say I found a gas station and there did my business. While this transaction was taking place I couldn't help but notice the unusual struggle the man in the stall next to me was having "dropping his kids off at the pool." I mean it wasn't anything crazy, but by the sounds of the labored breathing, one might assume that the man had just run a race of some sort. So with the risk that I have already given too much info. I will just leave at this: heavy, audible, labored breaths while poohing in a public stall is most definitely OUT!

Inside the mind of the Shaner

O.k, so the picture pretty much says it all. Steve Prefontaine and I understand each other, and I plan to race him in heaven. Until then however, I must settle for crazy little things here on earth. Example: I have not been on a road bike or any other bike for that matter since last August and I haven't done any running since about the same time, Yet I find myself excited to hurl myself into a 100 mile bike race this Saturday in and through Zions National Park. I had plenty of notice to get moderately prepared for the race, but still found a way to forget about it until just this week. Along with riding an absurd amount of miles in the bike saddle, we will be doing it with practically no sleep. My friend has a banquet Friday night and we won't be able to leave until around 11:30 pm ish. We figure a three and a half to four hour drive and that gives us two hours of sleep before the start of the race at 5:00 a.m. Yeah it's ridiculous for sure, but once again I'm actually excited for the unique physical and mental challenges it will surely present. So this is where you get a peak at how the Shaner's twisted little runner mind works; there are shorter races along the same coarse that we could do, but I honestly don't think that it would be worth the trip to just do something average. If I am going to drive down there, I want to do the entire thing. I don't want to take the easiest possible thing that I KNOW I could finish.....I would much rather throw myself into something that I'm not quite sure I can do. That is what is exciting for me about it. So wish me luck, and maybe some prayers too =) (the drive home should be gnarly with how tired we will be)

Air Guitar 310 : school is in session

There is a phenomena that has swept the world and effected, dare I say, every single person on this planet. Lets face it, at some moment in time we have all found ourselves rockin' in the free world on our air guitars......in fact, as I speak there is somebody makin' his or her air guitar cry. Now there is no set rhyme or reason to how it is done, but there are just a couple of unwritten laws associated with a TRUE air guitar. In order to be in proper form, one must act as if he is litterally holding a guitar made of air, sometimes when air is scarce or the need arrises a leg or other inanimate object is used, which is all good. (this shows passion and I salute you) Next, and this is VITAL, you must have the nastiest look you can muster on your face.....because after all, you are playing a nasty, filthy, disgustingly sick guitar riff. What must you do to achieve this you ask? Well I'm glad you asked; simply imagine that you just tasted something rotten, or extremely sour......nice, now you've got it! Now I don't want to overwhelm you with technique, so I'll keep it simple for now, but if you find yourself listening to a tasty morsel of rock n' roll goodness, just break yourself off a little air guitar, and don't forget to bend your knees and arch your back.......I'd hate to have you pull something.