What I'm Reading Now - The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick

-The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick
--You know, the guy that wrote The Silver Linings Playbook. That Matthew Quick. Before we start, I just have to say this - as much as I loved the performances in the movie of The Silver Linings Playbook, the script just was lacking. I realize many books are difficult to translate, but good Lord, it was like they just filmed every fifth page of the book and called it good. So, SO, much quality stuff left out. Please, it you've only seen the movie, go read the book pronto. OK, onto The Good Luck of Right Now. Well, it has some obvious similarities to The Silver Linings Playbook. The main character, Bartholomew, is a emotional mess, socially awkward, has a possible love interest but can't quite connect with her...sound famililar yet? That said, there are just enough changes and nuances in this story to give it a new feel and a nice drive to the story. The biggest change is the novel is written in an epistolary fashion - as letters to Richard Gere. Yes, Richard Gere. Really. A couple of the characters are a bit stock, but Bartholomew and his new friend, Max, another stunted adult, ring very true. Overall, a satisfying read, although just a bit too remenescent of Playbook.

-Bad Twin by Gary Troup
--Yeah, not really. This one was written by none other than Laurence Shames. And yes, there's a very convoluted story behind this one. Gary Troup was a character in the TV series "Lost." Unfortunately, he got sucked into the jet engine about two minutes into the pilot episode and that was that. But wait! Sawyer, ah good old Sawyer, found the manuscript for a book called "Bad Twin" in the wreckage and decided to read it, since they didn't have much else going on that island, right? Anyway, the Lost producers decided to make a book tie-in to the series and publish an actual Bad Twin novel. Only since Gary Troup was a fictional character...and a dead one at that...they got real-life mystery author Shames to write it. Got all that? Anyway, as a book, it was OK. Not great. Not bad. If you're looking for something much, much better from Shames, grab his very first novel: Florida Straits. It's absolutely fantastic. Scavenger Reef, his second book, is very good as well.

-Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
--Apparently, today is just the day to compare new novels with better, previous novels. In case you don't recall, Smith is the author of the fantastic, amazing, so, so, so good novel Winger. Which you should read, like, right now. Grasshopper Jungle is basically nothing like Winger. Well, you still have a high school age boy trying to figure out love and friendship. And you still have a high school girl trying to figure out high school boys. And you still have a best friend that's gay. And there's still death and tragedy toward the end. But then there are six foot tall grasshoppers that eat people in this one, so, yeah, they're a little bit different in the end. I liked it. I liked the human element and the sci-fi element, but I thought Smith was concentrating so hard on the bizarre sci-fi element that he didn't spend enough time on the character. Which is exactly the opposite of Winger, where you learn to love the people that jump from the pages. In Grasshopper Jungle, those people just don't make as much sense.

-Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
--Strangely enough, since this one got the movie and all the press, it just isn't as good as the very similar Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, by the same authors. See below.

-Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
--Just amazing. While I love The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, I know that one is a bit too goody goody and perfect for some readers. Well, if that's you, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is your book. The "Me" of the title, Greg, is definitely not perfect. He, like many teenage boys, is hard to understand and hard to love...sometimes even hard to like. And Greg has some real problems understanding his own feelings. His best friend, Earl, on the other hand, is outwardly very clear and obvious. Abrasive, tough, and from the wrong, wrong side of the tracks, Earl at least knows himself, which is something that Greg struggles with throughout. If you're looking for a wonderful, and seemingly unsentimental, cancer book, this is it. Ah, but there is some real emotion and learning and love among these two. Then the dying girl, Rachel, gets thrown in between them, and real magic happens.

-The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
--This one is a National Book Award finalist and a Printz Award Honor Book, so it's got plenty of high-powered critical backing behind it. Oddly then, I wasn't overwhelmed by it. Don't get me wrong, it's good. But I was never totally sold on Frankie or the story. The basics of the story: Frankie is heading into her sophomore year at an elite prep school and is tired of the same old clubs and status at the school. So she makes a new identity online and leads the rest of the school on a series of adventures. I don't know, I feel like maybe I'm missing something on this one, but I just didn't love it. Hey, it happens.

-The Troop by Nick Cutter
--Yes, I still step away from the YA section occassionaly. And this one is a big step. Pretty much a straight up horror story, although with plenty of psychological torment as well. Nick Cutter, by the way, is not Nick Cutter, nor is he Patrick Lestewka. He's actually Canadian author Craig Davidson. Apparently, he enjoys pen names. Anyway, while this one has been compared to both Stephen King's Carrie and William Golding's masterpiece Lord of the Flies, it actually reminded me, strongly, of The Ruins by Scott Smith. If you enjoy dark, depressing horror, a la The Ruins, well, check out The Troop. Cause it's all of that.

-Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
--What can I say? I liked this one MUCH more than Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. The characters are both more likable and more believable here, although I'm sure some would say both Dash and Lily are too smart for high school kids (such kids do exist, really). This one will make you want to spend some time in used book stores. Of course, if you're anything like me, you always want to do that anyway.

Sheesh, I need to do this a little more often, so the reviews don't get quite this long. I'll be back soon with more good reads!

The Amazing, Individual Talent of Elmore Leonard

Yes, I've said it before. And I'll say it again. If you haven't stepped into the huge swath of Elmore Leonard books and picked out a few, do it now. There are no more coming, so no need to delay now.

Michael Weinreb had a nice article over on Grantland about Leonard. Check it out here.

Yeah, take a wild guess at when that paperback cover came out - I'm gonna say the 80's. What a decade. Oh, here's the back...it's just as good. I don't know who wrote that awful copy, but it sure wasn't Elmore.

New RaceCenter NW Magazine Article - Five Ways to Avoid Running Burnout

Yep, still alive, still running, still writing.

And the latest article is out, Make a Change! Five Paths to Avoid Running Burnout. I cover all those maladies that you say you never do, but of course always do. Like overtraining and lack of sleep and no goals and too much pavement and...well, you know.

But I forgot one remedy that just worked for me! Go buy a new pair of shoes already! Apparently, my old ones were worn out because when I strapped on the new Mizuno Wave Riders, my legs suddenly felt fresher than they had in weeks. And I had my first workout where I actually felt like I was running fast in weeks.

New shoes! Who knew?

What I'm Reading Now - To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Actually, because I haven't posted in forever, I've read a whole bunch of stuff.

Let's REVIEW!

-To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The most read book in the high schools in America and somehow I had never read the book until now. I took a lot of English classes in high school and college - I'm not sure how I missed reading this classic, I can't explain it. Payton was reading it for his English Lit class, so I figured I'd grab a copy from the library myself. It was, of course, an amazing read. The fact that it's Harper Lee's only published work is just shocking. Nothing like hitting it out of the park on your only at-bat of your life. Just a great book. And for being a book written in 1960 and based on the 1930's, it's so fast and modern. Impressive in every way.

-Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
The 2014 winner of the Michael L. Printz Honor for excellence in YA literature. This one is a tough read at times. Eleanor does not have an easy life, and author Rainbow Rowell exposes that all too clearly. Definitely reminded me at times of a John Green story, which is a huge compliment, coming from me. It has taken some criticism as being racist with its portrayal of Park and his family. Maybe - I'm not the best person to judge that. Overall, I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. A great love story.

-The Fame Thief by Timothy Hallinan
Hallinan has been around a while, but I've never read anything from him. I enjoyed this one, although it didn't leave a huge impression on me. Maybe because I was reading another, similar book at the same time...

-The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (or, you know, J.K. Rowling)
Yeah, this was my read at home book (big, heavy hardback) while The Fame Thief was my take in the backpack to work book (small, light). Of course, shortly after this book started getting some positive press, the author Galbraith was outed as Harry Potter author Rowling. This is a straight-up Private Eye Mystery novel, with no pretense of being anything else. I'm only about halfway through, but it's convinced me that Rowling has plenty of talent outside of the YA category. This is a pretty good read.

-Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers
Another YA novel - the story of a teenage girl whose father commits suicide. There were parts of this novel that I thought were very well done and parts that I thought were a bit weak. I wasn't crazy about the wrap-up, but there you go.

-Let It Snow by John Green
Actually, there are three short stories in this anthology, but I only checked it out to read the one by John Green. The three stories actually have interconnected threads running through them, so I ended up reading them all. Yes, the one by John Green was the best, but that's just me. He definitely has a way with young people trying to find their way through life and love. Nice, lighthearted fun.

-Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
I admit, I'm a sucker for a great premise. Something that makes you stop and think "what would I do there?" And Zevin comes up with a great hook here. High-schooler Naomi hits her head in a fall and acquires a case of amnesia. Suddenly, she wondering why she had the friends she had and liked the things she liked. Should she be doing everything differently? Then, just when she is coming around to the "new" her, the memories return. Which Naomi will she be? Convoluted? Sure. Contrived? Yeah. But wow, what a great "What if?" Zevin does a nice job here.

That's it for now. Back soon. Maybe even with a running report????

What I'm Reading Now - Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

Yes, I appear to be going through a bit of a YA phase at the moment. It happens. Story of a Girl was a National Book Award Finalist in 2007. Sherman Alexie won the award that year with The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, so that's some good company to be in.

And as a dad with a quickly maturing 11 year old daughter, I don't mind getting some solid insights into the world of teenage girls. Let me tell you, as a male with only a brother to observe as I grew up, girls were, are, and may always be, quite the mystery to me.

New RaceCenter NW Magazine Article

Yes, it's been quite a while, but a new issue of RaceCenter NW has just hit the newsstands...and Jamba Juice outlets. If you're into reading things online while sitting on your rumpus room, then head right over here for the online version of the mag.

It's the big 2014 race calendar issue, so this is the one you want to make sure to grab. My article in this issue is titled "What's Your Race: Choosing the Perfect Race for You."

Sounds good. Real good.

What I'm Reading Now - Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Hate List is a YA novel by Jennifer Brown with some acclaim, on a very, very tough subject. I'm already halfway through it actually. Pretty good so far. Reminds me a bit of Thirteen Reasons Why, which I thought was a powerful, horrible read, for obvious reasons.

And I'm Done Update:

Good read. Tough read. I hate that guns are such a prevalent thing in our culture, but there's no escaping it at the moment. And while a multiple shooting in a high school might seem like an overly provocative subject for a YA book, it's sadly becoming less and less bizarre and noteworthy. Anyway, Hate List can be pretty painful at times, but does a good job looking at the big questions. We all have bad thoughts about ourselves, and others, at times. Even terrible thoughts once in a while. What happens if those thoughts come true? Do we hold any responsibility? Should we?

There's no easy way to write about bullying, suicide, school shootings and murder. And I would never suggest any kind of outside or self-censorship on these kinds of topics. Still...still, I'm troubled by publicity of these kinds of actions. It's been shown that the number of suicides, in particular, can rise when another suicide is publicized - something called the Werther effect. And of course, there have been plenty of considerations to the publicity given to mass murderers. There's no easy answer. In the end, I think these things need to be discussed - it's out there, it's happening - and there's probably no place better to discuss it than in a novel, where you can actually get some nuance and insight.

What I'm Reading Now - Joyland by Stephen King

The sad truth is I sometimes pick out books to read by size. No, really.

It's like this. I don't read at home all that much. I read while I'm walking to the bus (yes, I read while I'm walking, it's not that hard), I read when I'm on the bus, I read when I'm on the stationary bike at Dixon, and that's about it really. I'm a pretty fast reader and that gives me about an hour or so per day - that's enough.

Now the issue. All of those places I read are not great places to read a 500 page hard cover book. They're just not. Plus, they're all either on the way to work, at work, or on the way home, which means at some point the book will end up in by backpack. I do not like 20 lb hard cover books in my backpack.

All of this blather leads me to Joyland by Stephen King. Yes, it's a paperback. I was actually pretty excited to read Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, but it is, in fact, a 20 lb hard cover book that I don't want to lug around daily.

As an aside, I checked Doctor Sleep out from the library a couple months ago, but couldn't finish it before it was seriously overdue (you know, the whole "can't lug it to work" thing), then I received a copy of it for Christmas, so I do have it and will read it soon. But probably at home.

So there you have it.

And I'm Done Update:

Classic Stephen King. Although much less horror and supernatural happenings than usual, which makes sense as its a Hard Case Crime novel. Some good carny atmosphere and an authentic small-time amusement park feeling here, which I know well from hitting a few low rent parks in my day. Nothing extremely memorable, but a fun, quick read.

What I'm Reading Now - Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Yes, we've talked before about my penchant for reading, and loving, Young Adult novels. So it's not too much of a surprise that my latest read is a highly regarded YA novel with the wordy title "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe," by Benjamin Alire Saenz. Like every other section of the library, the YA section has a few good books, a bunch of mediocre books and a few really horrid books that make you wonder how they ever were published to begin with. Knowing that, I try not to grab too many from the shelf without researching them a bit on the interwebs. When it comes to YA, even more so than adult books, the award-winners and top-reviewed books are almost always well written, fun and memorable. I find the top reviewed adult books to be more hit or miss on the fun and memorable scale.

Not to mention, the Wikipedia entry for ADDSU taught me a new word: Bidungsroman! Can't wait to use that one in everyday conversation.

And I'm Done Update:

This is a wonderful story of a budding relationship between two teen boys in 1987 El Paso. Saenz is unlike most YA storytellers, in that he paces the tale in a calm voice and lets his characters take center stage. Saenz watches them grow slowly throughout the story, never rushing it. While there is action, the driving force behind ADDSU is the main character Ari's struggles to understand the world around him. And then to understand the world inside him. There were more than a couple times when Ari's confusion with the world and his coping strategy of retreating into his own noisy thoughts reminded me of a teen boy I knew back in the 80's.

It's a powerful story. Nicely told.

What I'm Reading Now - The Kill Room by Jeffery Deaver

Yes, I read lowbrow, best-selling, by the numbers junk once in a while. I'm not afraid to admit it. And while he's not Dan Brown or James Patterson-style bad, Deaver can be a bit formulaic in his writing. That's all right. Sometimes you don't need to think too much about it - just enjoy it.

Although there is a proviso: if I'm reading a Jeffery Deaver book, it must be a Lincoln Rhyme novel. I've tried reading some of his other recurring characters and couldn't even finish the book, but I sort of like Rhyme; he's got a bit of Perry Mason to him. A bit mean, a bit uncaring and, obviously, in a wheelchair, Rhyme is pretty unconventional as a mystery novel hero, so there's that. Deaver does have issues with making everyone in his novels, heroes and villains alike, just WAY too smart and perfect, but hey, it's still fun.

And as a writer, it's informative to look at how Deaver crafts a novel. He's notorious for throwing in false leads and numerous surprise endings and seeing how he sets the reader up to buy into the premise (or not, at times) is very useful.

If you're looking to start with Jeffery Deaver, The Bone Collector is by far the most well-know Lincoln Rhyme novel, although I'd recommend The Coffin Dancer or The Empty Chair instead.


By the way, if you're curious what I thought of the last book, head back to that post - I'll add on a short review of each book when I'm done reading.

And I'm Done Update:

So the absolute worst thing that can be said about a thriller/mystery novel is that the novel was, well, a bit boring. And so it was with The Kill Room.

I think Deaver fell into what I like to call the CSI: Sheboygan trap. Shows like CSI and Law and Order and NCIS like to "borrow" plot lines from time to time from real world headlines. They take a notorious actual case and turn it into a notorious fictional TV case. That's all well and good (if lazy), but the problem is: we already know the story. We've already read about it on the internet. We've seen it on the news. How can we be enthralled with it when it's the third or fourth time we've gone through the story?

And that's The Kill Room in a nutshell. In broad terms, it's about an American government agency killing possibly innocent citizens in other countries using drones. Well, you either care about that issue or you don't, but either way, it's sure not the first time you've heard about it. I got the feeling Deaver sort of mailed this one in.

Onward and upward.

What I'm Reading Now - Countdown City by Ben Winters

Wow, just found this at the library and I'm so excited! So Countdown City is a sequel to The Last Policeman. If you haven't read The Last Policeman, get on that immediately!

If you're curious, here's the super-condensed version of the plot of The Last Policeman. Hank Palace is a young cop in New Hampshire. He's investigating a murder that many of his peers think is just another suicide - one of the millions in the past few months. Why so many people killing themselves? Oh, there's a giant asteroid headed toward Earth. It's been determined that it will indeed strike the Earth in a few months and pretty much end life for everyone on the planet. So...yeah.

What an amazing premise for a novel! And what a thought provoking premise. What would you do? Would you go about your job, like Hank, or would you head down to a sunny beach to await the end? Would you renew your values to your wife and family or would you take the opportunity to break morals and laws now that the punishments really don't matter? Would you fight to find a solution right up to the last minute or take the easy way out and commit suicide at some point?

I mean...wow. Ben Winters does a very nice writing job in The Last Policeman. There are end of the world details that show Winters was really pondering the psychology of such a situation. I'm hoping Countdown City is as well written. It sounds like it will be the second novel in what will eventually be a trilogy.

I'll let you know what I think once I've finished reading.

And I'm Done Update:

Good read, although I didn't think the plot moved as well as the first book, The Last Policeman. Trilogies are interesting things, especially when the author announces it immediately upon publication of the first book. Too often, I think, you get a great first book, a second book that just treads water, then an explosive third book (often much longer) that tries to wrap everything up. For examples, see The Passage and The Twelve by Justin Cronin (third book still to come) or the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. While I enjoyed Countdown City, Catching Fire and The Twelve (certain parts of The Twelve very much), I felt all three of them suffered a bit from holding back for the third book in the series.

That said, Countdown City was enjoyable, although I found the main crime to be solved by Hank Palace in this one to be a bit banal in the end. Of course, maybe that's the point. Even with the world coming to an very destructive and brutal end, humans can't help but be humans...a bit small-minded, selfish and banal, right to the very end.

No, The Two R's is Not Dead

It's still kicking. Barely.

So here's a comment I just posted onto the last post, in case you missed it:

Yeah, it's been a while. I keep meaning to write up some kind of explanation, even though I don't have much of one. Yes, I'm not going to be updating the blog as much, though I will post at times. Yes, I'm trying to work on other (more worthwhile?) writing. Yes, my rib injury really lingered and took me away from running for weeks and sort of got me depressed, but I'm getting back to running now and getting excited about trying to get back into decent running shape. So...

I definitely will continue posting interesting, to me, thoughts and articles on my own writing and running as well as others writing and running. I am for sure taking a break from trying to compile the Northwest Running and Tri calendar. I hope some people were using it and finding it helpful, but it took a ton of time to complete every week and I'm hoping to use that time differently.

Talk to you soon. Get out there and run.

"Pinkwashing" Harry Potter

Well, this is just the worst thing ever.

So there's a short article in the New York Times by an author and mother named Lynn Messina. Now those are two groups I don't usually disparage, but I'm going to make an exception here.

This woman is insane.

Messina explains in the article that she "child-proofs" the books she reads to her children, including Harry Potter. She adds in her own lines to the book as she reads, changing the meaning of the book, making the characters more responsible, toning down the bad behavior, making them eat their vegetables.

This woman is insane.

And apparently she's serious. In the end, she decides Harry Potter is too dark for her five year old - she can't "pinkwash" it enough. So she gives up on it.

Hey, I'm all for choosing appropriate books for your children, but if you can't read it as is, then don't read it. I can't believe that even needs to be said.

New RaceCenter NW Article - The Off Season

Sort of late on this announcement, but yes, there is a new RaceCenter NW issue out there and yes, I've got a new article in it.

Check out the digital online version right here.

Check out the old school, hard copy version at a Jamba Juice or running store near you.

I was actually very happy with the article this month: "Hit the Snooze Button: Using the Off-Season as a Time to Rest, Reflect and Refocus." You might think I'd always be happy with my articles, but you'd be wrong. I always try to write a good article, but some just come together better than others. I'm definitely not an easy critic on my own writing - some of my articles are weak. Why? Well...even for a short little 1500-word article, it's a complex process.

First, the topic. My editor, Brook Gardner, comes up with most of the article topics with a little input and adjustment from me. Then I'm on my own. Since I'm almost always writing about running or triathlon, most of the topics are very interesting to me, but once in a great while...meh.

Second, what has already been written about the topic. I want enough out there that I can get a little background, but not so much that everyone has already heard about it and is bored by yet another article on the subject.

Third, and this is a biggie, the people I can round up to interview. This can be tough. Sometimes you can't find anyone that really wants to talk to you. Sometimes you can find them, but they're just not a very good interview (and I'm sure as hell not a professional interviewer, so I'll take some of the blame here).

And then, of course, how much time I leave myself to actually write the article before my deadline. I can be a bit of a procrastinator.

But once in a while, it all comes together and I write something that I'm quite proud of. And this article is one of those.

Hope you enjoy.

Yes, I'm 46 Years Old and I Read Young Adult Novels

Not only that, but some of my favorite novels of the last ten years are young adult novels.

And apparently, I'm not the only one. Here's Jen Doll writing about her young adult novel addiction on Vulture.

Why? Well, first, let me make it very clear: I read Young Adult novels because there are fantastic authors working in that genre. It's that simple. There are other reasons, that I'll get to later, but the main reason is there are wonderful YA books out there. Perhaps we can all thank JK Rowling and Harry Potter for bringing the masses to the Young Adult sections of the bookstore and library. Since the first Harry Potter novel was published back in 1997, authors both new and established have realized that they can sell books in the YA category. And the talent has moved there.

Of course, the other reason I love YA novels is that's where the action is! Sorry adults, but for the most part, you're boring. That decade or so from middle school through college...wow, what incredible years those are. Both good and bad. The emotions and experiences of those years; nothing else can compare to it. Your first kiss, your first love, your first heartbreak, best friends, worst enemies. First experience with death, with sex, with driving, with living on your own. The agony and ecstasy of puberty. Wishing everyone would just leave you alone...and wondering why no one will pay attention to you.

It's no wonder authors love to write about that time. There's so much to be said.

If you're looking for a few good YA books to see if you too appreciate it like I do, or if you already know you love it and just need new recommendations, here are a few I've read recently:

-Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher / I'm actually in the middle of this one right now. Just brutal. The story of a high school girl named Hannah Baker who committed suicide. Hannah tells most of this story herself. It's heartbreaking. This one will make you think back to your own high school years and wonder, "what did I do...and what were the effects of my actions."

-The Fault in Our Stars by John Green / I've written about this one already. One of the most wonderful, life-affirming books about cancer, and ultimately death, you'll ever read. I can't recommend this one highly enough.

-The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky / The story of, yes, a wallflower, and his rough journey through high school. This book is written mostly as letters from the main character, Charlie, to an unknown person and can be a bit hard to get into because of the format. I found the movie, directed by the book's author, to be better - you won't hear me say that often.

-Wonder by R.J. Palacio / You think you had it tough in middle school? You don't know tough. The story of August Pullman, a fifth grader with drastic facial deformities. Sounds a bit like an after-school special, but this one is very well-written, using multiple narrators to show how one person can change many lives.

-Winger by Andrew Smith / Wow. Just wow. This one is extremely funny, but heart breaking as well. Pick this one up first thing.

-The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider / This one did not end the way I wanted it to, but hey, that sometimes happens in life, right? This is the story of Ezra Faulkner and how a horrible car accident turned his high school life upside down...but brought Cassidy Thorpe into it. High school love...is there anything else like it?

Gotta go read. Talk to you soon.

Life and Death in the Chicago Marathon

Well, ESPN is rarely the place to go for decent coverage of running events, but once in a while they do surprise you.

They just recently posted a very well done and moving article about the lives of two runners in the 2011 Chicago Marathon. One of those strange twists of fate found Will Caviness and Amber Miller end their race day in the same hospital, but their fates were as different as could possibly be.

A great read. Take a few minutes and check it out.

The Marathon of Their Lives by David Fleming.

Every Young Runner in America is a Slow, Spinless, Soggy Piece of Milk Toast that Needs to Quit Playing Video Games and Get Tougher Like Us Old Folks!

Or so I gather from the articles I've been reading lately...

First, we've got Kevin Helliker from The Wall Street Journal: The Slowest Generation.

Yes, another "You kids, get off my damn lawn!" article from the mainstream press. I also enjoy how Helliker throws in a stealth-brag about his recent time at the Chicago Tri...in the first line of the article!

I'm not even sure where to start with this mess. First, there's the fact that the entire article is built from a couple of cherry-picked quotes and the fact that running is more popular than ever! Yes, when you have more runners, whether they're running a marathon, a half marathon, or a color run, then the average times will go down. More first time and/or less experienced runners means slower times, that's clear. But why is that a bad thing? Getting people off their fat asses and running is a good thing. It's a great thing! You don't like that they're running mud runs or color runs? Get over yourself!

And then there's this gem, "...America hasn't won an Olympic marathon medal since 2004." Wait, you mean America hasn't won a marathon medal in...the last two Olympics?!? You know what else? Neither have about 200 other countries!

I've got to post one more quote. Helliker actually went out and got the founder of the Spartan Race to give a quote about one of his competitor's races. Wait! Might he say something bad about them?! Yep..."If you can pull the wool over your customers' eyes and convince them that communism is better..." I've got to stop there. Yes, he was talking about a running race.

I just can't...please don't put any credence to this type of garbage. It just feeds people that love to denigrate anything different than themselves. Don't fall into that trap.

Unfortunately, this kind of attitude is not that hard to find out there in the running/writing world. Toni Reavis also took a turn at bat on the topic lately. And while he tries to weasel out from his entire premise at the end of his post ("hey, these kids don't mean to be so damn sucky - it's not their fault!"), he still wants to believe that his generation was...just...better.

It wasn't. You're just getting old. It happens.

Two notes:

1- check out that amazing punctuation in that sentence just up there! I actually put these together,

!"),

I don't even think that's legal.

2- please take the time to check out some of the reader comments from both of the linked articles. There are both smart, thoughtful statements and the kind of idiotic mouth-foaming that articles like this promote. Have fun.

Elmore Leonard Dies at 87

In my opinion, the best writer of all time. I know that sounds crazy about a guy that wrote crime novels and westerns, but it's true. Leonard's writing is the most effortless prose I've ever read. It just flows. It's fantastic to read.

Here is a story from the New York Times.

And a story from his hometown newspaper, the Detroit News.

And here's a bit from Wikipedia.

And Elmore's website.

If you're not familiar with Leonard, pick up these four books at your first opportunity:

-Out of Sight

-Forty Lashes Less One

-Pronto

-Tishomingo Blues

Trust me, you read those four and you'll end up reading them all. And it will be time well spent.

New RaceCenter NW Article Out Now - Toughest Half Marathons in the Northwest

Yes, the new issue of RaceCenter is out and yes, I have a new article in the new issue of RaceCenter. And it's out.

So head over to your closest running-type store or the nearest Jamba Juice and pick up a copy. Also, pick up a Peanut Butter Moo'd Smoothie 'cause that thing is like smoothie crack. It's good! And not nearly as good for you as most Jamba Juice smoothies, so it's like a double-bonus!

If you're all geeked-up and techie, just head over here and you can read the whole thing online. It's what all the cool kids are doing.

So my article is on the most brutal half marathons in the Northwest. And no, I have run exactly none of them. I've heard there are such people out there; freaks that look for the most difficult race possible. But I've never been one of them and I never plan to be. Still, after months of careful research, planning, interviews and an unhealthy relationship with Google, I found 10 such races just for your enjoyment. Or not. If you're like me. Which you probably should be. Because I'm pretty awesome.

But I digress. There are other great articles and such in the new issue, but I'll be honest, I haven't read them yet, so I'm not going to spout off about them too much. Max "F-ing" King has an interesting article on maintaining your fitness as you age. Well, it's interesting to me, because I'm older than hell, so I'll definitely be reading that one soon. (yes, I did say Max "F-ing" King because Max is perhaps the most amazing runner on the planet, and I just feel that having King as a last name isn't quite enough - he needs an expletive within his name so there is absolutely no question what kind of person you're dealing with. This also works with Michael "F-ing" Jordan and Dr. "F-ing" Seuss.)

See you out on the race course. You know, the easy, flat ones...

Is a 2:00 Hour Marathon Possible?

Not bloody likely.

We've discussed this briefly before, but we need to discuss it again. Why? Well, because some people, even some sorta smart running-type people, continue to insist that it's not only possible, but imminent.

I'm not buying it. My take is this: I won't be around to see it happen....and it wouldn't surprise me that much if it never happened.

My favorite guys, The Science of Sport dudes, just wrote a new post about why they're in the "won't happen" camp. Check it out right here.

Graphic from Runner's World.