Good News / Bad News

There was some good news and some bad news in the world of local sports here in the Milwaukee area.

First the good news. There is a local high school runner from University Lake School near Hartland, WI (about 25 miles from Milwaukee) named Molly Seidel. She just won her 4th straight State Cross Country Championship this year being only the second girl in the state to ever do so. The first was Suzy Favor Hamilton so she is is pretty good company. Just this Saturday, she won the Foot Locker National High School Cross Country Championship in California in a time of 17:22. That is pretty amazing. I haven't has a chance to see her run yet but maybe I can find a track meet this spring she will be in.

Not the bad news. Perhaps you have heard the news about Ryan Braun from the Milwaukee Brewers. He won the NL MVP award this past year leading the Brewers to the NL Central title and the playoffs. He is a real pleasure to watch. But the news is bad as he apparently tested positive for higher than normal levels of testosterone or some performance enhancing drug. It is a real shock since he didn't seem like the type to do so and even was very vocal against performance enhancing drugs. He is denying that he used drugs and says that there are extenuation circumstances that will clear his name which I really hope happens, that is if it is false. If it is true, I will have to not like him anymore.

I am against performance enhancing drugs big time. I think anyone who uses them intentionally is a cheater and really take away from those who do it legally. Suzy Favor Hamilton, whom I mentioned earlier, was screwed out of many National Championships when Regina Jacobs was using. Not only did she not win the Championships, but all the extra endorsements and prize money as well. This is why I am no fan of Barry Bonds, Marion Jones, and also Lance Armstrong.

Yeah, I know, I have heard it a hundred times, "Lance Armstrong never tested positive". Yeah, well neither did Barry Bonds or Marion Jones forever but we all knew. Lance does do some good things, that is for sure, but he is also a cheater. He 'stole' prize money and championships away from others as well.

Other good (and not exactly new) news, the UW-Whitewater football team will be playing in the Division 3 National Championship football game again this year for the 7th (YES 7) straight year. But the isn't the most amazing thing, the most amazing this is that they will be playing against Mount Union for the 7th straight year for the title. CRAZY!!! They both have 3 each the last 6 years, who will take the lead?

As far as my running, I did get in 51 laps (just over 14 miles) at the Pettit Center on Friday evening. My knee gave me trouble at about 44 laps but I finished and rested it the rest of the weekend. I plan on getting in 20 miles at Pettit next weekend. I want to get in one more long run at Pettit before the Icebreaker Indoor Marathon and with the Goof taking place 2 weeks before, I won't get another chance.

Keep on Running!!!