So it begins

 In case you haven't heard I am running the NYC Marathon this year as a member of Fred's Team. Fred's Team is an organization that raises money for cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Take a moment to make a donation to Memorial Sloan-Kettering by visiting Daniel Jimenez's Fred's Team Fundraising Page

On May 12, 2010 I had the chance to go to the Fred's Team kick off party for the 2010 ING New York City Marathon Team at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  Against my better judgment I decided to trust my GPS, rather than my own instincts on the ride into the city.  I typed in the address on 67th street and figured i would go over the 59th (i refuse to call it the queensborough bridge, deal with it).  Instead I wound up going south on the BQE.  Once I got to metropolitan avenue, I discovered that the GPS was taking me to 67th in Brooklyn, since i neglected to type in East 67th street.  Garbage in, garbage out  I suppose.  So I had to take the Manhattan Bridge across the river, cut up Bowery, head east on 27th to the FDR and exit at 61st, which is where I would have wound up if i just took the 59th street bridge to begin with. 


Dr. Richard O'Reilly, Chair, MSKCC Department of Pediatrics spent part of the evening talking about the strides in treatment made possible by the money raised by Fred's Team runners through the years.  I am not going to pretend to understand half of what he said, because I barely squeaked by in biology back in high school.  However, I can understand what it means to say that the survival rate for certain types of childhood cancers has gone from 5% to 50% and better. 

In addition we got to meet our coaching staff and hear some wisdom from Coach Jeff and Anna about how to not only survive this experience, but to enjoy it as well.  Group runs are scheduled to start soon on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.  NYC is not just around the corner from me, so for me being able to go to these sessions is going to be more the exception than the rule.  I am going to try to stay on top of the training program and make sure I am putting in the work.  Today I put in five and a half miles on the treadmill in 60 minutes. 

In closing, remember to give early and give often as it is my goal to raise $3,000.00 for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.    

Kevin runs some more, while I am lazy

At least someone is out there making sure the club's good name or bad name stays intact.  Over the weekend Kevin ran The Bench 5k in Stony Brook.  To paraphrase Kevin, "Never miss a race that finishes at a bar."

The course.  Well according to Kevin, it was two hills and a fraking mountain.  So there you go.   Kevin finished in 21:49:10.  In recognition of this accomplishment, and his great showing at the Long Island Half Marathon Kevin has been awarded with a new club title, "Minister of Stamps and Jeter Bombs."

Kevin placed 4th in his age group.  This has lead to a new club policy.  Anytime a club member places and gets any type of prize purse, it must first be used to buy other club members drinks.  Now, I am the first to admit, that as the only club member in any danger of winning a prize purse, this rule really only applies to Kevin. Some might say this is unfair.  To them I say, too bad.  The motion has been seconded and carried.

Registrations have been sent in for the Summer Run Series and in my case, the Sayville Summer Series.  I would love to say that I have been out putting in the miles, but that would be a lie.  And we all know you can't lie on the internet.  The pollen out here in god's country has been so thick the past few days that I haven't even gotten out the door.  Tomorrow I get back on track, with a 5 mile day.  Wednesday is a quick three, Thursday another 5 and Saturday is a sixer. 


In case you haven't heard I am running the NYC Marathon this year as a member of Fred's Team. Fred's Team is an organization that raises money for cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Take a moment to make a donation to Memorial Sloan Kettering by visiting Daniel Jimenez's Fred's Team Fundraising Page

Remember, give early and give often.  It is my goal to raise $3,000. 

Kevin runs a half and the Bamboozle review

Approximately a week ago Kevin "El Guapo Jr." Gill learned that the RXR Long Island Marathon was happening on May 2, 2010.  On a whim he decided to sign up for the half marathon.  Keep in mind that Kevin never ran more than nine miles before May 2.  Also keep in mind that the night before the half marathon Kevin was out till god knows when at a show at the crazy donkey.  UVR&SC is very proud to congratulate Kevin on finishing the half marathon in 1:49:30. 


While Kevin was busy slogging out 13.1 miles Dori and I headed over to the Meadowlands for Bamboozle.  Angry old scenester Dan was in full effect for most of the day.  My review of the show in the form of the facebook postings of a semi dehydrated lunatic follows. 

Daniel Jimenez: going to jersey and am not going to be anwhere near a windmill to satisfy my craving for cheesefries. roadtrip fail.

Yesterday at 13:42 via Facebook for BlackBerry

No surprise, we hit traffic at the Throgs and on the CBX.  We left the house around 2:30.  We arrived just in time for Motion City Soundtrack's set at 5:05.   On the way to the stage where Motion City is about to begin playing we catch the last five minutes of Minus the Bear's set.  Impressed.  

Daniel Jimenez: just saw a kid with justin bieber's haircut wearing a shirt that says f$ck justin bieber. I am ashamed of my part in all of this. I officially am handing in my punk rock union card. and my jersey union card. I hate the meadowlands.

Yesterday at 17:15 via Facebook for BlackBerry

Motion City Soundtrack is up on stage.  These days I can't be bothered to push my way to the front.  I need to get kicked in the head by some moron crowd surfing like I need to get hit by lightning.  So Dori and I settle back into my new standing area of choice.  Near the sound guy.  I have wanted to see MCS live for years now and am glad I finally got a chance.  They were excellent.  Also, got a kick out of seeing Diaz hard at work.  

After MCS, I decide it is time to enjoy a cold beer.  I mentally prepare myself to part with ten bucks for the privilege.  I wait in the line and present my ID to the beer lady.  She asks where my bracelet is.  I tell her I tend not to wear bracelets.  She tells me that I need a bracelet to get beer.  I respond that I have shown her my driver's license and I want a beer now.  She is not compelled.  I respond that I have gray hair in my beard for god's sake, now give me a beer.  My arguments, while entertaining are less than compelling.  I am rebuffed and told to find the bracelet tent.  

Dori and I make our way over to the next stage to catch some of Say Anything's set.  I have a soft spot for lyrically clever obnoxious music.  It makes up for the fact that they took the stage wearing matching outfits.  They looked like Mormon missionaries.  

Some random thoughts as I stand in the crowd. 

Ladies, bikinis are a privilege, not a right.  Gingers, it is called sunblock, you should all invest in it.  

After Say Anything wraps up we do a lap around the merch tents.  In addition we find the fabled bracelet tent.  ID's are produced and bracelets procured.  Dori is upset that the ID guy does not scrutinze her drivers license.  I see the parent's tent on the left.  I suddenly feel sad and out of place. Twenty five dollars later a beer and chicken fingers have been accomplished.  There is still a long gap until Weezer takes the stage at nine.  

We call grandpa and grandma to see how Aidan is doing.  They took him to the Holtsville Ecology Center and Zoo.  We are told he had a good time until a peacock stared him down and honked at him.  

We decide to walk back over to the main stages and check out Matt and Kim. I take the opportunity to use my new beer bracelet again.  I had started to think that my loathing of the crowd was due to the fact that most of them are half my age.  My time in the beer line proved that wrong.  I was in front of two guys talking about how much better Cochella was because you could get Heineken there.

Daniel Jimenez: thoughts from bamboozle. if you love or even like matt and kim please do society a favor. go back to williamsburg and commit suicide. they are awful.

Yesterday at 19:35 via Facebook for BlackBerry

Now I know that may sound a bit harsh.  Maybe I was dehydrated and perhaps my agoraphobia was really firing on all synapses.  But I stand by it.  They were not my cup of tea.  To those who are fans I say potato, and you are free to say potato.

Daniel Jimenez: Also please take all the idiots jumping around to the musical stylings of girltalk with you. Post haste.

Yesterday at 19:52 

How can I even begin to describe Girl Talk (two words, thanks Diaz for the correction)?  A guy wearing a headband with a macbook pro set up on a folding table in the middle of a stage mixing hip hop lyrics over beats.  Was he a DJ?  I don't know.  He spent too much time jumping up and down on his table to really be doing anything.  I think he may have been updating his facebook status from the stage. At one point some feedback hit the monitors, I am pretty sure he was playing on chatroulette too.  

 

Daniel Jimenez: more thoughts from bamboozle. the crowd gathering for mgmt looks like an urban outfitters vomitted all over them. there is a girl wearing neon green socks and wooden clogs. life fail.

Yesterday at 20:05 via Facebook for BlackBerry

Again, I know that alot of people like MGMT.  Good for you.  They were okay.  But by that point, Dori and I were staking out real estate for Weezer at the other main stage.   

Now I enjoy Weezer. I haven't seen them live since the Blue Album.  Dori on the other hand LOVES Weezer.  Correction Dori loves Rivers Coumo.  Another thing about Dori is she is short.  That puts her at a significant disadvantage at general admission shows.  We set up camp at extreme stage left far enough back to avoid the crowd.  In short we set up in pretty horrible real estate.  I passive aggressively complain about the spot until she agrees to move.  We wind up right next to the soundguy again.  

Weezer took the stage at 9:05ish.  Great studio band and a great live band.  Of course they didn't play "in the garage" which has to be one of my favorite songs, but the mix of old and new stuff was really good.  

At one point during the set Rivers ran through the middle of the crowd and climbed up on the soundcage to sing.  The picture above, while just as crappy as the rest, was taken without zooming.  You are welcome Dori.  

We left a bit before the Weezer set ended to avoid getting stuck in the meadowlands parking mess. Somehow or other I wound up on Rt 17 on the way home.  We drove by a SONIC.  Yes, a SONIC.  Sadly there was a line of cars running down the shoulder trying to get into the place and we could not be bothered waiting.  

In case you haven't heard I am running the NYC Marathon this year as a member of Fred's Team. Fred's Team is an organization that raises money for cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Take a moment to make a donation to Memorial Sloan Kettering by visiting Daniel Jimenez's Fred's Team Fundraising Page