An ode to the junkie

8 years ago I stumbled across the Kickrunning site while looking for weight training info for runners. I created an ID and signed on and soon was posting to the boards. Kickrunning became merged with Coolrunning and eventually bought out by Active.com. While the boards prospered as kick and cool, the boards were drastically changed for Active and most of the regulars disbanded to other sites.

For over 8 years we've chatted and posted our thoughts and training. We've met each other at races and get togethers, most didn't hide behind the guise of an arbitrary user name.

Joe came on the boards about 5 or so years ago, he was a heavy guy, built like a tank with long dreadlocks and a penchant for extreme fighting events (and he competed in some events too). But he was also a kind and gentle man, who would literally give you the shirt off his back if he felt you needed more than he.

Posting as VoodooJunkie, his size and larger than life attitude made him quickly popular on the forms. He didn't hide behind his ID, he gave details of himself and his life and didn't hesitate to show up at as many events and social happenings as he could. I never met him, those that did could only have the most positive things to say, any who did were instantly his friend.

Despite his size he pushed himself in running, completing many road and trail marathons, always wanting to bring his time down, doing his best in Chicago last year with a 3:40:30.

Late Thursday he posted his last run report, doing 20 miles in 3 hours, 3 minutes and 39 seconds on a humid sticky evening. On Friday, Joe was gone. His workplace posted this article to say he died from heart failure. Perhaps his penchant for burgers (he's competed in many a burger eating contest, and has won more often than not) couldn't be offset enough by the miles he's put in. We'll likely never know.

Joe was a good one. He made the virtual space and the real space a more enjoyable place. I hadn't conversed with him in a long time as he moved over to Kickrunners while I've been on the CHRunners site, both sprung up from the demise of Coolrunning. But I was always amazed at his tenacity and desire to give it his all whatever he did, there was no middle ground.

So long Voodoo



Alive is a good start to the day. Take it from there

My heel hurts

but just when I walk.

Ah summer running, the sights, the smells, the piles of garbage

Yes, it's the continuation of the city outside workers strike. The parking lot just below my training hill has an 8 foot high fence around it and a very neat pile of garbage constituting it's holdings. It's nicely done actually, every bag doubled up (or else you get to take it home and try it again), nothing torn or badly leaking. Even downwind from it, it's not too bad.

Our continuing cool summer has a lot to do with it, the baggy contents of the garbage piles aren't getting the opportunity to ferment in the heat like the last strike. The backyard pool is feeling the thermal pinch, and a lack of attention as a result (good thing I have a chlorine generator on it, otherwise I'd probably have drained it by now), but the plants and flowers have been thrilled by it all. Driving to work and running at lunchtime, the aroma of flora is almost overpowering. Back in the city the flowers and the garbage piles are basically cancelling each other out. If summer should suddenly decide to descend on us, it might be a different story.

Still struggling with scheduling. Did 7ish this morning and 5 more at noon, and I'd like to keep that trend going. Early rise tomorrow morning as I have a major task to do (demolish and rebuild a small porch) that will take the whole day so I want to get my run in bright and early or else it won't happen. Not sure how Sunday will fare, it all depends on how much of a toll Saturday takes out of me.

Press on.