My 2 Cents

Ode to Race Directors

by vince August 30, 2010 Monumental Efforts

    Our tenure as Race Directors has come to a close,So I thought I’d pay tribute with some poetic prose.For nearly a decade we have organized the Iroquoia Trail Test,With these duties behind us, it’s time for a well-deserved rest. If you’ve ever staged a run, you can appreciate the work requiredTo get every [...]

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Once a Runner

by vince July 31, 2010 Book Reviews

“In order to win you’ve got to avoid losing first” — Dick Doobey, football coach at fictitious Southern University Since I started writing reviews, first for the Burlington Runners Times newsletter then here at Monumental Effort, one book that has been recommended to me on occasion is Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr. [...]

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First Term Report Cards

by vince June 7, 2010 Faces

“My report card always said, ‘Jim finishes first and then disrupts the other students’.” -comedian Jim Carrey We are nearly halfway through 2010 and Monumental Effort thought it would be a good idea to revisit and assess some of the stories we have covered this year.  As the academic year winds down most teachers are [...]

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Earth Day – Go Green

by vince April 22, 2010 My 2 Cents

“It’s not easy being green” – Kermit the Frog Happy Earth Day!  This important day has prompted Monumental Effort to offer hints and tips to runners on how we could be more environmentally conscious.  We are not suggesting that we are perfect when it comes to thinking about our planet, but we are hoping this [...]

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Rowboat in a Hurricane

by Bill April 13, 2010 Book Reviews

Last night I couldn’t sleep.  I tossed and turned, struggling to get comfortable in my king size bed, beneath my soft, flannel sheets and down filled duvet. At two in the morning I found myself splayed sideways across the bed and oddly my feet only lightly brushed the pajamas of my soundly sleeping spouse.  As [...]

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What I Talk About When I Talk About Running – A Memoir

by Bill April 5, 2010 Book Reviews

It is becoming more and more common to read about celebrities who are runners. In many cases, they have taken to the road for a cause of some sort; are running along side other celebrities to promote something, be it a new film or a political cause; or are training for a role in an [...]

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Hasselhoffian Effort

by vince March 23, 2010 My 2 Cents

“Sand, I can’t get rid of the sand!”  – Kramer in Seinfeld’s The Marine Biologist episode Our annual March Break vacation consists of a week of rest, relaxation and re-energizing near the quaint town of Cabarete in beautiful Dominican Republic.  My wife and I rent a one bedroom condominium apartment at a quiet resort and [...]

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To Bib or Not To Bib?

by vince March 14, 2010 My 2 Cents

“Pinned you again.” – Nala in The Lion King There’s no more space on my basement wall!  Although these numbered, multi-coloured chest coverings help decorate my otherwise drab and dark laundry room, what real purpose do race bibs serve, specifically in ultra running?  As I perused the photos in the latest edition of the Ultra Running magazine this thought struck [...]

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100 Miles to Destiny – a Novel on Running

by vince March 1, 2010 Book Reviews

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.” Dr. Napolean Hill Over the past seventeen days the 2010 Winter Olympics provided the World with dozens upon dozens of Monumental Effort stories.  Seeing as we were already inundated with coverage of the games, we felt that reporting on these stories on our blog [...]

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Running Through the Wall

by vince February 12, 2010 Book Reviews

Running Through the Wall – Personal Encounters With the Ultramarathon By: Neal Jamison “Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it.“ — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe   Chock-full of Monumental Effort stories, Running Through The Wall – Personal Encounters With the Ultramarathon [...]

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