August 24, 1979 (Friday)

From running log:
Ran 6.5 miles total, including a 4 mile time trial on the road loop (Crawford), which I did in 23:40 (5:55 pace, not bad given that my opening mile - uphill on Connie Road - was a 6:18). Teammates ran pretty well too: Moose 24:00, Todd 25:00, Nellie 26:10, Lane 26:58. I got a sideache during the run, blame it on malted milk balls. Right knee still sore. I beat Coolidge's time from last year.

30 years later:
The "Crawford Loop" was a staple for Baraboo distance runners. It's about 4 miles, with a slow uphill start (up Connie Road) and a couple of steeper hills along the way (up and over Goerks Road and Crawford St.)... but a fast downhill finish (flying down 9th Ave). Running it at sub-6:00 pace was a point of pride, as was comparing times from year-to-year. For me, to run that fast that early in the season on that course was a real confidence-builder.

Reading "blame it on malted milk balls" makes me laugh. Nowadays, you can purchase hi-tech energy bars, gels, drinks, chews, tablets, even electrolyte-laden jelly beans at almost any supermarket, pharmacy, or gas station. In 1979, we basically had Gatorade and ... well, that was about it. If you got hungry prior to a run, you'd reach for a banana or maybe a few cookies. That afternoon, I just happened to have a big bag of malted milk balls. Not exactly energy food, but sure tasted good. Running hard down those hills with the sour taste of refined sugar and waxy chocolate in my mouth and a burning side stitch was a lesson to be learned. Stick with bananas, kid.