possum trot "live" updates

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Due to the wonders of modern technology, you are getting report #1, direct from the start, delayed only by the fact that I was in Connecticut when on-site reporter Mary Jones called in the first report. Nevertheless, modern technology (in the form of my answering maching) is to the rescue:

And the largest field in Possum Trot history is off into the woods, led by 2-time defending champ Mook Everett, former champ Swampfox Platt, perpetual also-ran (or was that runner-up) Spike Eglinski, and former Canuk and two-time US champ Brian May.

More to fol

-- peter (pg@crocker.com), December 08, 2002

Answers

The leaders have reached the first aid station at 5.5 km, about 1/3 of the way into the course. Mook is in the lead, about a minute and a half ahead of Bian May and Swampfox, with spike another 3:30 back. Word is that Mook has already skipped, however. Word also is that Swampfox is planning to emulate Judy Dickinson's tactics at the Billygoat and not skip any controls.

The crowd wonders -- is he that good, or is he that stupid, or does he just want to get full value for his entry fee?

More to follow

-- peter (pg@crocker.com), December 08, 2002.


Our reporter, the ace Mary Jones, has gotten into the spirit of the Possum Trot and skipped the report from the second aid station.

More to follow, we hope....

-- peter (pg@crocker.com), December 08, 2002.


Mary is back with the hot news from the finish -- it's Brian May in first with a clear win of 4+ minutes over Mook and another couple minutes over Spike. Minnesota will be celebrating tonight!

Swampfox, meanwhile, has not been seen. Has he had a "senior moment" and decided to take a nap? Or, as Mary speculates, has he given up on the competition and decided to help out the organizers by picking up some controls. If so, it's yet another class act from a great athlete in his twilight years.

Signing off from Sunderland.

-- peter (pg@crocker.com), December 08, 2002.


Word also is that Swampfox is planning to emulate Judy Dickinson's tactics at the Billygoat and not skip any controls. The crowd wonders -- is he that good, or is he that stupid, or does he just want to get full value for his entry fee?

I think Swampfox was neither that good, that stupid, or that cheap. He was hungry! You see, the course setter, Mike Shifman, offered anyone who went to all of the controls two Burger King Whoppers. Swampfox was the only entrant who took Shifman up on the offer and went to all of the controls. I can only assume that two Whoppers meant more than the glory of a top place at the Trot.

When Shifman made his offer, someone (Dave Cozhair?) wondered if he gave Shifman four Whoppers, could he skip 4 controls?

-- Michael (mike_eglinski@kcmo.org), December 09, 2002.


Peter wondered why I gave no update fromt he second aid station. Two reasons: technical difficulty, and fast running.

First, the cell phone batteries were low and needed to recharge while the runners were passing through the second aid station.

Second, the aid station was only 3K from the finish. I tried to drive back to the finish to see Brian May win, but he got there before I did. I couldn't give an update to Peter fast enough.

-- Mary (maprunner@juno.com), December 09, 2002.



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