World Champion Red Sox - AGAIN!

Yep, definitely time for an update. And I never thought I'd be able to put "World Champions" in the same sentence as "Red Sox" and "again" in my lifetime... WOO-HOO!!

The yelling was pretty loud in our house Sunday night after the unexpected sweep of the Colorado Rockies. Mike Lowell so deserved that MVP (though I did wonder if maybe Dustin and Jacoby might be selected to share the honours - there's always next season for the rookies).

Oh, yeah, note to Red Sox management: SIGN LOWELL, DAMMIT!!!!!

Even my Mom stayed up to hear the outcome once the score got so close (and she's on the East Coast, so that's pretty darn late).

Oh, yeah, note to MLB bigwigs: FOX BROADCASTING SUCKS!!!!!

The announcers were horrible, Tim McCarver made mistake after mistake in his "colour commentary," the commercials were excessively long, and what sort of lame post-game coverage was that??!! A few interviews, a few trophy presentations, then a final mini-wrap-up. That's it? That's all we get? ARRGH!

Other than that, watching the game Sunday evening was a lovely way to finish up a day that began with a 22-mile run (great negative split - 13 minutes faster on the return!), transitioned into a great potluck and bocce contest at the Fremont Community Garden (with a surprise visit by Rob Fong to present a City Council resolution to recognize Mr. E's work on the Garden), and almost came to a crashing halt when the Rockies roared back to come within 1 run. Thank goodness for former River Cat Bobby Kielty's pinch home run! Even without the troll hair, he'll be memorable for Red Sox fans.

Oh, yeah, note to self: Finally time to wash those "good luck" Red Sox sheets...

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

In reverse order...

THE UGLY
Red Sox extra-inning loss in Game #2 of the ALCS. So glad I turned off the TV at the end of the 10th inning. When I heard Gagne was about to enter the game, I knew it couldn't end well...

THE BAD
Umm... see above. Why exactly does Francona stick with this guy? It's one thing to be patient with a slow start at the beginning of the season (e.g. Dustin Pedroia, leading candidate for AL Rookie of the Year and local Sacto-area boy from Woodland), but it's another thing to stubbornly hope for the best in the post-season.

THE GOOD
My 20-mile run yesterday morning, the first of three 20+ runs in this marathon training. My primary goal was to run a negative split, as I tend to have difficulty holding myself back at the beginning and then regret it later. So I was psyched to see a great negative split at the end: 98:00 for the first 10 (yeah, slow, but that's the point), 90:00 for the second 10 (that's actually marathon pace).

Now let's just hope I can move "The Ugly" into "The Good" after ALCS Game #3 tonight...

SWEEP

OK, so it's a bit tardy, but how 'bout that sweet sweep o' the Angels by my Boston boys? Not bad, not bad at all...

ALCS Game #1 - tomorrow night - and it's all good 'cause the Yanks are OUT!!!

Cowtown

Wow - I can't believe it's already been a year since the last Cowtown when I gussied up my running clothes with multiple mini stuffed cows (see archives for October 2006 for post and photo). I remember that race pretty well, though, since I was quite unhappy with my time.

This year, Cowtown is simply part of a longer 16-mile training run, since I'm training for the CIM, so it won't be such a big deal if my time isn't fabulous. I'm hoping for a decent 1/2 marathon time, but certainly not expecting anything like my PR at the Davis Stampede back in February.

In the meantime, the more important news is BASEBALL, of course:

• Red Sox WIN Game 1 vs. the Angels, 4-0. Beckett pitched a beautiful complete-game shut-out. Youk and Big Papi came through with homers. Jacoby pulled off a great catch in left. Gotta love it!
• Yankees LOSE Game 1 vs. Cleveland in a smackdown 12-3 style. Woo-hoo!

What more could a member of Red Sox Nation wish for in early October??!!

GO SOX!!!