What's up Doc: Gravity race (6/13/13)

Race: Hollis Fast 5k

Location: Hollis, NH

Goal: ??:??

Actual Time: 18:46

I don’t know why, but through the entire jog to the top of the hill I couldn’t get one random song out of my head – What’s up Doc (Can We Rock?).

And as I approached the starting line it still ran through my head.  It mellowed some of the anticipation of the race.  I had no real goal going in and no real mission during.  The race itself is a little crazy.  It’s on a Thursday evening, it’s the New England USATF championship and its downhill – losing 224 feet of elevation over the 3.1 miles

PROFILE

~ “There’s two scoops of Raisin in the Sun” - Moc

Somewhere in early 90s, like the majority of Black Americans who were ignored by the “Morning in America,” Rap was coming out of the shadows.  And in these halcyon days between the End of History and the release of the Chronic, we lived in a world where it was a good idea to wear Cross Colors and there were whole sub-genres of rap that competed for dominance.   The Fu-Schnickens (with Das Efx) were with this one of these genres was a fun playful fast paced rap.

In a way the Hollis Fast 5k, with its elevation loss and bright colors, parallels those days.  At the start of the race, I stayed back from the guys who were going to win.  The fast paced without really trying and off to an unknown future…

Can we Rock?

What’s up Doc?

~ “My tongue starts to quicken like Speedy Gonzalez” – Chip

The early 90s was also a time you could mention Speedy Gonzalez without discussing the obvious stereotypes and racist overtones of the cartoons.  (Based on this cartoon, I don’t think some people’s views of Mexicans/Chicanos have changed much…)

But the second mile definitely was Speedy.  I dropped from a 6:01 in the first mile to a 5:51 in the second.  Yet, I still was not racing full on as I did not want to burn myself for the rest of the week.

Can we Rock?

What’s up Doc?

~ “Rippin' the program, slow man, hot damn” – Poc

So, I could have destroyed the last mile.  But, I felt that I was not able to help the team and this ridiculous race was one where I shouldn’t have a “fake PR.”  So, I slowed man – hot damn.  The last mile I ran in the 6:15 range – still dropping.

Can we Rock?

What’s up Doc?

~ “Now who's the first pick? me, word is born and
Not a Christian Laettner, not Alonzo Mourning” – Shaq

The end is very jarring.  As Kimi’s father said: it doesn’t go uphill, just going flat feels that way.  So like Shaq suddenly rapping – the end jars you.  I then turned to the finish and slowed again so I didn’t fake PR – coming in at an official 18:46.

Do you remember people claiming that Christian Laettner (64 Win Shares) was going to be a better pro than Shaq (181 Win Shares) (? (Of course, they probably still think Mexicans are like the Speedy Gonzalez cartoons.)

Do you remember when Shaq tried to be a serious rapper?

“Slam it, Jam it

And make sure it’s broke”

Jim Pawlicki's more serious blog from nearer the front can be read here.