Dear George and the 9.36 Steepler, I Trained Like an Idiot..

[EPelle]

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[Marlow]

Amazing story - you have always had my admiration. Context is everything, despite what the simplistic nay-sayers would have us believe.

[SQUACKEE]

As i look back on 40 years of racing and training, some of my fondest memories are workouts on those magical days an athlete enjoys every once in a while.

[malmo]

WOW! Real-life Bourne Identity stuff. No wonder your posts were always tinted by the 'looking over your shoulder" theme - you really were looking over your shoulder! Now I really wish that you had the same grounded athletics experience that I had. The worst I ever had was to run and eat and go to class and study and eat and take exams and run again and eat and study and drink beer and chase women. You would have loved it.

Swedish mob? Local thugs? Are they in prison, or what?

"Uncle Sven" ... LOL

[Kevin Richardson]

Definitely helps most of us gain a sense of perspective. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[Aiden]

EPelle, it's no secret you and I aren't buddies (I guess I'm the malmo to your Marlow), but I have to respect and appreciate the brief glimpse of your life you gave us here. Thanks for being willing to share it. To say it must have been tough I'm sure is quite the ridiculous understatement. There's obviously one heck of a prelude to the story, to which you vaguely hinted. To say you wouldn't have tinkered with history - awesome. What else does one say?

Regarding how training fit into all this, I have to agree with Squackee's remarks. The dedicated runner doesn't always define his success by races. The training alone makes so much of it worthwhile. I've forgotten most of my races, as only a few of them are truly memorable. But I remember many workouts for a variety of wonderful reasons.

[jhc68]

Epelle, we knew you were one of the good guys; we didn't know how good until now. Thanks for opening up. You have the admiration of all of us.

[SQUACKEE]

Epelle's life story sums up the old phrase perfectly. Dont judge me until you've walked in my shoes.

[tandfman]

Kevin R, Marlow, and jhc68 have said it all. I'll just say "me too." Thank you.

[EPelle]

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[stallion]

Everyone:s got a story to tell

Yes, they sure do, and in yours, the narrator just happens to be both the hero and martyr. The reason some believe your story is because you're such an angry little man, so it adds up to them. However:
"The most outrageous lies that can be invented will find believers if a man only tells them with all his might." Mark Twain
Even if your story were true, it doesn't explain how you weren't able to translate your anger into a good race now and then, a race befitting somebody who could run 4X1600 in 4:11, which I might add, is a workout a 13:00 5k guy might do.

[marknhj]

Kevin R, Marlow, and jhc68 have said it all. I'll just say "me too." Thank you.

Add me to that list. Thank you for sharing that EPelle.

[ponytayne]

jesus christ stallion! lay the fuck off the guy.

I'm sick of this type of thing that has crept into our message board lately - of dissecting other posters' personal performances, and disagreeing with opinions (OPINIONS!!!) with a written tone of smugness, derision, and a "you are wrong, I am right attitude." Just stop it, already.

[stallion]

jesus christ stallion! lay the fuck off the guy.

I'm sick of this type of thing that has crept into our message board lately - of dissecting other posters' personal performances, and disagreeing with opinions (OPINIONS!!!) with a written tone of smugness, derision, and a "you are wrong, I am right attitude." Just stop it, already.

Apparently you cannot practice what you preach.

[SQUACKEE]

I just wanna say how much courage it takes to say anything personal on this board knowing your gonna get slammed.