With three primary races tallied, Slab City Running Company sits in fifth-place overall on the 2008 USATF-MN Team Circuit, two points behind Lundgren Ford and only four points behind third-place Collegeville. After three early wins, Run 'N' Fun is the presumptive nominee for their party. TC Running Company has notched three runner-ups, and the Circuit math is in their favor as we race for the right to challenge Run 'N' Fun. Slab City has posted strong finishes in each of the initial contests this season: fourth at the Human Race 8K, fourth at the Earth Day Half-Marathon, and a close fifth at the Get in Gear 10K. After Earth Day we were tied for third-place overall. But now, after a 10K race plagued by controversial weather knocked us into fifth, some are calling for us to drop out.
Loyal fans, volunteers and donors, Slab City Running Company will never drop out! As you know, we are the finest team on the Circuit. We are most qualified to win in September. We are prepared for stuff. And we are still awake at 1:15am. The process established by USATF-MN will reward all of these qualifications. To drop out would compromise the legitimacy of that process, and deny honorable, hard-working races like Hennepin-Lake or the Master's 15K their right to have a say in the outcome. For the same reason, we pledge to continue our effort to count the results from the Race for Justice 5K towards Team Circuit scoring. When a runner participates in a race it is appallingly undemocratic to ignore his performance merely because USATF decided that particular race would not be included on the Circuit. We will make sure every race is counted. And we promise to each of you that we will take this fight all the way to City of Lakes!
Examining our performance thus far strongly suggests that The Company will improve over the course of the summer. This team fares particularly well in the suburban and rural areas that surround central cities, and the rest of the schedule is packed with races in places like suburban Edina and the Linden Hills countryside. In fact, the only remaining urban contest is the TC 1-Mile on May 8th in Minneapolis. After that, the Circuit will stop in the tiny Hamlet of Nokomis before returning to rural St. Paul where The Company fared so well at the Human Race. From there a doubleheader in Calhoun Township before hitting the suburbs will have Slab City positioned nicely for a fall victory. Here's a closer look at the demographic split for the Circuit so-far:
The Human Race 8K
Ben Merchant's beard set the tone for Slab City's performance as he led the way with a 25:58, pacing the team for a solid fourth place showing ahead of Collegeville. Post-race data suggest that Slab City's work ethic was especially resonant among St. Paul's rural community, and nobody embodied that principle more than Christopher "Biz" Lundberg. He took a 26:39 break from marathon training to complete the 8K. Bryan Donald, Reuben Woodruff and Dan Church completed the scoring for The Company as Phil Schrader and Matt Gehring also returned to the roads for the Blue & White.
The Earth Day 1/2 Marathon
Dan "Chapel" Church led a fearless Slab City contingent in St. Cloud, where Phil Schrader, Matt Gehring and Ben Ho also braved a dizzying four miles of twists and turns before finding a straight road. Once there, Chapel discovered he could take a full stride. He decided to take several, and they got him to the finish line a minute ahead of his anticipated finish. Schrader arrived next, 15s ahead of schedule, giving The Company our margin of victory over Lundgren Ford. Gehring, meanwhile, calmly matched his Human Race pace for 13.1 miles. When asked to comment he simply explained, "small-town racers respect consistency." He proved correct, as the town handed The Company another fourth-place finish and an extra reason to celebrate Ben Ho's Slab City debut.
Get in Gear 10K
In every Circuit season, the winds of controversy eventually swirl. Successful teams are those who manage them best. By that measure, Slab City Running Company was the most successful team at the Get in Gear 10K, for nowhere will controversial winds blow more powerfully than they did on the Ford St. Bridge. In blinding sleet and slush The Company banded together, with Bryan Donald, Chapel, and Paul Fischer all finishing within 15s. Ben Merchant once again led the way as Reuben slammed the door. Paul Fischer made his Slab City debut while Ho and Gehring each followed-up their fine performances from the week before. Stalwarts, Jim and Allen Lundberg, also made their season debuts giving The Company the most cohesive nine-man squad this side of the Metrodome. Strong individual races from Collegeville and Lundgren Ford left Slab City in fifth place on the day and overall, but well within striking distance.
Ultimately, the nomination for the right to challenge Run 'N' Fun will be determined by super runners, many of whom presently compete unattached. Slab City has logged countless hours off the racing trail recruiting and wooing these crucial members of the Circuit process. Early endorsements from Ben Ho and Paul Fischer reflect the sentiment held by many such established runners; that The Company is the team most likely to disrupt Run 'N' Fun's winning streak this fall. A steady stream of super runners have also endorsed TC Running Company, but many Slab City supporters are waiting until after the TC 1-Mile race to declare their allegiance. With their support, with yours, we will race past Collegeville, Ford and TCRC and take the Circuit at City of Lakes! Send your contributions, check or money-order, today!
(Because, um, we're having trouble with some of these entry fees...)
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