Zach: Day 27 of 10,220 (Monday re-cap)

    Congratulaions Chris Smelley for being named SEC offensive player of the week!  Somebody check the thermostat in hell.

     Congratulations Placido Domingo for your ground breaking performance at the Mayan pyramids of Chichen Itza. There was controversy surrounding the performance, because many activists believe Domigo was exploiting the pyramids in an irreverent manner.  Luckily he was able to stun fans and silence critics with riveting performances of hit songs such as "Lamento di Federico" and "Gia nella notte densa".

   Today's run was an afternoon affair through a place that I once knew well, but now hardly recognize.  I parked the Avenger at the new Greenville Drive Baseball stadium which is a miniature replica of Fenway Park with a Green Monster and all.  In front of the stadium they relocated the boyhood mill village home of the most famous member of the 1919 Chicago "Black Sox" , "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.  Everyone in Greenville including myself and Tommy Lasorda maintain that Joe is innocent.  My great grandmother was a Jackson who lived in the mill village and my Papa always said that we were related so to me its a matter of family pride.  I began my run down the West End of Main Street through what used to be hood.  My former highschool is located a block away and it was also smack dab in the middle of the hood.  However, Greenville has revamped the entire area with a beautification campaign and now it looks completely different.  It's kinda like in the Whoopi Goldberg classic, "Sister Act", when they start planting flowers in old tires, except instead of planting flowers they built condos. 

   I continued my run up Main Street wearing my Under Armor  Gamecock t-shirt, black Nike shorts, Aassic Shoes, and mid calf Nike socks.  I then took a right and went over the new suspension bridge that hangs over the Reedy River.  I see Jennifer Kleckly's Dad's new restaurant.  I wonder how she's doing?  I end up taking a long detour off of Main Street.  On this detour I pass a friendly Mexican who looks at me, snaps his fingers and yells,  "¡Ándale! ¡Ándale."  I give him a point and shout back "¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!" to complete the tagline of everyone's favorite Mexican Mouse, Mr. Speedy Gonzalez, another fellow runner who we hold in very high regard here at runningfor28years.squarespace.com.  I eventaully made my way back onto Main Street and continued my run to E. Washington Street.  I then turned around and ran back to the Avenger, passing new restaurants and shops all along the way.  This place has really grown up.  When I reached the Avenger I had run roughyl 2 miles.  I got home, knocked out 55 push-ups, and went to see Greg Kinear's new movie about the inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper, "Flash of Genius".  It was tragic yet uplifting.  I don't wanna ruin it for you, but I think its definately worth checking out.

Zach's quote for the Day: 

"I copied (Shoeless Joe) Jackson's style because I thought he was the greatest hitter I had ever seen, the greatest natural hitter I ever saw. He's the guy who made me a hitter." - Hall of Famer Babe Ruth