Running at the Mouth

U.S. Cross-Country Championships Wrap-up

• Adam Goucher is back.  The former University of Colorado standout, who has battled injuries for the past several years, is healthy and once again collecting the skulls of his vanquished foes.  On Saturday in Van Cortlandt Park, he collected the U.S. 4km title, edging Dan Lincoln.  Notre Dame graduate Luke Watson finished sixth, good enough to get him to Worlds.  Also note that Willoughby, Ohio's own Katie McGregor is going to Worlds as well, as she finished 5th.

I've been a huge Goucher fan ever since reading Chris Lear's superb Running with the Buffaloes, which recounts the University of Colorado's 1998 cross-country campaign.  The Adam Goucher portrayed in that book was fearless, tireless, tenacious and durable.  It seems the Adam Goucher of the present has recaptured those qualities:  in the past year, Gouch has set a PR in the 5,000M (13:10) and set the top American 3,000M time as well (7:41).

• Miami University transfer Henry Dennis finished 8th in the 12K.  Depending on what the top six guys do, he may be going to Worlds.  I hope so.

Stereotypes Confirmed

Western Kentucky University's Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity chapter has been suspended surrounding, as the news story puts it, an "alleged goat sex hazing incident."  But it's no big deal.  The chapter president denies that anyone was actually going to have to bang the goat, saying that it was just a joke to make pledges think they'd have to bang the goat.  He also denied that this was a hazing incident.  Well, I'm satisfied.

See, this is how cliches become cliches.  So don't ever wonder why Kentuckians get made fun of for porking livestock and fraternity members are thought of as vicious a-holes.

[Link via Everyday Should Be Saturday]