April Fools!

Let me begin with a story of a pre-Milk Table April Fool’s Day. Two years year on this day, Coach Traughber sent us out for our run. The run was a Chasselle. Connor was up front in his own group, then Boyle also in his own group, and I was in the 3rd group with at-the-time-juniors. When we got to Olive we meet up with Coach and he asked if we had seen Boyle. We said no and guessed that he had probably stopped to go to the bathroom. When we returned to DeSmet Zach was already back. Coach asked where the heck he was because he didn’t see him on the run. Zach said he ran a Laduemont. He claims that he didn’t see where Connor went and assumed the run was a Laduemont because he wasn’t listening earlier. It ended up being quite the accidental April Fool’s joke.

Snap back to today. We wanted to top Boyle’s accident. And coach gave us the perfect opportunity. He told us that we had to wait for him to get back from dropping off the water before we could start the warm-up. So, we decided to hide. Oh and Scherping hadn’t made it to practice yet so wasn’t in on this. We went to the “balcony” outside the theater door looking over the track. Peaking over the rail we saw T-bone pull into the parking lot. When he got to the side of the track, all together we jumped up and yelled “April Fools!” It was awesomely hilarious. We totally had him.

The only thing better than getting coach was also getting Scherping. During the warm-up he recounted what happened to him. He came out to the track late and didn’t see anyone. He checked the locker room. Nobody. So he went up to 204 where we were going to have a goals meeting and didn’t see anyone. He then had the brilliant idea that we might be starting from AC Land (we haven’t used it to start practice for years). Then, he went and did it all over again and again found no one. Lucky he found Coach who told him want happened and he meet up with us in 204 for the goals meeting.

We began the goals meeting by turning all the desks around. After attendance we turned the desks back to the front and got serious. It was time for everyone to write down their goals for the season and post them in their locker. We have written down what we want to accomplish. Now, it’s time to work to make those goals a reality.

Everyone had one of three runs today: Conway-Mason, Laduemont, or loops at Conway Park. Matt, Jacob, and I rejoined the top group for our first road run in awhile. The run was money! Literally, Jacob found $5 dollars in the ditch. We played some 20ish questions and had a blast. Austin and I broke off at Laudemont. I shared the beginnings of my running career and some team history with him. You know how much I love telling stories, and if Austin found it boring, he never showed it.

Upon arriving back at DeSmet we were overjoyed to find the YMCA had been closed. The team gathered at the circle on the turf for core and stretching. It has been a long time since we have been able to do that. It was cool. Of course, we played telephone. This probably was the best practice of the year. So much fun.

Quote of the Day: “The T-bone is on the grill.”- Nick Martini. He came up with this phrase as our code for Coach Traughber arriving at DeSmet when we were in the middle of our April Fool’s joke.

Joke of the Day: Right after we finished core. “You guys have been lollygagging all day. Let’s go- plank position. UP!” [5 second pause] “April Fools!”- Coach Traughber getting us back.

Best Dressed: Matt O’Connor takes the first Best Dressed after a long lapse. He had the red Summer Training shirt matched with red striped shorts. For the run, he went Sun’s Out Guns Out and the always cool flag shorts.