Now that all the females and males have had their yearly overdose of "Stunning Buns", it's time to review what happened.

The Lovely Ann has proved once again that she isn't getting older she's getting better. I knew that all along!

Ron Kaszor's time was quick again this year but it could have been a bit faster for two reasons; 1) he ran with Keith, I'm So Full 'O Speed, Abriel. 2) Like his employer, VIA, he kept running into people, and that really slowed him down.

Shawn Smale's assault on Smokey was magnificent. If you know a bit of the background, you'll know that Shawn ran up the mountain with 'a whole pile of blood' located somewhere else in his body below the waist. Good luck Shawn, and I hope the big head still thinks as clearly as usual.

Colleen Fidgen looked as relaxed as a person could running leg 5. She didn't seem to have a care in the world. That's what happens when you run the Ottawa Marathon two weeks before the Cabot Trail or could there be another reason? I wonder?

Bruce Murphy, back from a years sabbatical, proved once again you're not getting older, your getting older.... real fast. I think this was Bruce's hardest year yet. Even the hill work didn't pay dividends. He still really enjoyed his two Tall Boys when he was finished.

Bub Acker from Antigonish did a great job on # 7. His travel buddy from Antigonish was doing the same leg and his buddy, who is usually 30 seconds a mile faster, finished behind Bub. It seems he had the flu and had to vomit twice while running the leg. Bub gave his stick to his buddy, much to the chagrin on a lovely female who fawned and I really do mean fawned over him during the race. (She fawned so much Bub's wife was getting annoyed. Some people will do almost anything for a Hiking Stick.)

Mr Hangover himself, Nick Slaunwhite ran leg 8 again for the umpteenth time. Steady as a rock, that's our Nick. Unless you get him early in the morning after the night before. Not too steady then, are you?

What can be said about a woman who does North Mountain...again? Mary Lou MacDonald proved once again that you can be pretty and a bit stupid at the same time, without being a blonde. She had a great race. To be so lucky. She's still hanging with Eric too. Must be a sucker for punishment that Eric.

Just because all his kids are extremely good athletes, why does Gary Dunbrack think he still might be able to beat them? Running up MacKenzie, I think he might have made one of them suck some wind. ( Catherine possibly, not Jeff, Andrew or Peter) Mary D came along, not to keep him away from the ladies but to ensure he could find his way home when it was over.

Joanie Henderson, a late draft pick, did a great job. If you see the name Roger Bannister for leg 11, that's Joanie. He worked the finish line and helped out all the way around. a special kind of person, even though she missed our team picture.

Ed Verge is like Old Man River, "he just keeps rolling along." Ed sacrificed himself for the team and I have the utmost respect for this fine gentleman. (That was a suck up.) Thanks Ed.

David Cao, running with a sore neck in his first Cabot Trail Race, ran it like a professional. I hope Chuck Taylor met David and asked him where he was from. When David told him Halifax, Chuck would be very confused. I can hear Chuck say (Not expecting David to say Halifax, so Chuck would falter and then...) yeah, Halifax...but what part?

Another Extreme Team sacrifice person is Robert Proctor. (Doctor Proctor) Great team man and not a half bad runner either. Robert seemed to really enjoy his run to daylight. Too happy Robert, you must be very, very sick.

Another Cabot Trail Virgin, Kirsten Mitchell, ran with the cagey old Baddeck Veteran Debbie Chandler (Run A Mile). They ran and talked throughout the run and Kirsten did seem to be quite relaxed. I did jerk Kirsten around by switching legs but in the end I'm glad it turned out the way it did. Now that she's a non-virgin, I'll feel better jerking the veterans around.

After last year's injury, Kathy MacDonald had something to prove to herself. She didn't have to prove anything to anyone else. She had the steely eyed look of a woman on a mission when she started, and the look of a triumphant school girl when she finished. You Go Girl...woman!

Valley Girls watch out for this Valley Boy, Jeff Hovell. After last year, Jeff did his preparation slightly different this year. Jeff picked up a 'stitch' coming down Hunter's Mountain and fought with it all the way to the finish line. That's guts. If you look at his time, you think wow! Imagine how fast he can run if he wasn't laughing so much. (Stitches...get it?)

Yours truly suffered more this year than I can previously remember during the previous 13 years. (Even when I was smoking.) The reason? Unknown at this point. The time for the results for Leg 1 are not correct. I finished almost 2 minutes slower than last year's 8:35 pace. (8:45 maybe) I guess they must have counted one bandit runner because Ann Kerr ran around the same time I did last year and I was behind her. Her results and mine are not correct. I don't know where in the placing the error took place. I'll let them figure it out. (Sound like sour grapes?)

I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your help and support. We did miss our buddy Minto this year, but maybe she'll come back from Connecticut to run with us one of these years.

I gave the Cayman Island team a stick for showing up and adding their own flavour to the race. The Rum cakes were great.

We played by the rules and we had a great time. Nobody got any permanent damage and hopefully no hearts were broken. I'll email some of our pictures and some will be put on the web my Bruce Murphy. I'll email the team picture next week but if you want a picture of printable quality let me know and I'll send you the 550 MG picture on line.

Thanks go to Perry Abriel who supplied the beer and pizza for those who were able to partake. I did!!! That's a sacrifice that the Team Captain has to make. What a martyr. Take one... no take two for the team.

I'll be soliciting funds ($40) in September for next year's team (Registration Oct 1st) so do your budgeting now.

If anyone knows what Joanie's email is please forward this message to her and forward her address to me. Ron could you print this off and give it to Nick?

Think about a theme next year. Men in dresses, women in business suits? (Theme: Taking Care of Bid'ness)

Gregor - Kink Of the Replicas