CrossFit Athletic Group

On a day with record-setting temperature for the start of a marathon, Champions Club fan-favorite Matt Fecht finished his race in 2:27:28 and 50th place out of 164 overall.

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Happy Gilmore said being good at golf requires goofy pants and a HUGE ass (like his neighbor, the accountant.) I wonder what he would say about marathon runners.

Running is a weird world, man. Right now, the 56th best player in the NBA is Andre Drummond. ANDRE FREAKING DRUMMOND. As in NBA All-Star, Slam Dunk Contest, averaging-20-rebounds-per-game, $10.6 million contract Andre Drummond. The 60th best high school senior is Brandon Peters - a household name who probably turned down under-the-table money from LSU and Arkansas to play quarterback for Harbaugh this fall and since has been dubbed the prodigal son of Michigan's program. The 52nd best player in Major League Baseball is Alex Rodriguez.

Matt Fecht is, give or take, the 50th best marathon runner in the entire country. He works three jobs, runs grade school basketball camps, and works out with a biology teacher and a Blob. Cool for us, but it should really make you appreciate his effort and how much he sacrifices to be considered among the elite in his sport. I guess that's why track is track, and not baseball, basketball, or football.

Honestly, I doubt anyone besides Crystal could name more than one single runner in this year's Olympic Trials (besides Matt obviously). Personally, when I was watching on tv I couldn't tell the difference between any of the runners. They all looked the same. Scrawny. Golf hats. Slamming their heels into the pavement. Announcers talking about some coach that sounds like the heir of Slytherin. It's just one of those sports which the rewards for success don't seem to override the physical toll it requires for being great. Drummond could easily justify hours in the gym, hectic travel plans, and heckling fans when he sees his game check and endorsement deals. Matt doesn't get that instant gratification. About 80 people care about what he does once every four years. Same with everyone in his field where the winner gets - as Jacob pointed out - a Sketchers endorsement... as in Rick Fox's Sketchers.

Matt, I want you to understand that, because we don't dwell with the track people, we don't really know what is going on in your world (50th place could be bad for all I know.) We don't know what a bad move is. We don't know how the sponsors work. We don't understand why you have to run in the ice. And we can't comprehend what a 20 mile tempo feels like - seeing as driving 20 miles at the same mph is difficult enough, what with traffic lights and turns and stuff. If you ran a 2:10 and a 2:20, we could not tell the difference. It's the same when Mama V wins teacher of the year awards, or Katie Bromm gets the Salutatorian. In our perspective there are four tiers of runners: Video game characters who run in the Olympics - Really good runners not in the Olympics - Murleys/Chrises/Crystals/Mr. Zs who run fast in workouts - The Kavanaughs/EPs who are timed with sun dials; everyone within those groups are pretty much the same.

Your last mile of a marathon in 80 degrees was faster than JZ has ever run a single mile in his life. Fast is fast to us.

It is with that preface that I want you to understand that it did not matter what place you finished in or what your time was. The fact that you call the Champions Club your home is what makes everyone so proud. You make running relevant to Mrs. Pip, Sabal, and a 26-year old former D-1 kicker who is somehow your agent now. That is what is important to us, and that is why we are so happy for you.

But top 50 is pretty sweet...

Video and pictures courtesy of Agent Alex Faust

Can't wait to see you back!