While I was attending Texas A&M I accumulated a great support system of friends from all over the world. Every Saturday night we would get together to discuss problems with a particular class, hurdles they might have been occuring with the writing of someone's thesis or dissertation, ate lots of nachos, drank lots of beer/wine, and watched football. In the mid 1980's one of our more creative and talented colleagues initiated a football pool, fondly named "The Francis Hall Football Pool", so entitled from the building where our department was located on campus. This pool continues today with entries coming from the U.S., Canada, Scotland, Wales, etc. In addition to the football pool, each year the pool coordinator writes the "Francis Enquirer", which turns out to be a very innovative satire, complete with pictures and subtle (and loving) jabs at everyone within the group. All of us have found that resistance from being criticized is utterly and hopelessly futile.
After completing the WDW Marathon in 2005, my first marathon, I proudly sent my picture in for display in the "Francis Enquirer". However, unknown to me, one of my colleagues also sent in a picture that proudly displayed his completion of the Toronto Ironman Triathalon that same year. The caption in the photo stated "I wanted to prove that any candy ass can do a marathon".
Needless to say....I was speechless (and that's being nice!). Prior to my leaving for Orlando on January 2nd, I told the football pool coordinator that I would hopefully have a photo coming for "The Enquirer". I explained that I was attempting the Goofy, and to please keep it under wraps in the event I failed miserably. Being a marathoner himself he said to me, "Your secret is safe. When you get to mile 20 think about the picture you will be able to take at the end - use that as incentive". I don't think those were his exact words, but close enough. After I completed the Goofy on Sunday, I had someone take the attached photo and it is going to appear in "The Enquirer".
Kathy Wicks
