Craziness Part II: Frank McKinney drags a tire across Linton Bridge from 11pm - 5am

So, I was out riding yesterday morning at 5am (you read that right), and I see this wild looking guy with rock star hair and no shirt walking up the Linton bridge. He had a rope strapped around his waist, and the rope was attached to a big SUV tire that he dragged about 10 feet behind him. You see some crazy stuff riding the bike at 5am, but this had to be one of the weirdest. I flashed him the peace sign, and he gave me a peace back, and we went on our ways.

I had remembered hearing from my podiatrist that there's a crazy, long haired Delray guy who trains for ultramarathons by dragging a tire across the Linton bridge, so I decided to google this whole incredulous situation.

Here's the first article I found:

His training included jogging on A1A and over the Intracoastal bridges in Delray, where he dragged an SUV tire; on Saturday nights, to prepare for Badwater’s sleep deprivation, he dragged it from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Source: http://www.southfloridaadventures.com/archives/running/delray-beach-ultramarathoner-frank-mckinney/

That's crazy personified. Dedicated freybird readers know that when I call someone crazy, I do it with admiration. Craziness is the highest calling in the world of endurance sports, and Frank Mckinney is crazy. Craziness is a simultaneously thorough and unnoticed rejection of conventions Craziness considers carrying a tire over the Linton Bridge at 2am standard, and crazy does not measure this notion of standard vs other notions of standard. To be crazy is to be a wild, uncaring, unabashed, spectacular singularity.

Then, I read some more about Frank Mckinney, still thinking that he's some local derilict. Well, he's not. His website shows you why... http://www.frank-mckinney.com/

This guy is awesome. You don't meet this kind of craziness everyday. I am hoping this blog attracts Frank to my blog, because the crazy Frank that I have built up in my head seems like the kind of Frank who would spend a lot of time googling himself.

So, if you're reading it Frank. You've got a BIG fan. Keep training for the Badwater!

Editors note: Frey kind of glossed over the details of McKinney's racing career. Frank raced the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon, which is a run from death valley, through some of the hottest, most inhabitable terrain in the world, and it summits an 8,000 foot mountain. To learn more about Badwater, follow this link: http://www.badwater.com/

Quote of the Week:
“I'm all for machines...once they come up with one that can really surpass free weights. They haven't. They probably never will. You'd be better off trying to lift the damn machine and carry it around the gym...God knows you'd get a better workout from it.”
- Vince Gironda, 1949