brandon
waynesboro, va
540 280 1847 TXT MSG Only.
AIM: Endemicep3

mileages: 12,xxx

it does runs good, body needs work and paintjob didnt come out very well. this bike landed like 3 times some damaged and Transmission isn't good/maybe 2nd gear undercut or i might be mistaken. the front lowered a little 1 and half inch. Also it got a new brand wires harness, OEM Yamaha Battery and rear brake pads installed. have any questions pm me.



Title is clean my bank have my title.
2,200 obo NO TRADES.
Your gain i will loss a big time.

paper from shop.







You will get them when you bought the bike. junk parts.

Everything automotive took a serious backseat this year to training for the Marine Corps Marathon, which took place last weekend.

The Skinny
I was fast in high school. Not "award winning" fast, but fast enough to be in the top few of a VA state champ cross country team. The guys faster than me were "all-met" fast and had successful college and (one) professional careers. I got injured my senior year, when I was supposed to be the team leader as we had quite a few guys graduate the year before... I couldn't run, we got a new coach who thought I was being a bitch, my head never got back in to it. I was recruited to Salisbury and was allowed to walk on at JMU, but neither came to fruition.

The Fat
College. I recently stumbled across my physical docs for heading to school. I don't have them with me as I write this, but I'm pretty certain I was 155... Skin, bone, and only the muscle needed to run fast. I did not run in college. I left college (still 6'2), but with a soft 180lbs.

Post College
Did the party thing for a bit, grew out of it after 3 years or so. Around this time, I began messing with some code and developed a training log: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.iammike.org/index.php?loc=log">http://www.iammike.org/index.php?loc=log</a><!-- m -->. This log provided tons of motivation and after three years, the data contained in it is quite useful. I peaked at a bit over 190.

Spring '05
Started, 9 minute pace, some runs with Jessica! I was just a touch under 180, but I really wasn't doing much.

Winter '05
I wasn't doing squat aside from some random spinning in the winter. We're now mid 180s.

Summer '06
I decide to run a 5k. I'm right around 180, do more running than I have in years in prep (two ~30 months in a row!). I finish in 21:58. Around this time, Caitlin and I get together... She ran in college. I now have a running partner!

Winter '06
Really weak showing; back to mid 180s.

Summer '07
Decide to go for a half marathon! Do lots of training (had some nagging injuries from trying to do too much too fast, average 10-15 miles a week). Finish in 1:43:18. 5k time is now 21:18.

Winter '07
Continue training with a new goal in mind, a sub-20 5k. Still only 10-15 miles per week, but I pull it off with my 3rd attempt (did three in a row); 19:56.

Spring/Summer '08
Decide to do the marathon. I was doing 50 miles/month until my plan started, but that jumped to an average of 150 or so for four months. Miraculously, my body handled it. I did some racing to keep focused and now sport a 5k best of 18:56, a 4-mile of 25:41, a half of 1:34:10 (beat in the full) and a mile of 5:22. Some of those times were on really tired legs or even in the middle of a random run (the mile I was just showing up to the track to see some friends run... I ran there [3 miles] and ran back home afterwards). Did I mention I'm now weighing in below 170?

Pre Race
I used some fancy calculator to figure out a time I *should* be capable of given a known time I've run at a shorter distance. What it told me, was that based on a 19-minute 5k, I should be able to run a 3:10 marathon; 7:15 pace for 26.2 miles. I go with it, knowing it's a very lofty goal. My training goes perfectly, I accomplish my pace runs at the correct pace, and feeling good, but when it comes time to really test myself, a month or so before the race with a half, I only manage a 1:34 and feel very tired... Could have been the ridiculous humidity and heat (times were about 2:00 off), but I'm now worried. Regardless, I stick with my goal of 3:10 (Boston qualification, a life goal of mine) and that's that.

The Race
Everything goes great... until it doesn't. I had always heard mention of the wall and too kit with a grain of salt, but it exists... Its unlike anything I've ever experienced. If you think you've "hit the wall," but haven't run a marathon, you haven't properly "hit the wall." Once I nailed it, I nearly couldn't go on. Luckily, "nearly couldn't go on" is still 9 minute mile pace for me I managed to stay with my pace group, which was on pace for 3:06 until about Mile 18. I knew I was in trouble by 16, managed to pull a couple more decent miles out of my ass, but then it was all over. My 5k splits were 22:27, 22:29, 22:03, 21:53, 22:15, 23:26, 26:59, and 29:01. Funny, I basically ran 6 5ks at the pace I could run a single one at just two years ago. It's a good feeling... Once you're able to walk correctly again... 4 days later. I ended up with a total time of 3:22:38, which is a pace of 7:43/mi. I also managed to come through the half 20 seconds faster (1:33:48) than my previous best... so that's cool.

The Future
I'm tired, home life needs some time put in, but I don't want to throw away the amazing shape I'm currently in. I plan on doing a bunch of 5ks to close the winter out. I really have no clue what I'm capable of, but I'm hoping for low 18s. If a 17 pops in there, I'll be ecstatic, but dropping two minutes off my time this year is kinda nuts.

I will run another marathon... I MUST run Boston some day. Until I reach 35, I need a 3:10. I know I'm close... I might as well make it happen next year. The trick will be maintaining some mileage this winter. Once I obtain my goal of Boston, I'll likely stop this madness (marathons); they're too hard on the body, too hard on the wallet (I did a quick calculation and found some of my longer training runs actually cost $15+), and too hard on the schedule. Besides, shorter races are more fun, easier on the body, and I have a shot at winning!

Racing... I love it... If not in a car, give me pedals, give me shoes... whatever... Competition owns me.

More detail of my training: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pKVJZpKuJTHRJJZvQNBXGdw">http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key= ... JZvQNBXGdw</a><!-- m -->

MTV recently uploaded thousands of music videos for your viewing pleasure. The quality is pretty good, and unlike Youtube, you can be sure you won't be hearing some DJ remix or watching a homemade dance video

http://www.mtvmusic.com/

Thanks for having my friends and I, Winston (Lisa Turtle) posted tons of pics on his Facebook so check them out!



<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9034&id=1282243479">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9 ... 1282243479</a><!-- m -->[/img]

I have no idea what they're saying in this ad, but figured someone would get a kick out of it...

Click me plz

i've been having an issue for a while, where if i log in the gallery does not recognize me. no matter how many times i log in, i still have the "log in" button.

i can view my images but i can't upload new image or edit any current ones. is this a universal issue or is something up with the gallery?

i know it's not a part of the site that's often brought up, but i used to use mine all the time and thought it was really handy and easy to use, and now i miss it

1.8T AEB valve cover - $40


1.8T oil cap, oil splash guard - free, buyer pays shipping


1.8T upper breather pipe - $15


1.8T crank position sensor - $30


1.8T knock sensors - $30


FK Badgeless grille - $50
back side was modified to fit a B5 A4 without fitment problems due to the hood release. quattro badge is screwed in place.






1.8T rod end caps - $30

1.8T crank main caps - $40

1.8T oil filter housing - $40


all of these prices are under current ebay prices. for MM members i will try to cut you some kind of an even better deal.

so I'm finally starting this project thread, although it's been about a year and a half since i've had the car...

first day pictures:

this engine is blown and hopefully in a couple weeks i'll have a new picture to add

the douche-cock before me caulked the t-tops shut, so as soon as the new motor goes in that will be the first thing to change.


^some of the numerous spots of body damage on this 21 year old beast

ok, so those are all the pictures the first day i had it, which included a blown head gasket. bought the car that way for $525. I then spent way too much money on fixing a motor with 178,000 miles on it (hind-sight is always 20-20). I replaced the whole cooling system with a new radiator (you should have seen the s** that came outa that thing) new lines, thermostat, etc. I also replaced the intake and exhaust gaskets, water pump, spark plugs, head gasket (duh), plug wires, tires, and more than likely a whole bunch of other stuff.

Then i got it running...YAY!!!
some pics i took on a 33 west cruise with a friend of mine:

can really see the body damage in this one...




It ran well for about 3 weeks and then i threw a rod through the iron block. I'll post up some pics of the damage soon as well as the progress I am currently making. Here are some of the things I still need to do:

swap the 16v tranny for the 20v currently on the motor
new clutch, and the flywheel from the 16v
run new coolant lines
re-route the accelerator wires through a different hole in the firewall
custom fab an exhaust system
custom fab a kick ass cold air
put in the passenger quarter glass (it is currently plexiglass)
change out the weather stripping
re-hang the doors so they don't sag
extensive body work
new paint
new shift boot (which i have, but i need to re-make the wire that holds it in place)
install new speakers and head unit (someone stole the radio out of it)
and i might completely overhaul the suspension if the price is right

like i said, i'll post up more pics and updates as i start working on it. because of school and my jobs over the summer and the unfortunate, not-at-home location of the car i haven't had much time to do anything

Chinese automobile design studios find "inspiration" in other makes.

The X5 comparison could be any other SUV on the market but the others...I don't think I would be able to tell the difference if one drove by.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fort...index.html

I just have two things to say.

1) Please take 5 minutes and read over his stance on the issues. Certainly much more of your time has been spent hearing about the "other" candidates. Come back here with any questions, things you don't agree with and we'll discuss them through good 'ol fashioned internet screaming IN ALL CAPS.

2) If you like what you see, and think his and the Libertairian party's views are more in line with what you think the federal government should be doing, please vote for him. Among my coworkers, I've got at least as many commitments to Barr as Obama or McCain, so there ARE others out there and you are NOT throwing your vote away when you vote for who you want to win rather than simply voting for who has the biggest campaign or who the mainstream media chooses to cover.