November 2005 Tat of the Month

Mike Styczynski - 23 years old, Phish Fan in Folsom, CA via Ithica, NY

I (Matt, co-owner of CRC), once picked up a hitchhiker on the way to the Gorge, a sweet concert venue and great place to run in western Washington.  I can't remember the guy's name we picked up, but I do remember MoonShot - the name of the guy's pet rat that roamed the interior of my '89 Corolla for the entire drive. MoonShot and his friend were headed out to the Gorge to do some camping and wait for an upcoming Phish concert. Sometimes Phish fans can be a little out there, and to some, so can runners. Combine the two, and you get Mike and his dancing antelope.

From Mike himself:
I had always wanted a tattoo, but I didn't want to get a winged foot like every other runner.
I love the band Phish, and their song "Run Like an Antelope" has always spoken to me. Far and away it's my favorite song of theirs, and it's song one of my race day mix on my iPod. Dorky as it sounds, the chorus of "run run run run run run run run...etc" has helped me through many a race. It helps that the beat matches my stride perfectly.
My sophomore year at Ithaca College I found a Phish sticker that looked like one of those deer crossing signs you see on lonely back roads. Only instead of a deer, it had a leaping antelope. I knew it would be perfect for the tat. I told myself if I finished in the top 75 of the
2002 Utica Boilermaker 15k (largest 15k in the nation held ever July) then I'd treat myself to the antelope tattoo. I placed 55th and went under the needle the next day.
I got it on my right thigh just above my racing short line. When I'm in full stride in split shorts, the antelope comes out to play. It's not as intimidating as barbed wire or the Canadian flag, but everyone agrees it fits me perfectly. And unlike the winged foot, so far I haven't seen anyone else with an antelope tattoo.

Neither have we, Mike - The combo of your tat, Boilermaker performance and music taste earns you November Tat of the Month honors! 

Congrats to Mike on earning some fine CRC merchandise.

Do you want to be the running tat of the month? Send us a picture at info@columbusrunning.com or stop by the store. Please let us know why, how, and when you got the tattoo...

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