What an incredible journey!!!!!!!!!

Well, just 5 days from the final great race of your career at Susquehanna University. It has been an amazing run (I know bad track & field cliche) these past 4 years. It is just so good to see it all coming together at the perfect time. What you have accomplished over the past four years in cross-country and track & field, may not be equaled at Susquehanna or the Landmark Conference. There are several coaches and athletes who will be extremely happy you are finally gone. Even still, your bigger and better races are in the future. I hope we can continue this incredible year and truly take your running to the next level. I do believe qualifying for the USATF National Championships could be in your future. Coaching you, while at times we disagreed on things, has been a great experience. I believe I learned as much from the experience as you have. You have brought more to this program than just your ability as a runner. You showed everyone that hard work and dedication does pay off. You have battled injuries and adversity and each time you got better for it. Your legacy will live on at Susquehanna for many years if not forever as your impact goes beyond your times on the track or in cross-country. You also brought tremendous leadership that has paid off in numerous championships. It is difficult to think of coaching the team without you there but a lot of the runners that are still here I was able to recruit because of your accomplishments. You were the initial piece of the puzzle that led to this great resurgence of middle distance and distance running at Susquehanna.I will also miss having your family at the meets and the tradition of putting Solomon in a trash can at every championship. After you win friday, he goes in for real - Ha Ha. Hopefully we will continue to be a team (men & women) you will be proud of to follow and you continue to stop back to compete and motivate the current team members. I am sure over the years the stories of the great Paul Thistle will get grander as they get passed down team to team. Outside of track & field and cross-country, you have left and lasting impression on the Susquehanna University community. You would be hard pressed to find someone on campus who has not been impacted by you. I know you will be successful in the future but I will wish you good luck regardless. I wish you and Caitlin the happiest of lives together and I know you will have a great family together. Thank you for a great four years!!!!

Marty

I Love Paul Thistle!

Well Thistle, I tried to find a good pic of us both to add to this post, but I came up empty. It's probably because you were kicking my ass in every race we ever ran together! Which is exactly what you're gonna do at Nationals...even if I can't be there on the backstretch screaming like a crazed nut, I know you can win that title in the Steeple. And as soon as you do, I'm stealing the piece from Brandon and giving it right back to you!

But beyond that, I'm seriously going to miss you. It has been two great years of running with each other, going a little wild with each other, and of course, shitting on each other on a daily basis (which means making fun of each other when you read this 20 years from now lol!) But most of all, it was awesome being such great friends. The whole Fall '09 semester I could count on lunch in the caf with none other than the All-American himself, and I could especially count on the ubiquitous "Paul Thistle stories!"

In just two years, we made a lot of memorable moments. Many things come to mind: Our run we invented right before the T&F formal, my first legal drink with you and Newman (which was an honor to say the least), the many times we were the loudest person on the track/course for each other, even simple things like you destroying me at Madden in typical Paul Thistle fashion (You had nothing on me at Nazi Zombies though)!

I think I speak for the team when I say we're going to miss you as an athlete, but we're all going to miss you even more as the great friend and leader you were. Very few can say they had an HR that would simply stop by and pick up a controller in their room and allow them to post flower decals on his door. Speaking of that, I was actually in your suite today while testing the network jacks all over West Hall and West Village. When I walked in the door I thought of some of the great times we had at SU, but I know that just because you graduated, we haven't seen the last of you. If I know you as well as I do, then I'm sure you plan on watching us compete as your "real-world" schedule allows! I hope the whole team and myself can use that thought as motiviation to continue the tradition of excellence.

As I said though, I take comfort in the idea that we'll be seeing you again. I look forward to even more great memories from the meets you come to see and the weekends you come up to unwind with us again! Good luck with landing that job in Pittsburgh you were talking about, and I wish you and Caitlin the best of luck with everything. Congratulations for not only graduating, but also leaving a legacy for me, everyone else close to you, and the entire campus!

Hope to see you soon!
Dan Martin

What a great 4 years it has been and it wouldn't even have been close to being as great if you weren't there. The team simply would not have been a team without you. You brought so much dedication, commitment, and leadership day in and day out and that really reflected on everybody and brought the best out in them. Their are very few people out there that can say they were on the same team or got to run with an All American. That right there speaks volumes about your work ethic and dedication to the sport. I won't have any greater memories than watching you destroy everybody, either it be on a cross country course or the track. I also can't thank you enough for bringing the best out in everybody and wanting nothing but the best for everybody. It didn't matter what heat of a race somebody was in, you were always equally supportive and cheering the whole way. I wish you nothing but the absolute best my friend. I'm sure I will turn the TV on one day and see you setting world records/winning marathons, then I will flip the channel and see Trama getting arrested or something lol. Good luck buddy, your work ethic will take you far but your personality will make sure you have a great time along way.

Your friend,

-Kyle

-Alycia

Paul,

I should be studying for a final right now but oh well. I don't have too much personal to say but rather an observation. You are a unique breed; you are a runner who actually likes to run. You are also an exhibitionist. I think half of the fun of every meet, for the entire team, is watching you run. There is never a question of what the result will be, it's just kind of fun to watch you destroy everyone. You really are the heart and soul of both teams and someone that everyone can absolutely rally behind. It sounds really lame but it has really been a pleasure to watch you run and more of a pleasure to know that someone who has been doing it for so long can become more and more passionate everyday. I know that you will use that motivation and channel it into becoming a great teacher and an amazing coach. You will truly be missed by both the men's and women's teams. It's been a blast road tripping with Marto and what not, congratulations and best of luck in the future!

-Alycia

Welcome and Hello!

Paul is graduating soon and I know he would really appreciate something special from the team. I thought a book with each team member having a page to write and/or post pictures in would be nice, but I have realized there isn't enough time. Instead, I've created this blog. I imagine every team member writing something on this website. I will then either show it to Paul, or print out each entry and paste them in a XC/T&F scrapbook.


Paul will really appreciate this! I'm hoping to put this together so that he has something to look back to in order to laugh and remember all of you.

I know this is finals time, and you all are trying to enjoy your last few days on campus, but I would really appreciate if everyone took some time to post something. Also, if you have any photos you think should be included feel free to post them also. Any suggestions are appreciated!

I know Paul will really miss you all in the Fall. You have been a critical part of his life for the past four years, and are a major reason Paul Thistle is as good as he is.