35th Street Loop

I ran the 35th Street Loop in 41:43, with splits of 10:12, 10:04, 10:28, and 10:58. I felt fine. This was easy, and it was kind of nice to not have to run at a goddamn seven-minute-a-mile pace to make up for four minutes of walking each mile. On the other hand, I think I might be getting something out of those 10-mile runs like last night's. I mean, fuck, I'll bet Deana Drossin doesn't do 10 miles of intervals all in one sitting very often.

I had a little problem with hypoglycemia this afternoon. Nothing major. I identified it early, somewhere in the third mile. I could've stopped and walked three blocks home, but decided to push through. It just made me a little slower, that's all; and I'm good at that. I am slow in every essential way.

Park Hill-Gimblett Loop

This was easy. I walked the first two minutes of each half mile, or a total of 40 minutes, to cover the Park Hill-Gimblett Loop in 1:47:28, with splits of 11:05, 11:17, 10:32, 11:20, 10:40, 10:51, 10:55, 10:30, 10:41, and 9:37. My blood sugar was at 56 thirty minutes before I started. I ate a package of Gu and drank two ounces of grape juice, and it was at 134 just before I stepped out the door. I ate Gu at 3.5 and 7.5 miles, and it was at 81 when I finished.

Gimblett Loop

My legs were deadened more than expected from nine holes walked at Rebsamen Park Golf Course, a half-round completed about 90 minutes before I began my slow tour of the Gimblett Loop. But they revived. I walked two minutes to start each half mile and finished in 56:21, with splits of 11:24, 11:49, 11:09, 11:09, and 10:50. I almost quit after a mile, but didn't want to write the word "aborted" in the title. Plus, I thought I might start to feel better, and did; in fact, felt great after ascending the 47th Street hill, or for the final three and a quarter miles.

I played with an approximately 55-year-old dad and his North Little Rock High-junior son, named Greg and David, respectively, and had a hoot at Rebsamen. We all sucked. I scored a 54, with 2 bogies, 5 doubles, and 2 triples.

Two NLR cops pulled me over on F Street. I thought they were going to bust me for running on the road and not the sidewalk, but instead said there have been a lot of burglaries in Park Hill and Levy and to please call 911 if I saw any "suspicious behavior."

Maple Street Loop/Hash

This morning I walked the Maple Street Loop in 29:13, and this afternoon spent 44 minutes on Reverend Bob's run from Ray Winder Field's parking lot. Some woman with a GPS watch said we went 3.3 miles. I, of course, got all sentimental and cried like a baby. Those fucking GPS watches.

Maple Street Loop/Gimblett Loop intervals

The weathermen say a big storm is coming. Weather.com agrees, although I don't need a fucking meteorologist to tell me with 70 degrees in late December and a 30 mile-an-hour wind and a sky churned black and gray that there might be a storm on the way. I walked the Maple Street Loop through light, horizontal rain and leaves and Christmas remnants blowing across the streets in 27:33.

This encouraged me. Hours after the storm left wet roads and an enduring, high wind, as I jogged down the 35th Street hill toward my house tonight, I figured I was about to finish the Gimblett Loop, with 60 seconds hard/easy through the third and fourth miles, in about 48 minutes. I felt light and strong; was barely breathing. I "wouldn't have blowed out a match," as a trainer at Oaklawn Park once said to me about his colt after a workout. I got it in 45:36, with splits of 9:47, 10:02, 8:36, 8:36, and 8:35.

Orange Street Loop

I jogged for two minutes and walked for three until I had covered the Orange Street Loop in 37:07, with splits of 12:20, 13:04, and 11:43.

Old Centerpoint Highway

NASHVILLE — Pope Street, once you get out of town, is known around these parts as the Old Centerpoint Highway. A fellow named Phil Brown, while up from Nashville for the Great Cross Country Race back in May, told me about it as the least traveled of running options here. It seems nice; at least it was car-free on Christmas Eve and Christmas evening. Tonight I ran four miles out and back, walked a bit of the third mile, in 46:17. This run was fueled by Waffle House pork chops and Waffle House's new menu item, biscuits and gravy.

Fourth Street/Pope Street

NASHVILLE — My run tonight pleased me, surprised me in that regard. I had eaten a great pile of fried new potatoes and onions;* they probably weighed close to three pounds before they were cooked. Less than two hours later, at about 9 p.m. Central, I went for what I figured would be a very slow and uncomfortable two-mile walk/jog. By the time I had adjusted to the chill, was warm enough to walk, I realized I was quite comfortable trotting along at what I gauged an 11-minute pace, so I ran out of town into pitch black on ancient, uneven pavement for 17 minutes, and then ran back for 15:30 (it was a little more downhill for the return) to cover what I guess was a little over three miles. It was a nearly perfect, easy little jog, topped this evening by nothing save those motherfucking potatoes.

*truly, I really mean it this time, the best plate of potatoes I have eaten, better even, believe it or not, than a plate the Vratils and I devoured in San Antonio six days ago. I fried these in a large electric skillet, set at 400 degrees, for a little less than 40 minutes, maybe 38. They could've been eaten 10 minutes earlier, but I let them crisp. It was almost four pounds of potatoes with three large, white onions, fried in a quart of canola oil. I have never seen my mother so surprised and delighted by any of my previous culinary efforts. The secrets: make way more than you think can be eaten (we ate them all), fry them at a slightly lower temperature than seems appropriate (400 was as high as the skillet would go), and remain patient.

Gimblett Loop

Tonight I acknowledged my fitness upfront, and started two laps of the Gimblett Loop intent on walking two minutes each half mile, hoping to complete them comfortably and at something close to a five-hour marathon pace (11:26/mile). I covered the ten miles in 1:48:34, with splits of 11:26, 11:33, 11:04, 10:59, 10:26, 11:13, 11:08, 10:52, 10:19, and 9:34. Every step felt good.

My blood sugar was at 107 fifteen minutes before I began. I ate a package of Gu, and then packages at 3.5 and seven miles. It was at 145 when I finished. I had not taken a shot of long-term insulin (Levemir) since 9:30 a.m. Central, which might explain the rise. Also, I suspect my carelessness with both bottles during my five-day, San Antonio trip might have compromised their contents. I will forego the pre-run Gu package before my next long effort.

I am pretty sure I have never broken 20 minutes for two miles that included eight minutes of walking (as I did my final two). I was strong tonight, a rarity, and pleasing.

Aborted Gimblett Loop

Apparently a day of depravity could not be overcome by a 12-hour bout of cleaning and clean-living. I hoped to run the Gimblett Loop twice, but instead completed a modified version of the Levy Loop in 22:08, with splits of 11:07 and 11:01. My legs felt like they belonged to someone else; to a man who hasn't run in a long time or ran a long way yesterday.

Hash

I marked the Jesus Christ Memorial Two-Mile Race to Hell for the Little Rock Hash House Harriers on Sunday. I guess it took me about 30 minutes.

Hashers ate 43 chili dogs. They raced slowly. The winning time was 13:27. A pretty, 25-year-old named Elsa Kanner won the women's division in 15:14. Sam spent the entire evening on the front-bedroom bed's headboard, endured multiple pettings, and emerged as a reserved, cat star; Jo and Pam remained under the bed throughout.

My house is a fucking mess.

Park Hill Loop

This was about as easily as I can run. I completed the Park Hill Loop in 51:44, with splits of 10:22, 10:39, 10:02, 10:50 (I had to slow way down to pee, and am happy to say managed to keep all but few drops off my legs and shoes), and 9:52.

35th Street Loop

After a nine-hour, 59-minute, 46-second drive from San Antonio to Levy, I ran the the 35th Street Loop in 37:51, with splits of 10:01, 9:15, 9:27, and 9:08. This was surprisingly easy, and it was a joy to have Jo walk with me half a block back to our house after I finished, and after she licked my legs.

Now, two hours after my run, at about 10 past midnight, I am digesting a 13-ounce pan-seared ribeye and deep-fat frying a pound of new potatoes and a large white onion. Sam, to my delight, sits in my lap, as Pam sleeps in the back bedroom.

Oak Meadows Elementary School

SAN ANTONIO — Erin and I walked Scout and Socorro to Oak Meadows Elementary and around the school's track this evening. We were out for 43 minutes and walked about three miles.

This afternoon we played Cedar Creek Golf Course, a lovely, narrow and hilly, relatively expensive public golf course. I scored 112 and Erin 128. She owes me a dozen golf balls and $1. We played through fog that did not recede, even late in the afternoon, and for much of the day in mist and intermittent soft rain. Still, we had a blast; at least I did, particularly on the two holes upon which wagers were made.

Big Loop

SAN ANTONIO — Sometime when I talk out of my ass, I'm correct by coincidence. This time I was not.

The Big Loop was much tougher than the Park Hill-Gimblett Loop, plus I felt like shit. I quit after four miles run in 47:26, with splits of 11:37, 11:56, 12:10, and 11:43. I then jogged one minute of each five back to the car to complete eight miles in about 1:41. My legs were dead from the start. So dead, in fact, that I was somewhat pleased to run as fast as I did on long and occasionally steep hills, one after another as long as Erin and I were out. She flew off when I turned around, and ran eight more miles at about nine minutes a mile.

San Antonio Loops

SAN ANTONIO — On Tuesday evening, beginning at about 6 p.m. Central, Erin Vratil and I ran the four-mile extended dog loop in 43:25, with splits of 10:52, 11:21, 10:33, and 10:39. We ran the loop after walking about three miles with dogs Scout and Soccoro.

On Monday, Erin and I ran 5.22 miles on what I'll call the Barrel Oak Street Loop in 52:01 with splits of 11:02, 10:35, 9:59, 9:19, 9:12, and 1:50. I believe we started at about. ...shit; I'm not sure. I'll say 7 p.m. Central. I ran this on a diet of two fried pork chops, black-eyed peas, fried okra, a slice of cherry pie with cheese and ice cream, and a slice of pepperoni pizza.

On Sunday, after a round of golf at La Loma [I scored 116, Erin 115, and Chris 107, the first time both have beaten me in the same round, the second time Erin has beaten me, and the (I believe) third time I have lost to Chris. This could be our order for a while], Erin and I walked about three miles with Scout and Soccoro.

My runs on Tuesday and Wednesday were relatively easy. Upon further inspection, the last of our Monday outing probably added to the most effortless three-mile run run so fast since I started this streak in July. We did it in 28:30 and it was a fucking snap.

It was far snappier for Erin. She is very fit, capable, literally, of running circles around me on runs this slow.

Tonight's four miles were easy enough to give me confidence of running 16 miles at a similar pace in the morning, I'm curious. I asked Erin if that pace would be easy for her over 16 miles. "Oh yeah," she said, as if I had asked her about the maintenance of it around the block. She considered my statement of confidence, hesitated briefly and said, "I'm worried you might really struggle, because. ..." My ego rattled before she could continue and I interrupted by saying, "It's such a hard course? No, Erin, it's not harder than the Park Hill-Gimblett Loop."

Erin's and my ego often collide. Typically we respond with a heated unfolding of cerebral maps to show the paths of our justness. In this particular instance, I responded by talking out of my ass.

It doesn't matter how difficult the course is. Sixteen miles run across a giant countertop surfaced like the Olympic track in Beijing would be difficult for me, at an 11-minute pace for Christ's sake. My confidence has subsided, and discomfort is bound to intrude.

War Memorial Stadium

I walked and jogged for 25 minutes out and back from War Memorial Stadium to cover about two miles.

Maple Street Loop

If I didn't have this steak going, I wouldn't have done anything today except shop and wash clothes and pack and change a fucking break light and sign Christmas cards and hit plastic golf balls in my yard and watch a high school football game. The streak reached 147 days when I walked the Maple Street Loop this afternoon in 31:20.

Park Hill-Gimblett Loop

This was not as easy as I hoped. I walked four minutes every mile to cover the Park Hill-Gimblett Loop in 1:52:51, with splits of 11:06, 11:28, 11:06, 11:38, 11:02, 11:32, 12:00, 11:19, 11:14, and 10:27.

Gimblett Loop

I walked two minutes to start each mile, and one minute to start the half miles between, to complete the Gimblett Loop in 55:34 with splits of 11:24, 11:47, 11:02, 10:49, and 10:32.

Maple Street Loop

I walked for about six minutes and otherwise jogged the Maple Street Loop in 22:24 on dull legs.

35th Street Loop intervals

I jogged the first half mile of the 35th Street Loop in 5:08, then did three miles of 14X60 seconds hard with 60-second jog intervals in 27:15, and jogged the final half in 5:12 to complete the loop in 37:35. My splits were 9:41, 9:20, 9:03 and 9:31.

Aborted Park Hill-Gimblett Loop/Hash

For the first time since Saturday, Nov. 15, my legs felt dead. I ran the first mile of the Park Hill Loop in 10:20 and felt none of the recent sharpness. It had not appeared through roughly the first half mile of the second, and my hands were cold and I realized that for some reason I had forgotten to pack energy gel, so I finished what is also the Maple Street Loop in 21:40. Oh well.

I suspect and hope the explanation is as simple as my poor diet the last two days. I lived on chili dogs and potato chips as I watched three state championship football games at War Memorial Stadium. I think I had five chili dogs, plus a few pieces of Popeye's fried chicken. We'll see.

Late this afternoon, I felt a little livelier running Mike Wickline's Hash run from Allsop Park. We were only out for 27 minutes, and probably covered about two miles.

35th Street Loop

I ran the 35th Street Loop easily, as I had wished in my lifetime's first online chat, in 39:34, with no-peak splits of 10:14, 10:02, 9:45, and 9:33. My first online chat. Jesus. I exposed my technological ignorance to a roomful of people, most of whom I have never met, and then, if I remember correctly, proposed they fly to Levy to kiss my butt.

Orange Street Loop

Maybe "hate" was too harsh. I don't like cold. It was more tolerable this morning, at 32, maybe because the sun's out. I alternated two-minute walks with three-minute jogs to complete the Orange Street Loop in 34:08, with splits of 11:56, 10:57, and 11:16.

Those three miles gave me 50 for the last seven days.

Levy Loop/35th Street Loop

I walked the Levy Loop in 30:36. It's cold; 39 with a hard north wind.

It's 39 again. I hate it (again, I love a handful of people who like cold, and understand why they like it, but I fucking hate it and would rather it be 105), but it does turn runs faster. Starting about 5:30 p.m. Central, I ran the 35th Street Loop in 36:44, with splits of 10:14, 9:08, 8:52 and 8:29. This run was a snap.

Gimblett Loop

I ran the Gimblett Loop over wet roads and through high wind in 43:40, with splits of 9:00, 9:44, 8:29, 8:33 and 7:54.

Maple Street Loop/35th Street Loop

It's 30 degrees, so I bundled up and walked the Maple Street Loop in 29:58. I was committed to not look at my watch, but nevertheless did about 20 yards from the finish and consequently had to walk like one of those goofy-assed eastern Europeans at the Olympics to break 30 minutes.

I ran the 35th Street Loop starting at about 8 p.m. Central in 41:29, with splits of 10:25, 10:22, 10:47 and 9:56.

Orange Street Loop/Gimblett Loop intervals

At about 8 a.m. Central I ran the final two minutes of each five to cover the Orange Street Loop in 34:42, with splits of 12:13, 11:34 and 10:55.

This evening I ran long intervals on the Gimblett Loop, going five minutes hard with a three-minute jog interval. I ran the first mile to warmup in 9:48, did four sets of the intervals through the next three and a half miles, with splits of 9:18 (which included the 47th Street hill), 8:44, 8:57, and 7:53. I did sort of push the final half mile to break 45 minutes. I completed the loop in 44:39, close to two minutes faster than my old course record. This felt good. Now I will go eat with the Gimbletts.

Hash

It fucking snowed. Just a little for maybe five minutes. Before and after it drizzled. The wind blew hard throughout B.J.'s Hash run from Maumelle's Lake Willistine. It took me 1:09:09 to complete it. I probably covered five and a half miles and what's remarkable is that I felt very good, except that I'm still shivering.

Gimblett-Park Hill-Gimblett Loop

I ran, in order, the Gimblett, Park Hill and Gimblett Loops, plus the first mile of the Park Hill Loop. That's 16 miles in 2:51:33, w/ splits of 10:48, 11:05, 10:19, 10:47, 10:37, 10:39, 11:03, 10:23, 10:57, 10:22, 10:48, 11:17, 10:12, 10:45, 10:38 and 10:53. I walked the first two minutes of each mile and the first minute of each half mile (three minutes a mile, or 48 total minutes). It encourages me that I was bit dead-legged throughout, far from sharp. I didn't feel nearly as good as I felt last Monday-Wednesday. Yet, I went through a half-marathon, 150 to 200 feet higher at its finish than its start, in 2:20:42, averaged 10:43.3 a mile — a 4:41:07 marathon pace — and am confident I could have run another 10.21875 miles at a 12:34.1 pace to finish a marathon in 4:59:59. This was an effort, and I may be off my game for a while as a result.
My blood sugar was at 134 thirty minutes before I started. I ate a package of Gu maybe five minutes before I started, and then packages at 4, 7, 11, and 14 miles, and my blood sugar was at 125 a few minutes after I finished.

Maple Street Loop

walked and jogged, for a total of six minutes, in 26:06.

Maple Street Loop

jogged and walked in 24:13.

Gimblett Loop

run in 46:47, with splits of 9:54, 10:05, 9:19, 8:42 and 8:48. Again, easy. The weather was perfect; calm and maybe 50.

35th Street Loop

run in 36:47, with Erin Vratil style splits of 9:55, 9:16, 8:54 and 8:43. This was the easiest run of this sort so far, and remarkably smooth the day after a 10-mile run. I felt light.

Maple Street Loop/Park Hill-Gimblett Loop

I jogged one of each five minutes to finish the Maple Street Loop in 26:59 this morning.

This was more like it. Beginning a few minutes before 5 p.m. Central, I ran the Park Hill-Gimblett Loop in 1:48:49, walking the first minute of each half mile, so I walked for a total of 20 minutes. The splits were 10:55, 11:30, 10:45, 11:35, 10:41, 11:02, 11:32, 10:10, 10:41 and 9:59. I swear I didn't push the final mile, and was amazed when I saw that split. This was the easiest 10-mile run I've done since I ran a couple with Genie Bubb in 1981-82. Coming down that final long hill, it seemed odd how pain-free I was. I walked a few hundred yards after I finished and felt like running some more.

My blood sugar was at 134 before. I ate energy gels at 3.5 and seven miles and it dropped to 117.

Now I can enjoy listening to Green Bay Packers play at New Orleans, and cheering against the NFL's Packers' wide receiver Greg Jennings. I need him to score fewer than 10 fantasy points (0.1 point for each receiving yard and six for each touchdown) in order for my Democrat Football League Green Bay Packers to win. I will, by the way, be delighted for him to beat me if that's what it takes for the real Packers to win.

Orange Street Loop

run for the final two minutes of each five in 34:23, with splits of 11:50, 11:33, and 11:00, so I ran for a total of 13:23 and walked for 21.

Levy Loop

I ran the Levy Loop as easily as I could and finished it in 20:55, with splits of 10:34 and 10:21. A teenage girl standing by an idling car near 35th Street said, "Look like that man got some tights on tonight." A middle-aged, fat woman with her said, "It's about time you put something on your legs."

Russellville High School

RUSSELLVILLE — It was so cold an hour before the start of the Russellville Cyclones' 13-7 victory over the Fort Smith Northside Grizzlies in the Class 7A state playoff quarterfinals that I was able to run a little over two miles in my coat, blue jeans and mittens and not sweat a drop. I jogged the first four of each five minutes for 25 minutes through the dark and around the back side of the school and on the firm soil of a huge parking lot under construction and felt great. Russellville had a touchdown (after which it missed the extra-point attempt), a field goal, and two safeties. I had never seen 13 points scored like that.

35th Street Loop

A new, four-mile loop that remains on the relative flat of Levy, run in 38:34 through a hard, hard wind, with splits of 10:09, 10:10, 9:24 and 8:52. A hat and mittens were required.

Hump Day Hash

I probably covered about three miles in 40 minutes running from two Hashers' house near Stift Station, past the deaf school and the Capitol Building to the White Water Tavern, then back to the house for the best homemade chili I think I've eaten.

Orange Street Loop intervals/Maple Street Loop

run in 28:14, with a half mile up, two miles of 60 seconds hard w/ a 60-second jog/walk interval, and a half mile down, w/ splits of 9:30, 9:16 and 9:28.

I went for a walk of the Maple Street Loop, dressed to beat the cold in my second-rate Columbia coat, $4,000 running mittens, new 31-inch-waisted Wrangler jeans ($14 at Walmart), and lovely, red, coffee-flavored beer hat (free, since I stole it), but felt so good I also jogged the last minute of each five (for a total of five minutes), to finish in 26:29.

Orange Street Loop/Rebsamen Park Golf Course

jogged for the first two of each five minutes in 35:19, w/ splits of 11:45, 11:48 and 11:46. Something's missing. Kind of like Friedman said about the father in Cormac McCarthy's The Road, "...until I'm the last guy walking, I'll be looking for the solution at the end of the road."

Same thing with golf, maybe. I scored a 94 this afternoon, playing with a 54-year-old kid named John Hankins, a cell-phone engineer from Cincinnati who reminded me quite a bit of my dad and big brother. I had nines of 48 and 46, with 3 pars, 9 bogies, 5 doubles and 1 triple. I drove well, with a long of 246 and a handful over 230. I used 34 putts. My pitching and chipping sucked. All of my irons went left, some way left, but I had only one shank. John said, "No. We don't use that word. It was a low, hot slice."

Maple Street Loop

jogged and walked in 23:06

Aborted Ridge Road Loop

after about two and three-quarter miles and splis of 11:21 and 11:43

Levy Loop

walked and jogged, for a total of 10 minutes, in 25:31.

(Dead legs return, so the) Levy Loop

with six minutes of jogging in 27:08.

Aborted Park Hill Loop

after two miles in 21:20

47th Street Loop

I jogged the 47th Street Loop in 32:15, with splits of 10:54, 10:35 and 10:46.

Orange Street Loop/Levy Loop intervals

I ran the Orange Street Loop in 29:43, with splits of 10:18, 9:53 and 9:32. My legs are only a bit deadened and sore from Saturday night's run, but my left, mid-quadriceps cramped sharply as I turned right, off a sight incline about a quarter of a mile into the third mile. Just a spot about the size of a Kennedy half-dollar. That was new to me (of course, I have only been running since 1974). The spot remains slightly sore and ever-so-slightly swollen.

The ease of this run, other than the cramp (which is now covered with an ice bag), inspired me to reflect on a three-mile run from Aug. 20, or 10 weeks, five days ago, when I ran a 29:53 and it exhausted me. I wrote, "This was damned near a time trial." Fuck the Champions Tour. If I continue to improve at this rate, I will win several events at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Okay, maybe I am a little tired. I only did one mile of intervals tonight. I jogged a half mile up, did a mile of 60 seconds hard with a 60-second-jog interval, and jogged a half mile down to complete the Levy Loop in 18:45. My quadriceps felt fine.

Levy Loop/Hash

I walked the Levy Loop in 30:37.

Late this afternoon I felt better than I've felt in a while while running with the Hash. I was out for 50 minutes and probably covered four miles on trails through Burns Park.

Maple Street Loop/Park Hill-Gimblett Loop

I jogged the first of each five minutes to cover the Maple Street Loop in 25:59 this morning.

Tonight a long football game led to another late start. It was a little after 10 p.m. before I started the Park Hill-Gimblett Loop. I ran the 10 miles in 1:36:48, with the Park Hill Loop in 49:12 and the Gimblett Loop in 47:36. My splits were 9:34, 10:26, 9:25, 10:15, 9:30, 9:39, 10:50, 9:16, 9:17 and 8:36. My blood sugar was at 70 before I started. I ate a package of energy gel and drank two ounces of grape juice before I left my house, then ate packages of gel at 3.5 and 7 miles. My blood sugar was at 70 a few minutes after I walked back in. It was cold tonight; guessing, I'd say 40, maybe a bit colder.* My hands hurt until a couple of minutes ago. Now they itch.

*It was 36, half an hour after I finished

River Trail

Hurricane-force winds dissuaded me from a 10-mile run this morning. I ran the first mile of the what became a three-mile run in 9:53, didn't feel good enough to go four more miles and then turn back into the 30-mile-an-hour wind, so ran another half mile and turned around. Good decision, because I had to fucking battle to break 20 minutes for two miles. I went through the second mile in 9:54, and jogged and walked the final mile in 12:56 to finish in 32:43. Maybe it will be calmer tomorrow evening.

47th Street Loop/Levy Loop

It was almost balmy this morning, felt damp like the inland streets of a beach town, 65 degrees with a breeze and a mist to start. I hoped to run the 47th Street Loop easily, and did. Without looking at my watch (an act which requires I resist 35 years of conditioning), I ran the loop in 30:43 and, as hoped, it seemed I could have continued for hours. My splits were 10:30, 10:08 and 10:05. Sixty seconds after I stopped, my pulse was 104. Oh. These light-weight, firm, Asics DS Trainers, that I like as much as the other shoes I've run well in [Puma 9190 and Lydiard Flats (1970s), Brooks Hugger and Nike Pegasus (1980s), Ascis 825 (1990s-00s), and Asics Gel-1110 (2005-07)], get terrible gription on wet roads. Other than that, I love them, and recognize them as the next shoe I will mourn and struggle without when they're discontinued.

I walked the Levy Loop this afternoon, under a brilliant, bone-dry blue sky, in 28:52.

Aborted Orange Street Loop/Hash

Maybe 30 miles in four days was too much. I walked the first mile of the Orange Street Loop this morning and realized my legs were dead and I was tired and hungry and not having fun, so I continued south on Orange to my house.

Tonight I felt much better as I set a two-mile run for the Wednesday night Hash group, and then as I walked it to make sure no one got too lost in the dark. And then as I ate almost all of a large pepperoni pizza.

Levy Loop intervals/Maple Street Loop

My legs were lively this morning. I ran the Levy Loop twice, with a half-mile jog warmup, followed by four, five-minute hard runs with three-minute jogs for intervals. I finished the fourth about a quarter of a mile from home. I ran the four miles in 36:34, with splits of 9:16, 8:55, 9:19 and 9:04. This was the best I have felt running in the morning since, I don't know. Maybe Oct. 1982, the morning I ran 17 miles in 1:51:30 with a tall, skinny, flat-chested, Pete-pretty, married blonde named Beth Walker, back in the glory days, before I contracted full-body cancer.*

And they were full of run tonight, too. I ran the Maple Street Loop, without looking at my watch, attempting to go at a pace I could've maintained for much longer. I did it in 18:45, with splits of 9:33 and 9:12, and felt like a runner instead of a football player made to do laps.

*I don't remember that time. I do remember that I ran 17 miles at a 6:30 pace (thus that time), that we ran by Beth Walker's house with about three miles to go and she quit, at which point I targeted a group of several guys maybe a quarter of mile in front way out west on Markham before anything was out there, and caught them a block or so before the finish in what was without question my best public training performance. I also remember a balding guy with a mustache going on about how fast I finished and wondering where Beth Walker went. I hurt my left knee about two weeks after that, moved to Fayetteville three months later, started smoking pot and drinking a lot of beer and never again ran nearly so well, except for a brief revival in 1985 when I ran a quarter of the Hogeye Marathon in a relay in 36 minutes (5:30/mile).

Maple Street Loop

My legs are a little dead this morning, as expected, but that's it. Nothing hurts. There is no particular tightness. I ran the Maple Street Loop in 20:36, with splits of 10:29 and 10:07.

Maple Street Loop/Hash

I walked the Maple Street Loop in something like 32 minutes, but am uncertain of the time since Jo and I walked across the street to bullshit with James Taylor before I thought about my watch. James said he's about to release an album: I Cain't Tell You How Happy I am John and that Fucking Tom Moved (and I Sure as Hell Hope They Don't Come Back), with a single due out next month entitled, I'd Offer You a Cup of Coffee, but This Here's the Last One.

I ran and walked for 56 minutes to cover 4.48 miles with the Hash from the covered bridge in Burns Park, and was surprised by how good I felt. I ran for almost all of the last 30 minutes or so.

River Trail

Thanks to triple overtime at Ouachita Baptist, I didn't start my River Trail run until 9:05 p.m. Central. I ran the 14-mile roundtrip between the I-30 and Big Dam Bridges in 2:38:51, with splits of 11:44, 11:26, 11:38, 11:49, 11:37, 11:19, 11:18, 11:17, 11:11, 11:34, 11:17, 10:54, 11:08 and 10:40, with one-minute walks at the start of each half mile to average 11:20.8/mile, or a 4:57:29 marathon pace. I'm pleased to have prevailed after a rather dead-legged first four and a half miles. My hope was to average better than a five-hour marathon pace and not be wiped out, which I was not. I ate a packet of energy gel at 3.5, 7, and 10.5 miles, and my blood sugar dropped from 138 to 106.

Oh yeah. I walked two miles in Arkadelphia, around 1 p.m., before Ouachita Baptist's 45-43 victory over West Alabama.

Maple Street Loop

jogged, but only a little bit, and walked in 26:58.

Levy Loop

walked in 28:54.

Levy Loop/River Trail

The only thing I like about cold weather anymore is being around someone else who likes it. Otherwise, fuck it. I'll take this 55 degrees every time. I jogged and walked the Levy Loop in 24:35, and my bare hands did not hurt.

I tried to brag about how perfectly I timed my eight-mile run on the River Trail, but my wireless went out after I wrote, to paraphrase: I walked in, grabbed my laptop and sat just in time to see Balfour toss his first pitch to Jenkins. I might've been 47 seconds early. Jenkins scored from third, so the Phillies lead 3-2 with Tampa Bay about to bat. I ran the eight miles from the I-30 bridge, with one-minute walks to start each half mile, in 1:27:25. My splits were 11:04, 11:00, 11:09, 11:23, 11:23, 10:32, 10:36 and 10:19.

Rocco Baldelli hit a home run for Tampa Bay with one out in the top of the seventh to tie the score at 3-3.

Maple Street Loop

I jogged and walked the Maple Street Loop in 23:45 and felt when I finished, three minutes ago, like I had done nothing but stretch in the cold air for a moment. I'm hungry.

Levy Loop intervals

My hands hurt from the cold tonight, but I otherwise felt great. I jogged a 10:37 warumup mile, did two miles of 60-second fast runs and 60-second-walk intervals in 10:11 and 10:03, and jogged a mile down in 10:20, or two tours of the Levy Loop in 41:11. These felt pretty easy.

Levy Loop/Hash

This morning I walked the Levy Loop in 30:22, and this afternoon spent 55 minutes going a little over four miles with the Hash through Park Hill and Lakewood.

Today was my 100th consecutive of doing at least something ("something" defined as walking two miles). I covered 350 miles, and also walked about 110 miles on golf courses.

River Trail fiasco

I made it exactly a half mile on the River Trail, from the Big Dam Bridge parking lot, when I realized I was off my game and decided to quit. So I walked back to my locked car, pulled my house key from my shorts, said, "Fuck," put it back and jogged and walked six miles home. Tim Cooper came to get me. I bought him lunch, then he dropped me off at my car with an extra set of keys.

Maple Street Loop

I jogged for a total of 5:20 to complete the Maple Street Loop in 25:20.

Levy Loop/47th Street Loop

This was the first time since last winter that I have turned to face the sun and appreciated it. It was 51 degrees and I was underdressed for the Levy Loop, run in 19:18, with splits of 9:57 and 9:21.

This evening I walked the first minute of each half mile to cover the 47th Street Loop in 34:10, with splits of 11:23, 11:22 and 11:25.

Maple Street Loop/Ridge Road Loop

I walked and jogged, for a total of 5:35, to complete the Maple Street Loop in 25:35 this morning.

Tonight I ran the Ridge Road Loop, with the 47th Street hill first, in 40:04, with splits of 10:38, 9:32, 10:00, 9:54

Levy Loop/aborted Ridge Road Loop

I walked and jogged the Levy Loop in 24:09 this morning.

I started the Ridge Road Loop with the 47th Street hill at about 7 p.m., but stopped after three miles run in 29:33, with splits of 10:44, 9:04 and 9:45.

York Gary Chevrolet Loop/Levy Loop

Late Sunday night I ran the 2.2-mile York Gary Chevrolet Loop in Nashville in 22:45, and tonight the Levy Loop in 19:44, with splits of 10:06 and 9:38. Sunday I golfed as poorly as I have since, I'm not sure, perhaps the summer of 2006. It occurred to me about a half mile into the York Gary Loop that I last jogged it in June, 2000, with Kelly Young; she said she had never run so slowly.

River Trail

My legs felt this morning like a man's who hadn't run for seven and a half years, until yesterday when he ran 10 miles as fast as he could with a baby on his back. I thought I would feel better, otherwise I wouldn't have driven all the way to the fucking River Trail to run and walk two miles in 22:43.

A little later I carried four hard, plastic golf balls and a 7-iron to the yard of John's former house. The club felt normal in my hands and I hit four fine shots into the Crepe Myrtle. I then hit half a dozen pitch shots with a sand wedge and a real Titlest into the tree and they were fine, too. Jo chased each of those shots, which entertained a car full of women and little girls that drove by and stopped half a block away for a yard sale. Then tonight, after I returned from Pine Bluff and watched the Red Sox beat the Rays, I hit two more hard-plastic shots from John's yard and the street light into the tree. They sailed straight. Maybe my psychosis is over. I'll see tomorrow at Cypress Creek near Cabot.

Orange Street Loop/First Tee

Though my legs were a bit dead, it was difficult to run as slowly as I wanted to this morning. I ran the Orange Street Loop, with a one minute walk to start each half mile, in 33:05, with splits of 11:05, 10:54 and 11:07. My goal was an 11:15 pace, and I hoped for lively legs. I believe I will put off my long run scheduled for tomorrow until Monday, or perhaps Tuesday (Sunday I play in a golf tournament and believe I will be in Nashville on Monday).

I played the First Tee par-three course somewhat like I did two and a half years ago, right after I hadn't played for seven years. I scored an 11-over 65 for 18 holes with numerous shanks. I ran into Harry King as I was walking off and he talked me into playing the big course with him. I was running out of time, so I played through No. 6, and think I went, from the back tees, double, double, double, triple, bogey, triple. It was embarrassing.

Ridge Road Loop

It was 56 degrees for my run of the Ridge Road Loop this morning, or 20 degrees cooler than for last night's. I ran it in 40:30, with splits of 10:10, 10:43, 10:16 and 9:21. For most of my long runs, in fact for all of my runs over three miles for the last three months, I have used the Jeff Galloway-Mike Huckabee technique of walking the first minute of each mile. Otherwise I have noted the difference. Sometimes I forego the walk at the start of the final mile, but not today. This morning's run was, for one coming so soon after an effort of any significance, perhaps my best of this current streak.

Park Hill Loop

I walked the first minute of each half mile to cover the Park Hill Loop in 54:31, with splits of 10:58, 11:01, 10:29, 11:22 and 10:41, through a steady drizzle that turned to a downpour the last mile.

T Highway/T Highway/Ridge Road Loop

I walked the first minute of each half mile to cover the Ridge Road Loop, begun up the 47th Street hill, in 43:14, with splits of 11:36, 10:18, 10:35 and 10:45 this evening. My plan was to go at an average of 11:26 a mile (a 4:59:46 marathon pace), hoping that it would feel easy. It was easy.

On Sunday, after eating steak, baked potato, salad and a big plate of escargot, I ran for 12 minutes out and up T Highway hill, then about 11 minutes back to my dad's farm house, 15 miles west of Van Buren, Mo. I covered a little over two miles. On Monday, dad and I walked 2.5 miles from his house, halfway up the T Highway hill, then to the end of the blacktop and back to his house in 55 minutes.

Levy Loop

After watching the Race for the Cure 5K this morning and a football game in Arkadelphia this afternoon and evening, I walked the first minute of each half mile to cover the Levy Loop in 21:52, with splits of 10:58 and 10:54.

First Tee/Levy Loop

I ran the Levy Loop, almost immediately after my return from a football game in Conway, in 16:52, with splits of 8:42 and 8:10. As much as I hate to know it, that was about as fast as I could go. I might've had 30 seconds in me, maybe. I know for sure I ran the last half mile as fast as I could, after looking at my watch and realizing that's what it would take to break 17 minutes. Don't ask why breaking 17 minutes meant anything to me. It doesn't now, but it did for that half mile.

I played poorly at First Tee with Steve the dentist. I scored a 46. I can play well and score a 46, but didn't today. Not counting a few pitches and long putts that saved my score, I hit a total of, let me think, four good shots, and two of those were recovery mid-iron pitches around trees. The other two were my drive and 3-wood to 50 yards on No. 2, the first par-5. I had 1 par, 6 bogies, and 2 doubles, and used 17 putts.

Here's the best example of my nine: On No. 6, a wide-open, down-and-up, 350-yard par-4 with a slight dog leg right, I hit a pop-fly drive just short and right of a bunker to the right, maybe 180 yards. I had to aim my 7-wood left of the green to avoid over-hanging limbs, but pushed it. Leaves turned it right and it landed in the front bunker. My sand wedge was pretty good, but it rolled three feet into the fringe, 30 feet from the hole. I hit a shitty chip eight feet past and made the putt to save bogey.

47th Street Loop/Ridge Road Loop

I ran the first two minutes of each five to cover the 47th Street Loop in 35:42, with splits of 11:59, 12:09, and 11:34.

After a warmup of two holes at Fort Roots, Nos. 5 and 9 (I hit 5 with driver, 52-degree wedge, and 9 with driver, 7-wood, 56-degree wedge, but didn't bother to putt on the dark side of dusk), I ran the first four minutes of each five to cover the Ridge Road Loop in 45:34, with splits of 11:22, 11:22, 11:11 and 11:39, the latter being the slowest since it was the only with three one-minute walks instead of two. The idea was to go close to 11:26 a mile, or a five-hour marathon pace, and have it be a snap, and it was easy.

Hindman Park Golf Course/Gimblett Loop

I played Hindman Park this morning in 97, with nines of 51 and 46. I had 1 par, 11 bogies, 4 doubles, and 2 triples (on the first two holes), and used 31 putts. Near the green on No. 4, I noticed my 8-iron was missing. Fuck. Replacing a Nickent 3DX Pro iron would be nearly impossible. The guy at Rebsamen said, "What? I don't know; can't say that I've seen it. You can look if you want." Son of a bitch, there it was.

Starting about 10:45 p.m., I ran the Gimblett Loop in 47:18, with splits of 9:37. 10:36, 9:29, 9:27 and 8:09; five miles at 9:28 a mile, on a pretty hard course, and without killing myself. And after walking Hindman this morning. This was a pretty good fitness day.

Orange Street Loop

run for four of each five minutes in 34:24, with splits of 11:39, 11:27 and 11:17.

Rebsamen Golf Course/Wal-Mart

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Maple Street Loop

walked in 30:14.

Arkansas 324

WILLIAMS JUNCTION, Ark. — Arkansas Traveller 100-Mile Race director Chrissy Ferguson to an entrant at the Power Line aid station, 49 miles into the race: "If you can get up in the morning and look at yourself in the mirror and say, 'I'm not a pussy,' then go ahead and drop out. Otherwise, at least get up and make it to the next aid station."

Fueled by a pumpkin milkshake purchased at The Shack in Jessieville, I ran for 15 minutes out and then 14 minutes back to the finish line near Lake Sylvia on Arkansas 324 and guess I covered about three miles. I felt great.

I got sentimental when I walked in The Shack and saw an 8X11" orange placard on which someone had written with a black Magic Marker, "Pumpkin milkshakes are back." The shake was delicious. I wish I would've had a man to share it with.

"Pussy," I believe, will be "[wimp]" in Monday's newspaper.

First Tee/Maple Street Loop

Within 10 minutes of arriving home from First Tee, I walked and ran, for a total of 5:54, the Maple Street Loop in 24:54.

I had planned to go to the river and run five or six miles, but after I played 18 holes (two balls over nine holes) of the First Tee par-3 course, I ran into Steve the dentist, Randall Hunhoff's buddy, and played the regular course with him. I sucked on the par-3s, or relative to last week and the week before. I scored a 10-over 64. The scorecard is still in my trunk, but I had one birdie and two doubles, and used 37 putts.

Then I had a 44 on the long course from the middle tees. I was at three-over after six (I hit No. 4 with a driver, 5-iron, the first time I have hit that green in regulation. My drive was a perfect draw that went down the hill and out of sight, I guess about 270 yards). Then I finished with a bogey and two doubles.

Levy Loop/Park Hill Loop

I walked, and ran the final two minutes of each five, to cover the Levy Loop in 24:36 this afternoon.

Tonight, after watching Sheridan wipe the field with the Little Fair War Eagles, and then outscore them 44-14, I ran the Park Hill Loop in 50:02, with splits of 10:05, 10:59, 10:10, 10:57 and 7:52. I was, am, a little disappointed to not break 50 minutes, but didn't consider it until I saw my four-mile split of 42:09 (it was actually 42:09.98). I felt fine. It was easy. That was the idea, but I literally thought, "You know, I could break 50 with a 7:50." I ran down the last mile of this loop in something like 8:20 a few weeks ago, so figured it was possible. I screwed up by not looking at my watch beyond about 45 minutes. For some reason I thought I was flying. I was surprised when I saw the time. No telling how much I had up my sleeve, which I guess is evident by the incongruity of those splits. It was 53 degrees when I finished. I felt great, and still do.

Burns Park/Maple Street Loop

At least I had a good line as I returned to Pulaski County from my 84. I played with two 60-something Union Pacific retirees named Mike and Marvin, and en route to a 97, endured a joke told by Marvin, a Nebraska native whose son lives in Chicago and sells security systems to prisons across the U.S. and has season tickets to Nebraska Cornhuskers football games, and whose daughter is the manager of a Holiday Inn in Oklahoma City. It was a bad joke. I think my dad might have told it to him. It involved an old man approached by a sexy young woman. She said, "Your zipper is down." He said, "Oh yeah? Did you see my Mustang?" She said, "No. I saw your Mini Cooper with two flat tires." It was pretty easy for me to deadpan: "I don't think that's funny, Marvin. It's too close to home." They also laughed when I said, "Hey, I got a golf dvd coming out next week. It's called How to Fuck Up a Perfectly Good Drive."

I ran a new loop tonight, called the Maple Street Loop. It's two miles long, and includes sections of the 47th Street and Levy Loops. It avoids the Levy slums and thus the street-corner hoodlums. That was my idea. I ran by two of them anyway. They had wandered to the edge of the Better Homes section and were walking on a sidewalk, smoking. "Fuck," I thought. They looked about 16. As I passed them, their voices bubbled friendliness: "Hey, man." "Was goin' on, ol' school?" It occurred to me there's a chance I've been running by those kids since they were babies. I jogged for the first two minutes of each five to finish the loop in 26:35.

Orange Street Loop

This made up for the interval failure last night, not that that was my intent going in. I just felt good and ran the first three of each five minutes to cover the Orange Street Loop in 32:03, with splits of 11:35, 10:29 and 9:59 (actually, 9:59.69, and I have heretofore rounded up, but fuck it. The idea of a sub-10 mile, with four minutes of it walked, impresses me enough to fudge). This was easy.

Burns Park/Levy Loop intervals

I was at 3-over par after 11 holes on the par-70 course at Burns Park (the more familiar one). I scored a 39 on the front, parred No. 10, then hit an 18-foot putt for birdie on No. 11, and thought, "Fuck. What if I break 80 playing by myself?" I guess I'd treat it like a hole-in-one and not tell anyone until I repeated it with witnesses. That concern doesn't apply to today; I played the final seven holes 11-over to finish with an 84. I had 1 birdie, 6 pars, 7 bogies and 4 doubles, and used 31 putts.

I didn't like the way I felt doing intervals tonight so I quit doing them after a mile. I completed the Levy Loop in 22:32, with a half mile up in 5:48, a mile of intervals in 10:37, and a half mile down in 6:07. Oh well, fuck it. I had a 39 for the front nine on the Burns Park Tournament Course (I hit the green on No. 1 with a pitching wedge but three-putted for bogey; hit the green on No. 2 and parred; putted from the fringe on No. 3 and saved par from two feet; drove over the water on No. 4 and stopped 47 yards from the pin, bladed my pitch over, pitched back and two putted for bogey; went driver, 7-iron, 9-iron to the front fringe on No. 5, chipped to six feet and putted in what I believe is my first par on that hole; kind of chunked a 9-wood to 120 yards out on No. 6, hit a 9-iron to eight feet and two putted for par; pulled an 8-iron, pitched on and two putted for bogey on No. 7; drove to 170 yards away on No. 8, hit a 7-wood to the fringe, chipped on and two putted for bogey; drove to 40 yards from the pin on No. 9, bladed my pitch over, pitched back from about 20 yards and sunk a six-foot putt to save par and break 40).

Go White Sox.

River Trail

Goddamn, man, the Miss River Trail competition was fantastic this evening. I ran the first two minutes of each five to cover four miles in 46:38. My legs felt a bit dead for the first half mile or so, but afterward downright springy. I was pleased to average 11:39 a mile walking 60 percent of the way. This gave me 30 miles for the week, not counting roughly 18 miles of walking on golf courses. I'm hungry.

Levy Loop

MAGNOLIA, Ark. — After a solid four-hours sleep, I jogged very slowly and walked the Levy Loop in 28:01.

I'm here for Southern Arkansas' game with Henderson State. They have wireless, which is fucking incredible. They didn't have electricity in Magnolia until 2005. Anyway, I"m already stuffed full of brownies, potato chips, and barbecued cocktail sausages. I shouldn't have any trouble at all getting to sleep on the drive home.

First Tee/Park Hill Loop

I had a good day of writing, running and golf.

Okay. Maybe I didn't write well. I'm too biased to gauge that (and, anyway, know I will consider it all illiterate at some point), but I played 36 holes of par golf and ran the Park Hill Loop twice in 1:49:02, with splits of 11:10, 11:43, 10:43, 11:30, 10:52, 11:03, 11:59, 9:58, 10:45 and 9:18. So I was 55:59 for the first loop, and 53:03 for the second, for an average of 10:54.2/mile, or a 4:45:52.3 marathon pace.

I felt like this would be a good night to run as I walked across the Cyclone Stadium parking in Russellville, and after I turned on the heater as I drove home (it was 59 degrees when I finished the run).

I scored a 55 (1-over) playing the back tees on the First Tee Honors Course (w/ an avg. length of 86 yds.), with 2 birdies, 13 pars and 3 bogies, and a 53 (1-under) playing the front tees (avg. 59 yds.), with 2 birdies, 15 pars and 1 bogie. I hit 32 greens; 15 from the back and 17 from the front. I haven't looked at the schedule, but, man, I can't tell you how much I hope the Champions Tour takes off the weekend of the Little Rock Marathon. Fat chance of that. Shit, maybe I'll miss the cut.

Levy Loop/Rebsamen Park Golf Course

I walked the Levy Loop in 29:06 this morning. Then Tim Cooper and I ate at a sort-of country version of Paul's near Prothro Junction, where I was served what at least tied for the best fried pork chops I have eaten, plus perfect great northern beans and squash, and nearly perfect mashed potatoes and corn bread. And, oh yeah, the iced tea was perfect, too. Coop ate a slice of chocolate pie and cried. I took my dad there in something like 1988, but wasn't much impressed by it. It has since expanded and was packed when we arrived. Jiminy Cricket, I can't fucking wait to take people (i.e. you).

Then Rob Wistrand and I played Rebsamen. I scored an 87. What made the day even cooler was that Rob hit a four-foot putt on No. 18 to break 100 for the first time. I had nines of 44 and 43, with 1 birdie, 7 pars, 5 bogies, 4 doubles and 1 triple. I was at 11-over-par after 13 holes, but tripled the 160-yard 14th. So, with four holes to go, I needed one par and three bogies to break 90. I bogied No. 15, then finished par, par, par (I parred No. 18 for the first time) to finish at 15-over. I used 32 putts. And, oh yeah, I parred No. 12, the par 5 on which I scored an 11 last week.

Hindman Park Golf Course/Gimblett Loop

I played Hindman in 3 hours, 42 minutes, and scored a 91, with nines of 45 and 46. I had 5 pars, 8 bogies, 4 doubles and 1 triple, and 34 putts.

My late-night tour of the Gimblett Loop was nice, particularly considering it came nine hours after walking Hindman at 80 degrees. I ran it in 52:36, with splits of 10:36, 11:08, 10:09, 10:20 and 10:23. I ate a bit too late, at 7 p.m., three hours before I started, so the concomitant insulin injection lingered enough to drain my blood sugar. It dropped from 138 to 39 (which might be its lowest measurement after a run). That helps explain why I ran the final, sharply downhill mile so slowly. Still, this result pleased and encouraged me.

John Kelly called as I wrote that last entry. He was drunk. He didn't say hello or anything of the sort. He shouted, "What's the difference between a mallard duck with a cold and your mother is a whore?" and hung up.

Levy Loop/Levy Loop

I walked the Levy Loop in 31:43 this morning, and walked and jogged it in 25:45 this evening.

Burns Park/47th Street intervals

I had the best driving day of my recent life today, averaging 227 yards, with a long of 279 (it rolled a lot, and left me 150 to the green on No. 18, a 429-yard par-five. I missed an eight-foot birdie putt). I had another that went 255. I played the longer, older, par-71 course at Burns Park with a retiree named Larry Glover and scored a 96. I pitched poorly and used 39 putts.

Then I went back and played the back nine again, except — to beat darkness — only hit drives and approach shots.

An hour and a half later, starting at about 8:45, I ran the 47th Street Loop in 29:10, with a 5:09 half-mile warmup, two miles of intervals in 9:27 and 9:52, and a half mile down in 4:41. I tried to go a little easier than last week.

Hash

mostly walked for 48 minutes.

Levy Loop

walked in 28:38, a brisk pace inspired by a photograph of the U.S. Ryder Cup team's wives. U.S. Olympic track team members (men, and women, too) have way Pete-prettier girlfriends and wives, so I've given up my pursuit of a spot on the PGA Tour and have re-geared for London.

First Tee/Ridge Road Loop

I played two balls through two loops of the par-three course at First Tee this morning. I finished the 36 holes at 122, or 14-over par. I had 3 birdies, 20 pars, 9 bogies and 4 doubles. I had nines (par 27) of 29, 30, 31 and 32. I scored 62 (+8) for the first 18, and then 60 (+6). I missed a 3 1/2 foot putt to become one of the few men in golf history to play in the 50s. According to Google Earth, I walked about 2.5 miles.

After watching Little Rock Parkview take a 33-0 lead and then barely hold on for a 33-28 victory over the Little Rock McClellan Lions at Lion Stadium (where I won the 1977 Lion Relays half-mile run in 2:01.9, edging out a sophomore McClellan whiz kid named Donald Barnett who later was an NAIA All-American at Arkansas-Monticello), I ran the Ridge Road Loop (going up 47th Street to start) in 43:22, with splits of 11:46, 10:23, 11:04 and 10:09. I felt a little better tonight, though I remain far from the lively-legged stretch that ended a couple of weeks ago.

Levy Loop/Ridge Road Loop

I jogged for the fifth minute of each five to cover the Levy Loop in 27:04 at about noon.

This evening, after a trip to Marvell to watch the Mustangs practice, I ran the Ridge Road Loop in 49:02, with splits of 13:26, 12:45, 11:45 and 11:06.

Levy Loop

walked in 30:42.

Rebsamen Golf Course/aborted Ridge Road Loop

I got about three steps, maybe four, into the Ridge Road Loop and realized too many things hurt and I was too hungry, so I decided to turn around at the one-mile mark. I covered the two miles in 25:34.

I started about 30 minutes after finishing a round with Randall Hunhoff at Rebsamen. I had 3 pars, 12 bogies, 1 double, 1 triple, and 1 hexagonal. I scored an 11 on the Par-5 12th. My new driver was beautiful. I hit it great, about 220 yards with a distinct draw, except on No. 12, when I hit a hook that would have had to go about 260 to clear the lake, and then a top that skipped a couple of times, looked like it might make it, but plunged in a foot from the edge. Teeing off with my fifth shot set me up perfectly for the 11, which might have been the highest, one-hole score ever recorded during a round of 95 or lower. I had nines of 45 and 50. That's correct. I scored a 50 with an 11. I rented a helicopter to bring Judy so she could reshaft my driver after I snapped it in two, and played the final six holes in four-over par.

Orange Street Loop/Hindman/Levy Loop intervals

I ran the first three minutes of each five and covered the Orange Street Loop in 34:33, with splits of 11:43, 11:18, and 11:32, and felt like I have most of the last several weeks. It was easy. I hope to feel as fine for intervals tonight, after golf (the UPS tracker says my new driver is in town and should be delivered between 8 a.m.-7 p.m.).

My 13-degree, mature-flex Burner Driver arrived while I was at Hindman, playing with a kid named Josh, so did not help today. I scored a 100, with nines of 53 and 47. I had to par No. 18 to break 100, but was lucky to sink a 10-foot putt to save bogey.

Two hours later, starting at about 8:30 p.m. Central, I ran two laps of the Levy Loop in 39:17. I jogged a warmup mile in 10:33, then did two miles of intervals — 60 seconds hard with a 60-second walk interval — in 18:47 (9:33, 9:14), followed by a 9:57 warm-down mile. My legs felt great, as good as they have lately.

"Mature" flex? I think I prefer "senior." Why not "champion" flex? It felt great knocking the shit out of hard plastic balls into my Crepe Myrtle.

Hash

I ran and walked for about 35 minutes from Alsopp Park and probably covered 2.5 miles. This felt a little better.

Aborted Park Hill Loop

I ran the first mile of the Park Hill Loop on legs so lifeless I chose to walk another mile and quit.

Levy Loop

NASHVILLE — I'm alone in the pressbox at Scrapper Stadium, 45 minutes after watching the Scrappers' 49-27 victory over the Prescott Curley Wolves. I ate two plates of catfish and French fries, and saw the 2008 version of the 2005 Vilonia drummer.

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 33:07.

First Tee/Levy Loop

I jogged and walked the Levy Loop in 25:12 through air so humid it was almost dank. It didn't feel nearly so heavy 12 hours ago when I played 18 holes on the par-three course at First Tee. That course cost $7 and gives perfect, truly fun short-game practice. I scored a 12-over 66, with 1 birdie, 7 pars, 7 bogies, and 3 doubles. I had two bogies and two doubles through the first four holes, so was six-over for the last 14. I should play that course once a week; at least once a month. It was kind of cool to be out there alone, able to take all the fucking time in the world.

Levy Loop/Gimblett Loop

I walked and jogged (for 5:48) the Levy Loop in 25:48 this morning.

This evening I wanted to run the Gimblett-Park Hill Loop, but pussed out after five miles. I stopped after the Gimblett Loop run in 53:30, with splits of 10:59. 11:22, 10:15, 10:35 and 10:19. I felt kind of dead-legged through the first mile and a half, but after the uphill run into Park Hill, felt much better. I was confident of running 10 miles until I got back down into Levy, in the fifth mile, when I realized it would be more of a struggle than I was willing to endure.

My blood glucose responded well. It was at 139 when I started. I ate a package of Gu at four miles, and now, 45 minutes afterward (35 minutes after I walked in the door) it's at 104.

I might try again Saturday after a couple of easy days and lots of good food at my mother's in Nashville on Friday-Saturday afternoons.

Rebsamen Golf Course/Levy Loop

Shortly after I played the front nine at Rebsamen with Randall Hunhoff, I ran the Levy Loop in 21:41.

I'm crazy about the new shafts on my irons. They feel fantastic. I scored a 46, with one par, six bogies and two doubles (when I three putted No. 2 and hit my second shot into the water on No. 9). Of course, most clubs would've felt good this evening. It was overcast with a light breeze and about 70 degrees, maybe a bit cooler.

Levy Loop/Rebsamen Park Golf Course/intervals

I jogged and walked the Levy Loop in 22:48 at about 9 a.m. Central

At about 9:45 p.m. Central, after playing Rebsamen with Rob Wistrand in 100, with nines of 48 and 52 (all I'm going to fucking say is I needed a triple bogey on the par-four 18th to break 100 and got a motherfucking eight), I ran the 47th Street Loop in 29:43, with a 5:25 jog for the first half mile, the two miles in the middle alternating 60-second hard runs with 60-second walks in 19:24, and a 4:41, half-mile jog in. That's clearly the best I've done those, made better by the fact I started about two and a half hours after completing my disappointing round of golf. I was pleased to have listened to the real Green Bay Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings just before I started, and to have heard a message on my answering machine from Judy at the golf shop telling me my Nickent irons now have new Royal Precision Rifle Project X High Launch shafts installed (I played with my old and quite lovely, drug-dealer scammed Callaways).

Levy Loop/Hash

I walked the Levy Loop at about 8:30 a.m. Central in 29:49. This evening I ran Hash from the Arkansas River near downtown North Little Rock with White Trash. We covered about two miles.

Levy Loop/Park Hill Loop

I walked the Levy Loop, and jogged the fifth minute of each five, in 25:46. Fuck it. I feel good and will likely try the Park Hill-Gimblett Loop tonight when I return from Searcy. I will not take insulin past 5 p.m.

Alas: I was tired, a little hungry and sleepy driving home from Harding, thus not as psychologically equipped for a 10-mile run as I had hoped. I got about a mile into it and questioned whether I am fit enough to run 10 miles the day after running five. Disarmed, I decided to push the Park Hill Loop a little and let that be enough. Somewhere during the fifth mile I had a brief thought of slowing and going ahead and tagging the Gimblett Loop on. But, no, that would've been crazy; it would have offended my patience. I finished the Park Hill Loop in 51:07, with mile splits of 10:47, 11:22, 10:02, 10:28, and 8:28.

I took my last insulin shot at 5 p.m., ate two peanut-butter sandwiches and yogurt with blackberries. I had to supplement two oatmeal-raisin cookies at about 8 p.m. My blood sugar was at 140 10 minutes before I started. I ate a package of Gu, drank some water, let Samantha in and ran away. Now, 30 minutes afterward, it's at...I'll give it an over-under of 75...113. I believe I will eat a bowl of cereal and go to bed. But that's it. That's all I believe.

Park Hill Loop

No, I guess I'm not ready for a 10-mile run this week, or wasn't tonight. Clearly I wasn't tonight, certainly not from a blood-glucose standpoint. I measured it a moment ago, not more than two minutes after finishing the Park Hill Loop in 57:32, and it was at 32. I ate a package of Gu after four miles. I guess I needed more. My splits were 11:06, 11:50, 11:14, 11:54 and 11:28. I felt like a million bucks through roughly three and a half miles. A shot I had to take much later than I wanted to, at about 10:30 in a mini-mart parking lot in Pine Bluff, apparently crippled me. Oh well. I might try the Gimblett Street Loop tomorrow night, call it a series, maybe Two Days of Levy.

Levy Loop

I jogged the fifth of every five minutes to complete the Levy Loop in 26:39, trying to gauge how I might feel at about 11 p.m. when I return from Watson Chapel (near Pine Bluff). I originally planned to run the Park Hill-Gimblett (10-mile) Loop tomorrow night, but might knock it out tonight. We'll see.

Levy Loop

walked in 31:10.

Gimblett Loop

This was nearly a time trail. I ran the five-mile Gimblett Loop in 48:41, with splits of 10:19, 10:44, 9:27, 9:33 and 8:38. It's a tough loop; not as hard as the Park Hill Loop, but it does have the identical high point. The main difference is that the Park Hill Loop has two long, steep climbs (in Miles 2 and 4), and Gimblett one (in Mile 2). I averaged 9:44 a mile and am pleased.

Hurricane Gustav has degenerated to a breezy sprinkle in Park Hill and Levy and was pleasant to run through.

Levy Loop

I ran the Levy Loop, through Hurricane Gustav, in 18:07, with incongruous splits of 9:41 and 8:26.

You know, they must not build things very sturdily on the Gulf Coast, because Gustav isn't doing shit for damage here in Levy.

47th Street Loop intervals

I ran the 47th Street Loop in 32:18. Following a six-minute half mile of walking and jogging, I alternated 60-second hard runs with 60-second walks for two miles, then jogged the final half mile home. I covered the two miles of intervals in 20:15.

Levy Loop/Hash

I walked the Levy Loop at 10 a.m. Central in 28:34.

Late this afternoon I ran and walked a mile with the Hash. Most of us got turned around, skipped a few marks, and first thing you know we were back at the start. It was hot and humid and all but a couple of the idiots stayed put.

Orange Street Loop/Park Hill Loop

I realized about a mile into the rarely-run Orange Street Loop this morning that there was too much effort involved, since I plan to run the Park Hill Loop late tonight. I completed it in 39:10, with 16 minutes of jogging and splits of 12:29, 13:20, and 13:21.

The Park Hill Loop went well. I ran it in 53:58 with splits of 11:09, 11:49, 10:31, 11:20 and 9:09, and don't think I will try to run it any faster for a while. I kind of hoped to run under 55 minutes, but then dashed down the Orange St. hill to my house to break 54. I alternated four minutes of running with one of walking through four miles. I ran all but the first 12 seconds of the fifth mile.

Levy Loop/Rebsamen Park Golf Course

I walked the Levy Loop in 31:14 this morning, and played Rebsamen with Randall Hunhoff and a guy off the street named Al Jones in 97 this afternoon. I had nines of 49 and 48.

Hindman Park Golf Course/47th Street

I played Hindman this morning with Rob Wistrand in 103, with nines of 49 and 54. I probably should take a week off, and would except I told Randall Hunhoff a few days ago I would play Rebsamen with him tomorrow afternoon, plus my new True Temper Dynamic Gold SL R-300 shafts came in today, so I'll have those put on Monday and will then of course feel compelled to play. I need a break, though, and will take it soon. It was fucking miserably humid out there.

Tonight I ran the 47th Street Loop, alternating four minutes of jogging with one-minute walks, in 35:17, with splits of 11:41, 11:38, and 11:58. It was easy, a delight, really. The only reason the final mile was significantly slower than the the first two was that it included three minutes of walking instead of two. So I jogged for a total of 28:17. This was the first time I felt that comfortable the day after a significant effort in, gosh, a couple of years I think.

Levy Loop/47th Street Loop

I walked the Levy Loop in 29:13 this morning.

Starting at 10:20 p.m. tonight, I ran the 47th Street Loop in 28:13, with splits of 9:54, 9:16 and 9:03.

This was easier than the 29:50 I ran seven days ago, but did not, as then, come the day after walking five miles while pulling 50 pounds of golf clubs, balls, water, gloves and underpants. Plus it was probably 15 degrees cooler tonight.

Levy Loop

jogged and walked in 25:17.

Levy Loop intervals

I ran the Levy Loop twice in 46:43, with splits of 12:59, 10:12, 10:19, and 13:13. During the middle 2 miles, I alternated 60 second fast runs with 60 second walks. I was about 30 seconds into my 11th sprint when I finished. That was a pretty hard way to cover 2 miles. It would be nice, perhaps, to have a GPS watch. I think one could tell me how far I went during each of those sprints. But I think a good and maybe better gauge of progress will be my overall time for the loop.

Hindman Park Golf Course/Hash

I clawed my way back from a 53 on the front nine at Hindman to need bogie on No. 18 to break Byron Nelson's all-time record of 10 consecutive rounds under 100. I hit two 3-woods to 30 yards, pitched short and right, and chipped to 15 feet. I faced a side-hill putt with a severe left-to-right break. As it rolled down hill toward the hole, Jeff Krupsaw said, "Great putt." It was good, but had a butt hair too much steam, missed high by an inch and rolled six inches past.

I had 2 pars, 7 bogies, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 1 quadruple (with two balls in the water on No. 8), 5 penalty strokes, and used 32 putts.

Hurricane Fay struck when we were on the No. 16 tee box. It dropped mushy hail. I'd never seen anything like it, like marbles of compressed, watery snow. "Fuck, it's snowing," I said. "I don't think I've ever seen snow in August in Arkansas," Krupsaw said. "Yeah, it hardly ever snows when it's 85." "Almost never."

Late this afternoon I walked and jogged about 3 miles from Boyle Park with the Hash.

47th Street Loop/Park Hill Loop

I slowly walked and jogged the 47th Street Loop in 44:02 late this morning.

My plan was to run the Park Hill Loop tomorrow (Sunday) morning, but Jeff Krupsaw asked me to play Hindman Park with him, so I ran Park Hill tonight, starting at about 11 p.m. I walked and ran it in 59:05, with splits of 12:05, 13:08, 11:14, 12:16, and 10:23, and felt very good. I ran for a total of 39 minutes, 5 seconds, including the last 9:05 to make sure I broke an hour.

I am interested to see how I golf eight hours from now off four hours sleep at most. My over-under is 95, and will bet $5 with anyone who posts a prediction before I report my score. I'm not sure, but I think my streak of rounds under 100 (93-99) reached 10 on Friday. I could see a 102-104 tomorrow. Or, fuck, an 87. I can also see wetting my bed and sleeping through our 8 a.m. tee time.

Levy Loop/Hindman Park Golf Course

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 30:00.11. I was kind of pissed to miss my 30-minute prediction by 11 100ths of a second. There was a time when I was pretty good at that game.

I parred the first three holes at Hindman this afternoon. And then got a quadruple bogie on No. 4. I also had a triple on No. 8, and a pentagonal on No. 18. I chipped in for birdie on No. 15. I had nines of 50 and 48 for a 98. It was hot and very humid today for the first time in two weeks and it whipped me. I'm so hungry it's hard to type, or to sit here and watch men's platform diving. What's the point of televising diving without Chen Ruolin?

Levy Loop/Levy Loop

mostly walked on tired legs in 28:01, and again in the late afternoon in 33:40.

Levy Loop/47th Street Loop

I walked the Levy Loop in 28:58 through 68-degree mist and drizzle, and guess the price of gasoline has reversed the trend of global warming.

Starting at about 6 p.m. Central, I ran the 47th Street Loop in 29:51, with splits of 9:46, 9:52 and 10:13. It was darned close to a time trail. I felt great through the first mile, but almost stopped at the end of the second. Only my desire to shatter the 30-minute barrier, once unimaginable for residents of Levy, persuaded me to prevail. Also, I'm pretty sure I broke the world 3-mile record for a man wearing red-and-blue plaid golf shorts (I left my $4,000 Brooks running shorts at Camp Clearfork).

Levy Loop/Rebsamen Park Golf Course

I ran (nine minutes) and walked the Levy Loop in 24:18 this morning.

This afternoon and evening I played Rebsamen with Randall Hunhoff in 93, with nines of 44 and 49. I had 1 par, 14 bogies, 2 doubles, and 1 triple.

Levy Loop/47th Street Loop

I walked and jogged (six minutes) the Levy Loop in 26:11 early this afternoon. Tonight I ran and walked the 47th Street Loop with 2X5X60 seconds of hard running (w/ 60 seconds between the sprints and four minutes between sets) en route. The loop took me 34:38. The 2 miles covered during the sprints took 22:03.

Hash

CRYSTAL SPRINGS, Ark. — I ran a little, but mostly walked for 45 minutes with Basil Julian and a very nice woman from Dallas at Camp Clearfork this morning. We probably covered a little less than 3 miles, but made up for the lack of effort with three hours of fishing (I caught five large-mouth bass that weighed a total of maybe three pounds).

Park Hill Loop

walked and run (for 26 minutes) in 1:01:56, w/ splits of 12:19, 13:09, 11:51, 13:09, and 11:28.

Levy Loop/Rebsamen Park Golf Course

I walked the Levy Loop in the morning in 28:33, and played Rebsamen in the afternoon and evening with Randall Hunhoff and dentist Steve in 96, with nines of 50 and 46. I had 3 pars, 6 bogies, and 9 doubles. I battled hypoglycemia for four holes on the front, and hard rain for three holes on the back. After the rain it turned cold (relatively cold, of course. It was 65, but with a 15 mph wind and soaking wet clothes, I felt an occasional shiver). Still, I finished par, par, bogie and left pleased.

Levy Loop

run in 21:58, w/ splits of 11:00 and 10:58

Aborted Ridge Road Loop

I got about two blocks past the old Tom Pickle spread on the Ridge Road Loop and had to stop to sit on the curb. I felt feint. That persuaded me to take a left on F Street and walk the fuck home. I ran and walked the first 2 miles in 25:52, and probably covered about 3.5 miles. Counting golf, I walked, ran, and dragged golf clubs a total of 15 miles on Monday and Tuesday.

Fuck it. I just called Tim Cooper. I'm going two-thigh basket with fried okra and mashed potatoes and creamed gravy and might eat some goddamned pie at Paul's. No. No. I'm also going to eat an order of fried pickles. You know, for the sake of having run past the old Pickle spread a few minutes ago.

Levy Loop/Hindman Park Golf Course

I ran the Levy Loop this morning in 21:25, with splits of 10:43 and 10:42. I spent the afternoon at Hindman, where I scored a 95, with nines of 50 and 45. I had 2 pars, 10 bogies, 5 doubles, and 1 triple, and used 35 putts.

47th Street Loop/Hindman Park Golf Course

I walked and ran, for 14 minutes, the 47th Street Loop in 35:53, with splits of 11:54, 12:08, and 11:51, this morning. I played Hindman in the afternoon in 98, with nines of 50 and 48. I had a quadruple bogey on No. 7, a par five, after I hit my "safe" 2-iron tee shot into the creek to the left, dropped, and then hit the drop into the creek that runs across the fairway. I was worried about breaking 100, until I hit a 45-foot birdie putt on the par-three 17th. I didn't know how key that was until I two-pitched and three-putted No. 18 for a triple bogey. My score card on the back nine read 5-6-6-6-6-5-5-2-7. I used 35 putts. It sprinkled a little over the first six holes, and never got over 75, crazy for August, like fucking Fairbanks.

Levy Loop/Day 110

walked and run, for 10 minutes, in 23:39.

Park Hill Loop

walked and run (for 20 minutes) in 1:04:32, with mile splits of 12:42, 13:32, 12:31; 13:34, and 12:23.

Levy Loop/Burns Park

I walked and ran (for six minutes) the Levy Loop this morning in 24:58 Beginning at about 6 p.m., I played the front nine of the older, longer Burns Park Course in 44, with 3 pars, 4 bogies, and 2 doubles. I walked on. I had an idea about driving up to the clubhouse to pay the $12 after I finished, but opted to drive off with my money rather than risk a lecture. Considering the weather, twice the price would've been a deal.

Levy Loop/First Tee

walked in 32:14 before playing nine holes at First Tee with Randall Hunhoff. I stunk at golf. I had 7 bogies and 2 doubles for a 47.

Ridge Road Loop

walked in 58:21, each mile a bit faster, from 15:18 to 14:04.

Levy Loop/Rebsamen Golf Course

I very slowly walked and ran (for a total of 6 minutes) the Levy Loop in 27:54, about an hour after playing Rebsamen Park Golf Course with Randall Hunhoff. I had to play the final three holes in one-over to save a 99, w/ nines of 52 and 47. It was much, much more pleasant on the course than the last three rounds. Nevertheless, I shanked a total of six drives. It took 31 putts, two up-and-down bunker shots, and a nicely turned story about Deena Kastor to keep me from jumping off the Metropolitan Bank Building. It also helped that afterward Pam, Sam, and Jo sat with me and in a cool breeze on the front porch. Perhaps 54 holes in five days through heat indexes of 114, 112, and 106 is too difficult for me.

47th Street Loop/Rebsamen

Two and a half hours after walking off Rebsamen Park Golf Course, and 15 minutes after walking from a basket of chicken bones at Paul's, I walked and ran (for a total of eight minutes) the 47th Street Loop in 39:21, with mile splits of 13:38, 12:59, and 12:44.

I hit a 2-iron left on No. 6 at Rebsamen, cutting the corner on the 285-yarder, and pulled out a pitching wedge for a 90-yard shot. That's typically a sand-wedge distance for me, but I haven't hit full shots with that club very well lately, so I three-quartered the pitching wedge. The shot looked beautiful, high and soft, but with my shot depth perception, I didn't know how good it was until it bounced a couple of feet from the hole and disappeared for an eagle. I had Nelson Chenault, a local free-lance photographer, as a witness. I scored a 42 for the front nine, a record I believe, but returned to life on the back nine with a 51. Still, 93 ties for my best round of the year.

Alltel Arena

I walked eight laps of Alltel Arena's mezzanine in a record-shattering 28:55 (the old record was 31:12) this afternoon before the Arkansas Twisters first-round Arena Football 2 playoff game with the Central Valley (Fresno, Calif.) Coyotes. I think each lap is a cunt hair over a quarter of a mile, so I'm calling the course 2.1 miles. My splits were 3:46, 3:44, 3:40, 3:41, 3:34, 3:34, 3:30, and 3:26.

I have begun to empathize with mall walkers. Shit, it's something like 102 degrees out. It couldn't be much over 70 in this building.

Ridge Road Loop/Burns Park

I played six holes of the original Burns Park Course, finished in borderline darkness, came home, and walked and ran the Ridge Road Loop in 52:12.

My plan was to hit five- and eight-irons in the field beside the first fairway at Burns Park, but no one was on the course, it looked like the clubhouse was closed, so I walked back to my car, grabbed my putter, and walked on with a five- and eight-iron, a putter, and pockets full of tees, three balls, three gloves, and boxer shorts from my bag. I played Nos. 1-4. 6, and 9. I had two pars, three bogies, and one double (on No. 4, the hole on which Malcolm, a friend of friends of mine, once hit four consecutive tee shots into the woods and creek to the right in one the most blatant examples of persistence abuse I've witnessed). I played the women's tee on No. 9 because it was nearly dark and I didn't want to walk 100 yards back to the men's. Here's an example of the break women get. I hit a 5-iron hook, a crappy 8-iron back to the fairway over a tree, chunked a 5-iron that went maybe 120 yards to leave me 50 yards short of the pin. I then pitched an 8-iron in Erin regulation to 5 feet and one-putted for par. Fuck Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, and Arnold Palmer. Fuck Jim Furyk, too. I played six holes in five-over with three clubs to prove I am the greatest golfer the earth has known.

Holy shit

Once again I did the Rebsamen Park Golf Course-Levy Loop double.

It was too hot for golf, but Randall Hunhoff and I fucking golfed anyway. (Ch. 7 weatherman Barry Brandt just said the high today was 101, and that the heat index at 4 p.m., when we were on about No. 5, was 113) I scored a 96, with nines of 49 and 47. My short game sucked. I used 38 putts and didn't chip or pitch worth a damn. But I ordered a new set of irons (Nickent 3DX Pros), they arrived this morning, and after a couple of crappy shots to start, I hit them great. They are beautiful.

I got home, let Pam and Sam in and Jo out, listened to my favorite voice on the answering machine, and walked the Levy Loop without wearing a watch. It probably took me 35 minutes.

Now I plan to grill a steak, bake a potato, and broil some asparagus. I'm hungrier than two motherfuckers.

Levy Loop/Day 100

walked and jogged (for a total of six minutes) in 26:51, moments after completing an hour and a half of yard work. It was probably 80 degrees out but felt almost cool after the last few evenings.

Levy Loop

walked in 38:20, burdened a bit by low blood sugar. I ate two Popsicles and a cup of yogurt and now feel fine.

Levy Loop/Rebasmen Golf Course

Exactly 51 minutes after I walked off No. 18 at Rebsamen Golf Course with Randall Hunhoff and a dentist named Steve, I started the Levy Loop. I finished it in 25:01.

I scored a 95 at Rebsamen, with nines of 49 and 46. It was a decent score considering I had three penalty strokes (two water shots and one out of bounds), hit out of four sand traps (with one shot each time, followed by a total of seven putts — I got up and down for bogie on No. 17), and failed to hit a single green in regulation (I continue to pull my irons, i.e. hit them left). Thirty-one putts saved me. I had one three putt and six one putts.

Levy Loop

walked in 30:22 at 100 degrees. No shit, 100.

Hash

We ran Petra's run from Knoop Park. I mostly walked for 40 minutes with Basil Julian and Tom Zaloudek, and covered about 2 and a half miles. My legs were dead by the time we climbed out of Alsopp Park. I drank four cans of Diet Dr. Pepper and felt better.

Alltel Arena/Ridge Road Loop

As a warmup for what I hope is a good 4-mile run after the Twisters' game with Texas, I walked four laps of the mezzanine at Alltel Arena (c. 1.1 miles). It took me 24:21, but included two-minute conversations with a guy named Rick about Brett Favre, with Ray Tucker about a Twisters' player whose dad died of heart attack yesterday and with Basil Julian about all the tits in the building.

I ran the Ridge Road Loop at about midnight in 50:42, with splits of 10:53, 13:23, 13:35, and 12:51. I feel great, but am slow in every essential way.

The Arkansas Twisters beat the cow shit out of the Texas Copperheads and will begin the playoffs at Alltel next Sunday, Aug. 3. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. Central.

47th Street Loop

I walked, and ran five times for about 90 seconds, the 47th Street Loop in 41:57 accompanied by a 102-degree heat index. I meant to keep splits, but failed to click my watch as I passed 2 miles. I covered the first mile in 13:56 and the last two in 28:01.

Levy Loop

I sort of did intervals tonight, kind of. I walked and jogged the first half mile of the Levy Loop, then alternated 60 seconds of fast running with 60 seconds of walking over the middle mile and walked and jogged the final half. I covered the loop in 22:49. I ran at about a 6;30/mile pace on those five runs. My legs felt fine. I covered the middle mile in about 9:45.

Levy Loop

walked in 31:27.

Levy Loop/Rebasmen Golf Course

Exactly 48 minutes after walking off No. 18 at Rebsamen Golf Course with Jeff Krupsaw and Randall Hunhoff, I started the Levy Loop and completed it in 24:42 with splits of 12:19 and 12:23. My legs were dead. It was still hot and humid but pleasantly dark and quiet and I felt pretty good, considering.

Randall and I teed off at 4:20 p.m. It was blisteringly hot and as muggy as it gets here. Jeff caught us at No. 5. I had three doubles and a bogey through the first four. We got about a 10-minute break in the shade as we waited for Jeff. I drank a liter of cold water and took four ibuprofen, and doubled No. 5. So, four doubles in five holes. But for the rest of the day, I had one double and one triple, seven bogies and four pars. I scored 93, with nines of 48 and 45 — my best round this year. The ibuprofen and a Zone-diet candy bar I ate in the middle of the No. 8 fairway saved me. Plus it rained lightly the first three holes on the back and the temperature dropped into the mid-80s, I think. We finished in near darkness. It was about 10 minutes short of being as dark as it was the night Erin Vratil holed out from 90 yards last summer and none of us knew it until we found her ball in the hole.

Levy Loop/Burns Park/Day 90

Man, it's hot, even now at 10 o'clock. I covered the Levy Loop, with about five minutes of very slow jogging, in 26:57.

It was much hotter this afternoon. I played the back nine of the long Burns Park course and then the back of of the shorter course. It reached 101 while I was out there (with a 72-year-old man named Charlie). I scored a 44 on the long course, and a 48 on the short, so was tickled with a 92, particularly considering the extreme discomfort the last few holes. We sat on every bench from No. 14-18.

Hash

I walked for 40 minutes in blazing heat near Maumelle to cover about 2.67777 miles.

Alltel Arena

I walked eight laps around the mezzanine of Alltel Arena in 31:12 to cover about 2.1 miles before the Arkansas Twisters' game with the Bossier-Shreveport BattleWings.

Rebsamen Golf Course

Fuck it, I'm changing the rules. Eighteen holes of golf, walked, is adequate to keep my streak alive. Today I walked Rebsamen with Randall Hunhoff from work. A very country fellow named Barry walked the last nine with us. I scored a 96, at 98 degrees, with 2 pars, 10 bogies, 4 doubles, and 2 triples. I got a Callaway 3-hybrid in the mail last night, killed it all day, came home and ordered a 1- and 2-hybrid. I was way too tired to run or walk.

Levy Loop

walked in 31:09, with splits of 15:39 and 15:30 this morning trying to get it in 32 minutes.

Ridge Road & Levy Loops

Tuesday night, at 12:45 a.m. after the 15-inning All-Star game, I ran the Ridge Road Loop in 43:14, with splits of 10:44, 11:02, 10:50, and 10:38. It was my first run over 2 miles in a long time, six weeks or so. I felt fine. The weather has been spectacular. Last night it was in the upper sixties and dry. Today was the third consecutive with a desert-fall climate, warm but dry. I played in a scramble at Fort Roots, was dry when I bought groceries at Kroger and after I walked the Levy Loop in something like 30 minutes. Now I am about to go to bed with the windows open for the third night in a row.

47th Street Loop

It's 87 degrees this afternoon with a heat index of 70. Rarely are Arkansas summer days as dry and comfortable as this one. I ran and walked the 47th Street Loop in 38:38 and felt like I could've gone much further.

Tulsa Convention Center/Hash

Yesterday evening I walked for 30 minutes around downtown Tulsa before the Arkansas Twisters defeated the Tulsa Talons. Today I walked, and jogged a little bit, with Reverend Bob around a lake just north of Jacksonville. Bob's GPS said we covered 3.27 miles. Then I hit 12 lovely 8-iron shots in the twilight at Fort Roots and came home to watch Kenny Perry beat a couple of no-names in sudden death at the John Deere Classic. Kenny Perry is my new hero.

Fort Roots/Levy Loop/Day 80

Dripping in sweat by the fairway of the first hole, I scored a 42 for nine holes at Fort Roots this evening, with two pars and seven bogies, all the while using tips exposed to me in Sports Illustrated's Golf Plus, by Adam Scott in Golf magazine (which I missed the first time but read this morning while I waited for Darrell to cut my hair), and during a nine-minute breakdown of Ben Hogan's swing on You Tube. My approach shots on the par-fives came from 50 yards. I hit lovely, full-swing, choked-up 60-degree wedges on both, and missed a 15-footer for birdie on No. 9 by a cunt hair.

I think I could have broken 110 on the old course, assuming I could've taken an unplayable lie from the road-hole bunker.

At 10:30 p.m. Central, after I watched Cincinnati beat Milwaukee 6-5, I walked and jogged the Levy Loop in 25:12.

Oh, I read a beautiful sentence yesteday: "I watched people tee off on the first tee of the old course this afternoon and then walked on the beach where Chariots of Fire was filmed."

Levy Loop

run in 20:02.

Levy Loop

walked Tuesday without timing, and jogged tonight in a delightfully easy 21:18.

47th Street Loop/Ft. Roots

I walked the 47th Street Loop and then played with the old men at Ft. Roots. Roy and I won the two-man scramble with a 35. We won $8.50, so I was only out $6. We birdied Nos. 1 and 5, and bogied Nos. 2 and 3.

Park Hill Loop

walked and jogged in 51:30.

47th Street/Levy Loops

I ran and walked the 47th Street Loop last night in 39:something, and walked the Levy Loop this morning in 31:15.

Levy Loop

run in 21:14, with splits of 10:50 and 10:24.

Levy Loop/Fort Roots

I walked the Levy Loop in 29:22 this morning. This evening I again teamed with Billy for the Wednesday night scramble at Fort Roots. We scored a 36 to finish in a three-way tie for third, and I played very well. I think I would have scored about 43 had I played alone.

Day 70/47th Street Loop

Walked and jogged in 36:01. If I had looked at my time, I would have run the last 20 yards a bit faster to break 36 minutes.

Miracle Mile/Levy Loop/Ft. Roots

Yesterday I spent 18 minutes setting the Levy Area Miracle Mile and then 15 minutes walking it again. John Kelly later won in 5:57. Corky, who had breast cancer surgery last week, and Josh, who's having hernia surgery today, tied for last in 19 minutes.

This morning I walked the Levy Loop in 30:40.

Then I teamed with L.V. "Big Quaker" Dyer to win the Ft. Roots old-men scramble and $10, which meant that after our green and cart fee, we were only out $5. We scored a 36. On No. 9 we were 135 yards out in two. I hit a 7-iron 20 feet short of the pin. L.V. asked what club I'd used. He pulled out an 8-iron, hit a crisp low shot that hit in front of the green and hopped on.

"I think that's going over," L.V. said.

"No, man, that's rolling right at it. That could be close."

His ball disappeared.

"Son of bitch, L.V., did that go in?"

"I think it did. I can't see it."

Del and some old Chinese guy told us in the clubhouse that it hit the pin, stopped for a second and then dropped in the hole.

LV. told me he was caddie at the Country Club of Little Rock in the 1960s, which might help to explain why he actually got pissed we didn't each get $10.50. "You tell me 60 percent of $35 is $21, so that's what we would should get. I'm just saying that's what's fair."

I played pretty well. My highlight was parring No. 4 by myself. We used my 7-wood, my driver chip from 125 yards, sand-wedge pitch over the bunker from 20, and 6 foot putt.

Levy Loop/Rebasmen Golf Course

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 30:41, and walked Rebsamen with Randall from work and a Methodist minister from Malvern this afternoon and evening. I scored a 94, with nines of 45 and 49. I had 3 pars, 9 bogies, 5 doubles and 1 triple, and used 35 putts. The minister, named Steve, was born in Van Buren, Mo., same as my father.

Levy Loop

run in 19:50, my first run in six days, so pleasing.

Levy Loop/Fort Roots scramble

I walked the Levy Loop in 30:09 this morning. This evening I played with a guy named Billy in a two-man scramble at Fort Roots. We scored a 37 to finish in a three-way tie for third. For the playoff, we chipped from the front of the clubhouse to the No. 9 green. Not one of the six people hit the green. We lost. My chip looked good, but hit the edge of the cart path and bounced straight up. Terrible luck. Otherwise, I played very well. On No. 7, the 380-yard Par 5, I looked like Tiger Woods. We used my 230-yard drive, and my 6-iron from 150 stopped eight feet from the cup (which was somewhat equivalent to slam-dunking on an eight-foot goal), but we both lipped out our eagle putts. Man, we had fun. Billy and I played with two other twosomes, among them a guy named Ray who drank beer and whiskey straight from a pint bottle all the way around. He got louder and funnier as we went. He had the weirdest approach to golf I've seen. Ray would line up literally 45 degrees to the right and then hook the cow shit out of his ball. He hit some great shots, but some terrible ones, too. Line of the day went to Kenny: "Hey, Ray. Take a look in the fucking mirror and you'll know how fucking ugly that shot was."

Levy Loop

walked in 30:54, with mile splits of 15:38, and 15:16.

47th Street Loop

walked and run, a little, in 41:15.

Levy Loop

I walked the Levy Loop after watching Stewart Cink win the Travelers, and before watching a tear-jerking TV show about people building a great big house for some family in Minnesota.

Day 60

Thursday I jogged the Levy Loop in 21:38. Friday night, after walking 18 holes at First Tee, I ran on the trails around Chenal Mountain and tripped over something. A root, I think, and fell into a tree and bounced face first into the trail. The right side of my face looks a bit like it did when an airbag deployed into it four years and nearly four months ago. I have a tremendous bruise on my left arm, and another on my left shoulder and right thigh. I think I covered about 3 miles, including a c. 1-mile walk to my car. That's how the 60th day of my current streak went. Tonight, after listening to the Twisters' 51-28 victory over the Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Wash.) Fever, I walked the Levy Loop without taking the time. My legs hurt. I played First Tee, nine holes from the back and nine from the middle, in 107, with Tony from the Hash, Rob the runner, and Randall from work. I had an 11 and a 9 and 1 par (on the final hole from 134 yards with a lovely 8-iron to 15 feet).

A few days

My laptop broke. I ran Hash on Sunday, probably covered 3 miles. For the second week in a row, I got lost and had to cross I-40 where it runs through Burns Park. On Monday I ran the 47th Street Loop in 30:42. Tuesday morning I walked the Levy Loop in 30:04, and tonight ran the Park Hill Loop in 41:20.

Alltel Arena

I walked for 32:21 around the mezzanine of Alltel Arena before the Arkansas Twisters' 61-25 victory over the Lubbock Renegades. I traveled about 2.25 miles, and picked the winner of the Miss Twisters Pageant, a c. 15-year-old who looked a little like a woman I know who our photographers call Miss Hathaway.

RidgePointe Country Club

JONESBORO — I walked 45 minutes along the sidewalk thingee at RidgePointe Country Club today, stopping to watch very good golfers hit shots. My CGPS calculated I covered 2.6777 miles, but my confidence in that instrument wavers. I might turn it in to God for a readjustment. I'm pretty sure I went at least 2.75 miles.

Levy Loop

walked in 30:12 last night, and 29:44 this morning.

Day 50/Levy Loop

walked in 29:04.

Levy Loop/Ft. Roots

I walked, and jogged a little, maybe 5 minutes, the Levy Loop in 25:18, at 6:30 a.m. Central, and then played 18 holes at Fort Roots. Del and I finished third out of four teams in the Fort Roots Mens Golf Association 2-man scramble with a 40. We doubled No. 8 when I hit my drive out of bounds and Del his in the ditch full of puke and sludge to the left. Second scored a 38, so Del and I cussed our performance on No. 8. Next time I will hit a 3-wood. After a 10-minute break, Roy and I played nine more. This 70-year-old man, who hits his 9 iron 140 yards with about a three-quarter-walk-right-up-to-the-fucking-ball-and-swing-away swing scored a 40, and I a 47, with my walk-all-around-spit-waggle-take-a-practice-swing-back-away-look-at-it-again-spit-waggle-eat-a-couple-of-SweeTarts-waggle swing. Roy said, "Pete, you're way better than a 47." I used 18 putts. Roy used 14. Motherfucker got up and down from 100 yards for par on No. 7. My current handicap on the course is 20 (for 18 holes). Roy made me sign the card so he could turn it in to adjust our handicap. I hope that bumps me up to at least a 21. The 18-hole, individual Fort Roots championship tournament is scheduled for July 3 at 8 a.m.

Hash

I jogged for a total of about 10 minutes on a 60-minute Hash run that sucked big plastic dicks. Man. It was hot and bug infested and rocky and weed-strewn. I spent 15 minutes on I-40, got a ride from some guy in a Jeep who thought I was the driver of a truck he'd passed stranded on the road, and flirted with a woman named Sarah who appeared and is a big horse-racing fan. She knew Winning Colors was the last filly to win the Kentucky Derby, which impressed me, although she said Winning Colors was a "mare" rather than a filly to lose points.

Gimblett/Kelly Loop

This is a new loop that passes a block from John Kelly's house and directly past his former apartment and Ron and Elaine Gimblett's house. It's 5 miles long.

I ran it tonight, after listening to the Arkansas Twisters victory over the Amarillo Dusters and talking to Ivy for 30 minutes on the phone, in 53:15, with mile splits of 10:45, 11:18, 10:32, 10:18 and 10:22. I like this course a lot and felt great. It was easy.

Levy Loop

My legs were dead today for the first time in a while. I ran and walked the Levy Loop in 24:12, running most of the first mile in 11:04, and walking most of the second in 13:08.

Earlier I played Ft. Roots with a cart and white Precept Lady iQ-180s, in 85, with 1 birdie, 5 pars, 8 bogies and 4 double-bogies. I used 31 putts with no three putts.

47th Street Loop

To honor a friend's new daylight running schedule, I ran before dark today. I used the same technique as last night, going easily, not looking at my watch, taking splits but not checking them en route, and covered the relatively flat, fast loop in 29:18, with splits of 9:50, 9:50, and 9:38. This was my second favorite run since Feb. 2005, ranked only slightly below last night's.

But fuck running. I was most pleased today by my results using a golf ball marketed to women, the Precept Lady iQ 180. They come in three colors: pink, white, and one that looks like it's wrapped in crystal, like a ball the above honoree once told me about after she found it at Ft. Roots while playing w/out me.

I can't wait to see Paula Creamer.

Park Hill Loop

My hope tonight was to complete the course with little effort, and I met it. I ran it in 40:40, with splits of 10:34, 10:18, 10:12, and 9:36. In terms of effort/outcome, this was my best run in years (perhaps since Feb. 2005), a delight.

Park Hill Loop

in 39:08, with splits of 9:50, 10:04, 9:43, and 9:31.

Levy Loop/Ft. Roots

LL walked in 29:12 after 18 holes at Ft. Roots in 88 (41 with a Callaway, and 47 w/ a Titleist)

Park Hill Loop

run and walked in 48:48, with splits of 12:48; 12:28, 11:58, and 11:34. It's a little under 70 with a breeze. Now I'm on my front porch with Pam, Sam and Jo, watching baseball. Oh. I covered 23 miles this week.

GCS Ballpark/Day 40

SAUGET, Ill. — I walked for 30 minutes around GCS Ballpark, so about 2 miles. The great Donna and I road bicycles out here the day before Thanksgiving, 1990. There was no GCS Ballpark then. There probably wasn't a GCS, whatever the fuck that is.

Missouri 51

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — I ran a 3-mile out-and-back on Missouri 51 from the Comfort Inn in 29:40, with splits of 10:22, 9:50 and 9:28. The first mile was mostly uphill.

Levy Loop

in an easy 20:14, with splits of 10:35 and 9:39. I ran without socks so that my too-small shoes would fit a bit better. It was, I think, the first time I have run without socks since my eighth-grade track season in 1973, when gas cost 30¢, DWI tickets did not affect insurance rates or community posture and cost $95, and no one south of the Mason-Dixon Line had ever heard of a blow job. We all believed the baby Jesus story, too.

I'm sure my Chinese tennis shoes will stink like Chinese tennis shoes tomorrow.

47th Street Loop

walked in 45:20.

Hash

run for 31 minutes from Josh's and Petra's house through Hillcrest and Alsopp Park. My cranial GPS calculated I covered 2.58 miles. Afterward I ate two hot dogs, a steak, big piles of low-sodium green beans (which I salted the hell out of) and an ear of thoroughly-buttered corn.

Faster Levy Loop

run in 18:38, with splits of 9:33 and 9:05, after listening to Ouachita Baptist recover from a 7-0 deficit for a 12-10 victory over Tampa at the NCAA Division II World Series, and in a new pair of ultra-light Asics DS Trainers (which are too small by at least half a size but which I could not motivate myself to fuck with mailing back to wherever whoever sent them from). I felt kind of fast tonight for the first time since last fall. My calves got a bit stiff, but my thighs and hamstrings were lively and I was not stressed.

Levy Loop

run late last night in 20:12, and walked this morning in 29:20.

47th Street Loop

Run in 30:06, with mile splits of 10:34, 9:44, and 9:48, which gave me 17 miles for the week (15 non-Hashing miles)

Great Cross Country Race

I walked, and jogged a little, for 33 minutes, good enough to smash a field of 51 for my first Great Cross Country Race victory since 1983.*

*In 1983 I did not simply turn around a mile after the start and walk back. I actually beat some fast motherfuckers straight up.

Levy Loop

Walked yesterday in 30:31, and walked and jogged today in 26:38.

Day 30

Walked in 31:09 yesterday morning, and walked and jogged (for a total of five minutes) in 27:00 this evening.

Levy Loop

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 31:59 and this afternoon in 30:29. I walked by three kids in the Levy ghetto a few minutes ago and one of them said, "Why ain't you runnin'?" Rather than break down my recent inability to store glycogen, I said, "It's too hot."

Hash

I walked 38 minutes with the Hash yesterday, so covered about 2.5 miles, which gave me 20.5 miles for the week (18 non-Hash miles).

Levy Loop

Walked and jogged in 24:40 last night. I aborted my plan to run the Park Hill Loop after about three quarters of a mile because my calves turned stiff and I felt terribly unfit. It disappoints me to discover 20 days of seemingly insignificant effort has drained me to this extent. My long-term schedule called for six weeks of progress before taking a week off, but I will at least temporarily amend that to three weeks. Next week I will go no more than 3 miles, and do nothing that is not easy.

Rats.

47th Street Loop

3 miles walked in 44:19.

47th Street Loop

3 miles in 43:08, jogging a little. My legs are dead.

Maple Street Loop

45:41, with mile splits of 10:58, 10:46, 11:51, and 12:07. I ran non-stop, and felt like shit every step. I almost stopped after five or six minutes, but decided to accept the struggle and treat it like the last 4 miles of a fucking marathon.

Orange Street Loop

Walked, and jogged for a total of c. 12 minutes, in 38:09, with mile splits of 12:57, 12:39, and 12:33, as easily as I intended.

Massie Street Intervals

5X200 & 4X200, with one minute between 200s and four minutes between sets, (with the odds uphill and evens down, as will always be the case on Massie St.) in 58.2, 54.6, 56.8, 50.1, 51.7, and 52.3, 46.2, 47.6, 44.4, or an average of 51.4.

Day 20

Streak reached 20 days with a windy walk of the Levy Loop in 32:37, which gave me 20 miles for the week (18 non-Sunday miles).

Ridge Road Loop

With 47th Street Hill first in 41:58, w/ mile splits of 11:03, 10:12, 10:38, and 10:06.

2-mile Samantha Loop

aka You-Two-Shouldn't-Run-Out-Here-in-Dark-Clothing Loop, walked in 29:25.

Orange Street Loop

in 40:47, with splits of 13:53, 13:25, and 13:29, in a pair of blue plaid short pants, a yellow Polo shirt with blue trim, and without sweating a drop.

Maple Street Loop

Run in an almost cold rain in 50:39, with splits of 10:51, 11:19, 14:23, and 14:05, and a blood-glucose plummet from 75 to 28. I am about to prepare and eat a plateful of hash brown potatoes and two, maybe three, grilled cheese sandwiches. I plan to go to bed stuffed.

Levy Loop

Alternated four-minute walks with one-minute runs and finished in 24:36. Also walked nine holes at First Tee, and scored 45.

Intervals

2x4x200 meters on Massie Street, with one minute between 200s and four minutes between sets (odd were uphill, even down) in 56.0, 56.2, 63.4, 57.9 and 62.7, 55.9, 60.4, 54.1, or an average of 58.4.

Hash

We ran for 1:15, or, according to my CGPS, 5.41 miles, which gives me 22.41 miles for the week (17 non-Hash miles).