Levy Loop/Hash

I walked and slid the Levy Loop this morning in 30:20.

This afternoon I jogged and walked for 37 minutes around Lake Willastein in Maumelle on Zach's and Lacey's Hash run to complete about two and a half miles.

Levy Loop/33rd Street Loop

This will look like an awful prediction performance, but the roads along the Levy Loop remain coated with ice, some of which has a fine crust of snow spread about. I walked it this morning in 28:58, overcompensating by walking too fast where the footing was good. Also, my legs feel particularly lively for some good reason.

Here's the downhill running technique I used tonight: Go fast as hell across people's snowy yards near the curb, use a slow, light-footed bounce across their icy driveways, and repeat. It made me look silly, I'm sure, and I still failed to break 50 minutes for the 33rd Street Loop; I completed it in 50:13, with splits of 10:19, 10:27, 9:51, 9:42, and 9:55, and believe I went about as fast as I safely could. Again, I felt very good.

Orange Street Loop

The last time I ran on snow-packed roads before tonight was on Dec. 22, 2004, a Wednesday evening after Tim Cooper and I took three hours, 35 minutes to drive from Oaklawn Park to North Little Rock. I ran the Levy Loop and wrote, "I've tried to remember the last time I ran in snow and can't. Obviously I did in Wyoming. I must've sometime since, but I can't remember. Next time I run in the snow I will."

This stuff is treacherous; ice and ice-crusted snow. Almost no vehicles are out. A fear of losing traction—falling—was my most significant limiting factor as I jogged the Orange Street Loop in 34:55, with splits of 12:42, 11:15, and 10:58. I felt great, almost like I could have gone forever, except for some uncooperative ground beef and hot sauce consumed two hours earlier as I watched Hashers drink like sturgeons at Senor Tequila. Maybe that can become my "forever" pace, 11:38/mile.

OVERHEARD
"Pete, please tell me you ain't gonna run in this."
—James Taylor, while smoking a cigarette on his front porch. He sang as I departed: "Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned toward the sun; Lord knows when the cold wind blows it'll turn your head around."

Ghetto Cat Loop

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 30:34.

Levy Loop/Orange Street Loop

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 30:01 (precisely 30:00.94), a birdie that spun around the fucking cup before it lipped out.

This evening, starting at about 6:30 Central, I jogged the Orange Street Loop in 33:47, with splits of 11:38, 11:01, and 11:08.

Ghetto Cat Loop/First Tee/35th Street Loop

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 29:19.

This afternoon the Levy-Broadmoar Cup returned where it belongs; I crushed Jeff Krupsaw, 52-58. My only disappointment is that I was six-over for the last two holes at First Tee. I had 2 pars, 2 bogies, 2 doubles, 2 triples (on Nos. 8 and 9), and 1 quadruple. I used 15 putts. I hit six of seven fairways with my driver, and won the $10 million Walmart gift card with an 8 on No. 8. Krupsaw scored a 9.

I ran the 35th Street Loop this evening, starting at about 7:15 Central, in 40:25, with splits of 10:40, 10:11, 9:50, and 9:44, and felt great.

Orange Street Loop/Levy Loop

I recall thirty years ago deeming eight-minutes-a-mile my forever pace, a pace I could maintain until I got too hungry or sleepy. I don't think such a pace exists for me now. This morning I jogged the Orange Street Loop in 33:11, with splits of 11:22, 11:18, and 10:30. With about a half mile to go I considered how much further I could've gone at that pace and decided perhaps another seven or eight miles tops; you know, provided someone threatened to kill me or eat the cats.

This evening, starting at about 6 o'clock Central, I walked the Levy Loop in 30:26.

Park Hill Loop/Hash

Man, is it nice out; 56 with a little breeze and lots of sun. I jogged and walked the Park Hill Loop this morning in 58:36, with splits of 12:11, 12:23, 10:59, 12:07, and 10:56.

This afternoon I mostly walked for 50 minutes on Ron and Elaine's Hash run from the Arkansas River up to Fort Roots and back; it was a little over three miles.

Yesterday I did a hodgepodge of walking and running, beginning with a walk of the Ghetto Cat Loop in 30:53. I walked for 35 minutes at McCain Mall as it rained in the afternoon, and started a run of the Orange Street Loop last night, but stopped after a mile jogged in 10:44.

Levy Loop/Ghetto Cat Loop

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 30:48. This evening, beginning at about 5:45 Central, I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop in 29:24.

Levy Loop/Ghetto Cat Loop

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 31:16; the double puts me at two-over after two.

Tonight, starting at about 9:15 Central, I jogged and ran a bit but mostly walked the Ghetto Cat Loop in 24:56.

Ghetto Cat Loop/Hash

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 30:16. My new scoring system for prediction walks of the Levy, Ghetto Cat, and—rarely walked—Maple Street Loops grants a birdie for any time within nine seconds (0.5 percent) of 30 minutes, par for any within 18 (1 percent), a bogie for any within 27 (1.5 percent), a double for times outside of 27 seconds, and, of course, an eagle (hole in one) for any time within 0.5 seconds (29:59.50 to 30:00.49).

So, I'm at even after one hole.

Tonight I ran with the Hash from a wine bar in Hillcrest, a block west of Damn Good Pies, on a winding course to Pizza D'Action. I jogged well behind the group going down, but ran quickly up Kavanaugh back to the wine bar, covering 1.2 miles in 10:43, an 8:56 pace. I didn't know I was capable of that, and it was truly a snap; I probably had at least a minute up my sleeve. Crazy.

Levy Loop/Orange Street Loop

This morning I walked the Levy Loop between 29 and 30 minutes. Tonight, several hours after a woman at the Timex outlet store replaced the battery in my watch, I jogged and walked the Orange Street Loop in 34:21, with splits of 11:53, 11:25, and 11:03. It is 58 at 9:30 p.m. Central, with humidity at 90 percent. It felt great.

35th Street Loop

I jogged and walked the four-mile 35th Street Loop between 48 and 49 minutes this morning, then left for Oaklawn Park with Tim Cooper. I lost exactly $6, a nice result after being down $35 with two races left (I then made $5 win bets which returned, in order, $13 and $26).

"That's the problem with being sober—it makes you think too much. If we'd been drunk, we'da listened to him and run off and bet like hell."
— fat, friendly, 70-year old man named Carrol after a man walked past and recommended a horse which won and paid a little over $32 at Oaklawn Park

Ghetto Cat Loop/Orange Street Loop

Using the old Erin Vratil timing technique (reading a clock before exiting and upon entering the house), I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning and jogged and walked the Orange Street Loop this afternoon. I completed the former between 31 and 32 minutes, and the latter between 37 and 38.

We in Levy experienced a 16-hour rain from 4 p.m Saturday until 8 this morning, so last night I drove to Walmart and walked for about 35 minutes, probably a little over two miles. Today it is sunny and 60, perfect.

Levy Loop

I drove to First Tee this morning, got a bucket of balls from petepretty Natasha Vincent, felt funny and didn't hit a shot worth shit, walked to the No. 1 tee box on the Par-3 course, hit one ball flat and 45 degrees right, another high and 45 degrees left into the first fairway of the big course, spent an hour chipping and putting, drove home and called Petey King.

This evening I walked the Levy Loop. The battery in my $15 watch died, so I don't know how close I came to my 30-minute prediction.

Park Hill Loop

I jogged the Park Hill Loop this evening in 52:12, with splits of 10:42, 11:12, 10:15, 10:23, and 9:40. It's 44 degrees with no wind, and was nice to run in short pants, a sweat shirt, cotton gloves and no hat.

Yesterday evening I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop in 30:26, after I played 18 holes at First Tee. I played from the women's tees and scored an 88, with 4 pars, 12 bogies, and 2 doubles. I used 36 putts and lost a recent record-low two balls. I will deny to anyone outside of the clowns who read this blog anything about playing the women's tees.

Levy Loop

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 29:50. It's 33, which feels toasty relative to most of last week.

This afternoon I played a two-ball scramble for nine holes at First Tee in 45, with 2 pars, 5 bogies, and 2 doubles. I'm not sure what the high was, maybe 40; it was much more comfortable than last week. I drove and putted well, but that was it. Oh. My membership includes free range balls; I didn't know. I started too late today to take advantage.

Orange Street Loop

I jogged the Orange Street Loop in 33:19 and felt awful. My splits were 11:18, 11:10, and 10:51.

33rd Street Loop

They're saying it will get over freezing today. It's 24 at 10:58 a.m. Central. I jogged and ran the 33rd Street Loop in 49:23, with splits of 10:52, 10:04, 9:32, 9:40, and 9:15, for me an outstanding morning go. Now for a day of pro football and suffering over the Green Bay Packers (not the Packers I own completely; rather the NFL version, of which I own 1/2,500,000th).

Ghetto Cat Loop

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 29:31.

Levy Loop

It's 20. My face hurts. I walked the Levy Loop in 29:41.

Ghetto Cat Loop

It's 22 degrees with, no shit, a 30 mile-an-hour wind. Today was trash day in Levy, so there were dark-green and black plastic trash cans blown everywhere along the Ghetto Cat Loop, which I walked in 29:39.

Levy Loop/First Tee/Levy Loop

It's nearly sultry, 29 degrees, but this heat wave is scheduled to end tomorrow. Fuck, they've called for record lows, into single digits, highs under 30 the next three days. Pam and Samantha have settled; I walked the Levy Loop in 29:47 and neither wanted out when I returned. Jo remains undetered, though she seems confused by her solid water supply in the bird bath.

I will try to golf this afternoon, do 400s this evening, then hibernate through the weekend's NFL playoffs.

First Tee has one-year memberships on sale for $300; I guess I will play a lot of shitty golf through Jan. 5, 2011. I started today with a one-man scramble. Litterally, I'm not exagerating, I didn't hit a single solid shot. Scrambling, for god's sake, I scored a 48, with 1 par, 4 bogies, and 4 doubles. The high today was 36, and it was kind of windy. I guess that's an excuse. I'm still cold.

Intervals are out. Instead I jogged the Levy Loop, beginning at about 7:30 p.m. Central, on perfectly lifeless legs in 21:28, with splits of 11:04 and 10:24.

Ghetto Cat Loop

I can't remember; isn't 18 at least a little nippy no matter where the fuck you are? I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop in 31:48. I don't know why I missed by so much.

Levy Loop/Orange Street Loop

It's 26 at 6:37 p.m. Central; cold for Levy. I jogged and ran the Orange Street Loop this evening in 30:29, with splits of 11:10, 10:05, and 9:14. This morning, at about 10 o'clock, I walked the Levy Loop in 29:12.

Maple Street Loop

Here's something I don't recall seeing before; snow falling from a predominately blue sky. I was walking on Hillside Drive, with about three quarters of a mile to go on the Maple Street Loop, when I saw a few small, fluffy white things floating down. I thought maybe they were from a cotton wood. But a quarter of a mile later, on Emerson Drive, snow was falling like two motherfuckers. I guess it was blowing from the clouds I could see to the north. Weird.

I walked the remeasured course in 29:44. Go back and add about 20 seconds to my previous Maple Street Loop times.

I saw Samantha on the north side of 44th Street, halfway between Orange Street and the Taco Bell, rolling around like a kitten in someone's yard. She looked a bit embarrassed when she saw me, and then followed me home.

OVERHEARD
"Three inches on the ground? Where's he at?. ...Oh, Mountain Home."
—woman with a cell phone a quarter of a mile from my house on Orange Street, smoking a cigarette on her front porch

Levy Loop/Orange Street Loop

This was a fucking pitiful prediction performance. I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 29:14. It was 28 degrees when I started; maybe that served my failure. It has the cats confused: "I want out. ...No, shit, wait a minute. Let me in." Pam looks like she fluffed her fur with a blow dryer.

It's 29 degrees at 6:21 p.m. Central. I ran the Orange Street Loop in 27:41, with splits of 9:47, 9:24, and 8:30 (8:29.85 precisely). I'm pleased. A couple of days ago I wondered if I could run a mile under eight minutes.

Ghetto Cat Loop/Levy Loop

With my first solid prediction attempt in a while, I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 29:53.47.

Tonight, starting at about 8:30 Central, I ran the Levy Loop in 19:26, with splits of 10:01 and 9:25, and felt much better than last night, in fact fine for the first time since Christmas morning.