Chandler Street Loop/Oaklawn Park

I walked the Chandler Street Loop this morning in 49:20, a nice warmup for a day of picking winners at Oaklawn Park and an evening of watching Na Yeon Choi play the first round of her first major championship at the Kraft Nabisco.

To see how I performed at Oaklawn Park today, refer to last Thursday's entry and replace its monetary figures with, in order, $38.50 and $146

Levy Loop/Sweetheart Loop

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 31:03, and the Sweetheart Loop late this afternoon in 43:07. I also jogged for three or four seconds across 47th Street to keep from being run over by the rush hour.

OVERHEARD
"What you going to do? Everybody is doom and gloom. I'm not like that. I was taught to find a solution. Instead of the sky is falling, Chicken Little and 'oh me, oh my,' you try to figure out a solution."
—Cincinnati Reds Manager Dusty Baker

Ghetto Cat Loop/First Tee

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 32:18. My legs have felt dead the last couple of days, kind of like I imagine Liz Taylor's do right about now.

It was a nice day for golf—overcast, 52 degrees, and absolutely still. Playing with Randall Hunhoff, I double-bogied the first two holes at First Tee, but was hitting the ball well. I played the next four holes in two-over and then bogied out for a 45. I had 2 pars, 5 bogies, and the 2 doubles, and used fifteen putts. We debated playing again, but the forecast called for rain, and mist began to fall as we walked up the hill from No. 9.

Levy Loop/38th Street Loop

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 30:19, and I walked the 38th Street Loop this evening in 32:52.

Nashville/Ghetto Cat Loop

NASHVILLE—I randomly walked for 49:12 this morning, including a lap around the city park, to go a little over three miles, I think.

This afternoon, back in Levy, I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop in 26:40.

Sweetheart Loop/York Gary Loop

I walked the Sweetheart Loop through steady mist this morning in 47:05.

Jo is the only member of this household with a chance to win money in the Democrat-Gazette NCAA Men's Tournament bracket pool. Ohio State, the overall top seed, lost last night to eliminate about half the field, including Pam, Sam, and me. Jo, on the other hand, is the only person in the pool who had Florida making the Elite 8. She has Florida winning tonight, next Saturday, and the national championship game a week from Monday. I'll find out this Monday, but I'm confident a Florida championship would mean some money.

Jo seems indifferent. Last night she said something that sounded a lot like a quote from Pam, published in The Trash six or seven years ago: "I don't enjoy basketball. It's too difficult for me to identify with people who can jump over grocery stores, and who are prone to say things like, 'Tonight we restin our brains and shit, gettin ready for some productionality to compensize whatever they team plan to do.' "

Florida lost to Butler in overtime, so our house is out. I'm in Nashville, and have no idea whether Jo knows the result. Oh well. I walked the York Gary Loop this evening in 29:15.

Chandler Street Loop/Ghetto Cat Loop

I walked the Chandler Street Loop this morning in 44:17.

Starting at about 4:45 this afternoon, I jogged for a total of six minutes and otherwise walked the Ghetto Cat Loop in 24:27.

Orange Street Loop/Oaklawn Park/Levy Loop Classic

I walked the Orange Street Loop this morning in 45:29.

Tom Zaloudek and I had a hoot at Oaklawn Park this afternoon, which, considering I did not cash a ticket and lost $65, probably means I have a gambling problem. I'm now down $107.50 for the season.

Almost immediately after I returned home, starting at about eight p.m., I jogged Levy Loop Classic in 20:26, with splits of 10:37 and 9:49.

38th Street Loop

I walked the 38th Street Loop this morning in 33:25.

Levy Loop Classic/First Tee

I walked Levy Loop Classic this morning in 32:55.

I tried a much weaker grip today, and hit several good shots. I bogeyed the first five holes, all of which I hit in Erin regulation with putts or chips from the fringe and twenty-yard pitches on Nos. 4 and 5. I chunked balls around the last the four holes and scored two doubles and two triples to score a 51. I used eighteen putts.

38th Street Loop/Ghetto Cat Loop

I walked the 38th Street Loop in 32:58. It's 65, with 73 percent humidity, enough to draw a bit of sweat from me in the morning for the first time since early last fall.

This evening, at about eight, right after I saw a guy on Antiques Roadshow learn that his pocket watch was worth $250,000, I jogged the Ghetto Cat Loop in 21:26, with splits of 11:04 and 10:22.

After the first two rounds of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, Pam is in a two-way tie for sixth among forty-seven in the Democrat-Gazette pool. Sam and Jo and I are much nearer forty-seventh. Kimmie Krupsaw is alone in first. Jo said, "Don't matter; they a long motherfucking way to go and shit."

Maple Street Loop/First Tee

I walked the Maple Street Loop in 32:52.

I had to par two of the final three holes to break 90 at First Tee this afternoon, parred Nos. 7 and 8 with one putts, and consequently needed a bogey on No. 9. I chunked my chip, so needed to two putt from fifty-one feet for an 89. With Randall Hunhoff and Steve Beatstra as witnesses, I knocked in the putt for my third consecutive par and an 88. I scored nines of 45 and 43, with 7 pars, 7 bogies, 3 doubles, and 1 triple, and used 31 putts. Kayce Hall played the first nine with us, and Beatstra the second. Afterward I drove to Allsop Park and drank beer with the Hash.

Ghetto Cat Loop/Oaklawn Park/Levy Loop Classic

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 33:32 as a warmup for the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Josh Bornhorst and I went to Oaklawn Park this afternoon, where I was very impressed by Rebel Stakes winner The Factor, and won a total of $34.60, cutting my deficit after six outings to $43.30. I'm chipping away.

Within minutes of my return, starting at about 8:30 p.m., I jogged Levy Loop Classic in 21:02, with splits of 10:40 and 10:22. Every step was easy.

Pam kicked first-round butt in the Rockamundo household. Surely she's on or near to the lead overall. Pam finished the first two days, through Friday, at 27-5, followed by Sam and Jo, at 22-10, and Pete, at 20-12. Jo and Pete have have lost Final Four schools, and Jo a finalist (Jo: "Fuck it, man, I'm a cat. If you wanted smart, you should've bought a porpoise."). Jo and Pete have a chance to impress the field with a Richmond victory. In the field of forty-seven, they were among eight who picked Richmond to upset Vanderbilt, and the only two to have picked Richmond to win in the second round and consequently advance to the Sweet 16. Richmond plays first-round surprise Morehead State at four p.m. Central today*. Jo said: "I don't understand. Why didn't you go to college at Morehead State? I'd think eighteen-year-old boys would be lined up to get in. I mean, c'mon; Morehead."

Walt will probably publish the second official standings, through two rounds, on Monday.

*Richmond won

38th Street Loop/Levy Loop

I walked the 38th Street Loop this morning in 31:11, and I walked the Levy Loop tonight in 30:52.

Pam was is in a five-way tie for first after yesterday's first-round NCAA Tournament games, at 13-3. Sam and I still have decent chances. Jo was 9-7, which sucks, but it particularly hurt that Oakland lost, which she had losing to Florida in the final. If Florida wins, who knows?

Ghetto Cat Loop/Oaklawn Park/Chandler Street Loop

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 29:57, and then took Walt Webb four NCAA Men's Tournament brackets, from Pam, Sam, Jo, and me. I guess I'll watch games at Oaklawn Park this afternoon.

I searched "Mary," to learn that I ran the second half of the Orange Street Loop with Mary Lyons on August, 20, 2009, or nineteen months ago. I remember she found it impossible to keep up with my 8:45 pace, so I slowed to run the last mile in 9:30. I saw her again for the first time this evening. I was in the third mile of walking the Chandler Street Loop. She pulled off her earphones and said, "Hey, it's the running dude." (She told me nineteen months ago that that's what her kids called me). I said, "Your name is Mary? Mary Lyons, correct?" She ran the Little Rock Half Marathon three weeks ago in 2:02. She looks like a track star, complete with thin but cut arms. I completed the loop in 43:41, starting almost immediately after I returned from Oaklawn Park, where, including the walks to and from the track, it took me 4:36:55 to win $24.20, which I believe cuts my deficit for the season to $77.90.

Ghetto Cat Loop/Levy Loop

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop, starting at about 9:30 a.m., in 34:05.

This evening I jogged the Levy Loop in 23:30, with splits of 11:51 and 11:39.

38th Street Loop/First Tee

I walked the 38th Street Loop this morning in 33:36.

Okay, this was more like it. I played First Tee with Randall Hunhoff this afternoon and scored a 52, with 1 par, 4 bogies, 2 triples, and 1 pentagonal. I used 19 putts, including a four-putt on No. 7, which I pentagonaled.

UALR's men are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1990, and lead North Carolina-Asheville 10-4 with 17:20 left in the first half. The winner earns the right to get the cow shit beat out of it by the University of Pittsburgh on Thursday.

I'm sorry UALR lost in overtime. Afterward, I walked the Levy Loop in 33:48.

Ghetto Cat Loop

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 34:14.

Marion Street Loop/First Tee

I have a new three-mile route, called the Marion Street Loop, which I walked this morning in 47:29.

I just got back from hitting range balls for the first time since I'm not sure, except that I know it was before last October 12. I was killing them. Maybe my reward for living through four months of hell was the secret to golf. Let's see If I can remember it thirty-eight minutes from now, when I tee off with Randall Hunhoff at First Tee.

My legs are killing me, mainly because my pull-cart is in the trunk of my mother's car in Nashville. I carried clubs today for the first time since something like 1986. When I arrived at First Tee, I couldn't figure out why so many people were there at a quarter to noon. Heck, the course doesn't open until noon. I think someone mentioned to me something about the switch to daylight savings time on Wednesday or Thursday, but I hadn't thought about it until some old guy at the first tee box of the big course said, "You forgot to set you clocks ahead, didn't you?"

I figured Randall was half way around the course, so I played the short nine in 30, three-over, and felt good, hit the ball great. And then I saw Randall sitting at the first tee box. He was waiting on a couple of regulars, Jeff and Bill; he said they couldn't start until one. Great. I scored a 46, with two pars, five bogies, one double, and one triple. I haven't hit the ball as well or with as much confidence since late September, 2008. I used fifteen putts. We need to play soon, before I qualify for the Champions Tour and forget your names. "You look familiar to me. Were you guys at Augusta last year?"

Now I think I'll go drink beer with the Hash.

Levy Loop Classic/Orange Street Loop aborted

I walked Levy Loop Classic this morning in 29:40. A couple of weeks ago I performed bedroom closet douches. I threw out seven 30-gallon bags stuffed full of all sorts of crap. This will sound like an exaggeration, but it's not; I threw away two million pairs of running shoes (as I result, my house now tilts to the north). I did find some good things, including a pair of leather Nike cross-training shoes. I bought them for the 2004 Hot Springs Red Dress Run, and hadn't worn them since. I forgot about them. They're white, with red trim. I walked in them this morning and they felt great.

I waited until sunset, jogged through the first mile of the Orange Street Loop in 12:02, and then quit. My legs were as dead as George Carlin.

RIDDLE OF THE DAY
What do you call a man who's disguised himself as a plate of spaghetti?
A: An impasta

York Gary Loop/Orange Street Loop

NASHVILLE—I walked the York Gary Loop this morning in 33:02.

Starting at about 5:15 p.m., back in Levy, I walked the Orange Street Loop 41:55.

Levy Loop/Oaklawn Park

I walked and jogged the Levy Loop this morning in 25:56.

I stopped by Oaklawn Park for about an hour and a half on my way to Nashville to buy drugs for Mom. I was there long enough to lose a total of $2.90 on three races, far and away the best day I've had this season.

Levy/Sweetheart Loop

I randomly walked about Levy this morning for 34:00, and bought a paper at Kroger so I can read about UALR's success from yesterday. I'm sure I went a little more than two miles.

Starting at about a quarter to six this evening, I walked the Sweetheart Loop in 42:10.

Ghetto Cat Loop/Levy Loop

Mist increased to hard rain as I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 32:56.

Both the men's and women's basketball teams from UALR, my primary alma mater, will play in the Sun Belt Conference championship games today. UALR's men haven't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1990. They'll play North Texas at 6 p.m. for a guaranteed spot.

The women won to go to their second consecutive NCAA Women's Tournament, as if anyone other than they and their immediate families gives a fuck (I'm just kidding, sort of. Last year they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen and lot of us got excited). I planned to run at halftime of the men's game, but felt good, and realized it won't stop raining until after midnight, so, starting at about five p.m., I jogged the Levy Loop through a heavy downpour, protected by my hundred-dollar The North Face jacket, in 20:20, with splits of 10:29 and 9:51.

UALR and North Texas are scheduled to tipoff in ten minutes.

The UALR Trojans trailed North Texas by seven points with two minutes to go, but Solomon Bozeman hit a three-pointer with 1.5 seconds left to give UALR a 64-63 lead. Then North Texas threw its inbound pass to a Trojan, who dribbled to the buzzer. Man. I'm thrilled.

Levy Loop Classic/Ridge Road Loop

I walked Levy Loop Classic this morning in 30:29.

Starting at about 4:30 this afternoon, I walked the four-mile Ridge Road Loop in 1:06:33.

Maple Street Loop/Hash

Man, this is perfect marathon weather—45-50, overcast, windless. I walked the Maple Street Loop in 32:01.

Basil Juilian and I briskly walked for 48:17 around Boyle Park on Frostbite's Hash run this afternoon. I'm guessing we went a little over three miles.

Ghetto Cat Loop

We're having football weather today, or perhaps Seattle Mariner weather. It's 45, overcast, and windy, and very damp. It rained hard until about nine a.m. I'm glad I'm too fat to have signed up for the Little Rock Marathon 5K. Anyway, that cat was the best. ...oh, wait; I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop in 31:23.

38th Street Loop/Levy Loop Classic

I walked the 38th Street Loop the morning in 32:32.

I bought the latest model of the Asics DS Trainer this afternoon at the Little Rock Marathon Exposition, and they felt so good I decided to try a run in them this evening. I went very slowly, but felt surprisingly good, covering Levy Loop Classic on a non-stop jog in 22:54, with splits of 11:23 and 11:31.

By the way, I saw Sedena there, with her girlfriend Melissa. They were down from their home in Kansas City for the half-marathon. Sedena is flat-out skinny, as was Melissa. They hope to break two hours. Sedena asked about you.

Levy Loop/Oaklawn Park/Orange Street Loop

It's 57 degrees and there's no wind. I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 29:45. They predict it will get to 70 today in Hot Springs, perfect for an afternoon at Blow Me Downs.

Counting walks from my car to the track and back, it took me 4:45:08 to lose $36.40 at Oaklawn Park. You should've seen Beverly Burress.

This evening I walked and jogged the Orange Street Loop in 38:21, with splits of 12:54, 13:05, and 12:22. I felt fine, but, man, I'm in terrible shape. I think I jogged for a total of seventeen minutes, at I would guess about an 11:30 pace, maybe closer to twelve.

Levy Loop Classic/Ghetto Cat Loop

I walked Levy Loop Classic this morning in 33:41.

Starting a few minutes before four this afternoon, after reading the first sixteen chapters of A Different Closet and handicapping the first two races on Thursday's card at Oaklawn Park, I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop in 32:25.

38th Street Loop/River Trail

I walked the 38th Street Loop this morning in 32:45.

I shouldn't be self-conscious about race walking in public, particularly not on the River Trail, littered as it is by grown men riding bicycles and dressed in candy wraps, but I am. Actually, I only did the Eastern European thing for alternate minutes of the third mile, or for a total of six minutes. Otherwise I strolled or walked kind of fast, out and back from the Big Dam Bridge, in 56:51, with splits of 16:13, 14:11, 12:27, and 13:59.