Orange Street Loop

I jogged the Orange Street Loop tonight in 34:40, with splits of 11:41, 11:22, and 11:37. It was easy. My legs were far livelier than those drunks in Glasgow.

OVERHEARD
"According to the polls, President Obama's approval rating has dropped to 42 percent. What's more shocking, his approval rating among African Americans has dropped to 96.4 percent."
—man who hosts Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live

Levy Trail

I jogged and walked three miles on the Levy Trail tonight in 36:10, and felt great. Maybe it was the pumpkin pie.

Levy Trail

I walked right at 2.2 miles on the Levy Trail this morning in 33:10, trying to make some room for Jill Krupsaw's holiday cooking. She's good at it. The NFL Packers start their game in Detroit in about fifteen minutes. The DFL Packers have one player going in the late afternoon and evening games.

I take it back. Jill is a great at holiday dinners. I guess I forgot. Her dressing, mashed potatoes, potato casserole, bread, and pumpkin pie were at least as good as any I have ever eaten. The bread and pumpkin pie were ridiculously delicious. They nearly made me cry.

OVERHEARD
"I'm not a gravy person."
—Elizabeth Krupsaw, at the Krupsaw's Thanksgiving dinner

"You know what, Elizabeth, I believe that might be the first time anyone has ever said that."
—Pete Perkins

"Shit, I fucking take baths in gravy. I'd eat it right out that fucking bowl."
—Meagan, a cute, significantly tattooed former school friend of Rebecca Krupsaw's. She tends bar for a living

Burns Park Loop

I walked the Burns Park Loop this morning in 1:32:18. It's cold now, and windier than two Hazardous Wastes.

Burns Park Loop/DFL

I walked and jogged the Burns Park Loop this afternoon in 1:20:17.

The DFL Green Bay Packers held on for a 108.86-101.62 victory over the Ratpackers. With one regular-season game left, we remain in first place at 10-2. The Krupacabras and the Fat Chicks are tied for second at 9-3. We're in good shape to finish no worse than second.

38th Street Loop/DFL

Weather.com is reporting light, freezing rain. It didn't feel to me as if it were freezing as I walked the 38th Street Loop this morning in 32:17.

The DFL Green Bay Packers played pretty well yesterday, enough so when I awoke this morning I planned to report here that we are about 9-1 favorites to win. A few minutes later I noticed that Yahoo® gives us an 89% chance of winning. We lead the Ratpackers 103.66-101.62, and have Washington running back Alfred Morris going in Monday Night Football. The Ratpackers will play Washington defensive back DeAngelo Hall. The NFL Packers tied the Minnesota Vikings, 26-26.

Ridge Road Loop

It's 28°F at 10 a.m., but I managed to stay warm as I walked the Ridge Road Loop in 58:59.

35th Street Loop

I alternated one-minute walks with four-minute jogs to complete the 35th Street Loop in 50:01. It's cold in Levy. They say it might snow here tomorrow night, or Monday morning.

Park Hill Loop

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the day Oswald got framed, I walked the Park Hill Loop early this afternoon in 1:17:03. It's dark gray, cold, and wet in Levy.

Levy Trail

I walked with the Geezers for 1:16:06 on the Levy Trail this morning. We probably went a little less than five miles.

Burns Park Loop

I walked the Burns Park Loop with the Geezers this morning. The Gimblets and I took a short cut, and went about five miles in 1:18:50. My legs felt awful.

Chandler Street Loop

I walked the Chandler Street Loop this morning in 46:48.

OVERHEARD
"I've written a bullet list of matters I want to bring up when we're together this afternoon. Number One, Holly and I are soup mates. We both, uh, both of us like to eat. ...no, wait, that doesn't make any sense. We're soul mates. Holly and I are soul mates."
—Michael Scott, at a company picnic on The Office

Levy Loop/DFL

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 30:15, and was pleased by my lack of soreness. It was such an easy walk. My confidence is up a bit today.

Man, the DFL Green Bay Packers got creamed. Walt's Fat Chicks beat us, 100.89-56.31. That's our lowest points output since the 2004 season. I didn't get a touchdown from any of my starters. Only the Denver Broncos' Demaryius Thomas broke double digits (w/ 13.75). We're still in first place, but, jesus, we're gonna have to quit sucking. The NFL Packers also lost, 27-13 to the New York Giants. Both of my teams need Aaron Rodgers back as soon as possible.

Maple Street Loop

I walked the Maple Street Loop this morning in 31:51. The balls of my feet are a little sore, but otherwise I felt fine. My performance yesterday threw cold water on my current athletic objective. I went so slowly that I now doubt I will be able to go fifty miles in thirteen hours or less five months from now. Nevertheless, I am at least for the moment committed to pursue that end. We'll see.

Bona Dea Trail

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark.—I quit after five laps, or 17 miles, at the Bona Dea 50K today, but, after sitting around and eating for fifteen minutes, I decided to go ahead and walk one more lap. Heck, I was going to have to wait for four hours or so for Ron Gimblet to finish. So, I completed 20.4 miles in 5:50:55. My splits for the 3.4 miles laps, and the pit stops, were 50:03 (1:16), 48:36 (3:03), 49:22 (3:54), 48:13 (6:27), 49:00, (14:49), 1:05:59. I went through 10 miles in 2:29:19, and 20 in 5:42:28. This run gave me 72 miles for the last seven days, which I believe helps explain why my legs felt awful. The trail was lovely, as were the runners, but the running and walking sucked from the start.

Maple Street Loop/Levy Trail/DFL

I alternated one-minute jogs with four-minute walks to finish the Maple Street Loop in 29:50. My legs did not feel very lively, which has made me question my decision to go with Susy and the Gimblets to enter the Bona Dea 50K tomorrow morning in Russellville. As it stands now, at 7:22 a.m., I think I'll go with the thought of quitting after five or six laps of the 3.4-mile Bona Dea Trail, so after either 17 or 20.4 miles. We'll see.

Late this afternoon, heck, at dusk, I walked two miles on the Levy Trail in 31:18. My legs felt good, a bit springy.

Walt's DFL team, the Fat Chicks, got a big jump on the Green Bay Packers during Thursday Night Football. He had three players—including his Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck—combine to score 51.64 points. I had one player—Indianapolis' defense—score 4.00 points. Yahoo® currently predicts the Fat Whores will win, 117.16-100.20.

Levy/Levy Trail

Every time I step in from randomly wandering through Levy, I think I should do it more often, rather than insisting upon my typical ironclad adherence to precisely measured routes. This morning I walked for 52:03, with a good deal of the time spent in less-affluent southwestern Levy. I walked several streets which I had not only never walked or jogged, but had never driven on, including Parkway, and Division (which forms the eastern border of the grave yard where they will likely bury me, assuming I'm ever buried). There are a couple of beautiful, old, rock houses with huge yards on Parkway. I had no idea. I guess I covered a little less than four and a half miles.

Late this afternoon I walked two miles on the Levy Trail in 31:17.

Levy Trail/F Street Loop

The Geezers walked from the southern to the northern end of the Levy Trail and back this morning, or about seven miles, in 1:49:46. I jogged for 8:30 with Bill Brass and Elaine late in the run, intending to go a mile and a half, but had to stop at the McDonald's near my house so as not to shit myself.

OK, I'm going to have to do these F Street Loops a bit easier, or I'll quit doing them. Tonight I jogged and walked a half mile up in 6:17, then did four laps of the one-mile F Street Loop in 48:02, with splits of 12:23, 12:03, 11:54, and 11:41, and walked and jogged a half mile down in 7:36.

Burns Park-Covered Bridge Loops/Maple Street Loop/DFL

The Geezers decided to combine the Burns Park and Covered Bridge Loops this morning, which gave us 8.2 miles. We walked them in 2:23:58. It's borderline cold—maybe 45°F, and windy. Early this evening I walked the Maple Street Loop in 29:26. My legs felt great, much better than this morning. I look forward to running the F Street Loop tomorrow night. At 7:00 p.m., it's 39°, and the first time I have been awake for sub-40 since last spring.

The new DFL standings were published this morning, and the Packers are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. I hope we can stay in at least second place. That will give us a bye through the first round, and increase the chance that Aaron Rodgers will return to help. It would give him four weeks from next Sunday, or six weeks overall, which they say is about how long it takes a broken collar bone to heal.

38th Street Loop/Maple Street Loop/DFL

I walked the 38th Street Loop this morning in 30:27, and was pleased to see how quickly the damage from yesterday's march dissipated. After a half mile, I felt fine; by early evening, however, a bit of soreness had settled in. I overcame it to walk the Maple Street Loop in 29:04.

The DFL and NFL Green Bay Packers lost their quarterback in the first quarter for the goddamn second consecutive week. This time it was an over-the-hill chump named Seneca Wallace, but it still was enough to doom the NFL Packers' chance; they lost, 27-13, to the Philadelphia Eagles. The DFL Packers, however, overcame the loss to defeat our arch rival Krupacabras (Jeff Krupsaw's team) 92.95-80.20. We're 9-1, and remain in first place with three regular-season games left.

Ouachita Trail

I walked Susy Philip's 15-mile hike on the Ouachita Trail in 6:00:41. That, I think, sounds slower than we indeed moved when we were moving. We stopped a lot for all sorts of good reasons.There were about twenty people on the hike, which I enjoyed tremendously.

Maple Street Loop

At 8:28 a.m., it's calm, overcast, and 52°F, or perfect for running. Too bad I'm so unfit. This morning I jogged the Maple Street Loop in 21:57, with splits of 11:11, and 10:46. I hope the weather's this nice tomorrow morning, for Susy Phillip's 15-mile birthday hike on the Ouachita Trail (provided I make it, of course).

F Street Loop/Levy Trail

I measured the distance from my house to the start/finish line* of the F Street Loop this morning, and it is 0.6 miles. Consequently, I completed 3.2 miles, also this morning, in 46:54, and two laps of the loop in 28:41, with splits of 14:35, and 14:06. I jogged only when headed downhill on the steepest section of F Street.

Late this afternoon I alternated four minute walks with one minute jogs to complete three miles on the Levy Trail in 40:46.

QUESTION OF THE DAY
How would NASA, and Mothers against Drunk Driving, react if the Mars Curiosity Rover came upon a wrecked flying saucer, discovered inside a half dozen dead aliens, four empty thirty-packs of Milwaukee's Best, and a half-empty can in the pilot's cup holder? Do you suppose people would start believing the mini-mart clerk from down there in Tupelo?

*it's a loop, so I know there are infinite start/finish lines. The one I use is at the intersection of 34th and Sycamore, near the heart of eastern Levy's poorest section

Two Rivers Park/Levy Trail

I walked for 2:01:04 this morning through Two Rivers Park, the first thirty or so minutes alone, mostly back and forth across the bridge, with a bit of out-and-back on the River Trail (I thought the Geezers were scheduled to meet at 8:30 a.m., rather than 9). Bill Brass and Sandy Venable showed up on time and I walked the rest with them. We jogged a mile in 10:58 toward the end. I guess we went a little over eight miles. Late this afternoon, I walked two miles on the Levy Trail 31:43.

F Street Loop

The F Street Loop goes from Levy to Park Hill up 33rd Street, and returns on F Street. It is precisely one mile, according to Google Earth. The start/finish is a half mile from my house. Tonight I did it three times in 38:25, with loops of 13:29, 12:50, and 12:05, and felt fantastic. I believe the loop would serve as good prep for the Ouachita Trail 50.

Levy Trail/38th Street LoopDFL

I walked three miles on the Levy Trail this morning in 47:03. Late this afternoon I walked the 38th Street Loop in 31:57. I hadn't walked the loop since March. I don't know why not. It's a fine loop.

Aaron Rodgers, the DFL and NFL Green Bay Packers quarterback, broke his left collar bone at the end of the first drive last night. Instead of scoring his normal 30 points, he scored 2.45. Consequently, The Carpetbaggers beat the DFL Packers, 109.6-94.98, and the Chicago Bears beat the NFL Packers, 27-20. I'm not sure what a "small fracture" means, but someone reported that's what Rodgers has, and that he could be back for the Thanksgiving game in Detroit. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't play again this season.

QUESTION OF THE DAY
Why do Transportation Security Administration employees get killed "in the line of duty," and 7-11 clerks "at work?"

Orange Street Loop/Maple Street Loop/DFL

I walked the Orange Street Loop this morning in 44:12, and felt nice. It went easily, as did my jog and walk of the Maple Street Loop this evening. I got it in 25:13, with splits of 12:29 and 12:44.

When the weekend began, the No. 1 DFL Green Bay Packers were favored to beat The Carpetbaggers, ranked 15th (out of 16), by a little over 30 points. Now, headed into the NFL Packers' Monday Night Football game with the Chicago Bears, we are favored to win by slightly less than 12. We trail 104.68-92.53. Aaron Rodgers plays for us tonight. The Carpetbaggers will go with a Bears tight end named Martellus Bennett. Yahoo predicts Rodgers will score 31.36, and Bennett 7.46. The Packers should win. Still, this is the first Monday Night I have approached this season with legitimate concern (bearing in mind that I'm talking about fantasy football, for christ's sake).

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY
How would NASA react if the Mars Curiosity Rover were to find a among the rocks a perfectly preserved, Revlon blowdryer?

Levy Trail

I walked two miles on the Levy Trail this morning in 30:42.

OVERHEARD
"Skiathos was liberated from the Ottomans in 1829, and since then the island has known nothing but peace, with the exception of World War II, when the Germans set it on fire."
—Yannis Mameletzis, host of The Cooking Odyssey, a PBS2 show about Greek cooking

Park Hill Loop-Gimblett Loop

I walked and jogged the Park Hill Loop and the Gimblett Loop this morning in 2:19:35. My fastest mile was 13:38, and my slowest 15:10. I felt good. It's beautiful outside. This would be a perfect day to drive through Paron on the way to Hot Springs.

OVERHEARD
"SHIT! HOLY SHIT!"
—One of the men working with Ria Antonia, the filly who won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies at 16-1

I PLAN TO STAB...
...the next person who says, "You owe it to yourself"

Levy Trail

I walked two miles on the Levy Trail this afternoon in 30:34.