Orange Street Loop

At close to one p.m., it's only 89°F out, but, man, I am soaking wet and fairly miserable after walking the Orange Street Loop in 43:02. I played the car game today for the first time in many months, and won for maybe the third time, hitting my prediction of 14 when a car passed me in front of John's former house.

WORLD CUP TRIVIA ANSWER
The U.S. finished third in 1930, and South Korea finished fourth in 2002. Mexico has never made it past the quarterfinals, and soccer has been illegal in the Ivory Coast since World War I

Levy Trail/Hash

I walked two miles on the Levy Trail this afternoon, literally through a gigantic bowl of egg-drop soup, in 28:26. I came in to discover that they're showing The Fisher King on COZI-TV.* Sometimes you get little jewels on rabbit-ear television, like the commercials they show during the World Cup on the Mexican Channel. Late this afternoon I walked for a about forty minutes on a Hash run set by Katy, the basketball player, and Tisha from the dog park at Murray Park in Little Rock. A new petepretty girl showed up today, because she met Zach and Lacey and John Cohn at a bar an hour before we started. She's an old-enough-to-drink, senior-to-be at a tiny Christian college in Siloam Springs called John Brown University, and sounded eager to run the Firecracker Faster than Two Motherfuckers 1K next week in Levy. I'd put the odds against at 5-2. We'll see. I'm taking a new tact with this race. I will begin serving beer and food—ribs, hot dogs, potato salad, and baked beans—at 5 p.m. The race will start at 6 p.m. Less than ten minutes later, when even the slowest walkers have finished, I will serve more beer and food. I think it'll work.

WORLD CUP TRIVIA

In the previous nineteen World Cups, only two countries not from the continents of South America or Europe have finished in the top four. Can you name them? (hints: one finished third in 1930, the year of the first World Cup, and the other fourth in 2002)

*I was at first a little bummed that they edited out, "I have a boner the size of Florida for you," but then recognized the subsequent two-minute love declaration as one of the best in the history of English. They of course did not remove, "You're the greatest thing since spice racks."

33rd Street Loop

I walked and jogged the 33rd Street Loop this evening in 1:09:14. It only rained on me for about a mile and a half.

OVERHEARD
"Do y'all want y'all's yard did?"
—young fellow at my front door this afternoon

Orange Street Loop

It won't quit raining here. I'll bet it's rained at least six feet in the last two days. This afternoon I started the Orange Street Loop in steamy sunshine, and finished in a downpour. It took me 42:24, alternating one-minute jogs with four-minute walks. My foot hurt a little less than yesterday.

Levy Trail Loop

I alternated one-minute jogs with four-minute walks to complete the Levy Trail Loop this evening in 27:55. I tried to jog a bit on the Hash run Sunday, and my right foot hurt too much. It felt infinitely better today, eleven and a half days after hurting it. It feels almost uninjured in every other regard. I can walk downstairs unimpeded. I can get up out of bed and not limp halfway across the house. I'll be fine soon, I think.

Levy Trail

I walked from here to Camp Robinson and back on the Levy Trail this morning in 1:23:09.

Burns Park Loop

I walked the Burns Park Loop this evening in 1:33:14. My right foot hurts. The pain is a byproduct of my fall from a week ago Sunday. It's fine except when I'm walking down hill, or try to run, or land heavily.

Levy Trail Loop

I walked the Levy Trail Loop this morning in 31:13.

Levy Trail

I walked two miles on the Levy Trail this morning in 31:19. At 11:11 a.m., it's 89°F, with a RealFeel® of 94, or about as bad as it's been this summer. It's perfect weather to sit inside and watch the U.S. Women's Open, and the Reds play Toronto. Late this afternoon I walked for 42:05 with BJ, Tiny Tim, Reverend Bob, and Ron Gimblet, on Zach's Hash run from Fletcher Park.

Burns Park Loop

I walked the Burns Park Loop this morning in 1:30:27. It's very muggy today. A few minutes after I came in, I noticed that one of the Mexican channels I receive is showing soccer all day long, and has since the World Cup started. I wish I'd known that for the last U.S. game. The Mexicans play Monday. I plan to watch at the Mexican Shit Hole.

Levy Loop

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 32:20.

SCENARIO OF THE DAY...
...inspired by a report on National Public Radio about the controversy surrounding the Washington Redskins. Apparently quite a few people are offended (understandably, I believe) by the mascot choice. One of the guests suggested they change the name to the "Red Tapes" (brilliant, I thought). I'd like to see Daniel Snyder, the franchise owner who has for years remained steadfast in defense of his team's current name, announce that he has agreed to change the name, set a date, and show up before an enormous crowd of press: "I finally get it. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize how many people have been hurt by our former team name." He then pulls back the curtain to unveil the new name—the Washington Indian Savages

Levy Trail

I walked two miles on the Levy Trail this evening in 32:27. Everything feels better. I'm glad to see Miss Na Yeon got off to a good start at the U.S. Open. I can't wait to watch the coverage this weekend. By the way, I hate the new setup at Pinehurst No. 2. Old fashioned U.S. Open rough penalizes everyone equally. The substitute for rough at Pinehurst penalizes completely at random. One guy hits behind a weed with a wooden stalk and he's toast. Then the next guy's ball is teed up on a fucking dandelion. It ain't fair.

Orange Street Loop

My knee felt much better today. However, late last night I reached for a can of Best Choice® Lemon Lime soda pop on the bottom shelf of my 1970 J.C. Penney refrigerator and felt something like a knife blade stick me in my lower back. It hurts to get out of a chair. Neverthegoddamnless, I walked the Orange Street Loop tonight in 49:56. I picked it up late to break fifty minutes. My back feels fine when I'm sitting, or once I'm up and standing fully vertically. It also feels fine when I'm fully horizontal. Only the transitions hurt.

It was interesting today to see how many people in Levy were talking about Mexico's goalkeeper. Go Mexico.

Levy Loop

My right knee hurts quite a bit, and my ankle, too. I am about to take a day off, I think. Nevertheless, I walked the Levy Loop tonight in 36:07.

Levy Loop

My right knee hurt a little more this morning, though the pain decreased as I proceeded along the Levy Loop, completed in 35:20.

Levy Trail

I walked two miles on the Levy Trail last evening in 35:28. My right knee and ankle hurt a little. They should be fine in a day or so.

OVERHEARD
"History is made to be broken."
—LeBron James, commenting on the Miami Heat's chance of returning from a 3-1 deficit  to the San Antonio Spurs, which has never before happened in a final series. To assure he hadn't misspoken, a few seconds later he said, "Like I said, history is made to be broken."

Burns Park loops

Bill Brass and I walked and jogged 10.45 miles on a combination of several Burns Park loops this morning in 3:12:38. To brag, he told me how far we had run; I then checked the time, and spent perhaps 20-30 seconds before I said, "So we averaged almost exactly 18:40 a mile." Bill clicked his watch a couple of times, and said, "I hate to tell you, but you missed it. According to my watch, we averaged 18:41 a mile." I said, "Aw, crap, and I used to be good at math in my head." We had fun. It was nearly perfect weather for mid-June; sixties to the 70s, with a light breeze, and air drier than Melba toast. My old, white Nike shirt is no more than slightly damp.

OVERHEARD
"That's pretty impressive. I mean, there aren't any John Deeres or Humana Challenges anywhere on that list."
—Johnny Miller, after he said a U.S. Open victory for Martin Kaymer would give him three victories in America, including those at the Players and PGA Championships

Levy Loop/Ghetto Cat Loop/Full Moon Hash

I walked the Levy Loop this morning in 31:17, and the Ghetto Cat Loop late this afternoon in 35:10. I hope someone can at least make a run at Martin Kaymer in the U.S. Open. Golf needs exciting majors. I need them, too, to justify watching a total of thirty hours of television over four days. It might take a few swings-and-misses, rarely seen outside of the Levy-Sherwood Cup.

We had our first Full Moon Hash tonight since the the late 1980s, I think, and went a total of almost exactly three miles. Seven of us ran. Patre drove the beer around, though our first stop was at Diamond Bear's new place in North Little Rock (just past the two-mile mark of the Little Rock Marathon, not far from Walt Webb's). This place includes a restaurant, with a menu that's had me hungry ever since.

Fort Roots Loop/Ghetto Cat Loop

I'm in the great big club cheering for Phil Mickelson to win the U.S. Open. I just got in from walking and jogging the Fort Roots Loop with the Geezers to see he's two strokes off Matt Kuchar's lead of 3-under. The coverage on my laptop is lovely, at least as sharp as my television. Bill Brass and I went a total of 5.85 miles up to, across, and down from Fort Roots, in 1:42:23. We jogged 1.7 miles of it non-stop in 19:22. I'm not sure what's more interesting to me—that my jog today at a much slower pace was ten times harder than my run last night, or that my jog today was ten times easier than a similar one-mile run with a Brass a couple of weeks ago.

This evening I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop in 34:34. My pulse rate was never over 96. I should walk so slowly more often.

OVERHEARD
"I don't understand it. Some guys says he went for a trip on Friday the 13th and and had a wreck that killed his wife and his kids and his dog. I mean, why would you leave the house on Friday the 13th?"
—my backyard neighbor Merle Malone, as we dug stumps by the fence between our yards. He said he stays in on Friday the 13ths, and consequently wanted to get those stumps out today

38th Street Loop/Orange Street Loop

It's bright out, and much less humid this morning. I alternated one-minute jogs with four-minute walks to complete the 38th Street Loop in 26:44, and didn't have to put a towel on my recliner before I sat.

The drier air made a big difference tonight, when I jogged the Orange Street Loop in 32:28, 1:34 faster than I ran three miles on Monday night, with splits of 11:09, 11:05, and 10:14. It went beyond that, though. My legs felt much livelier. I was happily surprised, and think I could've gone as much as two minutes faster. I walked and jogged a half mile before and after I ran.

Hardcastle Loop/Levy Trail

I walked the Hardcastle Loop this morning in 47:30. My legs felt dead going up hills. It's been wet, but otherwise nice in Levy. My air conditioner has been off since Sunday morning, and I don't think it's been over 74°F in my house. If the forecast holds true, I think I'll make it through Thursday. That's gotta be close to a record for June. This afternoon I walked two miles on the Levy Trail in 31:58.

Levy Trail/33rd Street Loop

This hasn't happened in a while. I woke up in the dark, at 5 a.m., and knew there was no chance I would go back to sleep. So, I drank some tea, studied Beat the Streak, and alternated three-minute jogs with two-minute walks to complete two miles on the Levy Trail in 24:09, with splits of 12:25, and 11:44. I wanted to go three, but was frightened by nearby lightning. It rained throughout, but I felt so good that I didn't mind at all.

I jogged and walked the five-mile 33rd Street Loop tonight in 1:01:47, with splits of 12:56, 11:02, 11:30, 11:30, and 14:49. As planned (and as I hoped), I jogged the middle three miles non-stop, though very slowly (34:02).

Levy Trail Loop

I lost $91.20 betting seven races on yesterday's Belmont Park card, including the Belmont Stakes, so it looks as if I will spend at least this summer and next winter in Levy. Early this afternoon I walked the Levy Trail Loop in 31:01. What began as a drizzle as I stretched in my driveway has turned into a thunderstorm. I got in just before the bottom fell out, and then, after a long day of sunshine, jogged and walked for 50:15 through driving rain on John Kelley's Hash run, set from the parking lot of the Target store near McCain Mall. I'd say I went a bit more than three miles.

Maple Street Loop

Let's see how sweat-free I can keep this MacBook Pro keyboard. I just got in from a 25:00 circuit of the Maple Street Loop, jogged and walked wearing a Thermos of egg drop soup. My splits were 12:52, and 12:08. That should be an adequate warmup for gambling away everything I own on Races 5-11 from Belmont Park at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs today. However, if Meadowood finishes no worse than second in the Race 5, Fiftyshadesofgold wins and Risque Reality finishes no worse than third in Race 6, Vyjack wins Race 9, and Commanding Curve wins Race 11 (the Belmont Stakes), I will hire someone else to write Pam's Boy from this point forward. Also, I will begin to summer in Norway, and winter in Key West (that's right. I'll have enough cash to use summer and winter as verbs).

Chandler Street Loop/Levy Trail

I walked the Chandler Street Loop this morning in 46:23. This was the best I have felt on a walk in a while. Early this evening I walked two miles on the Levy Trail in 32:38.

DR. PETE'S DEAD SOLID BELMONT LOCKED-UP LOCKS

$10 win on Commanding Curve (No. 4); estimated payout—$160
$10 cold exacta w/ Commanding Curve and California Chrome* (No. 2); e.p.—$400
$1 superfecta w/ Commanding Curve/California Chrome, Wicked Strong (No. 9)/California Chrome, Wicked Strong/All (total cost: $16); e.p. $2000-$26,006

Regardless of his selections, Dr. Pete will cheer for California Chrome. The last time the Triple Crown was won, at Belmont in 1978, Pete was an hour removed from a 20-hour drive from Wyoming to Russellville, Arkansas. He watched it by himself in Jim and Jean Aikman's den. He hopes to see Chrome win tomorrow on a large television at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. If California Chrome loses, Pete of course hopes to drive to Levy with $26,566 in his pants

Burns Park Loop/Levy Trail

I walked the Burns Park Loop with the Geezers this morning in 1:44:16. This evening, starting at about 9 o'clock, I jogged and walked the Levy Loop in 22:52. I ran the first mile non-stop in 11:07, and was hurting, and about to crap my pants, so I stopped to walk. Two minutes later I felt recovered and jogged for three or four minutes, then walked for two, and ran the final half mile at a pretty good clip. In fact, I kind of kicked it in to break 23 minutes. I got the second mile in 11:45, and now feel very encouraged. While en route, I jogged past a house that was packed with men watching Game 1 of the NBA final between San Antonio and Miami. I could hear them yelling from more than a block away. I'm pleased that so many people seem excited by this series.

Levy Trail Loop/Levy Trail

I walked the Levy Trail Loop this morning in 31:28. At 11:40 a.m., it's 87°F, with a RealFeel® of 93. This evening I alternated very slow one-minute jogs with four-minute walks to complete two miles on the Levy Trail in 29:32.

River Trail

I walked and jogged 4.48 miles with the Geezers on the River Trail this morning. We didn't jog much. Maybe half a mile. It was in the 70s, and muggier than two motherfuckers. We were out for 1:14:26.

Ghetto Cat Loop

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 29:04. It feels like summer now. I walked in dripping, and did again this evening after walking two miles on the Levy Trail in 31:18. This time, however, the moisture was a combination of sweat and rainfall. It was kind of hard to distinguish the two as I dried off for the sake of this laptop.

Levy Trail/Hash

I walked two miles on the Levy Trail this afternoon in 31:16. It's hot again, nearly 90, and muggy. My legs are a little weary. This evening I walked and jogged about two miles with a handful of Little Rock Hashers on a run set by a relatively new Hasher named Laura. We started and ended at a big horse barn not far from Damned Near Redneck's house.