Levy Trail Loop

I walked the Levy Trail Loop at lunchtime today in 31:20.

Levy Trail

We Geezers walked on the Levy Trail and through two adjoining neighborhoods this morning for 1:16:55.

Levy Trail to Camp Robinson

I walked the Levy Trail to Camp Robinson and back at lunchtime today in 1:25:08. For future reference, I kept splits at the significant intersections and turnaround, which were 17:15, 9:06, 7:39, 9:41 (43:40), 9:23, 6:46, 8:51, 16:29 (41:28). I was miserably hot by the finish.

Levy Trail South/Hash

I walked Levy Trail South at lunchtime today in 31:57. My legs felt fine, almost as if I didn't walk and jog eleven miles on a hilly, rugged trail yesterday morning. Now I'm ready to watch an NFL preseason triple-header, which I believe is a first in my lifetime. Three fucking preseason games on one day. Crazy.
This afternoon I walked with Elaine, Jayme, and Basil for 1:24:40 on a relatively new girl named Katie's Hash run. She lives a block south of Little Rock Central, on Park Street, which runs in front of the school (you know, on the marathon route). Elaine's telephone said we went 4.6 miles.

Mount Nebo

Late in the game, I decided not to run to the bottom of Mount Nebo and instead turned back up to complete the ten-mile option (two other short-cutters told me their watches said we went 11.1 and 11.3 miles) in 2:41:39. It was a nice workout.

Ghetto Cat Loop

I walked the Ghetto Cat Loop this morning in 33:29 and hope my legs feel as good tomorrow morning, when I plan to start the fourteen-mile Mount Nebo Trail Run. Bill Brass said he will drive by to pick me up for it.

Levy Loop/Levy Trail

I jogged two minutes for each five to complete the Levy Loop this morning in 26:44.
This evening I walked four miles on the Levy Trail in 1:04:18.

OVERHEARD
"She couldn't pull it out of her ass, and she thought she could pull it out of her computer, that stupid bitch."
—woman on Mellene Drive speaking on a cell phone

Cooks Landing Loop/Maple Street Loop

We Geezers walked the 6.72-mile Cooks Landing Loop this morning in 1:44:09, which is pretty fast walking for our group. It was hot and humid, and I was whipped when we finished. The cherry-flavored store-brand popsicle I just ate tasted as good as anything I have ever eaten (Edwards Dirt Cheap Groceries and Beer sells boxes full of nothing by cheery-flavored store-brand popsicles).
Tonight I walked the Maple Street Loop in 31:01.

Levy Trail Loop

I alternated one-minute jogs with four-minute walks to complete the Levy Trail Loop this morning in 29:16.

Ridge Road Loop/Levy Trail South

I walked the old four-mile Ridge Road Loop this morning in 1:02:51. It's nice to walk in a golf shirt and not walk in soaking.
This evening I walked Levy Trail South in 33:48.

Five-Mile Levy Trail Run/Hash

I jogged one and a half minutes for each five to complete the Five-Mile Levy Trail Run this morning in 1:09:04, with splits of 13:49, 13:05, 13:51, 13:50, and 14:39. For the first time in a while, it was sunny in Levy, almost cool, and drier than two motherfuckers.
Late this afternoon I jogged and walked the near equivalent of the Burns Park Loop on Bill Brass' Hash run. The watches and telephones said we went about 4.6 miles. I was out for 1:15:34.

Levy Trail North

I alternated one-minute jogs with four-minute walks to complete Levy Trail North this afternoon in 29:40.

Lakewood Lake No. 2/Levy Trail South

I walked for 1:19:48 with the Geezers this morning from Lakewood Lake No. 2. Elaine's telephone said we went 4.3 miles.
This evening I walked Levy Trail South in 31:49.

Levy Trail/38th Street Loop

I walked on the Levy Trail for about an hour and fifteen minutes with the Geezers on the Levy Trail and then walked back to my house through the heart of the crappiest part of the neighborhood. In total, including my beginning walk to the group's starting point behind Spectators, I was in motion for 1:28:09 through about 5.2 miles.
This evening I walked the 38th Street Loop in 31:36, not bad considering my legs are nearly as dead as Ryan Lochte's post-Olympic endorsement opportunities.

Fort Roots Loop/Five-mile Levy Trail Run

We Geezers walked the Fort Roots Loop from the Burns Park Golf Course parking lot this morning in 1:45:54. We hit exactly six miles about a hundred yards from our cars. Elaine walked in circles for a bit so she could say she went 6.1 miles. It sprinkled very lightly on us.
This evening I ran ninety seconds of each five minutes to complete the remeasured Five-Mile Levy Trail Run in 1:05:37, with mile splits of 13:42, 12:37, 13:02, 13:06, and 13:10. That's as accurate as I can get it with Google Earth.

PETE PERKINS
Key terms for Maumelle Hornets Coach David Farr’s most recent assessments are “flashback” and “fast forward.”
Farr’s flashbacks focus on Maumelle’s 2015 season, his first at the school. Maumelle finished at 3-7, its first losing season since 2012 and the first of Farr’s career, which, after successful stops at Star City and Heber Springs, moves into season No. 13 this fall.
“They say when you go through a losing season like that you learn a lot about yourself, and I did,” Farr said. “I learned a lot about our kids, our coaches, and myself. The takeaway comes back to getting the work done on the front end. Last season we were missing a lot of key, fundamental things that put us at a disadvantage.”
Farr said he had a total of eight players who didn’t miss a day of summer drills before last season. “Fast forward to this year, we had 32 who didn’t miss one day,” Farr said. “The kids are buying in and getting more on task with it, and we’ll see the benefits of that.”
With the exception of its quarterback and one offensive lineman, Maumelle’s offense will start from scratch this season. The Hornets lost to graduation four starting lineman, its leading rusher — Jacob Acklin with 1338 yards and 17 touchdowns, and every receiver who caught a pass in 2015.
On the bright side for the Hornets, senior quarterback Cameron Porras returns. He passed for 1195 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. He completed 86 of 135 attempts for a completion percentage of .637. He threw just three interceptions.
“He’s been real good with the football, and has been real good for us,” Farr said.
Porras said he worked in the offseason with Clint  Stoerner, a former All-SEC quarterback with the Arkansas Razorbacks, and expects improvement this season. “Last year my feet were all over the place,” Porras said. “Now I have the mechanics to get my feet set, transfer my weight, and deliver the ball. I can tell how that’s going to help.”
Junior tackle Robert Bryles will help lead four new starters on the line. Farr could not help but laugh when he spoke of his young line’s improvement over the summer. “If you would’ve asked me about them in May, I would’ve said, ‘Lord,’ but the thing about it is, through June and July and into camp, they’ve gotten better every day,” Farr said. “They’re starting to take pride in being offensive linemen and doing what it takes for their team to win. They are much improved — much, much improved.”
Farr said junior guard John Marion could be the standout among Hornet newcomers. “I think John will be our hinge on the line,” he said.
Farr said he expects good things from senior running back Cory Jones, who rushed for 151 yards and averaged 5.4 a carry last season as Acklin’s backup. Farr reminisced about Jones’ 24-yard touchdown run against Jacksonville in the 2015 season-opener, a play prolonged by two separate retreats and two field reversals that left him as much as 40 yards from the end zone.
“He’s got that don’t-want-to-go-down in him,” Farr said. “That’s just part of who he is. Cory has developed a lot, and I think he’ll be better for it. He’s gotten in the weight room. He’s done everything that’s been asked of him. He’s gotten bigger. He’s gotten faster, and he’ll be much improved.”
The reworked offense might have to lean for a while on a defense that returns eight starters, led by senior lineman Charles McRae, a three-year starter.
“We feel like we’re going to be very much improved this season,” McRae said.
“Charles is the veteran over there,” Farr said. “He should be a staple for us on the defensive line.”
Most of Maumelle’s defense played through last season, and Farr believes they learned as much as he. “This year after the reps and that experience, it’s a positive thing going through what we went through,” Farr said. “Now it’s time to put it to use.”

Levy Trail Loop/Maple Street Loop intervals

I just realized that I forgot to post my walk this morning after I walked the Levy Trail Loop in 31:08.
This evening I did a mile of intervals in the middle of the Maple Street Loop, alternating sixty-second runs with sixty-second walks. I ran a total of six. Let's see: my splits for the loop, which I completed in 25:56, were 13:08 and 12:47. I completed the mile of intervals in 12:07. They went well.

OVERHEARD
"Ever time I think about yo ass, you just pop up."
—Kroger security guard to pretty woman about his age, 20-25.

Levy Trail Loop/Levy Trail South

I walked the Levy Trail Loop this morning through steady rainfall in 29:55.
This evening I walked Levy Trail South in 30:49. I walked past a guy in his backyard who I last spoke to four years ago next month, right after he moved to Levy. His name's Randy, and we talked again today. I wish he were my neighbor. He seems like a very nice fellow.

Five-mile Levy Trail Run/Levy

I impatiently Google Earthed five miles on the Levy Trail this morning and jogged one minute for each five, except once a mile when I jogged two for five, to complete the course in 1:08:29. Some evidence of my sloppy measurement appears in my mile splits, which were 14:02, 13:32, 12:38, 14:59, 13:39. Something's wrong with the third- and fourth-mile times. Nevertheless, it was pretty easy to go through the steady drizzle. Perhaps I was inspired by what's their names, the two American marathon runners who finished sixth and seventh this morning. I started right afterward.
Late this afternoon I crossed Camp Robinson at Kroger to take a 52:04 hike all over the west side of Levy. It drizzled just a bit and was otherwise misty.

Levy Trail North/Levy Trail South

I alternated four-minute walks with one-minute jogs to complete Levy Trail North this morning in 28:53.
This evening I walked Levy Trail South in 35:39. Fatigue played a role in my time, but the primary culprit was hypoglycemia. I ate a tube of Gu at about three-quarters of a mile and felt fine after five minutes. I walked the last mile through a very comfortable mist.

HAS ANYONE ELSE NOTICED...
...that Michael Phelps puts on exactly the same bullshit, manufactured game face as Rory McElroy?

I DON'T BELIEVE...
...anyone would think Lilly King takes performance enhancing drugs—unless cheeseburgers and pizza are performance enhancing drugs

OVERHEARD
"That ain't right, and it ain't gonna get right."
—woman to a man as they walked out of Kroger

Levy Trail South/Levy Trail 5K

I walked Levy Trail South this morning in 29:00 (at the Rio Olympics, it would've been 28:59.86). No kidding. My legs felt nearly seven and a half years younger than yesterday.
This evening I walked the Levy Trail 5K in 47:21 and went through three miles in 45:53. Of course, I got home in time to see track and field, and Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky swim the fuck out of my life for at least four years. Has anyone else noticed that when Ledecky smiles she looks almost exactly like Mr. Ed?

Levy Trail/Levy Trail Loop

I walked two full lengths of the paved Levy Trail, which combined with the .16-mile walks to and from my house to the trail, means I put in almost exactly 3.74 miles this morning in 1:01:17.
This evening I walked the Levy Trail Loop in 33:56.

Burns Park Loop

Sandy Venable walked me into the ground this morning. Starting at about 8 a.m., Sandy and I marched away from the other Geezers to complete the Burns Park Loop in 1:36:23. Sandy had to slow down for me, but we nevertheless finished ten minutes ahead of the rest. I was exhausted and soaked in sweat.

Levy Trail 5K/Levy Trail South

I walked the Levy Trail 5K this morning in 50:23 and went through three miles in 48:49. It is 88°F out at 11:11 a.m., fourteen degrees warmer than it was for yesterday's walk.
Late this afternoon I walked Levy Trail South in 31:45.

I PLAN TO STAB...
...the next television producer or executive who hires anyone with a British accent* unless that person's credentials are demonstratively better than people with any other accent. It's too bad that network bosses have convinced us that everyone with a British accent is intelligent and well-informed
*this includes people who learned English as a second language and use a British accent

Levy Trail Loop/Levy Trail South

I walked the Levy Trail Loop this morning in 34:04. It's nearly cool in Levy.
Early this evening I walked Levy Trail South in 33:25.

I PLAN TO STAB...
...the next person who interviews Katie Ledecky less than two minutes after she gets out of the pool. The chick does not want to be interviewed. You can tell she's embarrassed, particularly by the interviewer's inane, uninformed questions. Please, I'm begging you, leave her alone.

OVERHEARD
"Are you OK?"
—nine-year-old boy on a small, battery-powered motorcycle, as I finished my walk this morning. Reverend Bob said the same thing to me as I finished yesterday's Hash run. I have some work to do.

Hash

 I was out for about thirty minutes this afternoon with the Hash, way the fuck out in southwest Little Rock. We went through undergrowth as thick as any I have seen, plus is was muggier than two motherfuckers.

 OVERHEARD
"I don't never know when nobody's on my phone."
—woman at Kroger tying the world record for total negatives in a sentence as she looked at her cell phone

Little Rock Marathon training group

I walked and jogged 8.2 miles with the Little Rock Marathon training group this morning in 2:11:16. A man named Sonny Rhodes was with me every step of the way. He was a copy editor at the paper the first ten years or so that I worked there. He's one of those nice-as-hell guys. He spent a month in Vietnam last year and told me all about it, which made me want to go.

Levy Trail

We Geezers walked an out and back on the paved Levy Trail this morning in 1:07:37. I think I covered about 3.7 miles.

Burns Park Loop

We Geezers walked the Burns Park Loop this morning in 1:54:26. All of my clothes and three handkerchiefs are currently hanging on my shower rod.

Camp Clearfork

CRYSTAL SPRINGS—I was out for about thirty minutes on the Sunday Camp Clearfork Hash run. Z-Man and I drove up in the morning and got back in time to watch the final eleven holes of Jimmy Walker's PGA Championship victory.