Hail Delay

Time: 45:45
Distance: 6.34 miles

This morning Meagan and I departed the Main St. pad and headed out to meet up with Scotty on Pickard. Our run was a bit delayed due to the slightly inconvenient hail storm that threatened to crush the Mini. I saved the day with my spectacular driving skills and went along with putting on my costume minutes later. The hail stopped just as quickly as it started so we were out the door about 10 mins late. The temperature was obviously down and the wind was decent. The legs didn't feel all to stiff from the hours upon hours in the car which I'm happy about. It's time to get serious about this running stuff again. I got a reputation to maintain.

Dirty South

Time: 47:07
Distance: ~6 miles

We saw Brooke off this morning and then headed out for a jog on the streets of Birmingham, AL. Crossing into the southern state was my first time in what I associate as being the deep south (AL, LA, MS). The area where Brooke lives is really nice and quiet but we somehow were running on mainly high trafficked streets. Meagan and I finally found a neighborhood to run in that was just off the main road. The houses were small, there were lots of trees and few cars on these roads. I was pretty sure where I needed to end up and made a slight miscalculation which turned a 40 minute jaunt into a 47 minute complain-fest. You would think by Meagan's account of the run I had taken us in the wrong direction in the middle of Watts during the Rodney King riots.

Read Meagan's blog for more interesting pictures and stuff. I need to get caught up and shizz.

Week in Review

Time: 166:13
Distance: 23.06

Not a lot to report here. This week was meant to get my legs fresh for the next segment of training. I can tell my legs have a lot more pop to them when I'm out running. It brings back memories of senior year at Brown when tapering for the 1500m. Runs were short, the breathing was simple and the legs wanted to burst out in a sprint. Great feeling.

Destination Alabama

Time: 53:16
Distance: 7.06 miles

Meagan and I got out the door this morning for a brief run through Freedom Park before leaving for Birmingham, AL. My legs were feeling great since mileage for this week will barely be over 25 miles. Who knows, it could be less. The run was fine, but Mr. Garmin lost the satellite a few times for whatever reason. I think those NASA punks were messing with the Hubble or something. I don't think most people's Garmins operate off the Hubble but mine does and from my understanding that thing is pretty banged up these days.

Check out Meagan's blog (she has pics and jazz) for a more detailed description of our journey from Charlottte to Birmingham to visit our good friend Brooke and her dog Biz Cut.

Grandma's Athsma

Time: none
Distance: none

Last night Gus and I went over to a little party hosted by a runner in the store's Mon./Weds. night crew. She's a music professor at OU who likes to travel, run and drink. Gus and I partook in the drinking portion tonight with some of her colleagues. I think Senor Gustavo was might impressed with my ability to connect with the "weirdos" as he liked to call them. It was a good time and the G&Ts were quality too. It was off to Blu after getting back downtown to join up with Jess, Spenis, Joe and Pam. More good times were had.

All the good times and the $2 well drinks meant there was no running in the morning. I'm glad the party is almost over as my liver meridian is getting a bit too much work.

This afternoon I hopped a flight to Charlotte to meet up with Meagan and her Mini Cooper.

Dumpster Diving

Time: 38:49
Distance: ~5.5 miles

Last night I got a text from the photographer of the article that ran in the OU Daily and he said, "hey there... This is James the photog with the Daily. I wanted to let you know that the story ran today and the picture looked really great. They even ran it on the front page. You can check it out online at Oudaily.com Thanks again." First thing I thought after reading this was... man crush. Then I realized I had to find me a copy.

I jogged on Pickard and ran past Barry Switzer's pad before getting to campus. I was shirtless but it was early so I was hoping there weren't going to be too many students around when I entered buildings. I got lucky on there not being undergrads present but I couldn't find a damn copy. I check Gaylord (journalism school), Copeland (houses the OU Daily), and the building just to the north. I wasn't having any luck as the current day's paper was already out and no copies of the old one were left. I checked another building where I took a sociology graduate class and had more poor luck. I considered stopping in the library but felt they might go by Wal-Marts semi-strict policies of "no shirt, no shoes, no service."

I managed to make it to Price (business school) where I found a butt load of current issues. I noticed there was a paper recycling bin so I rummaged through it. Yahtzee! I found the jackpot and lifted a handfull of copies out of that bad boy. I made it home without ruining more than the outer copy. Don't be surprised when you open your mail and see an article about yours truly.

Front Page News

Time: none
Distance: none

I was reading my RSS feed this morning and noticed there was an article titled "Memorial Marathon winners share history" and it was from the interview on Monday night. I think the journalist did the best job of any of the articles that were written about the marathon. I go on record about being interested in breaking the state 5k road record which is a brisk 14:09. That will be what this next segment of training is geared for. No better way to start than with a day off.

Don't Really Remember the Run

Time: 45:51
Distance: ~6.5 miles

Wow. It's been quite some time since the last post. Expect some rapid fire ones.

I guess I ran around campus today. I think it was with Scotty in the afternoon because I had the day off from work. We ran to the track and saw that Martin was out there getting ready to time a couple of 800 meter runners' workout. Scotty Cooper (1:48) and Chris "the Cube" Sweeney (1:50) were getting ready to drop some 3-hundos. Scotty and I didn't stick around too long and decided to make some loops in the Duck Pond. My left hip was still a little sore but nothing too serious.

Battle of Puebla

Time: none
Distance: none

No run for me today on Cinco de Mayo. Jailhouse wanted me to run a little less this week and get fully recovered prior to the next training cycle which will focus on some shorter distance racing. It's hard to recover here in the summer when the training is geard for longer marathon type workouts. Getting the body ready to go day after day with the heat and humidity really takes its toll, so getting back to some shorter/quicker stuff will be fun. Today is my first day off since the marathon which is a good thing. It's also my first day off since March 14th.

Getting Some Power Back

Time: 30:17
Distance: ~4 miles

I got out the door this morning for a short jog on the roads. My hip was good for about the first half of the run and was a little tight the remaining two miles. When I was running on Pickard I noticed how fresh my quads were feeling and they turned over at an easy pace. The breathing was good and I am glad to know my legs are feeling more powerful since the marathon.

After work Cat and I headed to the OU track for an interview and some photos with some members of the OU Daily. I'm not sure when the article will be published but the pics are sure to be cheesy.

Week in Review

Time: 282:39
Distance: 38.87 miles

This was a true recovery week in terms of running. I guess it's recommended that after a marathon you take a break from the rigors of training. The body is feeling pretty good but I felt a little niggle on today's run with Scotty, Boone, Kels? and Ross. My left hip is a little tight when I lift my leg. This is the first time I have noticed it being sore. I think a little massage and rolling it on a baseball will help break up whatever is causing the tightness.

The weather here in Norman has been great and it's a shame that I'm not running a bit more but I guess that's the way it has to be. The temps have been topping out in the 70s with little wind and little humidity. In ten days when I'm getting back into the routine I can guarantee that it will be 80+ with 80% humidity.

Running Down a Sub-4 Miler

Time: 58:34 and 7:05
Distance: 8.46 and .91 miles
Pace: 6:55 and 7:46

I spent a few hours at Michelangelo's this morning attempting to track DeCoste during his marathon debut out in Eugene. The Strands.com website was difficult to navigate and I couldn't figure out where the athlete tracking was. Just before leaving the coffee house I saw he had crossed the line in 2:34 and some change. Great race. Congrats.

Scotty and I headed out for a run towards campus where we dropped a shirt at Cafe Plaid and then proceeded through campus. We spotted some dudes in OU gear jogging down Jenkins and we slowly caught them near the train tracks. Turned out to be Jacob Boone (sub-4 guy) and two others I had never met before. We ran along Robinson and back past Westwood GC. It was good catching up on the going-ons with the OU team. Boone won't be racing again until conference when he toes the line in the 1500.

After the run Scotty, Skolnick and I went to the senior capstone presentations in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum. We scored some freebies in the snackroom upstairs. Good lunch and decent art.

Feeling heavy Scotty and I ran back to Main St. and then walked over to Andrews Park where May Fair was going on. Local artists were showing some of their pieces but the chilly temps and gray skies kept huge crowds away. Scotty and I are two of the most cultured individuals in Norman. How many art shows did you go to this weekend?

Run to Work Day

Time: ~30 mins
Distance: ~4 miles

I got the keys to my new apartment yesterday and I moved a few items this morning. I decided to open the window that faces Main St. and saw a runner go by and I realized that Health for Friends 5k was this morning. I quickly jumped into my costume and ran towards the start/finish line. The weather was slop which kept runners away (only 44) or it could have been the $30 entry fee. $30! For an unestablished race that's outrageous. Once I saw the race finishing up I continued on my way to work with a change of clothes in my backpack. The clouds dumped rain on me running down Robinson so I was cold and wet when I arrived. I made a quick change and was ready to sell socks and stability shoes to Oklahomans.

Main St. Time

Time: 30:02
Distance: ~4 miles

Easy morning jog on the streets of Norman. Nothing big to report but the legs are feeling decent. I'm not attempting any workouts for a couple of weeks though.