OKC MARATHON TIME!

So Today I worked from 5am to 5pm and now I have to prepare myself for the OKC relay 12k!  It is going to be a cold and wet and wild day but I am looking forward to seeing what I can do!  Wish me luck world! We will see If working a tournament at Belmar all day will help translate into fast times!

One Last Run before all THe FUN!

63 minute run out at Summit Lakes! My last real run before the OKC marathon fun!

It is all about the Benjamins!

Today has been a long day! I woke up at 8am, worked on homework and cleaned my room, finished some laundry and then I previewed our new condo, ran to class, took photos of the Oklahoma campus in full-green for my arboretum project and then just finished up my run.

I decided to run around all of the OU campus and the sun was in its last stages so the temps felt nice and cool.  We have a few more days until Sunday's OKC marathon relay and I am anxious to run!  I can say that I have been run really hard these past few weeks with school, work, running, and preparation for graduation, the summer, and the future.  I have done some random research on places I am curious about for starting careers and Kentucky surprisingly enough has caught my attention. This does not mean I am packing my bags and moving to Kentucky, but there is more to the parks system here than meets the eye.  What I really like is the fact that it is a diverse state, the climate is mild and nice, there are parks, historic sites, resorts, and golf courses that are integrated into the parks system.  To me, this integration idea of meshing golf courses and state parks is brilliant and I want in!  I think that creating a golf course that is in a serene location and can act as a get-away for people so that they can enjoy the resort/park/golf course this serves the multi-use capabilities that I am so fascinated with when it comes to golf course management and park management.

I would like to be one of the first park managers to create golf courses that also provide activities for the running community and promote the course for runners to use and to enjoy.  I think with everything that I have been exposed to in my four years here at OU, I think I am on to something and I have a year or two to really do some research and help create a testable thesis that might be the basis for my graduate school work.  I am really excited about my running career and my future living and job situation.  For now, I just have to take it one day at a time but we can always hope right!

RUn: 70 minutes---11 miles!

Just Another Wednesday!

72 minute run in the rain to Cedar Lane! I ran the hills without slipping off the sleek road.  Felt a little tired but I really managed to run a good pace!

Run TO Rock Creek Road ANd the Big Uphill!

Today I ran from Ashlee's place at Rowena Lane and headed out across the gap at I-35 towards the West-side of Norman. I ran the usual path out on 36th street NW and passed OK Runner and the Brookhaven village.  The run took me out by the water tower at Rock Creek Road and I made a left on the intersection and decided to head down the road in a new direction.  The run was so nice to get a different location in the books and  I really enjoyed the Rock Creek section.  The whole run I was amazed at how many housing developments and different through-streets I have never been to nor run to.  The amount of uncharted territory here is monumental!  As I crested Rock Creek Road I could look out and see that I was up on a huge ridge overlooking Newcastle, OK.  I shot down the steep downhill right by the Rock Creek Polo Club! Huh! Now I realized that this route took me to the polo club that  I noticed on one of my other runs out this way.  I have been getting my homework done and I am so excited to figure out what I am going to study and research when I go to graduate school!  School is almost over and this run really made me feel so grateful for these fours years I have put into myself both athletically and academically.

May  1st I will run the OKC marathon 12k Relay Leg where I will look to run sub 38 minutes!

May 12th may be the night I run my track 10k at OBU where I hope to run under 30:30 and maybe even crack 30 minutes and run in the 29's

For work, I have a tournament to work on April 30th, Saturday, where I will be meeting Sooner football legends such as Bob Stoops, Barry Switzer, Billy Sims, Jason White, Sam Bradford, and many others!

My Run totaled 76 minutes! I was able to get in 12.7 miles!

Happy Running Everyone and enjoy the weather!

Finally more Rain!!!

Monday's run took me on a blistering 87 minute run that took me out towards 72nd street and Cedar Lane all the way back to Campus Lodge! The weather was a dreary 60 degrees with light rain! It really did feel nice to run in the rain and my pace showed it. I ran on east Lindsey all the way to 72nd then I made a right across highway 9 and all the way down to Cedar Lane. Then I took Cedar Lane over towards 36th street then headed back across Highway 9 to east lindsey.  The hills had no effect on my cadence and really I am ready to race.

Today will be spent working on homework and maybe a little grocery shopping. Really I need to crack down and finish as much work as I can because graduation is looming in the distance!

My run today was probably a 15 mile run! Felt great!

Finally SOME RAIN!

The last time there was any form of substantial precipitation was during the snow-storms in Early February. Since then, there have been sunny days, cloudy days, and potential thunderstorm days where no rain could even manifest.  My run took me out on Porter Ave all the way up to Franklin Road! My body has felt tight as of late but I have been able to get the wheels turning enough and loosen up my body.  This week I have been able to hit 90 miles for the week because of a nice long Sunday 23 miler and now I am going to taper back just a little for the OKC marathon on May 1st!  My fitness is really coming along and I am ready to run some fast races!

My run lasted 80 minutes and I probably ran about 13-14 miles.

A lot has Happened Today!

Today I was able to pick up my car and it costed me 145 dollars but the car is running great!  I ran about 85 minutes all the way towards Newcastle, Oklahoma!  Ashlee and Myself officially have a place together! the condo we have been fighting for is now ours as we will move onto Chalmette Drive in the upcoming weeks.

I now have two minutes to stuff a personal pan pizza down my gullet before I rush off to work!  I hope this weekend will bring tons of sleep so my sore throat will feel better and my body will feel recharged!

The total distance of my run was about 15 miles! Not a bad daily total!  Off I go to sweat it out at Belmar!

The Loop DA LOOP!!

Thursday run took me out along East Lindsey across 36th street out past Robinson and then towards Rock Creek!  I turned left onto Rock Creek and passed Ingel's Winery which has the best wine I have ever tasted.  I then proceeded out along 12th avenue over by Park Place and Sutton Wilderness! The rest of the run was heading back home!

My pace felt strong as I can feel all of the heavy lifting we do at Belmar as an Outside Service worker translate into having true upper-body and core strength in the long run.  My throat has been a little sore because of the high levels of wind-blown pollen everywhere but otherwise I have been feeling really good!  My pace and cadence is really sharpening up as in a few weeks I will be tackling the 12k at the OKC Marathon as  a member of the OK Runner relay squad!  I am excited about potentially equaling if not besting my break-out performance last year where I ran PR's from 6k-12k in the whole distance. I split 38:00 on the dot for the race which amounts to like a 5:03 mile on the course.  I averaged under 5 minutes the whole race until the final mile into the wind!  This year I hope to average 4:50 a mile since my strength is there and I feel I have the ability to switch gears if need be.  I will be looking forward to hitting the race hard and I am just excited with gearing up for racing again since March 6th.  Wish me luck world!

Run Through Campus!

Yesterday I had to go into work at 11am. That did not leave me much time to go run! The thing today was that Ashlee was supposed to have surgery on her abcess. Ashlee got a call early in the morning saying that her insurance switched providers so that the surgery in Norman Regional would not be covered!  That made things crazy. I left the door by 8:20 and ran for an hour to make sure that Ashlee had come to a solution. The solution was to for her to wait on the surgery until she can be forwarded a list of potential Norman surgeons in the system. A lot of crazy crap if you ask me!

I ran through campus and did a nice long loop over by the Weather Center off towards Boyd Street!  If was a nice run.  Then I had work!  I made so many tips that I had 111 dollars by the end of the day.  I made 63 when I worked with Grant...28 by myself before Grant got there and I managed to score 20 more dollars as a gift for my help with the Christian Oklahoma High School Golf tournament on Monday!  So I can say it was a good day to work!  People that never tipped me gave me good money and some of my pals that normally give me 5 gave me 10 dollars! And I was able to jog on that driving range for maybe a total of 2 miles and then finish by 8:30pm and be able to clock out by 9. Now it is time to finish studying for my American Music Theatre exam!   Hello DOLLY!!

School Please BE OVER SO I CAN RUN MORE!!!!!!!!

With school in its final leg of the marathon, I am greatly anticipating the freedom of being a college graduate.  I think it will be a good thing to take a little time just to gather myself for graduate school though I know  I am ready for it!

Monday I worked a long and busy day working a tournament at Belmar and put in a nice 8 hour morning shift.  Then I decided to run 45 minutes in the afternoon where the temperature was at a blissful 94 degrees.  I ran with a water bottle and I am glad I only put in about 45 minutes or 7 miles on the legs because of the heat.  The run was in the neighborhood of Summit Lakes.

Tuesday I ran out towards Cedar Lane!  I turned at 36th street SE and then headed to East Post Oak Road! This section is very hilly and I was able to run to the summit which stands at a whopping 1,210 feet!  The view is beautiful up there!   There is a big weather tower that is always my marker!  The run felt good considering I am very fatigued from Sunday's run and Monday's busy day! I have a new haircut now and am ready to get school done with. I am tired of papers and tests and long assignments.  I have a test thursday, 2 papers and my arboretum project all due before the end of the year and I also have finals.  That means that I have about 2-3 more weeks to get myself into high gear to finish the year off right!  And then once the school year is over with! It will be time to transition into real marathon training,  working, and thinking and preparing about what I would like to focus my research on when I begin graduate school!  Time of run: 76 minutes----12.5 miles

The Park management track still seems like the direction  I would like to head but even working as a manager or golf course superintendent, or something that involves golf course design would be a cool track for me.  Golf courses pose an interesting concept of a sport that glorifies nature but does so by polluting it.  I want to be a part of the new generation that creates the country club experience as not just a golf experience but as a park experience.  Maybe I will do research for a sustainable golf organization which there are many that seek to help make golf courses better for players and then better for the environment.  THough I would like to make the first real RUNNER_FRIENDLY golf course that contains a small natural forest as part of the course!  With running trails, a camp site, and maybe a pond or lake!  Just some ideas but maybe they will become something in the near future!

The 2 HOUR LONG RUN!!!!! OK RUNNER History!

My total time today was 2 hours and 25 minutes my longest run of my life!

I started out from my apartment and then bolted out to the Conocco out by Robinson and 12th street.  I met up with David Wren and Scotty D for a nice long run. The temperature was perfect as it was in the 50's and the wind was not too strong!  I then made my way out with the gang towards the hills out on Rock Creek Road and ran all over the east side of Norman in the back-road country.  The run felt effortless and smooth and before all was said and done, I was done at an amazing 2 hours and 25 minutes! What a way to begin a Sunday!  I might be able to handle a marathon after all I hope at least.

Golf Scramble!!!!

Morning run before work: 37 minutes----6 miles

Run at Belmar on the Golf Course---4 miles

Running while working at Belmar-----2 miles


12 miles of total action.

A fun Saturday...Priceless!!!!!!

Not much to say...A nice run and a busy day!  I ran so much that I am very tired but I have tomorrow's OK runner long run to look forward to.  Time to catch up on some much needed rest!

The Wind Is Howling! Like a Pack of Wolves!

So today is Ashlee and my 6 month anniversary and that has been something I have been waiting for in...well...6 months!  I worked a morning shift at the golf course so that I could spend the rest of the day getting things all ready for our evening together.  I have just arrived back from the mall and I am going to go and run for a little while. Hopefully, the super strong gusts do not blow me away let's hope!


So the run was very windy!  I shot out across highway 9 towards Cedar Lane! The wind was primarily at my back as I made my way towards the hills.  The wind was whipping at my heels and felt that whatever pace I could keep up was an honest effort in blizzard-like wind conditions.  I jolted to the turn-around point over by the Noble middle school called Curtis Inge and then headed back. With the wind now in my face, the run became an ultimate challenge. Not only did I have tough hills to run but I had a 45 to even it seemed 60 mile an hour gusts straight at my face.  Pushing up the slinking hills was not an easy feat but I managed to put in a great clip and finish at 70 minutes and hit about 12-12.5 miles of wind-howling action.

My legs still feel sore even after running about an hour ago.  I hope my protein shake will solve all of my aches and pains!  Anyway, the lesson learned today is that wind running is very difficult but it is great for training!

Run Down!!!!!

So I have been so tired and run down from everything that has gone on in my busy life.

Wednesday: I ran from Ashlee's in the morning and headed out across I-35 towards the west side of Norman.  The run felt great and I totaled 74 minutes.

Thursday: Thunderstorm day where the big clouds were hovering in the sky. I ran from Campus Lodge out on the farm roads and then I took Alameda straight towards Ashlee's place on Rowena Lane. But I took Main Street out by Brooks street and circled back.  The weather was odd as the 86 degree heat was being shifted by a swell of cold air from the cold front passing through that is bound to drop some potential severe weather.

Total time was 72 minutes and 22 seconds.

TWO TIMES A LADY!

I am running twice today!!!! My first run was across town from my apartment to Ashlee's house on Rowena Lane which I was able to complete in 23 minutes which was getting to being almost 4 miles!  I had a meeting with Dr. Dalton to discuss my arboretum concept and I needed a change of clothes, so I hurried myself across town and picked up some clothes and shot over to campus.  The meeting went well and now it is time to finish on my project!

My second run I will do after class and I will head out for about an hour! I ran the full 61 minutes on top what I previously did in the morning.  I ran out towards Sutton Wilderness by heading out on 12th street from Campus Lodge.  The day was already sunny and warm, and I knew that  I had to prepare myself for some heat.  I ran to Sutton and hit the trails.  I noticed that some of the OU track guys were out there and  I spent a portion of my 3 big laps on the trails talking to the guys.   It was great to catch up and see what everyone was doing.  The 80+ degree weather merits a nice shaded run which Sutton provided me. I whizzed through the trails then finished up by heading back across Alameda.  The run felt good but I could feel the fatigue from my sprint in the morning.

I ran a total of 83-84 minutes and totaled about 14 miles. Not  bad in a day.

WHOOOOSH!

Today I was faced with nice temperatures hovering in the 70's but a brutal wind that would gust around 30-40mph.  I decided to run some more hills out on East Lindsey. I took Lindsey over towards 36th street NE and then ran up and down the hills I have called my home for 4 years and then turned out by Rock Creek Road.  I passed Camp Rock Creek, a Christian outdoor camp that has some great water at their campsite and then continued towards 48th NE. I ran the hills hard and the rest of the run nice and relaxed.  The sky has been soooooo blue today as the little white puffs called clouds seemed to mirror wispy marshmallows.  

The run totaled 81 minutes and 7 seconds so I totaled around my 13.5 mile mark and that is great considering the wind gusts that I faced the whole time.  

Another great run in the books!  No 5:07 minute closing mile but a great run at a consistent and smooth pace and cadence.  Now it is time to work on my Arboretum project and to place some applications on a really great CONDO/Townhome that I hope Ashlee and myself end up getting! Happy Trails!  

My Running For this WEEK!

Friday: no normal run because I took Ashlee to the doctor to get checked out with her abscess.  I went straight to work and ran my buns off for 10 hours and tacked on about 5 miles!  Yes, this job can get you in real shape.

Saturday: I ran a nice loop put towards Cedar Lane and hit the hills. I felt great and even had the chance to chat with some bikers that I beat up one of the huge hills out in the farm country. I ran a total of 81 minutes about 13-14 miles.

Sunday: Lake Thunderbird Run with Ashlee. She read a book, while I ran about 70 minutes with my last mile in 5:07.  The hills felt challenging and the run really is helping to get myself in the right mindset for Mount Washington.  To be able to just switch gears running uphill and to almost run under 5 minutes for my last mile really is a testament to the fitness I have finally reached.  As the weather is feeling more and more like late spring and summer,  I am getting excited for the running that is ahead of me as I look to make a name for myself and everyone that supports me out on Mount Washington.

Places to Live-CArs--The Future of Cole Crosby All on A Thursday!

Well it is time for me to run again and let me tell you everything is crossing my mind right now!  Let me run then re-cap to you as I lie half-naked drenched in sweat typing on my computer after a nice long hard effort out on the back-roads of Oklahoma!

So when I shot out the door, the temperature was a balmy 90 degrees with a slight wind of 17 mph.  I headed out towards school by taking Lindsey street straight into campus. Today, there is a Miranda Lambert concert that my girlfriend Ashlee is attending. I thought I might catch her there so I took my bare-chested self with my OU visor and my black skimpy running shorts over to Lloyd Noble Center. My pace began at 5:30's and I pushed through the wind like a true gritty runner.  I headed to Lloyd Noble and saw all the cars packing into the vast parking lot. Something is going on.  I could hear some woman singing a song like a mime, hmm maybe karaoke.  I pushed the pace again out towards the jogging path out by The Weather Center. I was now at 5:25/mile.  I felt really strong.  I came out on Chataqua or however you spell that street then decided to head out  towards Highway 9.  I made it across the highway into the neighborhoods of The Trails golf course and country club.  I ran a lap through there then headed back.

I was in dire need of a bathroom break, so I hauled it over to Reaves Park to drop a deuce and to catch up on some much needed water.  Then I headed back on Lindsey and finally finished the run in 75 minutes.  A great run to think about things.

I think I need to start thinking about trading my car in. Why you ask?  Well, I have spent tons of money and my father into this vehicle and every time  something new is fixed, something goes wrong and then it costs 1 thousand dollars. This car is eating up my savings at a crazy rate and I do not know how much longer I can take this.  It is not a bad car by any means but the money that has gone into it to me seems to be slightly wasted.  As  I was able to pick up my car today after 3 weeks of not having it, the moment I reached Norman, my car almost overheated completely.  I was lucky enough to shut it off before smoke started radiating out of the vehicle.  What happened? The dumb mechanic drained all my fluids and oil and never put any of it back. WTF!  This is not only disturbing but the fact that I made it 250 miles with my car before I knew about this could have been fatal.  Thanks a lot piece of crap mechanics!  Plus, I thought I had found a great place to live but once I found out they had a second deposit of 300 dollars,  I did a double-take.  So now, I am left here to continue to look for a place to stay, praying my car will not need anything besides an oil change for a year, and that after all this, I will have some money saved up for my ultimate dream: TO GO TO GRADUATE SCHOOL!

I Want to do research such as understanding how to "GREEN" golf courses and potentially make some runner accessible so that it can serve many purposes. Not only that, but to make golf courses natural wildlife sanctuaries for birds and native grasses and so that they can showcase the beauty and nature of the particular region in an eco-friendly way.  Maybe I can own a park and do research at golf courses?  Either way I hope after everything I have been through, I still hope this dream I can afford.  I do not want to live my life regretting never going to graduate school.  I have to go!

I have to find a way to afford graduate school and to be able to make a career out of my studies.  That is my future.  THE CAR, A PLACE, GRADUATE SCHOOL?????  I do not know what I will become but I do know  I will bust my butt off in whatever I do!  Luckily, I have a great girlfriend that is here to help push me and  a father that has a heart of gold. I know if my mother was here today, instead of living  on her island up in Greece, she would be proud of me!

I feel Like I am Floating

Already Thursday and I have missed writing down two runs!


Today is Thursday and I have been a little crazy. I woke up early this morning at 7am to get a call about coming to pick up my car ASAP. So what did I do, I hopped into the truck and drove about 70 minutes to Okemah to meet Johnny and to switch the vehicles. Then all the craziness ensued.  As I am writing this I feel so tired that I will leave the suspense to you. I have done everything from getting Ashlee's tags for her car as well as pitching in for them, to going to work early to working my little fanny off in every single regard. Anyway, on tuesday I ran some hills for a total of 74 minutes and yesterday I ran for 76 minutes and 46 seconds all over Norman and ended up with a little more bronzing than I anticipated.  Now I am finally going to go for my evening thursday run while Ashlee is at a concert at OU--The Miranda Lambert concert.

Anyway, time to run as the heat of the day cools down! Whooo I am tired! This week has been living at a non-stop relentless pace where cutting my nails and taking showers have become something of the Stone-age.


Oh and to make matters worse, the car drove great until I made it back to Norman and realized that the engine temperature was redlining at very dangerous levels. I was able to park my car at Ashlee's house just in time before the car could blow-up on me.  I think my car needs some fluids since the mechanic drained all of them and never put any back in (really nice guy huh)!  So now  I am sitting on my computer getting ready to go run before hell freezes over on me.

There is just so much going on in my life that graduation does not even have time for me to get excited. I feel like I am the only OU college graduate that has way more important things in life than to enjoy my last moments as an Undergrad.  It really kinda sucks when you think about it. This semester has been a transition of me becoming a real adult with real adult issues and bills and responsibilities though I am still balancing acing my classes and let me tell you this is a little too much. For the first time in my life, I do not feel like a student but rather an adult that is going back to school to take classes. I feel old in other words.  I think I have just been way too stressed out lately to even think to myself. Life is pretty darn ridiculous right now but this whirlwind should and I stress SHOULD die down once I graduate and May turns into June!

A New Morning

On Monday I ran out towards 60th street and headed towards Cedar Lane by taking East Lindsey. The run was nice as the temperature was at 57 degrees but the wind was very crazy with the gusts all around at 30-45 mph but the run felt great. It is amazing how all my runs are just coming together.  My fitness is really coming around. I can go run the hills of Norman and instead of struggling the last 2 miles of the run, I can power through the hills and still come out as if I did not even run the hill to begin with.  The sun is beginning to tan up my skin as I notice running short tan lines emerging as well as some color on my face and back.  I am excited about my next upcoming races such as the OKC relay where I will be running the 12k leg and then its time to prep for the Race Up Mount Washington Road Race!  Time to enjoy the warm weather and use the sun to lift my spirits as school is in its last 6 weeks and then I am an official college graduate.

Total time of 81 minutes and 47 seconds!

It is getting Hot in Oklahoma!

Today I met with the OK runner crew and we ended up running a nice long run of around 17-18 miles. We met up at The Wesheimer Airport at OU and headed out all around Norman at around 8:30am.  Already the temperature was hovering around 72 degrees and it was only going to get hotter. The run took us from Robinson street all the way to the OU Law school building for a nice water break and then back through the neighborhoods all the way back to Westheimer.  The run felt great as we went out running at a decent clip before cutting down to 5:40 minute miles for the last 6 miles and the last mile we split 5:36 in the heat and the crazy gusts of like 45mph.  The run felt good and I feel like it is just the beginning of what running in the hot Oklahoma summers will be like!

After the run  I was pretty tired but then met up with Ashlee and we hit the town!  We even went to the Medieval Fair right in Norman's Reaves Park where there are knights jousting, lush turkey legs, and even an elephant.  The weather was super hot with the temperature in the 90's and the wind howling and blowing dust and grass onto our faces.  This week I think I will continue to build on my mileage and my overall fitness!

Run With WANN!

Saturday's run was great. Connor and myself met up and ran to the OU cross country course.  It was funny to see Connor crave water so much because of this creatine runner experiment he is participating in. We ran a couple loops in the course and the run was measured at a solid 69 minutes as we ran 10 miles all under 7 minute pace=a great recovery pace that gets some great work in.  The run felt relaxed and fun since I have not been able to hang out with Connor much because of our busy lives. It was so much fun though to catch up and to go on a running adventure.

Busy!

Thursday and Friday were busy days!

Thursday-- I had an Arboretum project story-board due and a ton of other homework.

Friday---I worked 12 hours in by far the busiest day I have seen it at Belmar Golf Club!

My runs consisted of hills a little one day and slight inclines the next.

I think Thursday I ran out towards Robinson street East and then made it to 72nd before turning back.  The run was about 78 minutes long and I tackled a good chunk of mileage. I think I probably ran around 12-13 miles which is right on cue for my weekly mileage.

Friday, I had to go into work at 11am so I ran in the morning and went for about 72 minutes and 11 miles out on Summit Lakes.  Then at work we had a Male member and +1 guest tournament where 52 teams of two teed off at 1:30pm. The moment  I arrived at work I constantly ran around for the 12 hours(meaning I was off of work at 11pm) either chasing after a cart, grabbing a cart, picking up balls on the driving range, running to grab some ice or something a member might need, pretty much everything.  So I would say  I ran about 5-6 miles on top of the 11 I ran earlier.  So for a grand total I probably ran 16 miles yesterday!  The golf course was hopping and my energy was great considering I ran earlier in the day!

I work today, Saturday at 2pm and I have a feeling it is going to be another BUSY day!  Everything is coming along for me right now and I am looking forward to training and racing well!