DRAPER LAKE And the Working Weekend!

Thursday*Run To Draper Lake--60 mins and 8 or so miles--Ran with Connor and my Dad before he had to board a plane back to New Jersey. The morning was cool and crisp and was loads of fun to be out somewhere I have not been to in a long time and it was so peaceful and nice.  Draper Lake and Lake Thunderbird are running meccas in Oklahoma. These two parks are all you need in order to trail run here and can provide great training and mental gains.

Friday*Run out by Cedar Lane and Eagle Cliff Homes and ran on an old golf course---77 minutes and about 12.5 miles!


Saturday--New Year's Eve!!!!!---Run in the dark!  75mins 10 secs. The run felt like I was in a dream world since no one was out on the roads.  The wind was gusting maybe 50mph as the tree tops looked like they were going to break and the power-lines looked shaky too. Pretty scary experience but still a decent run!


Sunday---Off---R&R after working at Embassy Suites!


Monday---Nice long run out on Alameda! I ran over to 72nd street and then my favorite little new housing development that has a hilly tree-lined road that blocks the wind. It was majestic as I saw 5 bald eagles hovering over the skies! It was so amazing to really feel connected to nature like that. There are times when you run and you end up somewhere so peaceful and in-sync with the natural environment that you loose grasp of reality and this world of nature IS REALITY.  I get so mad when I see great natural land being overtaken by development. It just ruins my peace of mind. I was able to log about 83 minutes and 14-15 miles of running!

Tuesday--I ran in the morning before running errands with Ashlee. I headed out for an urban run out along Porter Ave out towards Moore, OK.  I ran to the nice neighborhoods off before Tecumseh and then headed back. I wore my amazing new HIND thermal bright yellow running top and my Zoot Running 3/4 tights and the run was nice. My foot hurts a little from the loose footing from yesterday and  I just need to rest up my ankle for my next push in training for the big racing season that begins for me Feb 4th!  HIND, by the way is an amazing company. They do not charge a lot for their products and the quality is superb.  I have a pair of running tights from Hind that have lasted me since 9th grade and they fit like a glove and have withstood the test of time and tough laundering!  If that does not express longevity I don't know what could. Anyway, check out Hind's new running gear that comes with 40 SPF in the material and their thermal ware is really light and warm!

Total run time was 72 minutes and 11.65 miles!

On Top of Old Rocky Top!

Nashville, Tennessee is quite a place. I have always enjoyed spending my Christmas holiday there to see my family and to run up and down some steep hills!  Percy Warner Park and Edwin Warner Park are running safe-havens.  You have over 30 miles of  long winding roads that traverse the Tennessee hills and great technical trails that make any runner break a sweat.  My father, Grandmother and my lovely girlfriend, Ashlee, all packed up our belongings and made the long trek to Springfield, MO to pick up my grandmother then off to Nashville.  I ran at both Springfield, MO twice and Nashville three times as each run out there helps to show that my mountain running skills are improving.

I have always used the steep inclines at Percy Warner Park as a gauge for my ascent fitness and overall fitness.  If I can survive a run at this park, I can run up any steep incline and perform. I ran through great woods and had the best Christmas ever. It was Ashlee's first Christmas with my family and it was a memorable one.  We ate and slept and ate and then played pool, then ate then napped then it was the next day and we did this again and again.

I ran the trails of Nashville well and discovered a new trail system in Springfield, Mo located off of the Galloway greenway bike path, which is a popular recreation spot for the locals. It was amazing!

I now have an awesome tent, a Petzl headlamp, some winter running tights and shirts, some super sweet gray gloves from a company called Koppen which is in-partnership with Dicks Sporting Goods, and of course Dion Snowshoes!

It was such a great time!

I was able to run anywhere from 65 mins to 1 hour and 40 mins and I was able to keep my mileage right where I want it!

Here are some photos taken from Google Images to highlight the places I got to see on my journey.  Compliments to the photographers of these images!

Springfield, Mo Galloway Greenway Trail

Percy Warner Park Grand Staircase 1k of sheer uphill FUN!

Running through Percy Warner Park!

As Good As It Gets AT Percy Warner Park!

Let The HOlidays BEGIN!!!!

Run out at Lake Thunderbird with the Daddy Oh!  Ran and the shoreline and just laughed the whole time. Elapsed time say 35-40 mins and mileage...not much but enough.

I am feeling a little run-down so today was a nice recovery day to try and rest and pump up my immune system so I can run really hard at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, TN.

Tomorrow, Thursday, I am looking to run 2 hours and some rolling terrain and then work and then the 5 hour drive to pick up the grandmother in Springfield, MO!

Thursday's Run I was caked in mud as I slogged through the muck and ended up on Cedar Lane and was able to run about 85 minutes and about 15 miles!  A nice run and though I feel congested, I am strong and able to run well!

Photo From Taste of Home.com

Christmas Mayhem!!!!

I worked a nice shift at the golf club today. I ran a nice run in 50 degree weather up through Main Street in downtown Norman all the way up the I-35 corridor.  I really wanted to deposit my pay checks and bonus checks but constant traffic flow at Bank of America really got on my nerves so I just ran back home and got in a nice 1 hour and 28 minutes and about 14 miles! It may be more since once I saw the line at the bank, I began to pick it up quite a bit.

Yesterday was an off day for me as I went Christmas shopping with my girlfriend, Ashlee for 6 hours!  We went to the local mall in Norman and boy was everything packed with people! If anyone knows Ashlee, she hates globs of people and this mall was pushing not only her buttons but my own too!  After walking for what seemed like a marathon, we relaxed at home with many presents in hand which was awesome and tomorrow we get to see Ashlee's family for Christmas and then my father comes into town and we begin our trip to Nashville, TN where the parks there are awesome and I am going to have some great running this holiday there!


Sunday---74 mins and 35 seconds. RUn to 48th and Cedar Lane
Monday---80 mins and 36 seconds...Run in the pounding rain off on 36th and Tecumseh

I am in With Acidotic!!!!!!!!

I have been accepted as a member of Acidotic Racing, an elite group of individuals that pride themselves at competing in some of the hardest forms of outdoor exercise.  Some of the sports are snowshoe, mountain biking, trail running, mountain running, adventure racing, triathlons, iron-mans and many more. It is a great pleasure to be apart of this team and I am so excited to compete and represent Team Acidotic! Thank you Chris for the approval and I say "Thank you team members and lets have ourselves a great year of racing in 2012!"

To Celebrate, I am going to embark on a nice 2 hour run since yesterday I was able to only run 30 minutes before I worked both of my jobs for 14 hours. So, with a day off, it is time to run free!  I went on a nice long run and was able to log 2 hours and 15 mins.  I ran out towards Route 9 and just kept going up and down.  Oklahoma weather can change in an instant as just in those 2 hours, the weather went from the 40's to high 50's and sunshine back to the low 30's and scary dark storm clouds overhead.  The craziness never ceases to amaze me.

Not to mention my cat sheered my MacBook Charger so my laptop may be out of commission for awhile before Christmas but hey, I guess that gives me an excuse to check my emails at work right?

I Got Into SUNY Cortland!!!!!!

I went for a run in the rain  67 minutes to the Bank of America so I could do some christmas shopping. When I arrived back from the run,  I decided to check my mail box and to my surprise, there was a letter stating that I had been accepted into the Graduate Program for Park Management!!!!  I was in shock!  Just like when I received my letter of acceptance to OU 5 years ago, I was so ecstatic and I thank everyone that has helped me in my journey leading up to this moment!

Here are some sights and sounds of Cortland NY...courtesy of the SUNY Cortland website



Monday---Run with best bud Connor!  We talked an ran around the OU campus for about an hour perhaps closer to 70 minutes or 10 miles!  Connor is looking into Medical School at man y of the Ivy Leagues and it was fun to talk about the potential future.  Life is very miraculous how it all works out.  Patience is the key and persistence is a must!

Tuesday---Long run of 82/13.5-14 miles minutes out on Cedar Lane and then 36th SE out towards Noble, Ok. The weather here in Norman is cloudy with damp misty rain. I began the run with my rain-jacket but soon took it off as the temperatures began to rise into the 50's. The golf course at the Links of Norman is coming along as a course and it was interesting to see a long man playing the course as I was running by him! It was a nice easy run where I just went at my usual pace.  After finding out that I have been accepted into a great graduate program, I feel very proud to know that all of my hard work and persistence has paid off!

Racing List for Backwoods!!!!!

This week I was able to log 87 miles of work and my average was 12.4 miles a day!  I am feeling very strong and I am getting myself into that shape that wins titles!  I have to say that this cold weather really allows for me to run longer and faster than ever before!

Now that my racing is taking a break, it is now time to plan my next races for the winter and spring of 2012.  With Backwoods as one of my sponsors, I would like to provide them a rough sketch of races I would like to run!



January 28, 2012--Sooner State Trail Series Draper Lake 14 mile trail run!  Looking to run a fast time and to set a record for the 14 mile distance! First race of the New Year ready to begin the season right and to prepare for the White Rock Classic.


February 4th, 2012---White Rock Classic---White Rock Mountain near Mountainburg Arkansas.  50k distance with large amounts of elevation gain about 3,500 ft of elevation gain and 1900 descent! Tough trail race where I would look to break the record of 3:58:27 set by Stan Ferguson in 2000.  I would be shooting for a 3:30:00 time or faster which is under 7 mins a mile.  A 3:30:00 performance would be a record that would stand for many years to come!

March 10, 2012--Sooner Spring Tune-up 10k--Looking to be 3-time defending champion at the race.  Also looking to run a time under 31 minutes if conditions are reasonable.


I may run some other local road/trail races in the area as my work schedule dictates.

Will be looking to peak for A2A Arbuckles to Ardmore Marathon/Half Marathon--Sunday, April 1, 2012.  I will be running either the half or marathon but will probably run the half in preparation for the OKC marathon at the end of the month.

April 29,2012---OKC marathon...I will be looking to run a sub 2:30 time and also to win the race in my first attempt at a competitive marathon.

Directions....

Long run of 82 minutes out on 36th street out towards Noble Oklahoma. More hills as always and the cool north breeze sure makes a boy work hard while running uphill.  Tons of mud from the rain yesterday and so I must clean my shoes big-time.  Now to the story:


When I am running, I am compelled by the idea of directions. I run out in a direction and usually come back a slightly different path then the one I initially went out in.  Running is all about direction. It is about finding direction in your life and just going for it.  Running is the purest form of release as you indulge your senses in that of the outside natural world.  As athletes, us runners pick races that will challenge our direction and give us new course.  We succeed and we try harder challenges, we fail, and then we are faced with working on finding the right methods to succeed.  That is what life is all about.... Finding direction and then steering its course.  We change our direction all the time just like mid-run but somehow find ourselves back to where we belong, home!

Wednesday---80 minute run on Lindsey out towards 60th ave. I ran up the hills to a small interior wooded development and ran a few loops up and down there before making the nice trek back home!  You gotta love the nice cool days as today warmed up to 45 degrees but the wind always makes it 5-10 degrees cooler.  The holiday spirit has gotten ahold of me as I am sooo ready for Christmas shopping and I am excited to see what I can end up getting for all my loved ones this year!

Monday---Run in 34/22 degree temps in Windy Oklahoma!  Ran to the bank and then out on Sutton Wilderness trails.  It was cold and windy and lucky for my sub-zero Pearl Izumi tights, I would have been toast in this weather without them!  Just a nice easy run of 71 minutes just to waken up my legs for another week. I am excited for the holidays and each year I get older, the holidays really begin to mean more and more to me.


Tuesday---It is cold yet again more of the same 20's feel outside.  And that wind eats up your soul.  I ran to Sutton again today but ran numerous loops through the trails here.  Then I ran by a Walden Dry cleaners and maybe might try to pick up some hours there.  They are looking to hire and the place is only a mile if that maybe half a mile from our house. I could run there and save tons of gas money.  The run went by really fast as I finished a nice 76 minute run knowing I had gone on an adventure as small snow flakes fill the air!

Wednesday---Nice run out along East Lindsey as I made many loops through the neighborhoods and I was able to run 82 minutes of effort!


Thursday---Nice run with Scott out at Lake Thunderbird. We ran the shoreline for a long while and it was awesome!  Felt great and the run brought about the idea to try and run the entire coast of Lake Thunderbird or at least as much as we possibly can!  80 mins in the books and it was a great morning as we only saw 1 car the whole entire run!

Friday---I ordered a fleece Dion Snowshoe hat and was pleasantly surprised with two of them and some decals!  What a great treat!  Ashlee is at work until 7 so I better make that apartment look sparkling clean for her so she thinks I am a handyman!  Let me tell you, women love a man who is handy with housework!  76 minutes and 41 seconds of a run over by Grant and Shay's house in the country!  Ran up and down the hills like a true professional. Kilian Jornet would have been very scared to see the way I was effortlessly flying up the inclines!  Cold-ish kind of run but I love it when it is cold! I also kicked a beer can out of the road into a knocked-over trash can...I call it my civil duties!


Saturday----Nice easy long run of 81 minutes and 36 seconds.  I was flying along out by the Westwood Golf Course and then I trekked back along the neighborhoods of Norman back home to East Norman.  Just a simple maintenance run where I was not killing myself too much and just ran and went a little sight-seeing. There was a lot of traffic in town today as people are going Christmas shopping!  I am planning on doing the same today! I love the holiday season!

Running IsFun!

After a long day of work with both jobs, I decided to run for 45 minutes out in the dark of the night by Summit Lakes. The run was cold as wearing running shorts was not the smartest idea as I literally froze my ya know....

Tonight's run was a nice maintenance run to keep my form as I begin another strong week of training.

With about 90 miles for this week, I feel confident about my mileage as I look to keep my mileage near 84-90 a week!

Oklahoma is starting to get chilly as a nasty cold front is coming our way and potentially SNOW! That is right...SNOW!

Reunited With Scott Downard--1 Hour 40 minute Hill Run and Doughnuts!!

On a cold morning in Oklahoma...30's  I was reunited with my buddy Scott Downard.  He is the OK Runner Team captain and has helped me along the way with my running career. It was great to see him after a month-long hiatus.  He has been in Stillwater with his girlfriend, Jenny who is a PHD student there.  We began the run out on Alameda and ran towards Rock Creek and Tecumseh.  We then headed out all along the hills of Norman catching up on our what has been happening in our busy lives and of course we began the running talk about races, the future and food.  When I run with Scott, I feel like my pace is fast yet it is so easy to just float along effortlessly.  After we had completed a 16 mile adventure, we decided to grab some doughnuts which are always a must.  We talked more about running stores and our jobs and then had to split up and go to our respective jobs.
It was a great run and my strength is really coming along.  My arms feel like they can pull me along as I tire and I cannot wait to race.  I am going to do some research into trail races around the area maybe in Texas that I can run and hopefully be successful in.  

Friday---Run to Bank and Sun Loan office to drop off checks and cash.  65 minute run in the finally nice cool weather. 30's feel sooo nice since our constant streak of 100's this summer! I feel like I can run forever!