It's a really nice day outside today. I'm looking forward to racing again soon. I will do a 50K in December at Lake Lurleen in Alabama and then probably a 50 mile race sometime the first quarter of 2010.
There is no excuse not to be running right now. The weather has been great - perfect Jeep weather. The mornings are in the lower 60's. Even the afternoons haven't been too hot. I'm starting to crank up the training now. Jamie and I are going to Boise, Idaho in a little over a week and I cannot wait to run in the crisp, cool air up there!
Happy training!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Yesterday marked the return of college football in Starkville as Mississippi State dismantled Memphis 49-7. Clearly the score could have been much worse. Weather was great all day.
The weekend started Friday night as I traveled to Meridian to broadcast the Starkville High School (1-1) versus Meridian High School (2-0) football game. Meridian came into the game ranked #2 in class 6A in the state. Starkville competed hard all game; unfortunately they just could not make enough plans and dropped a tough 14-7 game.
Good friend Stacy Barr came back to Starkville with me from Meridian and we started Saturday morning off with an awesome 11 mile run through campus with a few miles of trails in the middle. Campus was sleepy when we began our jaunt but by the time we finished the signs of life began to stir around campus and the early tailgaters got the day started. We returned to my house and hung out with my wife, Jamie, and our kids. After a few pots of coffee we were ready to move on to the next round of the weekend . . . football!
Tailgate was outstanding. Great food and better company. Evening ended with a big Dawg victory. Really a blessed day from beginning to end. It didn't hurt that TSUN got beat 49-48 in 2OT by Jacksonville State.
Now the Perry family's second favorite team, Boise State, kicks off in 4 hours. Round 3!
The weekend started Friday night as I traveled to Meridian to broadcast the Starkville High School (1-1) versus Meridian High School (2-0) football game. Meridian came into the game ranked #2 in class 6A in the state. Starkville competed hard all game; unfortunately they just could not make enough plans and dropped a tough 14-7 game.
Good friend Stacy Barr came back to Starkville with me from Meridian and we started Saturday morning off with an awesome 11 mile run through campus with a few miles of trails in the middle. Campus was sleepy when we began our jaunt but by the time we finished the signs of life began to stir around campus and the early tailgaters got the day started. We returned to my house and hung out with my wife, Jamie, and our kids. After a few pots of coffee we were ready to move on to the next round of the weekend . . . football!
Tailgate was outstanding. Great food and better company. Evening ended with a big Dawg victory. Really a blessed day from beginning to end. It didn't hurt that TSUN got beat 49-48 in 2OT by Jacksonville State.
Now the Perry family's second favorite team, Boise State, kicks off in 4 hours. Round 3!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Wow, been a long time since I've posted anything. Feels just as long since I've run. It's past time I settle on a 2010 schedule and return to form. Coaching two baseball teams will make racing a challenge until at least July, but frankly as out of shape as I'm in that's probably not a bad thing.
I've had a couple of medium runs of 10-12 miles and felt fine but I am way off my 2008 and even 2009 form. So, time to kick it in gear and get things going.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Saturday was a fairly good day.
Started with a solid run. I ended up running with a group of runners that are super fast and included a former all SEC track star and professional runner and a couple of other former college cross country runners. And they ran fast. Very fast. We started out at a fairly pedestrian pace, but the pace quickened. At that point pride sorta kicks in and you force yourself (or at least I force myself) to stay with them. And I did. Surprisingly I felt pretty good. Almost like I was trying to prove to them I belonged up there.
Fortunately after running this pace for several miles my brain kicked in and I laid off. I ended up running the rest of the route by myself and still kept a pretty decent pace, just not the lightning fast pace that front group had. Got back to the Whites and visited with Mike for a little while but needed to leave early so I didn't stay long.
Considering I haven't run a lot in the last 6-8 weeks, I felt good about the run. Not a long run, but definitely had speed. It felt great to get out there and stretch my legs.
After running I got ready for the basketball game. All three boys said they wanted to go, but predictably front yard football took over and they decided to stay. I went alone and watched an absolute dismantling of St. Bonaventure 105-53. The Bonnies were leading the country in FG% coming into the game at over 55%. On this day they shot around 35%. This was the State team I expected to see this year. Good win.
The afternoon brought with it the SEC Championship game. I really thought Florida had enough to get the job done. Missing Dunlap turned out to be key. The defense was on the field way too long. Tebow never developed a rhythm. Hats off to Bama, they played really well. McElroy managed the game and Ingram showed why he is a Heisman contender. His performance likely at least earned him a trip to New York.
And the night had the Big 12 Championship game. Most people overlooked Nebraska, but Bo Pelini's defense was outstanding. If you like defense this game was outstanding. Both defenses rose to the challenge. It was a fun game to watch with a ton of hitting. The game also had the extra intrigue of if screwing the BCS up if Texas lost. There was still a chance that Florida would sneak back into the title game and play Bama in a rematch. Of course TCU and Cincinnati would also make strong arguments. As it turns out Texas won on a FG as time expired. Interestingly though, the officials had to review the last play and put 1 second back on the clock because time expired when Colt McCoy nonchalantly threw the ball out of bounds. They made the right call and there should've been 1 second, but here's the interesting part: I'm not sure that play is reviewable. I'm not sure the officials are allowed to review a play when the only thing they are looking at is time. Certainly if they reverse a play they can then look at the time to see what should be on the clock, but I don't think they can review and look ONLY at time. In any event, Texas won in unimpressive fashion.
As I said, yesterday was a fairly good day.
Started with a solid run. I ended up running with a group of runners that are super fast and included a former all SEC track star and professional runner and a couple of other former college cross country runners. And they ran fast. Very fast. We started out at a fairly pedestrian pace, but the pace quickened. At that point pride sorta kicks in and you force yourself (or at least I force myself) to stay with them. And I did. Surprisingly I felt pretty good. Almost like I was trying to prove to them I belonged up there.
Fortunately after running this pace for several miles my brain kicked in and I laid off. I ended up running the rest of the route by myself and still kept a pretty decent pace, just not the lightning fast pace that front group had. Got back to the Whites and visited with Mike for a little while but needed to leave early so I didn't stay long.
Considering I haven't run a lot in the last 6-8 weeks, I felt good about the run. Not a long run, but definitely had speed. It felt great to get out there and stretch my legs.
After running I got ready for the basketball game. All three boys said they wanted to go, but predictably front yard football took over and they decided to stay. I went alone and watched an absolute dismantling of St. Bonaventure 105-53. The Bonnies were leading the country in FG% coming into the game at over 55%. On this day they shot around 35%. This was the State team I expected to see this year. Good win.
The afternoon brought with it the SEC Championship game. I really thought Florida had enough to get the job done. Missing Dunlap turned out to be key. The defense was on the field way too long. Tebow never developed a rhythm. Hats off to Bama, they played really well. McElroy managed the game and Ingram showed why he is a Heisman contender. His performance likely at least earned him a trip to New York.
And the night had the Big 12 Championship game. Most people overlooked Nebraska, but Bo Pelini's defense was outstanding. If you like defense this game was outstanding. Both defenses rose to the challenge. It was a fun game to watch with a ton of hitting. The game also had the extra intrigue of if screwing the BCS up if Texas lost. There was still a chance that Florida would sneak back into the title game and play Bama in a rematch. Of course TCU and Cincinnati would also make strong arguments. As it turns out Texas won on a FG as time expired. Interestingly though, the officials had to review the last play and put 1 second back on the clock because time expired when Colt McCoy nonchalantly threw the ball out of bounds. They made the right call and there should've been 1 second, but here's the interesting part: I'm not sure that play is reviewable. I'm not sure the officials are allowed to review a play when the only thing they are looking at is time. Certainly if they reverse a play they can then look at the time to see what should be on the clock, but I don't think they can review and look ONLY at time. In any event, Texas won in unimpressive fashion.
As I said, yesterday was a fairly good day.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
2010 Race Plans
Time to start making the 2010 race plans.
I failed to sign up in time for Mountain Mist 50K - one of my favorite races - and it is now full. So, unfortunately that race is out. I really want to run Bel Monte outside Charlottesville, Virginia. Gill, Frannie, and Marty do a great job with races and I think it would be a lot of fun. Not to mention how gorgeous it is over there. I ran the sister race (Great Eastern Endurance Run - GEER) two Septembers ago. It was easily the hardest 50K I had ever done with something north of 10,000 feet of elevation gain alone. Bel Monte is at the end of March.
I would like to do the Carl Touchstone race again. I did the 50 mile race two years ago and the 50K last year. If I'm doing Bel Monte I will likely do the 50K, if I pass on Bel Monte then probably the 50 miler.
I still want to run a 100 miler and I am back looking at the Vermont 100. That would be my goal race for 2010. If Vermont is out, then I may be back to signing up for the Arkansas Traveller in November.
2009 was an up and down race year. I started out strong running Mt. Mist in January and the Carl Touchstone 50K the end of February. Unfortunately I never got completely motivated to train for the 100 miler and the rest of my race year fell off. So, time to gear up for 2010 - should be a fun, good race year.
I failed to sign up in time for Mountain Mist 50K - one of my favorite races - and it is now full. So, unfortunately that race is out. I really want to run Bel Monte outside Charlottesville, Virginia. Gill, Frannie, and Marty do a great job with races and I think it would be a lot of fun. Not to mention how gorgeous it is over there. I ran the sister race (Great Eastern Endurance Run - GEER) two Septembers ago. It was easily the hardest 50K I had ever done with something north of 10,000 feet of elevation gain alone. Bel Monte is at the end of March.
I would like to do the Carl Touchstone race again. I did the 50 mile race two years ago and the 50K last year. If I'm doing Bel Monte I will likely do the 50K, if I pass on Bel Monte then probably the 50 miler.
I still want to run a 100 miler and I am back looking at the Vermont 100. That would be my goal race for 2010. If Vermont is out, then I may be back to signing up for the Arkansas Traveller in November.
2009 was an up and down race year. I started out strong running Mt. Mist in January and the Carl Touchstone 50K the end of February. Unfortunately I never got completely motivated to train for the 100 miler and the rest of my race year fell off. So, time to gear up for 2010 - should be a fun, good race year.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Egg Bowl 2009
Wow. Not sure anyone saw that coming, or at least not in that way. But the bottom line is the Dawgs absolutely trucked the Rebs in the 2nd half. It was complete and total domination, every bit as dominating a half as the Rebels put on the Dawgs a year ago.
The offensive philosophy was fairly vanilla in the 2nd half, run it, run it, run it, run it, mix in a pass, run it, run it, mix in a pass, etc. And it flat worked. The energy was electric. The place was rockin' in the 3rd and 4th quarters, especially for an 11:21 a.m. game. Chris Relf played mistake free ball and ran the read option well. Boobie (Anthony Dixon) ran hard as usual. After having just 17 yards in the first half, he ended the game with 133, all but certainly locking up the Conerly Trophy.
And yes, if you think you saw me in the middle of the pile with Corey Broomfield after his 65 yard pick six, you did. I got destroyed. While I was congratulating Broom on the pick a solid 10+ guys jumped on. My sunglasses went flying, piece by piece. It was all I could do to stay upright. I tried gently reminding them that I'm not quite 5' 10" and oh by the way, I don't have pads on. But to be honest, it was worth it. It was an incredible moment.
The defense played well, limiting arguably the most exciting player in the league, Dexter McCluster. He had a couple of big plays, but he was never allowed to establish the 6, 7, 8 yards per carry that he had done the last several games.
So, for 365 days, the Dawgs are kings of the state.
Go Dawgs!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Long weekend. Jamie and I ended up going to Little Rock to the State game. Left town around 1:15 - of course the plan was to leave at noon. Got to The Peabody in Little Rock just short of 6:00 p.m. Team arrived shortly after us, so I visited with some of the players and coaches before heading to dinner.
We stayed at this same Peabody when the Dawgs played in the NCAA tournament here two years ago. The hotel itself is okay, but Little Rock has done a really nice job with its downtown. A little like a mini-Memphis downtown revitalization. There is a neat, hole-in-the wall restaurant called the Flying Fish. Had a bucket of PBR's and a fried oyster sandwich. After eating and drinking all of that we needed the stroll back to the hotel and to find the bed.
I got an early start Saturday with a 4-5 mile run. With soccer, I haven't run a lot lately. It was nice to run along the Arkansas River and through downtown Little Rock. Nice time to relax. After the run it was time to suit up and head over to War Memorial Stadium for an 11:21 a.m. kickoff (those odd times crack me up. 11:21. that "21" is funny to me). Dawgs showed some life early and then came out in the second half and went 95+ yards to get within a touchdown. Unfortunately mistakes and the lack of attention to detail cost us. That coupled with the fact that Ryan Mallette is really, really good. At the end of the day it was Arkansas 42, Mississippi State 21.
Time to load up and make the return drive to Starkville.
Sunday brought church and Total FC soccer in Tupelo. I thought we played well enough to win on Sunday, but we just couldn't get the shots to fall. We had at least 6 corner kicks and we usually score off a corner when we have that many, but not today. We left with a 4-4 tie. On a positive note, I drove and carried AJ (Jamaica), Desire' (Ivory Coast), Alco (Spain), and Tundy (Nigeria) with me. I felt like an ambassador to the United Nations. They are really good guys. A few of them will be here alone over Thanksgiving. Jamie and I are thinking about inviting them over to our house for Thanksgiving. I hate to think of them spending it alone.
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