Books read in 2014

Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead do Tell Tales, William Bass & Jon Jefferson
The Big Roads, Earl Swift
Never Suck A Dead Man's Hand: Curious Adventures of a CSI, Dana Kollmann 
Confessions of a Surgeon, Paul A. Ruggieri M.D.
Lincoln's Grace Robbers, Steve Sheinkin
Why Your Prescription Takes So Damn Long to Fill, Drugmonkey
Beyond the Body Farm, Dr. Bill Bass & Jon Jefferson
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession, Mark Obmascik
True Hollywood Noir: Filmland Mysteries and Murders, Dina Di Mambro
Island of Vice: Theodor Roosevelt's Quest to Clean Up Sin-Loving New York, Richard Zacks   
Mortal Evidence: The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases, Cyril H. Wecht
Amelia, Nancy Nahra
Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures, Robert K. Wittman & John Shiffman 
The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
Hot Lights, Cold Steel, Michale J. Collins, M.D.
Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs, Michael J. Collins M.D. 
Dark Dreams: A Legendary FBI Profiler Examines Homicide and the Criminal Mind, Roy Hazelwood & Stephen G. Michaud 
Swim, Bike, Run: Our Triathlon Story, Alistair Brownlee & Jonathan Brownlee
The Stranger Beside Me, Ann Rule
Beauty, Disrupted: The Carre Otis Story, Carre Otis & Hugo Schwyzer
House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder and Survival, Deborah Ball
Trama: My Life as an Emergency Surgeon, Dr. James Cole
Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies, J.B. West
Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain

Currently Reading: Back of the House: The Secret Life of a Restaurant, Scott Haas

2014 Boston Marathon

Getty Images/Timothy A. Clary

The 2014 Boston Marathon took place Monday. The marathon started in Hopkinton and ended in Boston. And in the end, two Americans hoisted trophies.

For the first time since 1983, an American male won the Boston Marathon. Meb Keflezighi, just a few days shy of his 39th birthday, ran away from the pack and held on to win in 2:08.37. Keflezighi's time is the second fastest time ever run by an American in the marathon.

Keflezighi and American Josphat Boit, broke away from the pack midway through the marathon. Around mile 17, Keflezighi's established a minute lead over the pack. Second place finisher, Wilson Chebet of Kenya, kept the race interesting in the closing miles. Chebet was behind Keflezighi by 15 seconds. He was able to cut the lead to only eight seconds. In the end, Chebet finished the race 11 seconds behind Keflezighi in 2:08:48.

Boston Globe/John Tlumacki

Other American finishers: Nicholas Arciniaga was 7th in 2:11:47; Jeffrey Eggleston was 8th in 2:11:57; Josphat Boit finished 11th (2:12:52); Mike Morgan (13th - 2:14:40); Ryan Hall (20th - 2:17:50); awesome ultra runner Michael Wardian (44th - 2:23:32) and Jason Hartmann (53rd - 2:25:41).

In the women's race, American Shalane Flanagan took the pace out fast. Flanagan lead the race through the 20 mile mark. On the hills, Flanagan lost her lead and ended up finishing 7th in 2:22:02. With that finish, Flanagan ran a PB (personal best). Flanagan said after the race, "I could say right now, I will be back here until I win it."

Rita Jeptoo of Kenya defended her Boston Marathon title in a course record of 2:18:57. This is the third time Jeptoo has won the Boston Marathon. Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia finished second in 2:19:59. American Desiree Linden finished 10th in 2:23:54 and Adriana Nelson was 15th in 2:31:15.

Associated Press/Mary Schwalm

American Tatyanna McFadden won her second straight Boston Marathon women's wheelchair race on her 25th birthday. McFadden's winning time was 1:35:06. She beat her time last year by almost 10 minutes. 

McFadden has been the winner of the biggest races in 2013. She won London, Boston, Chicago and New York. Earlier this year, McFadden won a silver medal in the 1-kilometer sprint at the Paralympic Games in Sochi and just last week defended her London Marathon title. Finishing behind McFadden was Japan's Wakako Tscuchida in 1:37:24.

South Africa's Ernst Van Dyk won his 10th push rim wheelchair race at the Boston Marathon. Van Dyk lead from the start. He crossed the finish line in 1:20:36.

Bunny Hop 5K

I ran the Bunny Hop 5K Saturday. It was a sunny, but cool morning. This was a brand new race. I heard on Friday that the course was just set about a week prior. That worried me. I really thought the course was just going to loop the property a couple of times.

I ran just a small section of the course before the start of the race. Since I didn't know the course, I didn't want to be so far away from the starting line for the gun went off. I stopped and turned around when the course turned into a section of trees. What was waiting around that curve was one of many hills on the course. I found out as the race went along, there was a mix of grass, dirt, hills and trails.

When the race started, I found myself behind five guys. Around the half mile mark, I was able to catch one of the guys. I was pulling closer to the fourth guy, but I wasn't able to bridge the gap between us. Once passing the second mile mark, he was still a straightaway ahead of me. Even though I could see him while running, I ran the entire race by myself. I was only able to see the leader when they were running the trails through winding sections in the woods. Even though I could see them, I really had no idea how far ahead of me they were.

I crossed the first mile in 8:30 something and the second mile in 18:40 something. I was doing well. What slowed me down were the two big hills over the last mile. The trail going up the hill had sand covering them. Not really good material to run on. But I thought I was getting up the hills pretty well. The second hill was pretty steep. It did take a bit out of me. Once I got up and over the hill, I picked up my pace over the flat parts of the course. I knew that there were no more hills to climb and that I needed to hurry.

I finished the race in 29:18. I was fifth overall and the overall women's winner. I was happy with my effort on the trail course. I wasn't expecting the course to be like this. It was better then what I thought it was going to be. No boring loops around the property. The course was fun and had a mix of good surfaces to run on.

I couldn't stay for the awards because of a prior commitment, so I told the race director I had to go. As we walked to pick up my award, she asked if I liked the course. I said I did. I told her that I hope this race is held again next year. She said it would and to tell all my runner friends. This race was really fun and challenging.

Books read in 2014

Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead do Tell Tales, William Bass & Jon Jefferson
The Big Roads, Earl Swift
Never Suck A Dead Man's Hand: Curious Adventures of a CSI, Dana Kollmann 
Confessions of a Surgeon, Paul A. Ruggieri M.D.
Lincoln's Grace Robbers, Steve Sheinkin
Why Your Prescription Takes So Damn Long to Fill, Drugmonkey
Beyond the Body Farm, Dr. Bill Bass & Jon Jefferson
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession, Mark Obmascik
True Hollywood Noir: Filmland Mysteries and Murders, Dina Di Mambro
Island of Vice: Theodor Roosevelt's Quest to Clean Up Sin-Loving New York, Richard Zacks   
Mortal Evidence: The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases, Cyril H. Wecht
Amelia, Nancy Nahra
Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures, Robert K. Wittman & John Shiffman 
The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
Hot Lights, Cold Steel, Michale J. Collins, M.D.
Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs, Michael J. Collins M.D. 
Dark Dreams: A Legendary FBI Profiler Examines Homicide and the Criminal Mind, Roy Hazelwood & Stephen G. Michaud 
Swim, Bike, Run: Our Triathlon Story, Alistair Brownlee & Jonathan Brownlee
The Stranger Beside Me, Ann Rule
Beauty, Disrupted: The Carre Otis Story, Carre Otis & Hugo Schwyzer
House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder and Survival, Deborah Ball
Trama: My Life as an Emergency Surgeon, Dr. James Cole
Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies, J.B. West

Currently Reading: Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain

WNBA Draft

Getty Images/Jennifer Pottheiser

The WNBA Draft took place Monday on ESPN in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The Connecticut Sun had the first draft pick of the evening and they picked Chiney Ogwumike from Stanford. Chiney and her sister Nneka Ogwumike, drafted #1 in 2012, are one of two set of siblings to be drafted #1 in any sport. The other pair of siblings are Peyton and Eli Manning. Both were #1 picks in the NFL in 1998 and 2004. The second pick of the WNBA draft went to the Tulsa Shock, they selected Baylor's Odyssey Sims. Kayla McBride from Notre Dame was selected by San Antonio Stars as the third overall pick.

Besides the top three picks, some of my other favorite college players were selected: UConn's Stefanie Dolson was picked sixth by the Washington Mystics. Duke's Chelsea Gray and Trica Liston went 11th and 12th. Gray was selected by the Connecticut Sun and Liston is heading to Minnesota Lynx, the 2013 WNBA Champions. In Round 2, two players from the Big Ten were drafted: Jordan Hooper of Nebraska was selected by the Tulsa Shock and Penn State's Maggie Lucas is heading to the Phoenix Mercury.

The WNBA season tips-off on May 16 with a few games on the schedule: Minnesota Lynx vs Washington Mystics; New York Liberty vs Connecticut Sun; San Antonio Stars vs Atlanta Dream; Indiana Fever vs Chicago Sky and Los Angeles Sparks vs Seattle Storm.

Below are all three rounds of the WNBA 2014 Draft.

Illinois State Capitol IV - Springfield, IL

Men's Gymnastics

mgoblue.com

The Michigan Wolverines men's gymnastics team won another national championship Friday at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They won back-to-back titles and its sixth NCAA title. The Wolverines finished with 445.050 points to win and Michigan's Sam Mikulak won a second consecutive all-around title with 91.10 points.

Finishing behind Michigan in second place was Oklahoma with 441.650, third was Stanford with 436.300 points, Illinois was fourth with 435.350 and Ohio State finished fifth with 433.500 points.

mgoblue.com

On Saturday, Michigan ended with many All-Americans in the NCAA Individual Event Finals in Ann Arbor. All-Around champion Sam Mikulak was crowned the parallel bar champion with a 15.875 score. Syque Caesar placed third on the parallel bars with a 15.325. Caesar placed fifth on the high bar with a 14.975.

On floor, Mikulak finished fourth with 15.125. Stacey Ervin ended 15th with a score of 15.100. On the vault, Tristian Perez-Rivera earned a 14.900 for seventh place and Mikulak placed behind Perez-Rivera in eighth with a 14.800.

National Champions

Associated Press/John Bazemore

The Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team defeated Notre Dame Fighting Irish 79-58 Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee to win the NCAA Division I National Championship. The Huskies capped off a perfect season with a record of 40-0. Also with the win, UConn coach Geno Auriemma won a ninth n
ational championship. In national championship games, Auriemma is 9-0.

Leading the way for the Huskies was  Breanna Stewart with 21 points. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis followed with 18 points and Stefanie Dolson has 17 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists.

Dad

John Wayne Clark
April 10, 1942 - August 15, 1998

Today is your 72nd birthday. Wish you were still here to celebrate with you.

I miss you and love you.
Happy birthday Dad.

Books read in 2014

Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead do Tell Tales, William Bass & Jon Jefferson
The Big Roads, Earl Swift
Never Suck A Dead Man's Hand: Curious Adventures of a CSI, Dana Kollmann 
Confessions of a Surgeon, Paul A. Ruggieri M.D.
Lincoln's Grace Robbers, Steve Sheinkin
Why Your Prescription Takes So Damn Long to Fill, Drugmonkey
Beyond the Body Farm, Dr. Bill Bass & Jon Jefferson
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession, Mark Obmascik
True Hollywood Noir: Filmland Mysteries and Murders, Dina Di Mambro
Island of Vice: Theodor Roosevelt's Quest to Clean Up Sin-Loving New York, Richard Zacks   
Mortal Evidence: The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases, Cyril H. Wecht
Amelia, Nancy Nahra
Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures, Robert K. Wittman & John Shiffman 
The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
Hot Lights, Cold Steel, Michale J. Collins, M.D.
Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs, Michael J. Collins M.D. 
Dark Dreams: A Legendary FBI Profiler Examines Homicide and the Criminal Mind, Roy Hazelwood & Stephen G. Michaud 
Swim, Bike, Run: Our Triathlon Story, Alistair Brownlee & Jonathan Brownlee
The Stranger Beside Me, Ann Rule
Beauty, Disrupted: The Carre Otis Story, Carre Otis & Hugo Schwyzer
House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder and Survival, Deborah Ball
Trama: My Life as an Emergency Surgeon, Dr. James Cole

Currently Reading: Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies, J.B. West

Then there were two: Part 2

fansided.com

It is the game that most women's basketball fans wanted to see. No. 1 vs No. 2. Tonight, that game will happen in Nashville.

For the first time ever, two unbeaten's, No. 1 Connecticut (39-0) vs No. 1 Notre Dame (37-0) will play each other in the National Championship game at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Associated Press/John Bazemore

These two programs have been the best all season. To reach the championship game, Notre Dame downed Maryland 87-61 and
Connecticut defeated Stanford 75-56.

I like both of these two teams, but I like Connecticut more. I want to see Connecticut reach 40-0 and win their ninth championship.

Then there were two: Part 1

USA Today/Matthew Emmons

Associated Press

It all comes down to this. Two teams are left and the winner will be crowned tonight.

After the tournament started weeks ago, two teams are left standing: Connecticut Huskies and Kentucky Wildcats. To reach the men's basketball finals, Connecticut and Kentucky played Final Four games on Saturday. No. 7 seed Connecticut downed overall No. 1 seed Florida 63-53. In the second game of the evening, No. 8. Kentucky beat No. 2 Wisconsin. Kentucky beat Wisconsin with a 3-pointer from Aaron Harrison with 5.7 seconds to play. Harrison was also the one to make the game winning shot against Michigan in the Elite Eight.

Kentucky and Connecticut will meet tonight at 9:10 p.m. ET to decide who the National Champions are. The game will be broadcast on CBS from AT&T Stadium in Arli
ngton, Texas.

Books read in 2014

Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead do Tell Tales, William Bass & Jon Jefferson
The Big Roads, Earl Swift
Never Suck A Dead Man's Hand: Curious Adventures of a CSI, Dana Kollmann 
Confessions of a Surgeon, Paul A. Ruggieri M.D.
Lincoln's Grace Robbers, Steve Sheinkin
Why Your Prescription Takes So Damn Long to Fill, Drugmonkey
Beyond the Body Farm, Dr. Bill Bass & Jon Jefferson
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession, Mark Obmascik
True Hollywood Noir: Filmland Mysteries and Murders, Dina Di Mambro
Island of Vice: Theodor Roosevelt's Quest to Clean Up Sin-Loving New York, Richard Zacks   
Mortal Evidence: The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases, Cyril H. Wecht
Amelia, Nancy Nahra
Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures, Robert K. Wittman & John Shiffman 
The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
Hot Lights, Cold Steel, Michale J. Collins, M.D.
Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs, Michael J. Collins M.D. 
Dark Dreams: A Legendary FBI Profiler Examines Homicide and the Criminal Mind, Roy Hazelwood & Stephen G. Michaud 
Swim, Bike, Run: Our Triathlon Story, Alistair Brownlee & Jonathan Brownlee
The Stranger Beside Me, Ann Rule
Beauty, Disrupted: The Carre Otis Story, Carre Otis & Hugo Schwyzer
House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder and Survival, Deborah Ball
 
Currently Reading: Trama: My Life as an Emergency Surgeon, Dr. James Cole

Women's final four

USA Today/Bruce Thorson

The women's final four will take place on Sunday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The teams left in the tournament are Connecticut, Maryland, Notre Dame and Stanford.

Notre Dame will play Maryland Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST. Connecticut faces Stanford at 9 p.m. Both games will be broadcasted on ESPN. The National Championship game will be played next Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.

I would like to see Connecticut and Notre Dame play for the National Championship. As which team I want to win is Connecticut. I really like Coach Geno Auriemma. His team has had many injuries this season and has a limited bench. With that limited bench and the combination of the starting five: Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, Bria Hartley, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Stefanie Dolson, they were able to stay undefeated. Everything they do on the court, is for the team.

NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four

mgoblue.com

I was really hoping that three Big Ten teams would make the trip to North Texas. After the weekend, only one Big Ten team will make the trip: Wisconsin. I would like to see a Big Ten team win it all. So good luck to the Badgers.

This past Saturday, Wisconsin defeated No. 1 seed Arizona 64-63. On Sunday, Michigan State lost to Connecticut 60-54 and Michigan lost to Kentucky 75-72. Two close games. Michigan was denied going back to the Final Four when Kentucky's Aaron Harrison made a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left in the game.

The NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four will take place at the AT&T Stadium in North Texas Saturday. Overall No. 1 seed Florida will take on Connecticut at 6:09 p.m. EST and Wisconsin will play Kentucky at 8:49 p.m
.

Books read in 2014

Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead do Tell Tales, William Bass & Jon Jefferson
The Big Roads, Earl Swift
Never Suck A Dead Man's Hand: Curious Adventures of a CSI, Dana Kollmann 
Confessions of a Surgeon, Paul A. Ruggieri M.D.
Lincoln's Grace Robbers, Steve Sheinkin
Why Your Prescription Takes So Damn Long to Fill, Drugmonkey
Beyond the Body Farm, Dr. Bill Bass & Jon Jefferson
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession, Mark Obmascik
True Hollywood Noir: Filmland Mysteries and Murders, Dina Di Mambro
Island of Vice: Theodor Roosevelt's Quest to Clean Up Sin-Loving New York, Richard Zacks   
Mortal Evidence: The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases, Cyril H. Wecht
Amelia, Nancy Nahra
Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures, Robert K. Wittman & John Shiffman 
The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
Hot Lights, Cold Steel, Michale J. Collins, M.D.
Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs, Michael J. Collins M.D. 
Dark Dreams: A Legendary FBI Profiler Examines Homicide and the Criminal Mind, Roy Hazelwood & Stephen G. Michaud 
Swim, Bike, Run: Our Triathlon Story, Alistair Brownlee & Jonathan Brownlee
The Stranger Beside Me, Ann Rule
Beauty, Disrupted: The Carre Otis Story, Carre Otis & Hugo Schwyzer

Currently Reading: House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder and Survival, Deborah Ball