The Sun Devils came into the 2007 season with moderately high expectations. Rudy Carpenter was going into his third season under center and a new head coach, Dennis Erickson, had taken over the reins from the fired Dirk Koetter.

After opening up the season 3-0 against San Jose State, Colorado and San Diego State, ASU started Pac-10 conference play at home, hosting the Oregon State Beavers on September 22.

Things did not go well in the first quarter, as Arizona State gave up a safety, two touchdowns and a field goal. With one quarter in the books, the Sun Devils were down 19-0. The offense wasn't moving the ball, and the defense couldn't catch its breath.

Once the second quarter began, everything changed. Carpenter teamed up with Michael Jones and Ryan Torain to mow down the Beavers defense, throwing each ASU star two touchdowns and finishing with 361 passing yards on the game.

Jones collected 143 receiving yards, while Torain romped for 91 yards and a rushing touchdown. The real story for the Sun Devils, however, was the defense.

Troy Nolan and Robert James both intercepted two Sean Canfield passes, while Justin Tryon snagged an interception as well. In total, ASU forced six turnovers and made life a living hell for Canfield over the last three quarters of the game.

Here's a highlight video from YouTube. The craziest play in this clip has to be at the 1:09 mark, when Carpenter drops back, gets stripped, picks the ball up off the ground, rolls out to his right... and well, you should just watch the rest.

Caution: this video has loud music, so turn down your speakers before clicking play.

See the previous entries on House of Sparky's 100 day countdown here.

Yesterday, we took a look at the 2008 Arizona State softball team, who took home ASU's first softball national title.

Now, we look back one year ago at the 2011 ASU squad, who ran roughshod all over their competition en route to a 60-6 overall record.

Freshman pitcher Dallas Escobedo was phenomenal from the onset of the year, collecting a 35-3 record with a tiny 1.51 ERA. Escobedo struggled with her control at times during her first season as a Devil, but played with poise and confidence when it mattered most.

The Sun Devils entered postseason play as the #1 overall seed with a 50-6 record. They lived up to the lofty expectations, going 10-0 in the 2011 NCAA Softball Division I Championship, culminating in a 7-2 victory over the Florida Gators to take home ASU's second national title in four years.

First-Team All-American junior Katelyn Boyd led the team with a .429 batting average while Annie Lockwood slugged 19 home runs over the course of the season. First baseman Mandy Urfer was a key contributor on both national championship teams, finishing and ending her ASU career on top of the mountain.

The 2011 ASU softball team was also one of the first Sun Devil teams to be represented with the new pitchfork logo on national television broadcasts. It was a sign of great things to come for the future of Arizona State athletics. Can the 2012 softball team build on the momentum against Louisiana?

The Lousiana Ragin' Cajuns are off to a strong start tonight, hitting two home runs in the top of the fourth to take a 2-0 lead over the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Tempe Super Regional.

We've had some funny moments despite the score on the board. Fortunately, our friends in the SB Nation news room have hooked us up with some animated GIFs to share with those of you who are unable to watch the game.

First of all, we have the umpire, who has been gyrating all game long. This GIF is just par for the course.

Now, we have a pickle in the top of the third inning. Haley Steele applied a tag and a whole lot more to end the Ragin' Cajun's half of the frame.

Join us in the ASU softball game thread, won't you? Oh, and like us on Facebook, because we like you.

ASU softball looks to take the next step in defending their national title against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in Tempe. The game can be watched on ESPN2 or online at WatchESPN starting at 7:00 PM Pacific time.

The X-factor for the Sun Devils is Dallas Escobedo. Will she rise to the challenge like she did last postseason?

Here are a few quick links in case you wanted to read a little more about these teams. If not, get in the comments section and cheer on your Devils!

NCAA Softball Tournament 2012: ASU Vs. Louisiana Super Regional Scouting Report
The Ragin' Cajuns are a potent team both on the mound and with the bat. Let's breakdown the threat they pose.

NCAA Softball Tournament History: ASU, 2008 National Champions - House Of Sparky
Four years ago, the Arizona State Sun Devils softball team won their first NCAA softball championship.

NCAA Softball Super Regional: Louisiana vs. Arizona State, Q&A With UL Sports Information Assistant - House Of Sparky
We spent some time with Cory Weigel, Sports Information Assistant at the University of Louisiana and sportswriting tour de force for the Ragin' Cajuns athletic department.

Follow us on Twitter @houseofsparky and Like House of Sparky on Facebook.

Former Sun Devil Brock Osweiler is in a great situation as the backup quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Osweiler has the opportunity to grow in a protected environment, safe from a riotous fanbase that called for Tim Tebow to play last season. With Peyton Manning under center, no one will be pining for the rookie to play, and that's good for Brock.

Osweiler talked to Indianapolis Colts TE Dwayne Allen this past Saturday, discussing his thoughts on draft day and what he's going to do while being slotted behind Manning on the depth chart. Look out, Denver: he's coming for your pens and paper. The man's got to take notes.

Before we take a closer look at our beloved mascot, Sparky, we must look back in time. Long ago, in 1885, Tempe Normal School was founded as a teacher's college for the territory of Arizona.

The school became involved in athletics in 1891, when baseball was the first organized sport recognized by Tempe Normal. Football soon followed in 1896, with women's basketball deriving its roots from 1899.

During the first few years, the teams that represented the school were referred to as the Normals. By the late 1800s, the school changed its mascot to the Owls (NOTE: There is some disagreement amongst online sources as to the exact dates. ASU Libraries never mention the Owls moniker, while the ASU athletic department indicates that the school went by Owls from 1889 to 1922).

In the early 1920s, alumni of Tempe Normal School wished to improve the quality of education and give more students the opportunity to attend higher education.

In that decade, Tempe Normal School became the Arizona State Teacher's College, and the school adopted the Bulldogs moniker.

This truly wasn't a bad idea: consider that Yale University's mascot is the bulldog, any attempt (even if coincidental) to align Arizona State Teacher's College with the highest caliber of higher education was a respectable aim.

From 1922 to 1946, Arizona State was known as the bulldogs. In this timeframe, the Bulldogs were a member of the Border Conference, which included Arizona, NAU, Texas Tech, UTEP, New Mexico, NMSU and two other small colleges in Texas.

In 1946, everything began to change for the better. Next Thursday, we'll talk about the origins of our beloved Sparky the Sun Devil and take a look at how he has changed over the years.

See the previous entries on House of Sparky's 100 day countdown here.

Four years ago, the Arizona State Sun Devils softball team won their first NCAA softball championship, defeating Texas A&M 11-0 in one of the most lopsided title games in college softball history.

ASU was led by senior pitcher Katie Burkhart, who put together an incredible season, balancing a 41-5 record with an 0.75 ERA. Burkhart also threw two perfect games in 2008 and had 1,670 strikeouts over her four-year career.

As the 6th seed in the Women's College World Series, ASU had to tangle with some impressive teams with loaded resumes, including the Alabama Crimson Tide and the UCLA Bruins. The Sun Devils cruised through the entire weekend with an undefeated 5-0 record, outscoring the competition 24-2 in a dominating display.

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Some interesting stuff for y'all today.

Eddie Izzard abandons challenge of running 27 marathons in 27 days due to 'medical complications' - The Daily Record
EDDIE IZZARD has had to abandon his gruelling challenge to run a marathon each day for 27 days in South Africa due to "medical complications".

The Absurdity of What We Do - Stride Nation
To nearly all of my friends--most of which are reasonable members of society--I sound legitimately batshit crazy. And really, I probably am; a lot of what we do [as runners] is ridiculous.

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The biggest series of the season begins tonight for the Sun Devils, as they take on the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana in the first game of the Tempe Super Regional.

We spent some time with Cory Weigel, Sports Information Assistant at the University of Louisiana and sportswriting tour de force for the Ragin' Cajuns athletic department. He answered nine questions for us, so here it is: your starting nine for the Tempe Super Regional.

House of Sparky: What stood out to you most about UL's 9-2 victory over ASU on March 15?

Cory Weigel: What I learned most from the first meeting between the two squads was that UL was for real. The team had gotten off to a school record 23-0 start and were the talk around town about how great the softball team was. They had dominated their opponents and even picked up wins over No. 24 Tulsa (19-4) and No. 12 Michigan (10-7). But going into the Arizona State game there was a different feeling. I just knew that if they could beat the Sun Devils then this team would have a chance to do some special things this year.

The Cajuns seemed to play with an extra amount of energy and were ready to play every pitch all seven innings. Freshman pitcher Jordan Wallace stepped up big in the national spotlight and the offense got to Dallas Escobedo early in the game before she was able to get into a groove. The Ragin' Cajuns proved that they were for real and are ready to make a serious run at their first national title.

HoS: This series has two of the top three scoring teams in the nation. do you expect it to be a high-scoring affair?

CW: As good as these two pitching staffs are, I do expect these games to provide plenty of offense. Both lineups are stacked with offensive studs with the Cajuns featuring two of the top three RBI producers in the nation in Christi Orgeron and Nerissa Myers and ASU owning a top three finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in Katelyn Boyd. The ballpark has shorter dimensions than the Cajun's home park and the warmer weather will make the ball hot jumping off the bat. The key to this series may be which pitchers can keep the ball in the park because both teams are loaded with offensive firepower.

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Happy hump day, Sun Devil Nation!

Softball: Cajuns Prepare for Rematch Against Sun Devils in Tempe Super Regional
A lot of interesting tidbits about the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, who are facing the ASU softball team in a best-of-three Super Regional in Tempe starting Thursday evening.

Ragin' Cajuns plan to block out distractions in Super Regionals | The Advertiser | theadvertiser.com
"It's going to fun to put our kids up against their kids," UL coach Michael Lotief said. "Arizona State has a great team. They have a lot of power, they have a lot of good pitchers; they're a national championship team. But I wouldn't trade one of our players for one of theirs at any position."

Race For The Pac-12 Title - Pac-12 Baseball News
The Arizona State baseball team can spoil UA's bid for the Pac-12 crown this weekend. The Sun Devils only have three games left on the schedule, and they are all in Tucson May 25-27.

Brock Haman Transfers To ASU From Arkansas - SB Nation Arizona
Arizona State is quickly filling their team in with all the best players from the local high school powerhouse Saguaro High. It's important for ASU to get the players they need, and landing local top recruits is huge to keep them competitive.

Kyle Kinsbury, former ASU football player, ready for UFC 146 MMA bout Saturday
Kyle Kingsbury will face Glover Teixeira, a winner of 15 straight, at UFC 146 Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Kole Calhoun has made the big leagues. He had two amazing seasons as a Sun Devil: between 2009 and 2010, he played in 125 games, drove in 112 runs, crushed 29 home runs and scored 115 times.

Calhoun was a fan favorite for coming up big at the right time. In the second round of the 2009 College World Series, he drove in six runs against North Carolina to stave off ASU's elimination. For his heroic efforts, Calhoun earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team that year.

Now, Calhoun takes the field as a member of the Los Angeles Angels after cruising through their minor league system. According to our friends at Halos Heaven, an injury to Vernon Wells necessitated this call-up. Calhoun will likely be a bench player, but could see a decent amount of action between the corner outfield positions.

Sun Devil Nation is proud of you, Kole! And the best part, according to DieHardDevil, is that he is the 100th ASU baseball player to make the majors.

This morning, I ran my first-ever half-marathon, and it was a hell of an experience. The Brooklyn Half-Marathon was well-executed by the New York Road Runners, allowing a record number of runners into the fold while still retaining a uniquely Brooklyn flair to the proceedings.

Over 14,000 participants managed to finish the race at Coney Island with a picturesque boardwalk finish.

To hear about my experience, follow the jump!

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The field for the 2012 Las Vegas Invitational has been officially announced, according to Andy Katz of ESPN: Creighton, Arkansas, Wisconsin and Arizona State will take the court at Orleans Arena just off the strip in Vegas.

According to The Cornell Basketball Blog, Longwood, Presbyterian, Florida A&M and Cornell will also be involved. It looks like ASU will play Cornell and another team at home before heading to Vegas.

The Las Vegas Invitational is a two-round event, where the winners of the semifinal round play each other in the championship game, while the losers battle it out for third place in a consolation game.

These four teams have been rumored for a long time, but the official announcement solidifies the plans for all involved. This year, the Las Vegas Invitational will take place on November 23 and 24, just before Thanksgiving.

ASU has the rare opportunity to be the home team for an event like this, and they will need all the support they can get: both Creighton and Wisconsin advanced to the Round of 32 in last year's NCAA Tournament, with Wisconsin advancing to the Sweet 16. Arkansas won 18 games last year and are a team to watch in 2012-13.

Will Jahii Carson and Jordan Bachynski be able to pull off an upset or two in Vegas this fall? Let us know in the comments.

I'm running my first-ever half marathon on Saturday morning, and it's a big one: the Brooklyn Half-Marathon, organized by the New York Road Runners.

Training for this has been a long process but without ever doing this before, I have been a bit lost at times. It's difficult to tell your friends you can't hang out because you need to run in the morning, and it's also hard to account for rapid changes in weather and the crucial need to bring water on lengthy jogs in the heat.

With only four nights of sleep between me and destiny, I come to the Stride Nation community for their final pieces of advice.

This week, I have been doing the following:

• Cut out alcoholic beverages
• Increased water intake (drinking as much as possible)
• Trying to sleep more
• Doing some light running today and tomorrow, but taking two consecutive days off before Saturday
• Ready to buy some Gu and eat it before/during the half

The weather is turning (or has turned, depending on your location) for the better, and for those of you who have been waiting for the sun to shine, you're out of excuses. Time to hit the pavement.

Top 10 Reasons to Run a Marathon: It's Time to Get Serious - Yahoo! Sports
The 2012 running season is underway and it's time to get serious.

Running addiction drives Onsare
Just call Benard Onsare the Good Will Hunting of Canada Olympic Park.

London 2012: Olympic torch is lit in Greece as relay to London begins - Mirror Online
From the Greek god of sun to Stratford's Olympic Stadium, the Olympic torch sets off on its journey to London - but only after the flame needed re-lighting during the ceremony

Running notebook: Race offers an exercise in charity - chicagotribune.com
As a coach for Fort Bend Fit, Larry DeSpain knows consistency matters when training for a long-distance race.

Ben Greenfield: How to Start Barefoot Running
If you use these six barefoot running tips to make a smart transition, you may find that it actually reduces how tired your knees and hips are after a run and increases your enjoyment and feel for the ground during a run.

New Jersey Marathon has an East Brunswick Feel - East Brunswick, NJ Patch
Many East Brunswick residents flocked to the New Jersey Marathon, Sunday, including Cliff Gerber, who finished second in the half-marathon.

Footbaw. It's the only word worth saying round these here parts, and Todd Graham is ready to cowboy up and play some old-fashioned gritball come September 1.

However, there's a lot more in this college football universe than our Sun Devils, of course. We're involved in the SB Nation BlogPoll, and they asked us to submit our preseason ballot.

Two quick things: I am a believer in allowing teams to prove their abilities on the field, and I also respect last season's efforts. Except Arkansas. Y'all are so over.

Apparently my ballot was quite unique, and I earned the title of "Mr. Bold" with my picks. Go get em, Kansas State.

It's not easy to assess a difficulty level for a college football schedule, particularly when your team has so many question marks on both sides of the ball. With a lot of turnover at key positions (quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker), a new coaching staff and a new philosophy on both sides of the ball, things could be tumultuous in ASU's 2012 campaign.

First, lets go over the vitals of the 2012 Arizona State football schedule.

Games: 12
Home: 6
Away: 6
BCS teams: 11
2011 Bowl Teams: 6 (Oregon, Cal, Utah, UCLA, Missouri, Illinois)
Pac-12 Teams Missed: Stanford, Washington
Toughest matchup: at USC, November 10, 2012
Likeliest win: vs. NAU, September 1, 2012
Wild card games: vs. Utah, September 22, 2012; vs. Washington State, November 11, 2012

The schedule offers a lot of entertainment for college football fans in Tempe. Mike Leach comes to town in his first season as head coach of the Cougars while fresh faces in the form of Illinois and Utah come to town. The biggest game is against Oregon, but that might be a blowout depending on how the young Devils progress into the fall. House Of Sparky May Predictions:

Cory Williams
Best case: 8-4 (lose to Oregon, USC, Missouri, Cal)
Total disaster: 3-9 (wins over NAU, Colorado, UCLA)
Realistic: 6-6, bowl bid (wins over NAU, Illinois, Utah, Colorado, UCLA, WSU)

Brad Denny
Best case: 9-3 (lose to Oregon, USC, Missouri)
Total disaster: 3-9 (wins over NAU, Colorado, WSU)
Realistic: 5-7 (wins over NAU, Cal, Colorado, UCLA, WSU)

Full schedule to be seen after the jump, courtesy of FBSchedules.com. What game are you most excited about? Are you headed to any road games in 2012? Make your predictions for the ASU season record in the comments section!

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Good morning, Sun Devil nation. Here is some reading material for the first hour of your day.

Trent Lockett’s transfer makes Marquette a team to watch once again - Yahoo! Sports
Since Arizona State has been a doormat the past two seasons at a time when the Pac-12 has fallen behind its major conference peers, few outside of Tempe know much about the best player on those Sun Devils teams.

Past And Present Devils Excelling On And Off The Field - Desert Dirt - SB Nation Arizona
Two Sun Devils--one past and one current player--received some recognition for their impressive on and off-field feats.

Another ranking of Pac-12 coaches - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
Todd Graham is not being highly viewed by anyone outside of Tempe.

Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler gave up basketball for football - The Denver Post
Want to read more stuff you already knew about Brock Osweiler? Now's your chance!

NFL - Ryan Tannehill is no Blaine Gabbert, and that's a good thing - ESPN
John Clayton answers a question about whether Vontaze Burfict will be a factor in Cincinnati next season.

SB Nation Pick 6
I helped build this daily fantasy baseball game for SB Nation, and it would be fun if you all would give it a try. Hopefully soon we can have a House Of Sparky group built in, but for now you can only play with MLB blogs.

We're still a few weeks away from my first-ever half marathon up in Brooklyn, so I figured we'd look at some stories about half marathons today.

Capital City Half Marathon: Runner returns to half marathon year after near-fatal collapse | The Columbus Dispatch
MANSFIELD, Ohio — No one must explain to Matt O’Brien what it means to push his body to the limit. He has run to the edge, glimpsed his mortality, and somehow lived to tell about it.

Top 10 Reasons I Run Half-Marathons: My Adventures in Running - Yahoo! Sports
From Yahoo! Sports: It is early in the running season of 2012, and I am already signed up to do a few half-marathons. In this article, I want to share my personal experiences with you as a runner, and why running a half-marathon is beneficial.

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Like I said yesterday, last Saturday was a Sun Devil holiday. I also promised that there would be homemade video from Pat's Run, and I wasn't lying. Nikil Selvam and I hit the town early on Saturday with separate missions: I would run 4.2 miles while he would tape the event and talk to some people.

Both of these things were a success.

Here's the video I put together, won't you please take a look?

April 21, 2012 was a Sun Devil holiday. It was quite fitting, then, that the temperature in Tempe broke 100 degrees by noon. On a day where 28,000 people walked and ran in honor of Pat Tillman at Pat's Run, followed by the final Arizona State football practice of the spring, ASU pride was easy to find.

It began bright and early on Saturday, with my phone jarring me awake at 5:30 AM. I had been back in Arizona for three nights, but had intentionally avoided changing my mental time from Eastern to Pacific - it's a lot easier to wake up bright and early when your brain thinks it's 3 hours later.

After shoving two handfuls of Fresh & Easy branded cereal into my mouth, I changed into my SB Nation t-shirt and running shorts in preparation for Pat's Run. Staying with one of my best friends from college, we headed down to Sun Devil Stadium and were at the corrals by 6:25.

Things hadn't been going particularly well for me as of late in the training department; I got some kind of lung infection back in Washington D.C. and was really struggling with fatigue and asthma. Having recently been cured, I was aiming for a thirty-minute sprint.

Immediately, I was struck by how warm it was so early in the day. Arizona being unseasonably warm for a big race is a dangerous recipe, but fortunately everything worked out on April 21.

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Here's your news and notes for April 26.

Marathon runner's death inspires $1M in donations
The 30-year-old Englishwoman collapsed near the end of the 26.2-mile course near Buckingham Palace and died. The outpouring of generosity has come from about 60,000 people.

On the Run: Locals battled brutal Boston Marathon | The Poughkeepsie Journal | poughkeepsiejournal.com
The two-word phrase that comes to mind in recalling the 2012 Boston Marathon is this: Damage control.

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We hope you're headed to the Arizona State spring game this afternoon. If you want to meet Brad Denny, Nikil Selvam and I, you have your chance today. You can reach out to us via Twitter at @bdenny29, @cwilliams2k4 and @nikil_selvam or just send a note to @houseofsparky. We'll be at the game, and then Brad and I will be at the DieHardDevil event at Rula Bula starting at 2:30 PM.

Just in case you were wondering how I did today in Pat's Run, here's your very significant statistical data. Go Devils!

It was pretty hot out there, and I was really impressed by the turnout. Be on the lookout for video from the event after the weekend is over.

Raffi Torres has been suspended for 25 games by the NHL for his hit on Marian Hossa.

You can read a full description (and see the Brendan Shanahan video) in an article by CBS Sports. Here's an excerpt:

At that point it came to the sentencing and when Shanahan added in the fact that Hossa was seriously injured on the play -- he missed Game 4 and won't play in Game 5 either. Then Shanahan got into Torres' extensive history with the department of player safety, including two incidents this season. He takes the time to break down each of the illegal hits that Torres has been punished for in the past in the video.

Eventually you end up with the recipe for a 25-game suspension.

This means that even if the Coyotes make it all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Raffi Torres is out for the remainder of the playoffs.

Pretty severe. What do you think about the suspension? Is it merited given Hossa's injury?

We're less than 24 hours away from the 8th annual Pat's Run, and House Of Sparky is here to help with your Pat's Run primer.

WHAT: Pat's Run is a 4.2 mile race that benefits the Pat Tillman Foundation, with a memorable finish line on the 42-yard line of Sun Devil Stadium.

WHERE: Pat's Run starts on Packard Drive in between Sun Devil Stadium and Packard Stadium.

WHEN: The Finish Line Expo opens up at 6:00 AM Saturday morning, with the run/walk starting right at 7:05 AM. The children's .42 mile fun run starts at 9:30 AM.

PACKET PICKUP: If you're participating in the race tomorrow, you need to hurry over to Sun Devil Stadium's north end to pick up your packet before 6:00 PM Friday evening. There is no packet pickup on Saturday morning. This year, they are giving out red technical tees.

STREET CLOSURES: A lot of Tempe roads will be closed for this event. Here is the full list of closures from the City of Tempe's website:

• Packard Dr. will be closed in both directions between 6th St. and Rio Salado Pkwy.
• 6th St will be closed in both directions between Rural Rd. and Packard Dr.
• Rio Salado Pkwy. will be closed in both directions between Rural Rd. and Mill Ave.
• Mill Ave. northbound will be closed between Rio Salado Pkwy. and Washington St./Curry Rd.
• Curry Rd. eastbound will be closed between Mill and College avenues.
• Lakeview Dr. will be closed at Curry Rd.
• College Ave. will be closed southbound between Curry Rd. and Gilbert Dr.
• Gilbert Dr. eastbound will be closed between College Ave. and Scottsdale Rd.
• Scottsdale Rd/Rural Rd. will be closed southbound between Gilbert Dr. and 6th St.
• SR202 eastbound off-ramp will be closed at Scottsdale Rd.
• SR202 westbound off-ramp will be restricted to northbound traffic only at Scottsdale Rd.

Take it from a seasoned Pat's Run participant: get to ASU nice and early to avoid a huge headache on Saturday morning.

OTHER EVENTS: April 21 is turning into a Sun Devil Fiesta of sorts, as several other events are lined up. First, you have the ASU football spring game, which will take place at 1:00 PM in Sun Devil Stadium. There is no charge for admission. At 2:30, DieHardDevil is hosting a party at Rula Bula on Mill Avenue and it should be a lot of fun. House Of Sparky will be there.

Remember, we'll be around after Pat's Run to film people who volunteer to talk to us briefly about their experience at Pat's Run and about Pat Tillman himself. If you see a couple of guys with cameras, feel free to say hello!

There's nothing worse than allergies getting in the way of your training regimen, especially when a big race is just weeks away. Instead of running 30 miles in a week, you're sneezing and having trouble breathing through your nose on mile 3. In worse cases, you begin to wheeze and may even have seasonal asthma. What's a runner to do?

I faced this exact problem these past two weeks. I actually thought I was getting sick with a cold because I was coughing and had a runny nose. My usual allergy symptoms, which include itchy eyes, weren't really playing a part.

I tried self-medication and I tried several allergy remedies, including Zyrtec, Claritin and Benedryl. Nothing really seemed to help. Really, I put off going to the doctor for a week too long, hoping that I would just cure myself magically.

The doctor decided that I may have a lung infection causing the asthma and the feelings of general malaise and fatigue. After five days of antibiotics, I feel much better but am still taking allergy meds and using an inhaler before I go running.

My plan for the Brooklyn Half has been destroyed by the loss of training time, and I can only hope that the next four weeks go smoothly in order for my 13.1 mile experience on May 19 to be a success.

What do you folks do when allergy season gets you down? What's the best way to train despite adverse conditions? Hit us up in the comments.

We here at House Of Sparky are looking forward to Pat's Run. Now that it has officially sold out, the only way you can take part is to buy a technical t-shirt through the official website - though even if you can't sign up for the race, that doesn't mean you can't go to the event and cheer on the participants.

If you are going to be in Tempe on April 21 at Pat's Run, we'd like to hear from you. Why are you doing it? What does Pat Tillman's legacy mean to Arizona State?

We're also looking for House Of Sparky readers to join us after running to talk on camera. It should be a lot of fun and Nikil, Brad and I want to get to know the people who visit this site and hear their point of view on the legacy of Pat Tillman.

Hope to see you on April 21! Go Devils.

Here's all the latest with the Boston Marathon, which is happening on Monday morning in Beantown.

Boston Marathon 2012: Kenya's Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot Withdraws From Monday's Race - Stride Nation
Just four days before the 2012 Boston Marathon, Kenya's Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, who set a course record with his win two years ago, has withdrawn from Monday's race with an "unspecified injury."

Tom Gounley, UNH Student, Will Run The Boston Marathon While Juggling
The University of New Hampshire’s Tom Gounley, a double degree student, knows what it’s like to go through college with a few balls in the air. On Monday, though, Gounley plans to juggle the Boston Marathon.Some 27,000 runners and walkers will compete in the 2012 Boston Marathon, but he’s likely to be the only “joggler,” which means he’ll run his own race with special rules.If he drops one of these balls, he has to stop and resume jogging from the place he restarts his juggling.

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