The Workshop
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Personal Briefing

🌅Personal Briefing - Sunday, May 3, 2026

Good morning. Here's your personal read.

🏃Training

🏃Today's Plan

📅 Recovery - 5K was 1 day(s) ago Races: 10K (06-20) - 48d · Half Marathon (10-11) - 161d · Half Marathon (11-14) - 195d

🏃 Today (Sunday): easy 10-min jog or full rest - your choice · light 5-min abs · 10-min stretch Target pace: very easy, optional Recovery day. Pack for London tomorrow.

Best window: Lunch - 73°F, sunny, wind 3 mph

📊This Week

Mon: 12-min easy run · 10-min abs · 5-min stretch · pace 9:30–10:00/mi - recovery week - very easy Tue: 12-min easy run · skip · 5-min stretch · pace 9:30–10:00/mi - recovery week - very easy · London (no abs equipment - running + stretching only)

This week: 0 runs · 0.0 mi · 0 min Zone check: insufficient data this week (0 runs, 0 min) - keep building consistency before zone targets become meaningful.

Recent runs:

  • Sat 04-25 · 3.2 mi · 32 min · 10:11/mi (easy)
  • Mon 04-27 · 0.8 mi · 6 min · 7:22/mi (Z4)
  • Tue 04-28 · 1.2 mi · 10 min · 8:20/mi (Z3)
  • Wed 04-29 · 2.6 mi · 23 min · 8:49/mi (easy)
  • Thu 04-30 · 1.2 mi · 11 min · 9:02/mi (easy)

✓ 0 family walks this week - keep it up, those matter too.

☘️Notre Dame Sports

🏈Football

No news to report! Here's recent information in case you missed a previous newsletter:

Friday's double recruiting win is still the headline. 2027 four-star QB Wonderful "Champ" Monds IV announced for Notre Dame on the Pat McAfee Show (over Ohio State and Florida State), and 2027 four-star EDGE Aidan O'Neil (Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, NJ) committed earlier in the day. Monds is the No. 1 QB in the reclassified 2027 class - 6'2", 225 - becoming the 12th 2027 commitment and the fourth from Florida. O'Neil ranks No. 110 overall and No. 13 EDGE per Rivals and is ND's first 2027 D-line pledge, choosing the Irish over Kentucky and Penn State. The class jumps to 12 commits with the QB-of-the-future and a top-100 pass rusher landing in the same calendar day. The Buckeyes were among the schools that lost on both of these.

Beyond recruiting, Marcus Freeman has officially turned the page to fall - replacing the Love/Price RB room (both first-round NFL picks), rebuilding depth around CJ Carr at QB. The 2026 class still includes WR Devin Fitzgerald (son of Larry), the breakout from the Blue-Gold Game.

Upcoming:

  • Sun Sep 6 - vs. Wisconsin, Shamrock Series at Lambeau Field (season opener)

Last Result: Blue-Gold Game - Blue 41, Gold 40 (Sat Apr 25)

🏀Women's Basketball

No news to report! Here's recent information in case you missed a previous newsletter:

The 2026-27 roster is essentially set following last week's transfer-portal moves: Anaya Hardy (Louisville) and Madison "Nat" St. Rose (Princeton, 13.2 ppg career, two-time All-Ivy) anchor the portal additions, joining the No. 1 high school class headlined by McDonald's All-Americans Jacy Abii and Jenica Lewis. KK Bransford's transfer to UCLA - the news from the prior week - left ND replacing four of five starters from 2025-26 after Cassandre Prosper went to the WNBA Draft and Vanessa De Jesus, Iyana Moore, and Malaya Cowles all moved on.

Niele Ivey is also coaching Team USA's U18 squad at the FIBA AmeriCup June 8-14.

Upcoming: Summer workouts begin in late May.

🥍Lacrosse

Tonight is selection night for both programs. The NCAA women's lacrosse selection show is at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU, immediately followed by the men's selection show at 9:30 p.m. ET, also on ESPNU. ND's men (10-2) - fresh off Friday's 15-10 ACC semifinal upset loss to Virginia - are still expected to host first-round play despite slipping out of the No. 1 overall conversation. Notre Dame's resume (top RPI, both losses came to UVA - March 28 in Charlottesville and Friday in Charlotte) still keeps them on the top seed line in most projections.

Women's lacrosse (12-5, 6-4 ACC) sits out of the ACC tournament after the April 23 quarterfinal loss to Clemson. USA Lacrosse bracketology has had ND opening on the road against Denver with the winner playing top-seeded Northwestern - but the tougher RPI (29th) leaves real bracket uncertainty. Tonight's show settles it. First-round play for both tournaments begins Friday May 8 (women) and Wednesday/Saturday window (men); women's championship May 24 at Northwestern's Martin Stadium.

ACC Men's Championship is also today at noon ET in Charlotte - No. 2 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Virginia on ACC Network, with ND watching from home.

Upcoming:

  • Tonight Sun May 3 - NCAA Women's Selection Show, 9:00 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
  • Tonight Sun May 3 - NCAA Men's Selection Show, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
  • Fri May 8 - NCAA Women's First Round (if selected)

Last Result:

  • Men: Lost to Virginia 15-10 in ACC Semifinal (Fri May 1)
  • Women: Lost to Clemson 12-9 in ACC Quarterfinals (Thu Apr 23)

📋Around the Program

  • Baseball won the series. ND followed Friday's 6-2 opener with a 10-7 comeback win over Stanford on Saturday at Frank Eck - the "Late Surge Wins Irish the Series" headline framed it. Series finale is today at 1:00 p.m. ET for the sweep attempt before the regular-season finishing kick.
  • Women's tennis advances. The Irish beat the Wildcats 4-3 in the NCAA first round on Saturday - a much better outcome than the men, whose season ended Friday with a 4-1 first-round loss to Vanderbilt in Champaign.
  • Athletic department reorganization. AD Pete Bevacqua announced a department-wide reorganization on April 30, including a new Chief Operating Officer appointment.
  • Softball heads to ACC Tournament May 6-9 at Virginia (25-27, 11-13 ACC) - idle this weekend.

🔴Utah Utes

🏈Football

No news to report! Here's recent information in case you missed a previous newsletter:

Spring practice is rolling toward conclusion without a spring game (Morgan Scalley's call). Devon Dampier's command of new OC Kevin McGiven's offense remains the most-watched offseason variable; the rebuilt offensive line under first-year coach Jordan Gross is the ceiling-defining unknown for 2026. Daniel Bray has reportedly made big strides in the spring backfield. Hunter Andrews was cleared mid-spring after being initially counted out. Nate Johnson continues his QB-to-WR transition. Recent transfer-portal additions to flag: kicker Tanner Cragun (UTEP), Will Monney (Oklahoma State), Noah Bennee (Weber State), and Braeden Pegan (Utah State, 60-926-5 in the MWC last year - already running McGiven's scheme). Sept. 26 at Iowa State still shapes up as the Big 12 tone-setter.

Upcoming:

  • Sept. 3 - vs. Idaho (season opener, Rice-Eccles)

🤸Gymnastics

No news to report! Here's recent information in case you missed a previous newsletter:

The 2026 Final Analysis closed the books one-eighth of a point short of the program's 50th consecutive National Championship appearance. Avery Neff owned the postseason hardware: WCGA North Central Region Gymnast of the Year, Big 12 Gymnast of the Year, team MVP, 27 wins this season alone (35 career), back-to-back regional all-around crowns. Ana Padurariu was Big 12 Specialist of the Year. Neff and Ella Zirbes earned four total NCAA All-America honors at the National Championship Semifinals on April 16, with Neff finishing fourth on floor and seventh in the all-around.

The 2027 reset rests on three returning All-Americans (Makenna Smith, Neff, Zirbes) plus regular-season All-American Camie Winger, with five-star Bailey Stroud headlining the four-freshman class (Norah Christian, Sage Curtis, Abbi Ryssman, Stroud). Olympic silver medalist Grace McCallum has joined as a Student Assistant Coach; Maile O'Keefe (15 perfect 10s - program record) is on staff as an Operations Specialist. NIL: a multi-year partnership with Redmond.

Upcoming: 2027 season begins in January.

📋Around the Program

  • 🥎 Softball stuns No. 19 Arizona on Senior Day to even the series. The Utes won 5-1 on Saturday behind a strong start, and a two-run shot from Danika Wilson put it away - a much-needed bounce-back after Friday's series-opening loss. Today's series finale is at noon MT at Dumke Family Stadium on ESPN+, with Big 12 Tournament implications still in play (Utah needs to hold its 7th-place spot to make the tournament field).
  • ⚾ Baseball won the rivalry series in Provo. After dropping Thursday's opener 6-4, Utah responded with 8-1 Friday and 8-3 Saturday at Miller Park. Saturday's win featured a Matt Flaharty three-run homer in a five-run third and four hits / three RBIs from Cameron Gurney; Seth Graham-Pippin went 4.2 (2 R, 5 K) and Kaden Soder earned the win in relief (3-0). Utah moves to 23-19 (11-13 Big 12) and faces UVU at home Tuesday before traveling to TCU.
  • Men's basketball roster nearly set. Craig Smith's offseason rebuild now has three perimeter transfers (Jackson Holcombe / Utah Valley, Taison Chatman / Ohio State, TJ Burch / Wright State), one of the top European prospects in Noam Yaacov at the point, four other internationals, plus 2026 signees Styles Clemmons, Simeon Suguturaga, and David Katoa - joining lone returning guard Lucas Langarita. Still hunting a true center.

🌰Ohio State Buckeyes

🏈Football

The recruiting weekend went the wrong way for the Buckeyes. Friday's biggest national QB story - Champ Monds IV picking Notre Dame over Ohio State - was followed by another loss on Saturday: four-star OL Jackson Roper committed to UCLA over Ohio State. Two top-end targets gone in a 24-hour window. Buckeyes Insider framed it as "Ohio State football was handed a double dose of bad news at the hands of Notre Dame and a Big Ten foe." There is some quieter offsetting good news: four-star OL Jimmy Kalis and four-star OL Davis Seaman both committed to OSU in recent weeks.

The transfer-portal bright spot remains Alabama IDL James Smith (No. 1 IDL in the portal, No. 8 overall transfer per 247Sports), the centerpiece of the post-draft defensive line rebuild. The Buckeyes also added former Northwestern TE Hunter Welcing (28-296-2 last year) to replace NFL-bound Max Klare, and lost assistant director of recruiting strategy Nick Murphy - Ryan Day and Mark Pantoni now have to backfill that key role before the summer.

The bigger context: 11 Buckeyes drafted in 2026, all four top OSU prospects gone in Round 1. DC Matt Patricia carries an enormous onus heading into 2026 - eight starters to replace on defense for the second straight year. The offense returns Sayin and Smith and four of five OL starters. CBS Sports has OSU at No. 2 nationally post-spring.

Upcoming:

  • Aug 30 - season opener (Week 1)

📋Around the Program

  • Softball drops Game 2 to No. 25 Washington 8-2. A day after Lorin Boutte's 5-4 complete-game gem, the Buckeyes were beaten back at Buckeye Field - Sophia Ramuno (10-4) blanked the offense for Washington while Jenna Molk (15-14) took the loss. Series concludes today before the Big Ten Tournament May 6-9 in College Park, MD.
  • Big Ten Men's Lacrosse Championship. The Big Ten title game played Saturday at Rutgers; Ohio State did not advance to the final.

🏔️Treasure Valley

🍽️Food & Drink

Whiskey Bar's run ended last night - 12 years downtown wrapped up with the annual Kentucky Derby party. The other near-term closure remains Eastside Tavern at 1228 S. Oakland Ave., closing May 16 after 15 years. Spring openings still in motion in the background:

  • The Boise Post rooftop atop the AC/Element on Grove tracking for spring.
  • Boise Thai Noodle House at 908 W. Main targeting spring.
  • Hemlock steakhouse moving into the old Richard's space.
  • Coa Cantina in Barber Valley, Cán Coctelería speakeasy above Amano, Bobby's Cafe in the old Original Sunrise space, and Idaho Burrito all opening this spring.
  • Handel's Ice Cream first Idaho location, late spring/early summer at 1581 E. State Street, Eagle.
  • Village at Meridian expansion - Apple, Pottery Barn, Tecovas, Tempur-Pedic, Gorjana, Culinary Dropout, The Capital Grille, Paris Baguette, and Flower Child all in the pipeline.

Green Acres Food Truck Park opened for its sixth season behind Payette Brewing next to the Boise River - without alcohol, for now, while the team works through new Garden City regulations.

🎉Events & Things to Do

  • Today (Sun May 3): Idaho Outdoor Expo Day 2 at Expo Idaho (5610 N. Glenwood St., Garden City), 10 a.m.–4 p.m. - gear, demos, fishing/hiking/hunting/paddling experts, free admission. Boise Philharmonic at the Morrison Center, 2:00 p.m. - soft rock favorites from the 70s and 80s (Hall & Oates, Christopher Cross, Fleetwood Mac, George Michael, Kenny Loggins). BSU Theatre, Film and Creative Writing presentation at Danny Peterson Theatre / Morrison Center, 2:00 p.m. Unknown Mortal Orchestra at Treefort Music Hall, 7:00 p.m. Celebrating Mom Afternoon Tea Social, 2:00 p.m. NCAA Women's Lacrosse Selection Show 9:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. MT on ESPNU; Men's selection at 9:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. MT.
  • Mon May 4: Idaho Gives 2026 kicks off - Idaho's largest collective giving campaign begins.
  • Sat May 9: Capital City Public Market continues its weekly Saturday run downtown, 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Treasure Valley farmers/artist markets ramping into May.

Forecast for today: sunny, high near 74°F, light wind. Rain chances ramp up overnight into Monday - pack accordingly for the London flight.

📰Local Headlines

  • Public memorial events for former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne ramping up. Kempthorne (who died April 24 at 74) will lie in state in the Idaho State Capitol at 10 a.m. Friday, May 15, with full services in Boise across May 15-16.
  • Western Idaho Fair concert series - first artist announced. Country singer Brantley Gilbert is the first of five 2026 Concert Series acts.
  • Idaho State Police honors three water rescue witnesses who jumped into freezing water to save a mother and child during a fatal March crash that killed a father and toddler.
  • Carryover reminders: Boise Cascade $6.38M Lacey Act fine still in the cycle. New Expo Idaho park with wetlands, skate features, and Greenbelt connection still in design. First Thursdays moves to Cherie Buckner-Webb Park starting May 7. ITD director Scott Stokes retiring June 30. HP confirmed earlier this spring it will exit its Boise site in 2027 - long-term redevelopment story to watch.

🔗Worth Reading

Generated on Sunday, May 3, 2026

All briefings