HOUSTON -- It’s almost 3 p.m. on a Monday, and as Adrian Peterson sips an organic smoothie in the lobby of his gym in Houston’s Heights neighborhood, his focus begins to shift from the 3-hour workout he just completed to the 45-minute drive through the city’s snarled traffic and sweltering heat still ahead of him.
Peterson and his trainer, James Cooper, opened O Athletik in Houston so they could consolidate different facets of the Minnesota Vikings running back’s training under one roof. A high school track sits just two miles away, and after beginning his day with six sprints -- three of 300 meters, three of 200 meters -- Peterson returns to his gym for the rest of the workout with a group that includes San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon, Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes, Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter and free agent receiver Andre Johnson, among others.