As colleagues Mike Breen and Mark Jackson noted during Friday’s Orlando/Portland telecast (Jan. 15), Jeff Van Gundy was not in the building.  Van Gundy, regularly teaming with Breen and Jackson for NBA games airing on ESPN and ABC, was at home preparing to run in Sunday’s Houston Marathon (Jan. 17).

Van Gundy began training for the marathon in May ’09 and said he doesn’t believe he would have been able to embark on such a challenge as an NBA coach.

Speaking by phone Tuesday, Van Gundy said he was glad to finish the race.

When asked whether he would be a regular in the future: “I ran and retired all in the same day,” Van Gundy said.

Breen, Jackson and Van Gundy will call this week’s Los Angeles Lakers/New York Knicks game Friday, Jan. 22, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.