Location:  Allen Parkway from Shepherd to Sabine St (following lower trails)
Distance: 4.77 miles
Total Time:  n/a
Start Time: 7:00 pm
Temp: 86^°F, 60% humidity

Ran the Allen Parkway Loop again with John, mostly keeping to the lower trails.  I had forgotten to pack my watch this morning, so I wasn’t able to time the run.   

We started from our usual location at the Jackson Hill Bridge and headed east on Memorial at a nice, even pace.  We looped around at Sabine, back to Shepherd, and then took the bridge over Memorial back to Jackson Hill.   The heat and humidity were uncomfortable, but otherwise I felt good during the run.  Hopefully, this is a good sign since one of my running goals for 2006 is to get used to running in Houston’s summer heat. 

For the summer, I’ve switched out my Amphipod fuel belt for a  handheld bottle.  The fuel belt is too bulky for the Summer’s hot weather, and I’m not covering the same distances in my long runs as I did during the fall/winter.  The handheld bottle is surprisingly easy and comfortable to carry- the strap is tight enough where I don’t have to grip it during an entire run, but not too tight where my hand feels like it’s being squeezed.  It’s also less hassle than the fuel belt - no fumbling around or rearranging multiple bottles.  At first, I was worried that it would make me feel kinda lopsided or tire out one hand/arm, but I got used to it pretty quickly.  Plus, the size is perfect for the 4-5 mile runs that I’m averaging these days.