Location: Memorial Park
Distance: 3 miles

• Right after our meeting, Minh and I got to Memorial Park around 9:45pm.  I've never started a run that late, and I was glad I wasn't alone…..it was pretty deserted, and a little creepy. 
• We talked big about doing 6 miles…..but ended up doing only 3.  We did run to the HARRA-marked trees next to the golf course to make it an even 5K.  I felt out of gas again.  
• I like the morning/evening setup, though I'm not sure I can realitistically keep it up all the time.  

Location: UT Gym
Distance: 3 miles

• I was supposed to put in 7 miles on Wednesday, but I couldn't make the SMART Club Run.   So, I decided to experiment with splitting my miles like I did on Saturday.   I was going to put in 3 miles in the morning, then 4 miles at night after my dragon boat meeting. 
• Did 3 miles on the treadmill.  Nothing interesting to report. Thank god for iPods. 

[photo courtesy of Louis Aulbach.  Click the photo for a cool article about the Waugh Bridge bats]

Location: Memorial –> Waugh Bridge
Distance: 5.3 mi

• We did our warmup from Memorial to the corner of Shepherd/Memorial, then Chip explained the workout: 5×180s, looping around Waugh and back to Blossom, then recovery jog back in. 
• I ran with Maureen, whose watch battery sadly died in the middle of the run.  So, we did our 180/3 minutes by guesswork.  Matt kept looping back to check on us, which was really nice of him. 
• On our return run, Bessie ran back with us while Matt left to prepare the Gatorade for everyone.   She ran behind me once, and I told her I knew the way back because I felt bad she might be holding back on her workout because I was so slow.  She said it was OK since she and Matt ran 15 miles the day before.  15???  wow. 
• I don't know why, but I felt out of gas the whole run.  It wasn't particularly hotter or more humid than usual. 
• While we were doing core (which I forgot to grab my mat for…oops), my sister walked up with her dog, Nesta.   She was there to run with Nesta, saw my car, and came to find me.   I hadn't seen Nesta for more than 6 months, so I yelled NESTAPOO!!….in the middle of core, in front of everyone.  Of course, I didn't realize I was yelling this stupid word until after the 4th or 5th time.  So embarassing. 

Location: UT Gym
Distance: 4 miles

• Did 4 easy miles at the gym to bring my Saturday mileage total to 14. 
• During my morning run, I was having some problems with my right achilles tendon - it was extremely tight, and felt like it was contracting in the OPPOSITE direction from normal.  When I extended my leg at the beginning of each step, it felt fine - but from the middle to end of each step (with leg kicked back), it was almost painful.  I tried stretching it out, but it didn't seem to help.  It eventually loosened up in the middle of the morning run, but I decided to do my 4 miles on the elliptical to give my calves a break.  After 2 miles I got bored so I switched to the treadmill.  Fortunately, no problems with the calves since then. 
• I like breaking up my miles between morning/evening - though it kinda feels like I'm cheating.

[Photo from a website claiming to have photographed a ghostly orb at Bear Creek Park.  Looks like a smudge to me.  Click on the photo to read more.] 

Location: Bear Creek Park
Distance: 10 miles
Temp: low 80s?  Surprisingly cool for Houston

• Saturday morning's run was yet another Track Long Track.  The SMARTLite workout was 2 mile warmup, silly walk stretches, then 2×1200m at 10K pace, 3 mile recovery, 2×1200m at 10K pace, 1 mile cooldown. 
• Ran with Maureen and Pamela, with Barb as our fearless SMARTieLite leader.  It had rained on Friday evening, and the sky was still cloudy, creating some wonderfully cool temperatures for Houston.
• Once again, I went out too hard and fast on my first 1200m.  I really need to work on pacing myself - by the end of the workout, my intervals were identical in speed with my recovery jogs. 
• For our 3 mile recovery, Barb led us through the west part of the Park along the Sullins Way loop (I think).  Really muddy, but fun to explore a new route.  At one point, we turned a corner and a flock of about 50 snow white herons flew into the air - it was a beautiful sight.
• Although I should have done the full 14 miles, I did the 10.  Right now it's more important to me to run with a few other people than to run alone on the longer route.  I should probably start changing that approach soon, though.  
• I decided to put in an extra 4 miles later on in the evening.  

Location: Memorial –> Spotts Park
Distance: 5.3 (?)
Temp: 78 (ahh)

• Tonight's workout kicked my ass.  First, we ran 2 miles to Spotts Park.  I had run this park during the Tour de Bayou series, and remembered that Spotts had some seriously steep hills.  eek
• One thing I've noticed is that it always takes me at least 10-15 minutes to really get into running - that first mile or so is always a little uncomfortable and difficult.  Maureen put it perfectly - it feels awkward, and a little difficult to get into your rhythm.  Tonight, it seemed to take a little longer to find my pace, and I even wondered if I'd be able to make it through the night's run.  
• Matt explained the workout - 20 minutes of hillwork, divided into 2 sets of 10 minutes each…with a twist.  Each of us had to define our own routes and make the hillwork as easy or difficult as we wanted.  This free-choice option definitely added a challenge, because we were responsible for creating our own workouts.  Surprisingly, it motivated me to really push myself.   I remembered Chip's advice about using my arms, so I swung my arms like a crazy person going up each hill, and it really helped.  At the top, my thighs were burning and chest felt like exploding, but it was great….in a crazy, masochistic way, I guess. 
• The drill for the run back to the Park was 180×180s…..3 minutes at 80%, 3 minutes at 20%.  I ran with Maureen - our first couple of 80% paces were good, which was a nice surprise.   Either I didn't work hard enough at hillwork, or my endurance has improved?  We were joined by Cassie and Randi, and by this time my 80% and 20% paces were pretty equal. bleh.  The others were chatting pretty easily, but all I was thinking was: must….not…..die….
• Matt kept running back and forth past us, making sure everyone was OK.  At one point, he sprinted past like it was nothing, and I yelled "show off!"  heh
• A guy sitting in a lawnchair on his driveway offered us some beer from his fridge as we ran past. ha!
• At the Park, we did some core work before leaving.  
• Felt nauseaus when I got home - I need to cool down better next time.  

Location: River Oaks Rose Garden Run
Distance: 5.74
Temp: relatively cool (for Houston)

• Brought my friend Minh from Houston Heat to Strider Club Run.  He had txt'd me about running that evening, so I invited him to the Strider Run since Wednesdays are open to guests.  We got to the park just before 7pm, and met up with the group of Striders - including Hoang, another dragonboater and new Strider member (yay).
• I told Minh we were doing 4 miles….but it turned out to be 6.  Oops!
• We headed out, and I hung in the back with Minh and Hoang.  Chatted about random stuff and gawked at the ginormous houses in River Oaks - seriously, do people really need houses THAT big? 
• The temperature was great - the coolest its been all year.  The thunderstorms earlier in the day cooled things down. 
• Heading back after the halfway mark, I was surprised at how good I was still feeling.  I tried to figure out what it could be…getting an extra recovery day on Tuesday, the swimming/strength training, the changes I've made to my diet, doing the SMARTie workouts…..could be anything, I guess.  But of course, the researcher in me needs to know the contributing factors behind everything. 
• We took the dreaded Memorial stretch back to the Park.  Hoang sprinted off ahead of us.  We stopped at the water fountain at Starbucks for water.  Afterwards, I tried keeping pace with Hoang, but no luck.    Minh and I ran back in - I'm huffing and puffing, and he's gliding along.  Later, tells me it was only his 2nd time to ever run 6 miles.  I was like, how come it looked so easy for you?? 
• Afterwards, we get cold drinks from the Holy Strider Cooler.  ahhh.  Ann said her Garmin logged the run as 5.74 miles.
• I went to Lee's car to get my SMART singlet (yay!!), and Steeve gave Minh a free Strider dry-fit and copy of Stridelines.  He was impressed with how nice everyone was - yup!  Striders are cool.   Hoang said none of the HFit coaches ever spent time talking to people one on one like Steeeve did.