Could Memorial Park Be Anymore Packed?

Thursday is Mal and I's day to exercise, no matter what happens (Harry Potter showing, unexpected early visitor, etc.). Since I'm dealing with a sick dog, I didn't want to go out to where she lives (our normal Thursday outing) and stay late over there (we always celebrate) and she didn't want to come all the way out to me (coming out today for girls' night, sleepover, and run tomorrow morning). We were going to meet at Terry Hershey Park off the Beltway, but she wanted to go to Ikea after our run since Ikea closes (so we thought) at 9 p.m. Well, Ikea is really close to my favorite running park (so far since I haven't run all the parks in Houston just yet), Memorial Park, and she agreed to go there. The plan was to meet Mal at the adult playground in Memorial Park sometime after 6:30 p.m. She doesn't have a consistent work stopping time, because she is a vet tech intern (and I know how dealing with vets have been this week). I decided to head up there at 6:30-6:45 p.m. so I can do some exercises before she got there. I just didn't realize how long I was going to have to wait.

As I drove the one-way part, I noticed alot of open spaces and figured that I wouldn't park so far out...see what's out there. When I got to the two-way part, it was packed with wall-to-wall cars. I realized that they took out half of the parking lot, which is why it was loaded with cars. Luckily, I found a spot by the adult playground, put on my ipod, stretched, and got to my pre-run exercises. I love working out here, because I can do so much on their equipment and benches. I decided to forego doing squats, because I think that is what is causing my knee issue (noticed it on Wednesday morning when doing my exercises). I did 2 sets of 10 pushups on the higher bar since it is so much easier on my wrists, 50 front crunches, 30 side crunches (each side, but should have done it better...forgot), 4 sets of 25 scissors, 2 sets of 25 arm dips, and 2 sets of 30 second planks. I would have liked to have done 50 situps, but the bench hurts my back when I do that and instead did 50 half crunch/half reverse situp starting from the up position. I stretched some more when I finished and just waited...and waited...and waited. I saw that weird guy that looks like he runs 50,000 miles a day, but this time, he had a yellow hat instead of a red hat. I wondered if he has a girlfriend or if he's gay or if he's just asexual. I wonder if he found a person to be with, because he's so freaky looking. Then, I saw this very good looking man in at least his 60s, with a very nice built body. Everyone was watching him, because he was built like some of the younger guys out there; he was obviously in very good shape. I hope that I am in good shape like that when I'm older barring that I don't have any more injuries. This is what happens when I'm waiting and have a crowd to watch.

Finally, I saw Mal drive by waving at me in her big redneck clunker of a truck. Then, I saw her drive by again waving. On the 3rd drive by, she stopped waving and just threw up her hands in disgust. On the 4th time, I felt like I was in that movie, Twister where they kept seeing cows fly by when finally someone said it was the same cow. I got up to start walking in her direction and called her to tell her to keep on going to a parking lot way out. I ran to meet her (which means I got a head start on my running) and finally she found a spot.

We immediately started running when we saw eachother (I put away my ipod). FINALLY! Since we chose this spot for Ikea, we decided to just run a half mile/mile and then turn around instead of doing the full 3 mile loop around. Our time was running out. We ran until the 1 1/2 mile marker when we turned around to head back to our cars (Mal would run to my car to give her a little more exercise). I had to stop on the turnaround since my knee was hurting. We picked up the run again and then a quick walk. We ran again until we got to the Becks Prime. I thought my car was closer and I wanted a cooldown. It was not...oh well. I ran/walked 3 miles (mostly ran it) and I'm content with this exercise. I have decided to run on pea gravel paths like this one and Memorial Park until this knee thing goes away. It's just much easier on my knees and I didn't feel it as bad as when we did that run on a regular track.

Afterwards, we headed to Ikea to get things for Mal's trip back to Grenada (sniff...sniff...SNIFF!). I also bought some things and found a really cool painting that would be awesome in my living room, but I didn't buy it just yet.

On a side note, I did 2 sets of 25 squats, 2 sets of 30 second planks (loving these), 50 front crunches, 30 side crunches (each side), and 2 sets of 25 situps on Tuesday or Wednesday or both (can't remember). Tonight, I get a 60 minute reflexology foot massage. Oooh, I can't wait. After the week I have had, I think I deserve it.