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Jovan Abernathy is an international marathoner and owner of Houston Tourism Gym. To claim your free tour, contact her at info@tourismgymhtx.com. Follow her on Twitter @jovanabernathy. Instagram @TourismGymHtx. Facebook @TourismGymHtx
You may have noticed that I have begun calling my column: H-Town Run Tourist. H-Town Run Tourist describes my relationship with the city I live in, the sport of running, and myself. Below is a list of the characteristics of an H Town Run Tourist. Read and decide if you if you are a run tourist too.
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You are super curious.
If you are anything like me, you love to discover new running or walking routes. What is this? What is that? Who painted that? When did that open? What does that taste like? Sometimes I feel like I am a dog that has her nose in the grass ready to smell just about anything.
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You started running to find yourself.
A lot of people spend a lot of time running away from themselves. But, if you are like me, you starting running to run into yourself. (Clever, huh) If you missed it, what I mean is that maybe you started running for your health, a mid life crisis, a divorce, or for your mental health.
When I was in Africa, I asked many of the other runners why they were running in Victoria Falls. I got many answers, all of them were amazing. However, one gentleman answered that he and his wife always wanted to run a marathon. She had died the year before and he was running for her. (I know, I need a tissue too.)
You are just not that competitive.
When I thought about it, I found that I am not competitive with other runners as to be the best. I am more interested in how well I can beat my best self. I am always competing with myself. I feel that once you make it to the start line, you have already won. (many things can happen before the start line.) Many times, I "compete" with how much I can enjoy the experience of the race and still stick to a timetable. I love reading signs, taking pics with new friends, and chatting with people at the before and after party.
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You love to think and dream. BIG.
If you are like me, you love to dream and think BIG. If you are running a long distance, you have time to dream. I quickly found that I could let my mind go. When you are on the open road for hours training, you find that it is the best place to solve problems. Then, I began to dream big. I quickly decided that I wanted to run around the world. I set the intention and I was able to achieve that goal. I also use it to meditate. I love studying flowers and trees for their fractal patterns. It helps get the best endorphin high.
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You have wanderlust.
Let me get this straight. If I strap on my running shoes, walk out of my door, and just keep going, I'll end up in this cool place. If I can do that here, where else can I go? This rabbit hole is worth going down. Where is the next race? In Houston? In Austin? In a national park? In a jungle? Overseas? It never ends.
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You can totally put yourself first.
This sounds crappy. Co-dependent people confuse this with being selfish. Healthy minded individuals know that true self care means to take care of yourself first so that you can take care of others. Others will try to get in your way by guilt tripping you to spend more time with them, but know that you have to be in a good place to help others or it just will not work.
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You are truly grateful for......everything.
Chances are, you don't even know that you practice gratitude. It just comes naturally. If you are anything like me, you starting running out of hardship, almost necessity. But, along the way, you could not help but notice the trees, the flowers, and the birds. You just had to stop and smell the roses. Gratitude comes naturally to you!
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You are Houston Proud and Houston Strong.
If you are like me, you love you some Houston, Texas. Whether you are running in Memorial Park to Buffalo Bayou Park or in the Chevron Houston Marathon. You could be running downtown Houston passing by originals by Gonzo 247, David Adickes, or Daniel Anguilu. You know one thing…..You would not live in another city in this country. In fact, you can't wait until this weekend to do your weekend long run and enjoy all the Houston craft beer that goes with it.
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Let’s be clear: the Astros didn’t lose their series to the Mariners just because the bullpen melted down late. They lost because the offense put them in that vulnerable position to begin with — and the decisions from the dugout didn’t help.
Houston’s bats were a no-show in Game 2 despite the win in extra innings, and it was a massive reason why their bullpen was stretched thin in the series finale. Game 3 starter, Luis F. Castillo, had more control issues than command, and handed out five walks. That should’ve been the Astros’ ticket to a win. Instead? Missed opportunities, weak contact, and a bullpen meltdown caused Houston to drop another series.
The middle of the lineup is a problem
Christian Walker has turned into a black hole in the cleanup spot. His .229 slugging percentage and .196 OBP are not typos — they’re proof that opposing pitchers can pitch around Yordan Alvarez with no fear. Walker ranks 12th-worst in baseball in OPS, and his lone RBI as a cleanup hitter is borderline unbelievable.
Isaac Paredes isn’t exactly lighting it up, either, slugging .255. If Walker wasn’t such a disaster, Paredes would likely be catching more heat. And then there’s Yainer Diaz, who’s been completely lost at the plate. The offensive struggles are deeper than one guy — they’re systemic.
The Astros currently rank dead last in MLB in slugging and doubles, plus they are second to last in OPS. Only two teams have hit fewer homers. That’s not a slump. That’s an identity crisis.
Espada’s decisions worsened the situation
Manager Joe Espada deserves his share of the blame for how the final game unfolded. With a bullpen already running on fumes, Espada pulled his best bats for defense, then rolled out minor-league caliber arms to protect a lead. If he had his full bullpen, fine. But he didn’t — and he knew it. He got greedy.
Instead of turning to Steven Okert to start the eighth after Luis Contreras survived the seventh, Espada went back to the well. That decision backfired, as it often does when a struggling pitcher has already done more than expected. Even more puzzling was the choice to use Contreras at all when Logan VanWey had just been called up. Why call him up if you’re not going to use him?
And why was Bennett Sousa in that game?
Abreu's pitch selection was asking for trouble
Bryan Abreu had multiple 0-2 counts. Inexplicably, he grooved high fastballs over the heart of the plate. Major league hitters don’t miss those very often.
Pitching strategy
Astros pitchers are consistently working deep into counts. They’re far too comfortable taking at-bats to 3-2, especially with runners on. That kind of approach balloons pitch counts, tires starters, and taxes relievers — all things this team can’t afford right now. And don't get us started on how many stolen bases they're allowing.
A Silver lining? Maybe one
Spencer Arrighetti’s fluke broken thumb is obviously unfortunate. But if you’re desperate for a silver lining, this could help limit his innings across the season and keep him fresher for the stretch run — assuming he returns to form quickly.
Bottom line
Yes, the bullpen blew it. But the offense put them in that position, and the coaching staff didn’t pull the right levers. The Astros are 5-7, but with the way they’ve played, it almost feels like they should be thankful it’s not worse. There’s time to turn it around — but it starts with accountability, and the bats doing their part.
We have so much more to cover. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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