H Town Run Tourist

How walking helped me beat the blues

How walking helped me beat the blues
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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

Author's own

If you are anything like me, you are tired of reading about protein powder and supplements. After ruminating all week on my column, I decided to tell you how my week went last week. Here goes. I hope you also enjoy the pictures that I took.

All week, I have been feeling kind of weepy. You know when your friends don't seem like your friends. All of a sudden, your regular bar doesn't know your name. It feels like every thing was crashing in. (For the sake of not leaving out my male readers, I'll spare you the reason).

Author's Own

Let me tell you what happened:

1. Due to lack of preparation, I fell off my meal plan AGAIN.

2. I was almost embarrassed to tell someone about Houston Tourism Gym because I didn't want to see the sarcastic "You own a gym? face."

3. One of my friends asked which awesome race that I was doing this year and I had to give her last year's list.

Author's own

I almost let it get me. I almost believed what it was telling me until I had the thought to go on one of my really cool 6 mile walks in Houston. This one was just for me. My brain asked me, "Do you really think you have the energy for this? You got that thing later." You know what? I'm doing this. So, I put one foot in front of the other and just started to move.

As I walked, I paid attention to my thoughts. I troubleshooted them when I saw then veering in the wrong direction. When I came to stairs, I ran up them. When I came to a hill, I ran up it. I also allowed myself to stop and take a picture or write a profound thought in my phone. By the end, do you know what happened? I got to see myself for who I am really am. I am ALIVE. So, let's try again!


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The Coogs are back in action on Saturday night. Photo by David Becker/Getty Images.

Wichita, Kansas – Saturday, 8:40 p.m. EDT

The No. 1 seed Houston Cougars (31-4) take on the No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-8) in a highly anticipated second-round showdown of the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars, dominant in the Big 12 with a 22-1 record, bring the nation’s top-ranked defense to the court, while the Bulldogs, the West Coast Conference powerhouse, counter with one of the most efficient offenses in the country.

Defense vs. offense: The ultimate battle

Houston boasts the best defense in the Big 12, holding opponents to just 57.9 points per game on 38.1% shooting. The Cougars will be tasked with slowing down a Gonzaga squad that averages 84.6 points per game over its last 10 outings and shoots an impressive 50.1% from the field.

On the other side, Houston’s offense is averaging 72.1 points per game in its last 10 contests, a figure that will be tested against a Gonzaga defense allowing 67.6 points per game. The Cougars have a slight edge from beyond the arc, making 8.1 three-pointers per game compared to Gonzaga’s 7.3 allowed.

Key players to watch

For Houston, LJ Cryer has been the go-to scorer, averaging 15.2 points per game, while Milos Uzan has stepped up recently, contributing 14.7 points over the last 10 games. The Cougars will also lean on their defensive intensity and ability to force turnovers to disrupt Gonzaga’s rhythm.

Gonzaga is led by Graham Ike, who is averaging 17 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Khalif Battle has also been a key contributor, posting 15.3 points and 1.6 steals per game in the past 10 contests. The Bulldogs’ ball movement will be crucial, as they average 20.4 assists per game in their last 10 contests, a stark contrast to Houston’s 9.0.

Game outlook

Houston enters as a 5.5-point favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, with the over/under set at 140.5 points. If the Cougars can impose their defensive will and limit Gonzaga’s transition game, they stand a strong chance of advancing. However, if the Bulldogs find their offensive groove early, Houston may be in for its toughest test of the tournament so far.

Expect an intense, physical battle where the team that dictates the tempo will likely punch its ticket to the Sweet 16.

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