texrunner

Well this is the nail on the coffin for me....going to vote for Kay Bailey Hutchinson.

Glad to see Perry is more concerned with the rights of soccer moms in huge SUVs and not for the lives and welfare of pedestrians and cyclists.

You should read Perry's reasons for vetoing the bill: "an operator of a motor vehicle is already subject to penalties when he or she is at fault for causing a collision or operating recklessly." Good point Perry. Instead of being proactive and trying to prevent the injury and death of others, we'll just wait and punish them after the fact. I can't wait for the next round of Tort Reform; I bet Perry will put a special provision limiting damages of an accident victim to his/her choice of a commemorative "Vote for Perry" pen or a bumper sticker saying: "I may not be able to walk, but I can still run-over pedestrians."

I don't think the folks in HP and PC are looking for sympathy tears or anything. Most realize that they are extremely privileged even in the dark economic times. This article just demonstrates the stress and heartaches they are experiencing right now. Regardless of your current economic status, it's heartbreaking when you lose a lot of what you worked so hard to accomplish.

On a side note, I am very impressed with the quality of this article. Hopefully DMN is taking notes.

If you are looking for a traditional trick or treating venue, try a stroll on Swiss Avenue. The beautiful mansions on Swiss get all decked out in Halloween decorations and there are lots of trick or treaters walking up and down the street (usually there are cops stationed on the street to direct traffic and I believe Swiss is closed off to road traffic).

If you have kids, please make sure they are dressed up for Halloween and they are "of age" for trick or treating (not in high school). It's a slap in the face for the people on Swiss when kids and parents put no effort into their costumes after the residents spend a lot of time, effort, and money to deck out their homes and provide free candy.

Wow - first the Chili's and now this. What else is left in Victory Park? The stores/restaurants are dropping like flies!

Dallas' downtown reminds me of Detroit's downtown: most of the street level buildings are vacant and depressing and there are too many homeless people walking around. The Dallas downtown area is also not very pedestrian friendly - there is nothing to walk to and motorists never pay attention to pedestrians before stopping at a red light or making a right hand turn.

The reason why Boston, NYC, DC, Chicago, and Philly have successful and thriving downtown communities is its street level buildings. When an office worker wants to go to lunch, does she or he simply go outside and walk to a sandwhich shoppe or an al fresco bistro? Nope, the lunch group will either treck to the underground catacombs of Dallas or get in their cars and head to Uptown.

As far as downtown residents are concerned, we do need an adequate grocery store with basic goods. Residents are returning to downtown, but we need to fortify the area with common essentials. With parking and driving an issue in downtown, we need some local places people can walk to without hassle.

Finally, I think we need to get rid of that greyhound station. I used to work near that area, and stopped walking around downtown because I was always hounded for spare change. It's also an eyesore. Unfortunatly, that bus station is really close to the JFK memorial and the West End, which is one of Dallas downtown's main tourist attractions. It's bad when a tourist comes to visit downtown Dallas and have to put up with panhandlers and aggressive people.

Decent running shoes are an absolute must. Go to a place like Run On! or Luke's Locker where they know what they are talking about when it comes to running shoes - it's more expensive but it's worth the injury prevention. I don't know about Luke's, but at Run On! they will ask you questions about how you run, any injuries, and will make you walk around the store with your socks on to see how you pronate to determine what shoes are best for you. From personal experience, a good pair of running shoes will prevent injuries to your knees, shins, feet, back, and ankles. Also make sure you wear the right socks (no cotton as it causes your feet to sweat and makes you prone to blisters).

Especially in the summer, make sure you are sufficiently hydrated. Either carry a water bottle with you, or know in advance where the water fountains are at places like White Rock or Katy Trail (two more new water stations are in construction at Katy as we speak). Try scheduling your run in the early mornings or early evening to avoid heat exhaustion and elevated pollution in the air.

When running in areas with fellow runners, be mindful of others around you but don't get infatuated with "keeping up." Several times I see beginner runners burn out or get sick when they try to keep pace with seasoned runners or try and not get passed by other runners. If this adds more motivation in your run, then so be it. But I get annoyed when you try and pass someone safely and they decide to speed up and slow down when get behind them. Keep the road rage off the trails.

Make sure you stretch for at least 10-15 minutes before your run. This helps reduce injuries and improves your running stance. Believe me, if you start off running in bad form, you are not going to get better as get hot and tired. Also, don't feel like you have to run the full 20 minutes or the full mile without stopping. Listen to your body. If you side hurts, your breathing is abnormal, your foot feels funny, or there is a pain in your knee; stop, stretch it out, and re-adjust your running or pace. Nothing derails race training faster than an injury - especially if it's the result of stubborn training. You don't have to be Brian Sell or Michael Johnson everytime you run - even the professions run 10-12 minute miles and take restbreaks. If a pain or injury continues, seek a medical or sports injury doctor before you continue running. Don't agitate injuries - it's not worth it in the longrun!

If you decide to run on the sidewalk and streets of Dallas, be mindful of vehicles and other pedestrians. Dallas is notoriously unfriendly to runners and walkers. With crummy sidewalks (or lack thereof), unmarked crosswalks, and distracted drivers, you need to be proactive in your own safety. Personally, I never cross a street with an approaching vehicle unless I make eye-contact with the driver. Don't assume anything. Also, run on the opposite side of traffic. Dallas drivers are not used to pedestrian traffic and most do not pay attention to the crosswalks before they turn or even stop at the lines at red lights/stop signs. It is also a good idea to keep your ipod on low volume to keep all your senses active when your running next to a street or on a trail with other runners.

Check out the forums on www.runnersworld.com as well as some of the articles for tips on training and running in general. There is a lot of info from running shoes and race guides to injury prevention and motivational tips. Have fun running, but more importantly, be safe - trust me, you will last a lot longer!

Don't forget Texas de Brazil Express http://www.texasdebrazilexpress.com/

Yeah, there is one on Knox next to Chili's.

OK you have the list wrong. Flower Mound is at #6, Frisco is at #7, McKinney is at #9, Carrollton at #12, Allen at #19, and Plano at #25.

Hey don't forget about Chili's...it is still opened next to the AA Center. It may not be "fine dining," but it is a cheaper alternative for folks who live and/or work there.

I have no doubt that Victory Park will be a successful location for restaurants and retail, but the location is still developing. Keep in mind that there are still offices slated to be opened this summer (Ernst & Young) and more housing is being developed. Parking is an issue, but I think with some trial and error, the company managing the complex will come with an alternative that will placate the tenants as well as the influx of traffic during games (my suggestion is having the shops and restaurants validate patrons' parking so they won't be dissuaded from visiting the area due to parking costs/issues).