Houston Half Marathon Race Report

Two years after my first marathon I decided to try my first half-marathon. I loved it! It was run 75% on the same course as the full Houston marathon, and while it shared the most economically challenged portion of the course, the spectators made-up for it with tremendous exuberance and enthusiasm! The biggest benefit of running merely a half was the MUCH simpler preparation (as I said for many months afterwords, 90% of the fun for 35% of the effort!)

Official Race Results: Time: 01:44:26; Age 45-49: 51/422; Male: 541/3276; Overall: 659/7348

Chicago Marathon Race Report

On this, my second Chicago Marathon I was only passably prepared, and my overall time reflected same. While not an absolutely horrible time it was a true learning experience! Being excessively optimistic as to my pace I had my eyes set on running a 3:30, so ran with the 3:30 pacing group approximately through the half-marathon mark. However, shortly after passing my family at mile 13.5 I suddenly began losing my leg strength, and had to slow-down. My slow-down continued until by mile 21 or so I was doing the run-walk shuffle! True learning experience.... Better know your potential pace (easily gauged via the famous "Yasso 800" methodology (see link)

Official Race Results: Time: 04:12:30; Age 45-49: 1071/2115; Male: 9515/18389; Overall: 13538/32706

Austin Marathon Race Report

This was my first Austin Marathon, and I LOVED it!!! The first 16 miles were a beautiful FAST gentle downhill, and the final 9 miles had some ups and downs, but overall was quite acceptable. This marathon proved to be a significant P.R. for me (and would remain so for several years). Unfortunately, in the subsequent years Austin changed the course, and eliminated the net 500' downhill by starting and returning to the State Capitol. While the subsequent Austin course was doubtless much friendlier to the newbie marathoner than the one I'd run in 2005 it was no longer the same!

Official Race Results: Time: 03:47:49; Age 45-49: 85/352 ; Male: 835/2928 ; Overall: 1031/4906

Houston Marathon - My Second

A disapointing marathon, as I failed to improve on the prior P.R. (set in Chicago in October). 

Age: 338/613
Male: 1916/3666
Overall: 2504/5695
Pace: 9:49
Time: 4:17:33

Sunmart 50K Race Report

My first trail run was the Sunmart 50K in the Huntsville State Park. The weather was absolutely beautiful, and the course was fantastic! The scenery in the Park was consistently beautiful, and the varieties of foods and snacks prior to, during, and after the race were absolutely incredible.

The race expo/registration the night before the event featured as speaker the famous New Zealand coach Arthur Lydiard, of whom we learned days afterward that he had tragically died in Houston the day after the event.

I ran with Tim, Paul and Mary Beth for stretches of the run, and finished slower than all of them - but I truly didn't mind! That's the great thing about trail runs; one's time and pace is far less important than simply enjoying the experience.

Official Race Results: Time: 05:56:17; Age 45-49: 26/58; Male: 155/343; Overall: 217/620

Uptown Place 10K Turkey Trot

Very fun first "Turkey Trot" 10K run.

Oshman's 25K Race Report

While this was a great prelude to the Houston 2005 marathon, it was an unbelievably BORING out and back and out and back "course" basically just along the Memorial Drive course. While my time was good I vowed never to do the Oshman's 25K again (too boring, course has an ugly overpass which of necessity you need to cross over several times, and it's entirely on a concrete surface.... so it's very tough on the body).
Official Race Results: Time: 01:59:24; Age 45-49: 45/174; Male: 205/1011; Overall: 241/1730

J.P. Morgan Chase 3.5 Mile Corporate Challenge

Ran the JP Morgan Chase 3.5 miler this evening - representing ExxonMobil! Great time, we finished highly. See http://connect.garmin.com/activity/3010285