One Big Party!
With some different goals on my schedule (NYC in November and possibly Sunmart in December) for the end of 2005, I've thought about not doing Houston again in 2006. However, it is such a big party/celebration, that even though I might not run it, I won't be able to keep from partaking in some way, shape or form.
Of course, the senses are hightened, I believe, when you run well!
As far as this year's event, where do I begin? This one is easy ....
Mile 19. Just about three tenths of a mile beyond the mile marker, I noticed two runners who had passed me earlier (and asked me about the Marine Corps Marathon) turning around with their camera for a picture. My mind said: "Somebody famous!" When I turned and looked, I saw an older gentlemen in an Astros hat and jacket. I pointed at him and said, "President Bush. It's good to see you. Thanks for being out here this morning." He said something back, but I was by him and didn't hear it. I couldn't believe it! I just said "Hi" to a former President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush, #41!
J. Fred Duckett. Before the race, I made my annual visit to race's public address announcer who was for years the public address announcer for the Astros in the Astrodome (and is credited with Jose Cruuuuuuuuuuuzzzzzzzzz!) J. Fred, a history teacher at the Awty International School in Houston, is one of the most knowledgeable track individuals in the Southwest and is also the public address announcer for the Texas Relays in Austin. A very proud Rice graduate, he has also been the P.A. announcer at Awtry Court for the men's basketball team as well as at Rice Stadium for the football team. When I got there, I don't think he remembered that I saw him at the Private School All-Star Football game, but he did mention, of course, the picture in the paper from November. However standing very close to him was Houston mayor Bill White!
The visit also paid off in the end! As I'm coming down the stretch, I hollered out "J. Fred!" And he announced, "Jon Walk of Walk Sports". Gotta love it!
Stephanie Turner. She was young woman who was profiled in the Chronicle last Monday that was running for the ill-fated STS-107 space shuttle crew. She was the trainer that worked with the crew that didn't return home from its mission when the space shuttle broke apart two years ago above east Texas. I recognized her from her shirt (from behind) between mile 2 and 3 and said Hi!. (While I can't get to the marathon's site at the moment, I heard on Channel 13 Sunday evening that she finished in around 5:40.)
On the course, I only saw one person from our running club, the Houston Striders, and that was Andrea Chan. Andrea was the 2004 Female Most Improved Runner of the Year and during the 30K in December, she beat me when I started having calf cramps in mile 16. I passed her briefly around mile 7 or 8, then she passed me and stayed within eye sight until we made the turn off of Tanglewood on to Chimney Rock (then I never saw her again). Aside from the Striders that were at the mile 21.5 water stop we had, I saw Geoff Guenther and Carlos Camacho just a little bit on the other side of that.
After the race, I was able to connect up with a number of other Striders, including Megan Clark-Dillingham (who was just two minutes off of her target goal of 4 hours for her first marathon!), Whitney La Rocca (who was five minutes shy of her 4:30 target, but had a nice PR! to show for it), Stacey Stepler (another Fitness PIMster who was running her first marathon), Juan Arrieta (who posted a nice PR of 3:34:15), Carole Flad and Sam Ogundele.
Before the race, I saw Denise Van Kuiken, who frequents the Run The Woodlands 5K Series quite a bit. On the course, I saw Ken Johnson, president of the Seven Hills Running Club, along Crawford very early on. And after the race, I saw Debbie Tripp, also a Run The Woodlands regular, and more importantly, got a much-needed hug (inside the GRB) after finishing!
During the half last year, it really didn't seem like there was all of the spectators that Houston had been talking about (but it was cold and damp last January). This year, there was good number of people everywhere!
Some people had their bib number on their chest and many people called out their name constantly. Mine was taped on the front of my shorts because I was wearing my Marine Corps Marathon race jacket, but still to the many people that called out my name: many, many thanks! It helped! (You hate to disappoint people cheering for you!)
I got emotional a number of times on the course because I knew that I was going to shatter my first effort and that I was going to complete a goal two years ago of running the 4-miler, then the half and finally, the full. But, crossing Kirby on University, I had tears in my eyes, overwhelmed with all of the American flags that lined the street. It was a special sight.
Going through Memorial Park seemed fairly sparse with people, but Memorial Drive beyond that was packed with people .... as well as the last 500 to 1,000 yads.
I was sobbing at the end after I crossed the line! I couldn't believe that I had beaten 5 hours! (I had to stop to make sure that I had a good finisher's picture taken!)
Of course, the senses are hightened, I believe, when you run well!
As far as this year's event, where do I begin? This one is easy ....
Mile 19. Just about three tenths of a mile beyond the mile marker, I noticed two runners who had passed me earlier (and asked me about the Marine Corps Marathon) turning around with their camera for a picture. My mind said: "Somebody famous!" When I turned and looked, I saw an older gentlemen in an Astros hat and jacket. I pointed at him and said, "President Bush. It's good to see you. Thanks for being out here this morning." He said something back, but I was by him and didn't hear it. I couldn't believe it! I just said "Hi" to a former President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush, #41!
J. Fred Duckett. Before the race, I made my annual visit to race's public address announcer who was for years the public address announcer for the Astros in the Astrodome (and is credited with Jose Cruuuuuuuuuuuzzzzzzzzz!) J. Fred, a history teacher at the Awty International School in Houston, is one of the most knowledgeable track individuals in the Southwest and is also the public address announcer for the Texas Relays in Austin. A very proud Rice graduate, he has also been the P.A. announcer at Awtry Court for the men's basketball team as well as at Rice Stadium for the football team. When I got there, I don't think he remembered that I saw him at the Private School All-Star Football game, but he did mention, of course, the picture in the paper from November. However standing very close to him was Houston mayor Bill White!
The visit also paid off in the end! As I'm coming down the stretch, I hollered out "J. Fred!" And he announced, "Jon Walk of Walk Sports". Gotta love it!
Stephanie Turner. She was young woman who was profiled in the Chronicle last Monday that was running for the ill-fated STS-107 space shuttle crew. She was the trainer that worked with the crew that didn't return home from its mission when the space shuttle broke apart two years ago above east Texas. I recognized her from her shirt (from behind) between mile 2 and 3 and said Hi!. (While I can't get to the marathon's site at the moment, I heard on Channel 13 Sunday evening that she finished in around 5:40.)
On the course, I only saw one person from our running club, the Houston Striders, and that was Andrea Chan. Andrea was the 2004 Female Most Improved Runner of the Year and during the 30K in December, she beat me when I started having calf cramps in mile 16. I passed her briefly around mile 7 or 8, then she passed me and stayed within eye sight until we made the turn off of Tanglewood on to Chimney Rock (then I never saw her again). Aside from the Striders that were at the mile 21.5 water stop we had, I saw Geoff Guenther and Carlos Camacho just a little bit on the other side of that.
After the race, I was able to connect up with a number of other Striders, including Megan Clark-Dillingham (who was just two minutes off of her target goal of 4 hours for her first marathon!), Whitney La Rocca (who was five minutes shy of her 4:30 target, but had a nice PR! to show for it), Stacey Stepler (another Fitness PIMster who was running her first marathon), Juan Arrieta (who posted a nice PR of 3:34:15), Carole Flad and Sam Ogundele.
Before the race, I saw Denise Van Kuiken, who frequents the Run The Woodlands 5K Series quite a bit. On the course, I saw Ken Johnson, president of the Seven Hills Running Club, along Crawford very early on. And after the race, I saw Debbie Tripp, also a Run The Woodlands regular, and more importantly, got a much-needed hug (inside the GRB) after finishing!
During the half last year, it really didn't seem like there was all of the spectators that Houston had been talking about (but it was cold and damp last January). This year, there was good number of people everywhere!
Some people had their bib number on their chest and many people called out their name constantly. Mine was taped on the front of my shorts because I was wearing my Marine Corps Marathon race jacket, but still to the many people that called out my name: many, many thanks! It helped! (You hate to disappoint people cheering for you!)
I got emotional a number of times on the course because I knew that I was going to shatter my first effort and that I was going to complete a goal two years ago of running the 4-miler, then the half and finally, the full. But, crossing Kirby on University, I had tears in my eyes, overwhelmed with all of the American flags that lined the street. It was a special sight.
Going through Memorial Park seemed fairly sparse with people, but Memorial Drive beyond that was packed with people .... as well as the last 500 to 1,000 yads.
I was sobbing at the end after I crossed the line! I couldn't believe that I had beaten 5 hours! (I had to stop to make sure that I had a good finisher's picture taken!)
posted by WalkSports.com | 9:23 AM
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