2nd annual BENeezy Purple Monkey 10K Race Report

I had lots of options this morning (run in The Woodlands with TNT/Ten 4 Texas folks or go to Huntsville and run with SRHC/Woodlands Fit) and while I might have chosen the worst of the three, I still was able to get some things accomplished.

This blog sometimes should read: "What not to do!" And if I can help somebody in that way, I'm glad that I can. Bottom line right now is that I'm trying to get my batteries recharged.

As I was talking with Bill Dwyer last night in The Woodlands, I explained to him that it was racing that got me ready for what was scheduled to be my first half marathon back in 2004 - and often it is what keeps me motivated to working out.

Today's race wasn't that at all for me and in fact, it might have been my worst 10K in three (3) years. Granted, I'm not trained (from a mileage standpoint) nor am I ready to run in the heat that came out about a mile or so into the run today, but I got a chance once again to have fun, be around my friends, continue to meet new people and spend time with my daughter.

If you are a beginning runner, please let me be clear and state that it just isn't wise to run two races on either the same day or within about 10-11 hours. I've done it a lot and lots of times, I've been successful doing so - even as late as June '06.

I should have quit while I was ahead last night. However, I pressed on to Alvin, Texas this morning to do the Beneezy Purple Monkey 10K and here are the "continually slowing down splits":

Mile 1 -- 9:44.43
Mile 2 -- 10:20.98 (20:05.41/10:03)
Mile 3.1 -- 11:55.29 (32:00.70/10:20)
Next .9 -- 9:52.06 (41:52.76/10:28)
Mile 5 -- 11:11.04 (53:03.80/10:37)
Mile 6 -- 11:31.79 (1:04:35.59/10:46)
Last .2 -- 2:07:61 (1:06:43.20/10:46)

After the race, I won a $15 Road ID gift certificate; however, I, like a lot of people, was frustrated that a water stop that was at mile 1 (mile 4.1 on the second loop) was gone! Then the water stop just past mile 5 wasn't manned at all, but when you got down the road another 2 to 3 tenths of a mile, there were almost two dozen kids - a high school ROTC group - that could have been tabbed for about a half hour to help out. It might not have helped a little bit, but on a morning where the temperature passed the 80 degrees mark during the race it would have been nice to have had some water between 3.1 and 5 miles.

Nonetheless, the couple, Lenny and Vicky Garcia, that raises funds for the Benjamin James Garcia Memorial Scholarship Fund does an excellent job in putting the races (Kids 1K/5K /10K) on and are working every angle of the event the entire morning.

Here's the always popular "who I saw and talked to " report --

+ Vincent Attanucci and his son, Michael, from The Woodlands. (Vincent covered the distance in 43:45 finishing 3rd in his age group. Some guy named Ben Harvie was first in 42:01! Michael, who ran his first 10K eve, finished in 47:54, and finished third in his age group as well.)
+ One of the nicest ladies in the sport, Suzy Seeley. (I did confirm that she was still a BCRR member but that she is running with Al Lawrence this fall because she said that she basically trains with all of them. She said "Hi!" to Waverly and later I saw her out on the course as she carried water out to her husband, David, who was behind me somewhere.) By the way, Suzy won the women's open in 44:22.6.
+ HARRA board member Bruce Mansur and Kathy Mahon, both of the Bayou City Road Runners. (Bruce and Kathy were 7th and 5th in their respective age groups in the 10K.)
+ Bruce introduced me to Kim Rose of the Pearland Area Runners Club who then took me over and introduced me to co-president Cassie Dimmick. (We will have a first time club report from them for October's Footprints as well as a picture or two, including today's 5K female winner - the 12-year-old daughter of one of their members.)
+ Talked to Danny Gilbreath from Houston who comes out and does Run The Woodlands 5K quite often.
+ Karen Thibodeaux was the official photographer for the event. (She was talking about shooting the Cinco Ranch Tri last weekend and I told her that Sarah said that the swim was nasty. She agreed as she had many with pictures of them taking seaweed off their body.)
+ On The Run Racing Team's Raymond Cruz. He had e-mailed earlier in the week and asked if I was going to make it. I said that I didn't think so and he just laughed when he saw me. (There were lots of Bay Area Running Club members there.) Raymond was 2nd overall in 40:05.1 behind the winner Juan Carlos Vielma.
+ Calvin and Joyce Stout from Brenham. They had done this event last year as well. Super nice couple who I see at races all the way from Houston to Austin.
+ I also saw Ben Harvie and Mary Patterson, who were part of the winning Seven Hills Running Club team three weeks ago.

I'm flattered and very fortunate to know and acquaint with all of the people that I have had the chance to get to know!