Texas Marathon, Kingwood, TX Race Report

J.D. said it best on his blog, "Jon Walk was also out running because he had nothing better to do. That's Jon..."

As I mentioned earlier, I was going to be out at the Texas Marathon regardless. It is just the place to be on New Year's Day if you're a runner here locally.

However, with the temperatures that we had yesterday, it was a no-brainer that I'd just go ahead and run it. It would have been silly not to. Right Bill?

Even though my finishing time was 5:22:21, I wasn't disappointed at all. I'll do my best to try and explain why.

Mile 1 -- 11:44.46
Mile 2 -- 10:49.20
Mile 3 -- 10:58.08
Mile 4 -- 10:22.66

(Ran the first four miles with Team In Training - The Woodlands coach Carol Steele. We really tried to keep things slow the first couple of miles. Carol reminded me early that I wasn't going at a 12-minute per mile pace. I told her that I knew and that I was trying to slow it down. Her husband, Don, was waiting for her at the 4-mile marker and I sort of headed off to do my own thing.)

Mile 5 -- 10:55.30
Mile 5-6.55 -- 16:25.98

(The first loop went down in 1:11:13.68 for 6.55 miles. Looking back, if I had maintained that, it would have been an almost PR of 4:45. However, I knew going in that I didn't quite have the miles underneath my legs or did I?)

Mile 7 -- 4:51.22

(Miles 6-7 went for a total of 21:17.20 or an average of 10:38.40. Even though this course is a dreaded four-looper, you do get to see everyone multiple times in that you get to encourage others and they encourage you.)

Mile 8 -- 10:30.70
Mile 9 -- 10:34.87
Mile 10 -- 12:14.62

(I really don't recall anything special about mile 10 to where I might have slowed down at any length, unless I took some extra time at both the water stop that occured right after mile 9 and the turnaround. Also the markers could have just been slighly off too.)

Mile 11 -- 10:49.34
Mile 12 -- 10:58.47
Mile 13 -- 11:33.86
Mile 13.1 -- 1:11.52 (2:23:58)

(I remember the left side of my back tightening up as well as the upper part of my left hamstring. When I flashed my bib number to the race officials and circled the orange cone, I then stopped and purposedly stretched while getting fluids. I know that Bill walked out with me and I remember saying to him that I had blown five minutes. Therefore, my mile 14 time (.9 miles of 12 minutes) may have been better - as far as pace went - because I ran it to keep the time to what it was.)

(Loop 1 was in 1:11:13.68. Loop 2 came in at 1:12:44.60. Bill made a comment about me being "Mr. Steady" at that point, and he actually was right.)

Mile 13.1-14 -- 12:00.35
Mile 15 -- 10:51.05
Mile 16 -- 12:39.34

(Somewhere where you could see the tee box and flag on the golf course, I got off the trail and relieved myself. I'm sure you really wanted to know that kind of detail. This might have been close to two years ago where Rick defecated on a Post Properties hat that he suggested might still be decomposing out there today.)

Mile 17 -- 12:23.47
Mile 18 -- 17:19.73

(Ah ... the vaunted "green can penalty". Yes, for the first time ever in a road race, I had to relieve myself. After I crossed the mile 17 marker on the backside of the loop around the lake, I started to wonder if the next aid station had a port-a-john. I thought to myself, "Certainly they did." They did. I had already resolved myself that I was going to have to walk until I found the next one. Yes, that's how bad it was. So I got some fluids while waiting for the two port-a-potties to become free, and then did my business. I noticed, while looking in the mirror, that I needed to begin taking some more fluids as I had salt begin to collect on my face.)

(At about this time, Rick, who really ran a nice marathon, passed me as I was headed to the mile 18 marker. He said something about "running him in". Ha! Yeah right. When I talked to him on the phone today, he said he did the last loop in like 8:45 per mile.)

Mile 19 -- 11:48.40
Mile 19-19.65 -- 9:28.95

(Loop 3 came in at 1:26:31.29. Without the delays, which I didn't separately time, I might not have been too far off my first two loops. If so, then even though running on the treadmill isn't helping with the pounding that you take on the roads, it may be helping the pacing a little bit.)

Mile 20 (to) -- 3:09.95
Mile 21 -- 12:02.35

(Mile 20 was 12:38.90 and mile 21 is what you see there. Not too bad at that part of the race, although I was starting to get a little gassed and I was looking forward to see the turnaround.)

Mile 22 -- 13:00.20

(In this mile, I saw the leader and I started to count the minutes that Andrew Perry - a good friend of Rick, Bill, Kim and myself (and others) - was behind and that I was going to try and communicate to him. However, I got past the mile 22 marker and through the aid station before he made it there. It was at least four minutes. Maybe even five.)

(Mile 22 was starting to hurt a little bit. At this point, I had 4:18 on my watch. I thought to myself that without the delays that I had a pretty respectable time for just going out and running it. I had a good friend, Becky Spaulding, in front of me that should have kept me motivated to push, but I just decided that I'd save my legs for Houston and that I'd get caught up on fluids and brisk walk it in.)

Mile 23 -- 15:50.71
Mile 24 -- 14:55.37
Mile 25 -- 14:52.22
Mile 26 -- 15:44.28
Last .2 -- 2:17.70

(I started to run it in once I hit the mile 26 marker. No more than 150 meters out, Bill decides he's going to run the rest of the way in with me. I chuckled. His new nickname, "Mr. 100 Meters"! I'm sure he'll make me pay at the TIR. We should bet something on the Captain's Leg at the TIR. That way he'll be ready by then. Actually, he and Karen have both said that they would help out on the third loop at Rocky Raccoon 50-Miler if I choose to do that the first weekend in February.)

It was marathon No. 16 for me - all since October 31, 2004. I should have more on the books since then; however, I've gotten off course a bit. 44 half marathons since November 1, 2003 isn't too bad in that same time frame. I've had a lot of fun and have earned the respect of many. The two of them make me happy.

I won't mention the person that sent me this e-mail, but the best part is saved for last. This is what I had in my e-mail yesterday afternoon:

"Anyway, for well over two hours we watched after the race winner came in, Waverly was diligently handing out finisher medals and monkeys to all of the participants. I don't think that she took a break the whole time we were there, and the runners sure appreciated her help and attention. That is so cool for a young volunteer, please pass on our thanks."

Yes, Dad's proud of her! (She's going to work the Finish Line Sports water stop at mile 23 and then run in the last 5K with me. Just like the first time two years ago at the Mardi Gras Marathon in New Orleans. I can assure you, regardless of what kind of day that I'm having, it'll be special.)

The two of us worked packet pickup before the race, and that's because we think Steve and Paula Boone are great people and I am now a member of the 50 States Marathon Club as I turned in my application and check on Tuesday!