I am just checking to see if I can create a blog. My knee is bumed up so I find more time for goofy things.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Well Let's see if I can post some of the race pictures I bought from Brightroom.
The first one is of me, Eric and Eric. Blue shirt eric is my training partner whilst black shirt Eric is a Texas guy who runs all of the Texas marathons and I tend to see in boston every time I go. Usually in a pub while we carbo load.
I wish I could figure out how to put my pictures in the middle of text rather than just have them at the beginning (maybe I did figure it out). One of these days. The other pic is of my hamming it up with crowd near the finish. I'll likely post some more since I purchased the download of all of pictures. They got over 30 and some pretty good ones this year. When you slow down they have more time;-)
Where to begin? I was born in July 1966… Nope a bit too early. The Guinness was cold and smooth… Nope, I think that leaves out a bit too much. It was January 13, 2008 and my alarm sounded at 4am. I was starting my morning routine for my 6th consecutive Houston Marathon (7th overall). I had previously accomplished a sub 3 hour marathon, but one of my training partners was less than minute off last year. That was the goal…run with Eric and shave 53 seconds off of his time from last year.
In August I had a knee surgery for a torn meniscus. I think I recovered pretty well, but I think I will always have some clicks and creaks in there. Most all of my training was run with Eric so we had a very good sense of what it felt like to run long stretches together and hopefully we would be able to pull each other through the inevitable tough spots that arise during 26.2 miles of hard effort running.
The training this cycle was a bit too lax. We did not do much tempo or speed work and the mileage was down a good deal too. I think I had one week of 67 miles, but most were in the low 50’s. I still felt that I was rounding into shape, but my knee started to hurt in the last week before the race. I tried to write it off as normal taper madness, but one of these days I would like to have a race with nothing but confidence.
My parents came in from Dallas and it was very good to have them here. They helped with our dog (Norman) who had a hip replacement surgery 10 days before the marathon. The race was playing out like last year since Norman had his first hip replaced about 10 days before last year’s marathon. One downside to that is having to sleep on the floor. The dog can’t hop up and down from the bed or he could ruin the surgery. Being the strange dog people we are, that means sleeping on the floor with the dog. I expect to sleep in a bed next year since Norman only has 2 hips and they have both been replaced.
Anyway, back to race morning. I had a banana and some Gatorade, but my stomach was already having problems. I have a hard time with fueling and this year would be no different. In fact I welcome fueling strategies from people in their replies. More on the fuel (or lack thereof later). I picked Eric up a little after 5 and we were downtown and in the convention center before 6. We used the Portacans and hung out until race time. We left for the corrals about 20 minutes before race time. We used the can again and worked our way up. I think we were 9 or 10 seconds back from the start. I saw Wayne, but not many others who we would be pacing with. Wayne took off and was gone within the first mile.
We started the race fine and it felt like we were holding back a bit. One minor goal was out the window after the first mile. I thought it would be cool to have no mile over 7:00. Our first mile was 7:16 so no such luck. That is not bad for the first mile with the crowds, the north wind and the hill going over the bridge. We then started making our way into the White Oak neighborhood where the half marathoners merge with the full. We then carried on into the Heights where the crowds are really good. The weather looks like it will be good, but it is windy. Luckily, the wind is cross or mostly with us after the first 2 miles until around mile 13. We make it through the Heights and over to Studemont/Montrose for the long section over to Rice University. We were getting on pace, but it was not easy and we were not banking any time.
As we ran down Montrose we got into a decent rhythm, but I was having my doubts as the miles were not clicking by very quickly nor easily. The wind was at our back and this should have been an easy stretch. I knew I would have fueling and stomach issues. I tried a Gatorade early on and it was too strong. I diluted it, but it still did not sit well. I tried water from that point on, but it was not even going down well. I think I took my last water at around mile 10 or 11 because it was just making me feel nauseous. I did run by the priest and got sprinkled with holy water. It has just sort of become a tradition as I run down Main Street by the University.
We were now on University and looking forward to the halfway point. We picked up the pace a bit, or so we thought. The watch at mile 12 registered a 6:59. Eric and I both concluded that the marker had been placed incorrectly because we had picked up the pace rather than dropped off it. We held steady and waited for mile 13. Mile 13 was as ungrateful and cruel as 12 and registered at 6:59. I told Eric that it just was not in the cards for me that day. Our half split was a 1:30:20 and I knew that I could not run the second half faster on this course on this day with the way I felt. I like to finish strong, but it would be too much. Eric refused to accept this and plowed ahead. It took me just a few strides to say I can’t let him go it alone if I still have anything left. I surged back to him. I held on for a while, but then we were running north again and directly into the wind. It was a pain in the…glutes, legs, back… I decided to do what I could to push the pace at 6:50’s and break the wind for as long as I could.
I now had a new goal which was to get Eric to Woodway which is a little past mile 18. We would then be running east back to the finish. If he had a great day he could pull it off. I actually started to feel better, but the wind was a bitch and made the pace difficult to hold. At this point I did not care because I had no intention of holding the pace the whole way. I just wanted to get out of the wind and to mile 19. We were successful and kept close to the proper pace through Tanglewood and over to Woodway. We started running with Jeff from the Tornados and were chatting in good spirits. We hit over a 7 min mile and Eric started to give up the quest. I thought he was with me, but it was Jeff running right behind me. When I realized this I slowed up but Eric did not catch me. Neither did Jeff pass me. We just kept talking and having fun.
At this point the Sub3 was gone and I was no longer pacing Eric. I felt a huge relief and just kept cruising and hoped that Eric would catch back up so we could cruise in together. I was feeling OK, but was tired and the lack of water or fuel was taking its toll. It would end up fine, but I do wonder how it would feel to take gels and such without needing to stop and puke. I saw Eric’s wife at the edge of Memorial Park (mile 22ish) and she said she thought she could see Eric a little ways back. About a half mile later I saw my parents and Becki on Memorial and Westcot and they were yelling and having fun. I did not know they would be there so that was a nice surprise. We made the turn to Shepard and then to Allen Parkway and I looked back for Eric. I did not see him, but he must have been close because he told me he saw me pull to the side and look. He thought I might stop and wait, but my eyes must not work well after 23 miles. Tom was out on Allen Parkway and said that we were within a minute or 2 of sub3 either way and to run strong. I knew he was right, but it would require a new 2 mile PR and a sub 5 pace to do it! I kept running with Jeff who had a goal of making it to the Hash stop at mile 25 where there would be cold beer. I thought about getting one to carry across the finish line, but it appeared before mile 25. I was not carrying a beer for a mile and half. We kept running along until we got to the last turn and had a little over a half mile to go. I had some fun with the crowd and then crossed the line with no need to throw up. I may need to do some more marathons for fun. It sure is nice to finish without feeling completely wasted.
I turned to look for Eric and he came in shortly after I did. I saw my friend Mike throwing up which is a bond we share – kind of like blood brothers. That sun-of-a-gun was about to catch and pass me! We also found out that our club buddy Simon was just about 10-20 seconds ahead of us. We all finished at essentially the same time, but never saw each other. I can only imagine how differently our races unfolded. The Marathon is a strange beast indeed.
I got my post race massage and then a nice fella gave me a cold Guinness. Boy was that good. We spent some time at the club tent talking with people. Notable was Jake making back to back sub3’s in a little over a month; Rob getting his first Houston sub3; Mark Conran knocking on the door yet again - he ran 3:00:30 or so in Berlin and then just did Houston in 3:00:20; Esme’s friend Amy knocked out a 2:49 – narrowly missing the 2:47 Oly Time; her other friend was even closer with a 2:47:20 or so.
We made the post race party and consumed some beer and red beans and then headed on home. Dinner was at Churrascos and was fantastic. It is now time to decide if a Sub3 attempt is in the cards for Boston. I would love to get a sub3 there, but it would be nice to just go and have fun. Our buddy Bob turns 50 on the day of the race – so it will be a party regardless of my choice.
Photo link will have to do until I buy the pics and maybe post some.
