New Plans for Thanksgiving 2017

I'm pleased to update that I'll be handling finish line announcing and awards duties for this year's 28th Annual YMCA Run Thru the Woods Presented by Entergy.

It is a little bit of a departure from the last few years where I've made a commitment to run with Waverly on Thanksgiving Day.

However, since I have retracted a lot from the 37 races that I announced two years ago, there are some events that I want to remain involved in, especially in my local race community.

I had the pleasure of meeting with race director Roxanne Davis earlier this year to talk about the race.

There was some concern about numbers - and what I thought might be causing them.

I presented Roxanne with a graph of all of the races in the greater Houston area and all of the finishers numbers that I could find.

A year ago, Waverly and I had plans to run the Bay Area Turkey Day 10K for something different.

Nothing against the job that Roxanne and her team did, we just needed a change of scenery -- and we wanted to run five miles or more.

League City, with some local, ongoing road construction, forced the Bay Area race to only have its 5K.

We told the organizers to donate our entries to somebody who could use them and we headed even further south to Lake Jackson.

A fine race -- and one that I ran well in (under an hour in the 10K for the first time in about four years).

I showed Roxanne that Kingwood, I believe, had grown and taken many runners who in the past made the drive to The Woodlands as opposed to going downtown.

I saw the same type of trend in Pearland taking some from Sugar Land.

There were a couple of years that I did handle finish line responsibilities for Roxanne, but the biggest challenge -- and it will be no different -- is the sheer volume of runners that come across the line around 45-60 minutes into the five-mile race.

You simply can't announce them all.

A few years ago, Andy Stewart, one of Houston's most respected race directors and longest in tenure, had asked me to basically announce all of his races -- including Thanksgiving.

Working some of Andy's races, especially, for me, the 30K, has always been a great honor.

To both Roxanne and Andy - and I had been approached by Mark Coleman one year with working the Sheltering Arms 10K, I was consistent in that Thanksgiving Day was for me running with Waverly.

However, this year I think that she'll be reaching the apex of her long run mileage near Thanksgiving in her build-up for the Chevron Houston Marathon -- and she should have (and take) the opportunity to rock it out, if her fitness it there.

There's no more delight in what I do than in announcing the name of your child as they cross the finish line.

The Woodlands, though, is a community that I identify closely with -- and for me to well-represent it on Thanksgiving morning will once again be an honor.

And with a switch in timers, one that I've worked with, and being able to eyeball those results before making my way to the stage to handle the awards, I hope that I can help alleviate some of the issues in the past that the race has had with results messing up the awards ceremony.

In the meantime, I have the Memorial Hermann Ten For Texas coming up in three weeks for the first time ever -- and will have Nike South and Nike Cross for the sixth year this weekend and the weekend before Thanksgiving, respectively.

Great to work with The Woodlands Parks and Recreation Department as well as one of the top men's cross country and track programs in America.

I must say that I'm pretty fortunate.

Outside Assistance - Road Racing

I know that road racing has gotten to a point where there's been a slippery slope of activities - short of course cutting and running with another person's bib - that have become acceptable.

However, there still are rules of competition put forth by USA Track & Field and those coaches of businesses - regardless of how large or small, new or old - should be held to the highest standard in following them.

USA Track & Field Rule 144.3(a)

Pacing in running or walking events by persons not participating in the event, by competitors lapped or about to be lapped, or by any kind of technical device other than those permitted under Rule 144.3(i).

This means coaches - or their running club or training group members with their knowledge - should not be out on the course helping run one of their runners in - one step, one mile or more.

The fact that you're a coach and you put in your Facebook post that you've done this puts in question your ethics -- or lack of knowledge of the rules.

Again, as I've stated, the sport is at a point where runners either don't know these rules or otherwise completely ignore them - because nobody challenges them or holds people accountable to them.

What isn't assistance?

USA Track & Field Rule 144.3(j)

Pace setting by an officially designated person entered in an event for that purpose is permitted, provided such pacesetters start in the event.

So if you're a coach and you want to run with one of your runners, pay for an entry, cross the start line and remove your timing device -- and you're 100% within the rules.

I know this is something Team In Training used to do and I believe that Michael Merlino with Inflight Running definitely still does.

And in this one specific case that I witnessed, it was just one coach of the said group and I wouldn't necessarily personally paint their partners with the same brush.

However, it makes you wonder a bit, especially if the effort results in prize money, an award or a qualification of some sorts.

Running of the Bulls 5K Finishers History

2017 - 995 (September 17)
2016 - 1,521 (October 9)
2015 - 1,395 (September 20)
2014 - 1,746 (September 14)
2013 - 2,017 (September 22)
2012 - 2,903 (September 23)
2011 - 2,004 (October 16)

34 States, 54 Marathons - Complete Marathon History

By Time

4:47:32 - 2/19/06 - 15th annual Freescale Austin Marathon, Austin, TX - 7  (4:42:55)
4:48:42 - 9/30/12 - Maine Marathon, Portland, ME - 45  (4:30:09)
4:51:05 - 11/21/10 - Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia, PA - 25  (4:37:04)
4:55:08 - 1/16/05 - hp Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 2  (4:52:30)
4:57:56 - 1/13/13 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 48 (4:36:25)
4:58:30 - 10/29/11 - Spinx Run Fest Marathon, Greenville, SC - 34  (4:41:45)
5:02:21 - 11/18/12 - Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia, PA - 46  (4:42:56)
5:03:02 - 3/5/06 - 4th annual Little Rock Marathon, Little Rock, AR - 8  (4:58:11)
5:04:07 - 10/16/11 - 10th annual IMT Des Moines Marathon, Des Moines, IA - 33  (4:47:03)
5:06:03 - 7/28/12 - 26th annual King Salmon Marathon, Cordova, AK, - 42  (4:46:24)
5:08:30 - 4/26/08 - Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, Oklahoma City, OK - 18  (4:58:35)
5:13:37 - 2/5/06 - 41st annual Mardi Gras Marathon, New Orleans, LA - 5
5:14:59 - 1/14/07 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 12
5:16:18 - 3/4/07 - Alpharetta Marathon, Alpharetta, GA - 14
5:17:54 - 9/25/11 - Quad Cities Marathon, Moline, IL - 32
5:18:02 - 7/31/11 - San Francisco Marathon, San Francisco, CA - 28
5:18:37 - 1/13/08 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 17
5:20:42 - 9/11/11 - Sioux Falls Marathon, Sioux Falls, SD - 31
5:20:59 - 10/28/13 - Cape Cod Marathon, Falmouth, MA - 50
5:21:40 - 11/3/13 - City of Oaks Marathon, Raleigh, NC - 51
5:22:19 - 1/1/08 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, TX - 16
5:25:38 - 12/17/06 - Jacksonville Bank Marathon, Jacksonville, FL - 11
5:25:41 - 11/5/11 - Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Indianapolis, IN - 35
5:26:07 - 12/2/07 - Tucson Marathon, Oracle, AZ - 15
5:26:26 - 1/30/11 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 26
5:27:03 - 12/10/11 - Rocket City Marathon, Huntsville, AL - 37
5:27:47 - 12/9/12 - Bryan-College Station Marathon, College Station, TX - 47
5:28:03 - 9/16/17 - Bismarck Marathon, Bismarck, ND - 54
5:30:27 - 9/9/12 - Bozeman Marathon, Bozeman, MT - 44
5:32:05 - 11/19/11 - Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia, PA - 36
5:34:37 - 1/18/09 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 23
5:35:48 - 5/25/08 - Med-City Marathon, Rochester, MN - 19
5:36:23 - 3/24/13 - Ocean Drive Marathon, Cape May to Sea Isle City, NJ - 49
5:37:29 - 1/18/15 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 52
5:37:35 - 8/27/11 - Eisenbahn Marathon, West Bend, WI - 30
5:38:12 - 1/7/12 - Mississippi Blues Marathon, Jackson, MS - 39
5:39:06 - 10/31/04 - 29th annual Marine Corps Marathon, Washington, DC - 1
5:39:55 - 2/11/06 - 2nd annual Surfside Beach Marathon, Surfside, TX - 6
5:40:01 - 1/1/06 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, TX - 4
5:41:06 - 11/7/05 - 36th annual ING New York City Marathon, New York City, NY - 3
5:42:37 - 1/15/12 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 40
5:43:12 - 2/18/07 - AT&T Austin Marathon (PD), Austin, TX - 13
5:43:12 - 1/1/09 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, TX - 22
5:44:56 - 4/22/06 - Fiesta de Albuquerque Marathon, Albuquerque, NM - 9
5:45:17 - 11/16/08 - Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio Marathon, San Antonio, TX - 21
5:50:39 - 12/18/11 - Run For The Ranch Marathon, Springfield, MO - 38
5:51:49 - 1/17/10 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 24
5:54:00 - 8/6/12 - Extraterrestrial Full Moon Midnight Marathon, Rachel, NV - 43
5:54:49 - 4/21/12 - Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, KS - 41
6:07:30 - 10/18/08 - Marathon 2 Marathon, Alpine to Marathon, TX - 20
6:08:53 - 11/5/06 - City of Trees Marathon (Back), Boise, ID - 10
6:09:29 - 8/20/11 - Park City Marathon (Elevation), Park City, UT - 29
6:09:59 - 6/26/11 - UCC Coffee Kona Marathon, Kona, HI - 27
6:26:39 - 12/10/16 - Brazos Bend Marathon, Needville, TX - 53 (Trail; at least 27.56 miles)

By Date

5:39:06 - 10/31/04 - 29th annual Marine Corps Marathon, Washington, DC - 1
+ Dad, Waverly made the trip to D.C. w/me; earned my Dad's Marine Corps dog tags.

4:55:08 - 1/16/05 - hp Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 2
+ Trained the right way for this race. Great weather. First finish down Rusk.

5:41:06 - 11/7/05 - 36th annual ING New York City Marathon, New York City, NY - 3
+ Wasn't ready. Great experience though. NYC is a must-do despite the cost.

5:40:01 - 1/1/06 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, TX - 4

5:13:37 - 2/5/06 - 41st annual Mardi Gras Marathon, New Orleans, LA - 5
+ Ran this with a specific 12-minute per mile goal. Succeeded.

5:39:55 - 2/11/06 - 2nd annual Surfside Beach Marathon, Surfside, TX - 6
+ Edwin Quarles saved this from being even worse. Surprisingly, no quad pain.

4:47:32 - 2/19/06 - 15th annual Freescale Austin Marathon, Austin, TX - 7
+ Best marathon ever to date. One of those perfect days in just above freezing weather.

5:03:02 - 3/5/06 - 4th annual Little Rock Marathon, Little Rock, AR - 8
+ Took a week off. Waverly ran the last few miles with me.

5:44:56 - 4/22/06 - Fiesta de Albuquerque Marathon, Albuquerque, NM - 9
+ This race was a debacle.

6:08:53 - 11/5/06 - City of Trees Marathon (Back), Boise, ID - 10
+ Drove nine hours from Vancouver, BC to do this. Clearly wasn't ready.

5:25:38 - 12/17/06 - Jacksonville Bank Marathon, Jacksonville, FL - 11
+ Warm weather day. Saw Lou Wilson from The Woodlands here.

5:14:59 - 1/14/07 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 12
+ Pretty good race. Waverly ran with Kim Hager in the 5K.

5:43:12 - 2/18/07 - AT&T Austin Marathon (PD), Austin, TX - 13
+ Went the first nine miles with Bill Dwyer, who was doing the half.

5:16:18 - 3/4/07 - Alpharetta Marathon, Alpharetta, GA - 14
+ Waverly made the trip with me. Toughest mile 20 ever. Cool weather.

5:26:07 - 12/2/07 - Tucson Marathon, Oracle, AZ - 15
+ This got me to 10 states. Signed up for this at the last minute.

5:22:19 - 1/1/08 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, TX - 16
+ Love Steve and Paula Boone. Hate multi-loop courses.

5:18:37 - 1/13/08 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 17

5:08:30 - 4/26/08 - Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, Oklahoma City, OK - 18
+ Ran a really good race. Ran the whole way. Little chilly, but only out at the Lake.

5:35:48 - 5/25/08 - Med-City Marathon, Rochester, MN - 19
+ Another one that I wasn't ready for.

6:07:30 - 10/18/08 - Marathon 2 Marathon, Alpine to Marathon, TX - 20
+ Had DNF'd two weeks before at West Texas Crossroads Marathon. Should have here too.

5:45:17 - 11/16/08 - Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio Marathon, San Antonio, TX - 21
+ Only signed up for this because they had a one-day $65 registration.

5:43:12 - 1/1/09 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, TX - 22
+ I retired from running this race after this event.

5:34:37 - 1/18/09 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 23

5:51:49 - 1/17/10 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 24

4:51:05 - 11/21/10 - Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia, PA - 25
+ Trained the right way. Some significant cramping in mile 21 and 22.

5:26:26 - 1/30/11 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 26
+ No long runs before. Gave up ~8-9 minutes in miles 14 and 22 combined.

6:09:59 - 6/26/11 - UCC Coffee Kona Marathon, Kona, HI - 27

5:18:02 - 7/31/11 - San Francisco Marathon, San Francisco, CA - 28
+ Very hilly course. The hilliest that I've ever run. 2:27:26 front half. 2:48:27 back half.

6:09:29 - 8/20/11 - Park City Marathon (Elevation), Park City, UT - 29
+ Every step of this marathon was at 6,200 feet above sea level or greater. Mile 16 was at 7,000 feet.

5:37:35 - 8/27/11 - Eisenbahn Marathon, West Bend, WI - 30
5:20:42 - 9/11/11 - Sioux Falls Marathon, Sioux Falls, SD - 31
5:17:54 - 9/25/11 - Quad Cities Marathon, Moline, IL, - 32
5:04:07 - 10/16/11 - 10th annual IMT Des Moines Marathon, Des Moines, IA - 33
4:58:30 - 10/29/11 - Spinx Run Fest Marathon, Greenville, SC - 34
5:25:41 - 11/5/11 - Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Indianapolis, IN - 35
+ Streak of five straight time reductions was broken.

5:32:05 - 11/19/11 - Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia, PA - 36
5:27:03 - 12/10/11 - Rocket City Marathon, Huntsville, AL - 37
5:50:39 - 12/18/11 - Run For The Ranch Marathon, Springfield, MO - 38
+ Shut it down at the halfway point.

5:38:12 - 1/7/12 - Mississippi Blues Marathon, Jackson, MS - 39
5:42:37 - 1/15/12 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 40
5:54:49 - 4/21/12 - Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, KS - 41
+ Ran this on nothing and then DNF'd the following week in Kentucky.

5:06:03 - 7/28/12 - 26th annual King Salmon Marathon, Cordova, AK - 42
+ Pretty good race for me.  Cool weather, point-to-point (straight line, too) and lot of rain.

5:54:00 - 8/6/12 - Extraterrestrial Full Moon Midnight Marathon, Rachel, NV - 43
+ 1,300 foot elevation climb to the halfway point and was at ~5,550 feet overall.

5:30:27 - 9/9/12 - Bozeman Marathon, Bozeman, MT - 44
4:48:42 - 9/30/12 - Maine Marathon, Portland, ME - 45
5:02:21 - 11/18/12 - Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia, PA - 46
5:27:47 - 12/9/12 - Bryan-College Station Marathon, College Station, TX - 47
4:57:56 - 1/13/13 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 48
5:36:23 - 3/24/13 - Ocean Drive Marathon, Cape May to Sea Isle City, NJ - 49
5:20:59 - 10/27/13 - Cape Cod Marathon, Falmouth, MA - 50
+ 2:23:29 front half; 2:57:30 back half.  Hilly, hilly back half.
5:21:40 - 11/3/13 - City of Oaks Marathon, Raleigh, NC - 51

5:37:29 - 1/18/15 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX - 52

6:26:39 - 12/10/16 - Brazos Bend Marathon, Needville, TX - 53 (Trail; at least 27.56 miles)

5:28:03 - 9/16/17 - Bismarck Marathon, Bismarck, ND - 54
+2:25:09 front half; 3:02:54 back half.