Monster Mash Dash 15K Race Report

I bit the bullet not too long ago to run the Cape Cod Marathon on Sunday, October 27 near Falmouth, Massachusetts.  Therefore, you guessed it:  non-traditional training.

I’ve kind of really had it on my mind for awhile.  It is why I did a half in July, August and September, but I needed something a bit closer to give me a test or two.  Today, Sunday, October 6 was one of them in the Monster Mash Dash 15K at Sam Houston Race Park.

I looked for something out of the area that was a half, but nothing was more attractive then to stay at home.  It was a wise choice after being totally, completely wiped out after working – and announcing – Nike South on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.  With any event that I work, I don’t just stand around announcing.  There’s a whole lot more that I do, but I digress.

I was at the race site by 6 a.m. and had picked up my packet.  Saw Cheryl Stitt and Anita, who works for Other Brother, and eventually my very good friend Leanne Rosser arrived with her friend, Dawn Johnson, who was running her first 5K ever.

We all socialized for a little bit with their husbands.  Earlier I had seen and talked to John Moyer, Willie Fowlkes and spent a good 10 minutes or so catching up with David Nemoto right before the race.  (Later it included Kevin Lang and Walt Yarrow.)

I found Leanne and Dawn.  Dawn wanted Leanne to go on, but Leanne, with the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, knew that she really needed to be running easy.

I started off with them as they seemed to be settling into a nice pace.  Dawn was doing well.

I thought we were going about 9:45-9:50, but my watch confirmed that at the mile 2 marker we were at 21 minutes even – a 10:30 pace.  Just didn’t think that the track was going to slow us down that much.

As we turned right onto Fallbrook Drive, the right-hand turn would soon appear that the two of them would take to the finish.  I gave her some tips as we were running, including about ensuring that she keeps her head up at all times – to be able to breathe easier.

As I continued straight onto Fallbrook, the rains masked in the dark clouds looming distantly over the track at the start now started to appear.

I passed the mile 3 mark at 31:21.87 with the last mile being 10:21.30.

Then what started to occur was very surprising.

Given my body frame, I don’t do 40-50 miles a week.  While I might be able to trim some pounds that way, I’m afraid that I’d become injured and couldn’t run.  Therefore, my goal is to get in 4-to-6 workouts a week of 60 to 90 minutes.

So as the air became a little cooler and the rains fell, so did my mile split.  I passed the mile 4 marker in 41:05.81 after a 9:43.94 mile.

I’m starting to do the math as I’m running:  10:15 pace will get me close to 1:33 or 10-minute per mile for the entire race.

I was running strong.  I focused on the pace and form that I work to establish while doing most my training on the treadmill.

Mile 5 took us off the feeder road as we made a right-hand turn onto the street we had come off of the race track on to.  This was a nice and steady 9:51.53 to get me to 50:57.34.  (This might have been one of only two accurate mile splits after leaving the race track oval.)

A 9:50.61 mile 6 got me to 1:00:47.95 on the watch.  At this time, I decided – as I saw a number of runners in front of me – that I would see how many that I could catch.

Miles 7 and 8 were 9:41.37 and 9:51.92 for a cumulative time of 1:20:21.24 – right at 10 minutes per mile.  I started to think to myself if I got the right conditions and the right weather with a totally flat course – and I could hold it another few miles – that I might soon be staring at a half marathon PR.

It was after last Sunday’s Texas10 Katy – it is always good to have some motivation (the same type that allowed me to really get ready for Philadelphia in 2010) -- that I decided to put the hammer down on my training which had been a little lackadaisical the last few months.  Maybe this was a surprisingly quick return on my investment.

Then the last 1.3 miles and knowing what is right or not is a pain in the butt.

So after I passed the mile 8 marker (after hitting a water stop where I caught one or two people), I motored past a female as we turned back onto the Sam Houston Race Park parking lot.

I, at that point, including some 10K’ers, had passed 10 people since mile 6 – nice!

However, here came the kids on the 1K run streaming onto our course.  Ugh!  I looked at Angie Henderson and was like, “What the heck?”  She was like, “Jon, you’re just going to have to run through them.”  Well, not necessarily through them, but around a bunch of kiddos and moms and dads wearing costumes and getting soaked.

It later turned out to reveal that the mile 9 marker wasn’t where it was supposed to be, but that mile turned out to be 9:25.17.  Wow!

And then the last .3 miles was 2:01.72 (actually 2:00.xx), but I accidentally – typing my splits out – hit my watch real quick.  That’s how I knew, however, that the mile 9 marker was misplaced:  the time and then looking back at the certification map.

1:31:46.41 was the “chip time” that I ended up with, but Mike Hutchinson with No Limits Timing had me at 1:31:41.  I’ll gladly take the five seconds.  

However, it appeared that the course – near miles 3 and 6 – wasn’t set up properly, according to the certification map.  We were supposed to go off of Fallbrook Drive into the SHRP parking lot, run towards the Tollway, take a left at light pole 5D, make another left at light pole 6D and then a right back onto Fallbrook.  And, of course, we would have done it twice.

What you couldn’t tell from the certification map is how far from the road to the light poles we had to go to determine how short the course was.

My note to the race director after the race was, “If it was an issue that SHRP couldn’t get the gates open or something, we still should have been notified before the race about how short the course might have been.”

The other could have been too if you didn’t have enough volunteers, which simply didn’t seem to be the issue on Sunday.

Either way, the pace on the results could have been adjusted.

Still it was a pretty solid effort for me that I was happy with, given what’s on my calendar through early February.

Next weekend?  Races in Virginia while visiting the red-headed princess!

Largest Road Races and Triathlons in Greater Houston?

What are the largest road races and triathlons in the greater Houston area on an annual basis?

There always seems to be a discussion from time to time as who has the largest event or not.

Well, guess what?  We're going to keep score.  And the only way to do so is by official timed finishers.

This first posting is going up on Tuesday afternoon, September 24 (a second update was made on October 2) and the total is now 219 races.  However, there are many, many more to capture from earlier in the year and I'll be updating this through the end of 2013.

Timer Legend:  CS - Cadence Sports, CT - Cajun Timing, FLS - Fastlane Services (Brian Muck), IAAP (San Antonio), NLT - No Limits Timing (Mike Hutcheson), RC - Richard Campbell, RF - Run Far (Raul Najera), RHT - Run Houston Timing (Jack McClintic), RW - Run Wild (Gary Mulvihill)

Note:  Relays, listed at the end of a line, are not counted as individuals and included in the totals.

10,065 - Aramco Half Marathon, Houston, January 13
6,530 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, January 13
6,314 - ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K, Houston, February 23 (RF)
3,447 - The Woodlands Half Marathon, The Woodlands, March 2 (NLT)
3,183 - ABB 5K (Houston Marathon), Houston, January 12
2,489 - Blue Bell Fun Run 5K, Brenham, April 13 (RF)
2,054 - Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas, May 19 (SportsStats)
2,017 - Running of the Bulls 5K, Houston, September 22 (RW)
1,763 - Conn's Green 6.2, Houston, April 27 (RW)
1,671 - Bayou City Classic 10K, Houston, March 9 (RF)
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1,380 - 9/11 Heroes Run 5K, Houston, September 7 (FLS)
1,268 - Texas Med 5K, Houston, February 9 (RF)
1,230 - Kinsel Ford 5K (Gusher Marathon), Beaumont, March 9 (IAAP)
1,175 - Run Wild 5K, Houston, July 4 (RW)
1,162 - Shell Strides for Schools Fun Run 5K, Deer Park, April 13 (RHT)

1,126 - Bridgeland Triathlon, Houston, August 4 (NLT) - 18 relays

1,008 - Dad's Day 5K, Houston, June 15 (RF)
1,000 - USA Fit Half Marathon, Sugar Land, January 27 (RHT)
967 - Blue Bell Fun Run 10K, Brenham, April 13 (RF)
949 - Angie's Half Crazy Half Marathon, Clear Lake, April 7 (RHT)
949 - Houston Kids Triathlon - Juniors, Houston, April 14 (RF)
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921 - Armadillo Dash Half Marathon, March 3 (RF)
917 - The Woodlands Marathon, The Woodlands, March 2 (NLT)
914 - Fleet Feet Sports 5K (TW Marathon), The Woodlands, March 2 (NLT)
885 - Heights 5K, Houston, June 1 (RW)
839 - CB&I Sprint Triathlon, The Woodlands, May 4 (CS) - 28 relays
823 - Girls On The Run 5K, Houston, April 21 (RHT)
802 - Galveston Half Marathon, Galveston, January 27 (RW)
780 - Memorial Hermann Half Marathon, Sugar Land, March 3 (RW)
774 - Armadillo Dash 5K, College Station, March 3 (RF)
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724 - Kingwood YMCA Bridgefest 5K, Kingwood, February 2 (RHT)
681 - Muddy Trails 5K, The Woodlands, April 6 (CS)
673 - Run For The Rose 5K, Houston, April 14 (RHT)
669 - Baytown Bud Heatwave 5-Miler, Baytown, July 4 (FLS)
653 - Calder Twilight 5K, Beaumont, May 3
629 - SCOPE It Out 5K Run For Colon Cancer Awareness 5K, Houston, March 23 (RHT)
624 - Kemah Olympic Triathlon, Kemah, April 28 (NLT) - 20 relays
616 - Kemah Sprint Triathlon, Kemah, April 27 (NLT) - 17 relays
580 - Freedom 5K, Sugar Land, July 4 (RW)
575 - Houston Kids Triathlon - Seniors, Houston, April 14 (RF)
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574 - Shadow Creek Ranch Triathlon, Houston, July 14 (RW) - 24 relays
558 - Race Against Violence 5K, Houston, March 2 (RW)
557 - Blue Bell Kids 1-Mile, Brenham, April 13 (RF)
517 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Half Marathon, Seabrook, March 16 (RC) - 54 relays
511 - Tejas Triathlon, Sugar Land, June 2 (RW) - 17 relays
482 - Houston Triathlon - Sprint, Houston, September 2 (NLT) - 18 relays
480 - Stride for Stroke 5K, Houston, March 2 (RW)
478 - ChocoLoco 5K, Houston, January 26 (RW)
476 - Gusher Half Marathon, Beaumont, March 9 (IAAP)
472 - Rise and Shine 5K, Houston, May 11 (RF)
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467 - Houston Triathlon - Olympic, Houston, September 2 (NLT) - 18 relays
465 - NBA All-Star Fit Run/Walk 5K, Houston, February 16 (RW)
463 - Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Triathlon, Sugar Land, June 23 (RW) - 22 relays
455 - Alaina Dixon 5-Miler, Houston, September 2 (RW)
450 - Lake Houston 5K, Kingwood, August 24 (RHT)
443 - Texas10 Katy 10-Miler, Katy, September 29 (NLT)
438 - Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer 5K, Houston, August 10 (RW)
418 - Y Freedom Tri, Pearland, June 30 (RHT)
405 - Bellaire Trolley Run 5K, Houston, April 13 (RHT)
398 - Lake Houston 10K, Kingwood, August 24 (RHT)
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395 - Run 4 The Children 5K, Katy, Febraury 16 (RHT)
380 - Run For Wellness 5K, Houston, June 30 (RHT)
373 - Espirit de She 5K, Houston, May 9 (RF)
365 - Spalsh of the Titans 5K Mud Run, Galveston, July 13 (RHT)
363 - Walk To End Lupus Now 5K, Houston, May 5 (RHT)
360 - Just Run For a Just Cause 5K, Katy, September 7 (RHT)
355 - Causeway FunD Run, Galveston, March 2 (CS)
355 - Village Creek Festival 5K, Lumberton, April 20 (CT)
354 - Texas Exe's Lone Star Stampede 5K, Houston, May 4 (RHT)
353 - Run For Wellness 5K, Houston, July 28 (RHT)
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350 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Half Marathon, Seabrook, March 17 (RC)
342 - Galveston Sand Crab 5K, Galveston, September 7 (IAAP)
338 - Surfside Beach Half Marathon, Surfside Beach, February 23 (RHT)
332 - Run For Wellness 5K, Houston, August 25 (RHT)
329 - Bellaire Fall Fever 5K, Bellaire, September 28 (RHT)
322 - Du The Polar Bear Duathlon, Houston, February 10 (RW) - 11 relays
321 - Lookin' Good Shamrock Strut 5K, Houston, March 16 (FLS)
318 - Pear Run 10K, Pearland, May 11 (RHT)
316 - Muddy Trails 10K, The Woodlands, April 6 (CS)
315 - Sugar 'N Spice Half Marathon, Clear Lake, February 17 (RHT)
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311 - Tri Girl Sprint Triathlon, Houston, August 18 (RW) - 5 relays
311 - Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Bunny Hop 5K, Sugar Land, February 23 (RW)
302 - Pear Run 5K, Pearland, May 11 (RHT)
298 - Alief ISD After School Rocks 5K, Houston, April 13 (RHT)
294 - Nederland Heritage Festival 1-Miler, Nederland, March 3 (RHT)
289 - Run For Hope 5K, The Woodlands, April 20 (RF)
287 - USA Fit (Marathon) 5K, Sugar Land, January 27 (RHT)
282 - Just Run For a Just Cause 10K, Katy, September 7 (RHT)
279 - Clear Lake International Triathlon Sprint, Clear Lake, August 24 (RW) - 35 relays
279 - KBR Sprint For Spring 5K, Houston, April 27 (RF)
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273 - Jeff and Brede's Triathlon, Houston, July 17 (RW) - 10 relays
273 - Run For Recovery 5K, Houston, September 29 (RHT)
265 - Run For Wellness 5K, Houston, January 27 (RHT)
260 - Jail Break Half Marathon, Baytown, February 16 (RC) -- 174 (2012) -- 149 (2011)
260 - Run For Wellness 5K, Houston, September 29 (RHT)
259 - Texas Half Marathon, Kingwood, January 1 (RHT)
257 - Keller Williams Premier/Cinco Charities 5K, Katy, June 1 (RHT)
254 - Run For Wellness 5K, Houston, February 24 (RHT)
248 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, January 1 (RHT)
248 - Darling Dash 5K, Sugar Land, February 24 (RW)
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247 - Clear Lake International Triathlon Olympic, Clear Lake, August 24 (RW)
246 - Run For Wellness 5K, Houston, May 5 (RHT)
239 - Tomball Bunny Run 5K, Tomball, April 13 (RHT)
238 - Oak Bend Medical Center Race to Attack Poverty 5K, Richmond, April 6 (RHT)
237 - Espirit de She 10K, Houston, May 9 (RF)
234 - San Jacinto Texas Independence 5K, La Porte, March 9 (RHT)
230 - PPOWA Fallen Heroes Memorial 5K, Pasadena, May 11 (RHT)
227 - Run By The Bay 5K, Texas City, June 8 (RW)
221 - Kingwood YMCA Bridgefest Kids 1-Mile, Kingwood, February 2 (RHT)
219 - Run For Wellness 5K, Houston, May 26 (RHT)
219 - El Chupacabra de Houston 10K, New Caney, May 19 (IAAP)
219 - Bridgeland Kids Triathlon, Houston, August 3 (NLT) - 2 relays
219 - Woodforest Charity Run 5K, Conroe, September 28 (RF)
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214 - Keep Kids Connected Superhero 5K, Katy, September 21 (FLS)
210 - Kiwanis Kids Triathlon - South Montgomery YMCA, The Woodlands, July 27 (RHT)
205 - Cross Creek Ranch Kids Triathlon, Fulshear, May 19 (RHT)
204 - GTS Livestrong 5K, Beaumont, September 21 (CT)
203 - Riverfest Fun Run 5K, Port Neches, April 27 (RHT)
202 - The Rugged Race 5K, Pasadena, April 13 (CS)
201 - Buzz Run 5K, Sugar Land, August 11 (RHT)
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195 - El Chupacabra de Houston 5K, New Caney, May 19 (IAAP)
195 - USA Fit Marathon, Sugar Land, January 27 (RHT)
191 - Bearkat Bash 5K, Klein, September 21 (RW)
190 - Lookin' Good Shamrock Strut 10K, Houston, March 16 (FLS)
186 - Gator Chase 5K, Houston, May 4 (RHT)
186 - YMCA Mardi Gras 5K, Port Arthur, February 2 (RHT)
185 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon, Seabrook, March 17 (RC) - 40 relays
184 - BPOA 5th annual Run To Remember 5K, Beaumont, September 14 (CT)
183 - Love.Run.Marathon Half Marathon, Huntsville, February 9 (RHT)
181 - Heroes and Hope 5K, Sugar Land, May 25 (RHT)
181 - La Porte High School Project Graduation 5K, April 6 (RHT)
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179 - Run For Hope 10K, The Woodlands, April 20 (RF)
177 - Big Little JC Association 5K, Houston, June 9 (RW)
176 - Sylvan Beach Triathlon, La Porte, June 9 (RW) - 5 relays
174 - UNCF 5K, Houston, Setpember 14 (RHT)
171 - Kiwanis Kids Triathlon - Stude Park, Houston, June 8 (RHT)
166 - Texas Kids Triathlon, Houston, August 18 (RW)
166 - Dawson Winter Dash 5K, Pearland, January 26 (RHT)
164 - Stop Drop & Roll 5K, Galveston, February 23 (CS)
158 - Galveston Marathon, Galveston, January 27 (RW)
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157 - 4 Alarm 5K, Sealy, July 12 (RW)
155 - Toga Fun Run 5K, Kemah, September 14 (RHT)
147 - Summertime Blues Sprint Triathlon, Clute, August 11 (RHT) - 7 relays
146 - Houston Young Lawyers Association 5K, Houston, August 24 (RHT)
145 - Tomball Pregnancy Center 5K, Tomball, September 21 (RHT)
145 - Big Dipper Dash 5K, Houston, September 7 (RHT)
144 - Interfaith Caring Ministries 5K, League City, February 11 (RHT)
143 - Houston Kids Tri, Houston, August 31 (NLT)
143 - Love.Run.Marathon 10K, Huntsville, February 9 (RHT)
142 - Jog The Journey 5K, Crosby, March 30 (RHT)
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140 - Houston's Family Triathlon, Houston, May 5 (RHT)
136 - Kiwanis Kids Triathlon - Pearland, June 29 (RHT)
135 - Davy Crockett Bear Chase Half Marathon, Groveton, April 13
135 - Galveston Sand Crab 10K, Galveston, September 14 (IAAP)
135 - Texas10 Huntsville, Huntsville, April 7 (NLT)
133 - Texas Star Triathlon, Montgomery, July 14 (RHT)
133 - Sienna Spring Fling 10K, Sugar Land, March 23 (RHT)
132 - CASA Superhero 5K, Beaumont, September 28 (RHT)
127 - Run By The Bay 10K, Texas City, June 8 (RW)
127 - Heart of Katy 5K, Katy, February 9 (RHT)
127 - Woodforest Charity Run 10K, Conroe, September 28 (RF)
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118 - Pasadena Rodeo 5K, Pasadena, August 24 (RW)
118 - Stallion Stampede 5K, Spring, April 6 (RHT)
117 - Conroe Family YMCA Trail Run 5K, Conroe, May 11 (RHT)
113 - Kiwanis Tri Kingwood, Kingwood, September 7 (RHT)
112 - Diploma Dash 5K, Deer Park, May 18 (RHT)
112 - Virginia Gandy Mothers Against Cancer 5K, Kingwood, September 28 (RHT)
106 - Junior League Downtown Love Run 5K, Bryan, February 9 (CS)
105 - Sylvan Beach Duathlon, La Porte, June 9 (RW)
105 - Gator Chase 1-Mile, Houston, May 4 (RHT)
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104 - NAHREP Running For The American Dream 5K, April 6 (RHT)
103 - Surfside Beach Marathon, Surfside Beach, February 23 (RHT)
98 - Exygon & Baptist Hospitals Gusher Marathon, Beaumont, March 9 (IAAP)
98 - Lion Pride 5K, Vidor, March 16 (RHT)
97 - Buffalo Wallow 6K, Houston, February 9 (RW)
94 - Piney Woods Trail Fest 10-Miler, New Caney, February 9 (IAAP)
94 - Spring Assistance Ministries 5K, Spring, June 15 (RHT)
90 - Kemah Kids Triathlon, Kemah, April 27 (NLT)
87 - Angel Run 10K, Montgomery, May 25 (RHT)
86 - Kingwood YMCA Bridgefest Kids Half Mile, Kingwood, February 2 (RHT)
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85 - Blues Capital of Texas 5K, Navasota, August 10 (RHT)
85 - Seahawks by the Seawall 5K, Port Arthur, May 18
85 - Texas10 Katy 5-Miler, Katy, September 29 (NLT)
84 - Alief ISD After School Rocks 1M, April 13 (RHT)
83 - Kiwanis Tri Clay Road YMCA, Katy, August 3 (RHT)
82 - Riverfest Fun Run Kids 1M, Port Neches, April 27 (RHT)
80 - XTERRA Magnolia Hill Triathlon, Navasota, July 14 (CS) - 1 relay
78 - Riverstone Heart and Sole 5K, Missouri City, September 21 (RHT)
74 - Kiwanis Kids Triathlon - Langham Creek, Houston, May 18 (RHT)
70 - Davy Crockett Bear Chase Marathon, Groveton, April 13
70 - Kemah 5K, Kemah, April 28 (NLT)
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68 - US Vets 5K, Houston, May 18 (RHT)
67 - Jog The Journey 10K, Crosby, March 30 (RHT)
66 - Fort Bend County Parade 5K, Richmond, September 27 (RW)
63 - Piney Woods Trail Fest 5K, New Caney, February 9 (IAAP)
63 - Patriot Day 5K, Houston, September 28 (FLS)
62 - Tri Girl Duathlon, Houston, August 18 (RW)
61 - Lake Tejas Triathlon, Colmesneil, April 20 (RHT)
59 - PCOS Awareness 5K, Houston, September 28 (RW)
54 - Conroe YMCA Tri For Fun Triathlon, April 7 (RHT) - 5 relays
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51 - Dream Center 5K, Conroe, September 21 (RHT)
47 - Running for the Rights of Victims 5K, Friendswood, April 27 (RHT)
44 - Onalaska Half Ironman, Onalaska, September 8 (RW) - 10 relays
44 - Love.Run.Marathon, Huntsville, February 9 (RHT)
43 - Conroe YMCA Tri For Fun Kids Triathlon, April 7 (RHT)
42 - Sienna Spring Fling 10K, Sugar Land, March 23 (RHT)
42 - Texas Birthday Bash 5K, Navasota, March 2 (CS)
40 - HL&R Rowdy Rodeo Run 5K, Baytown, September 28 (FLS)
36 - Angel Run Half Marathon, Montgomery, May 25 (RHT)
31 - Nederland Heritage Festival 5K, Nederland, March 3 (RHT)
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30 - Texas10 Huntsville 5-Miler, Huntsville, April 7 (NLT)
29 - Davy Crockett Bear Chase 5K, Groveton, April 13
29 - Dream Center 1-Mile, Conroe, September 21 (RHT)
24 - Piney Woods Trail Fest 20-Miler, New Caney, February 9 (IAAP)
23 - Stallion Stampede 10K, Spring, April 6 (RHT)
22 - Bridgeland Doggie Duathlon, Houston, August 3 (NLT)
19 - Piney Woods Trail Fest 50K, New Caney, February 9 (IAAP)
19 - YMCA Mardi Gras 1K, Port Arthur, February 2 (RHT)
10 - Lake Tejas Duathlon, Colmesneil, April 20 (RHT)

This Past Week's Top 10 Moments

1.  My Sunday night phone call with Waverly.  She's doing well at Liberty University, yet always will be positively covetous of your prayers.  So excited for her and the opportunities that she gets to experience every single day there in Virginia.  Big week ahead for her as she has three tests, but lots of campus excitement in both Convocations and school events.

2.  My niece Hunter's 9th birthday party with family Sunday evening at Pappasito's.  Family comes first.  I have two very, yet differently talented nieces.  Just like I believe for Waverly, my hope is for God to reveal to both of them His plan in their lives in the days, months and years to come.

3.  Working Saturday's Toughest 10K Kemah.  Despite the event dealing with some unanticipated traffic and timing issues, I can't tell you how much I enjoy working races with the team that Robby Sabban has put together through the years.  The Running Alliance Sport team is much like the Win Win Events team:  Lots of people who know what needs to get done and when, but keeping in mind that they're serving other runners.  And while 80% of the runners who run Robby's races aren't going to get a sniff of an age group award, the majority of them also are working their hardest to get to the finish line as fast as they can.

4.  Thanksgiving plans have been finalized!  Waverly and I will be running the Run Thru The Woods 5-Miler together.  Other than the Thanksgiving that we were in New York City for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, either one or both of us have worked a race the last few years.  This year, we're going to partake for once and run our hometown race.  Would love to help Jay Lee and Robby as they assume the reins of the Clear Lake race that Pete Rake started via Bay Area Fit, but it will make for the start of a special day with family.

5.  Announcing Nike South and Nike Cross Regionals in October and November, respectively.  Actually this has been on my calendar since May, but firmed all of the particulars with The Woodlands boys cross country coach Juris Green the middle of last week.

6.  Announcing Pleasure Island Bridge Half Marathon in November.  This is also an event that has been on my calendar since the date was set by Richard and Amie James in Beaumont, but Amie and I made sure that I'll be in Port Arthur on Saturday, November 9.

7.  The Woodlands Marathon Committee meeting Tuesday night.  Always good to visit with folks that you're going to be working with in putting on the sixth largest marathon event in the state of Texas with.  It is great to be respected by the many great individuals that are on this team.

8.  Tuesday morning visit with a former race partner.  A situation placed this individual in close proximity to my work location so I made an effort to take a short break from work - and go to a neighboring building about a block away - to visit with them.  I think the biggest thing that I strive to seek in my world these days is clarity, where possible.  Seeking it - and making the actual effort - doesn't always guarantee the results you desire, but a genuine, heart-felt effort leaves no regrets.  Left feeling positive about the exchange.

9.  Kind words from an endurance sports colleague.  A third party shared with me that I was recognized by this colleague for starting something that part of the community forced me to step away from.  Even though I've continued to contribute to the community event annually in a visible, yet unknown to most way, it appears that I might even get the opportunity to once again be visible.

10.  Running races last weekend in Texas cities #88 and #89.  A half marathon in Mansfield and an 8K in Cedar Park put me two more cities closer to my 100-city goal of running a race in.  In the Metroplex, I ran OK while getting the chance to visit with friends Raul and Meghan Najera and Michael Clark before taking in a half of Ball State vs. North Texas in Denton and then traveling south for a fun, first-year 5-miler on Sunday that facilitate some communication with a friend in the area.

NCAA College Football Pick 'Em - Week 3

Jump in and play at any time!

If you post your picks in the Facebook comment, I'll know who you are (obviously).  If you leave your picks in the comment here, please leave your name.

This week's schedule smells worse than the Hudson River and good games on it are harder to find than WMD in Iraq.

Nonetheless, a little homework to a double-digit win week may be necessary.

Week 3 Schedule

NATIONAL TOP 5 (AP/USA)
(Sat.) - #16 UCLA at #23 Nebraska - NEBRASKA
(Sat.) - #21 Notre Dame at Purdue - NOTRE DAME
(Sat.) - #7 Louisville at Kentucky - LOUISVILLE
(Sat.) - #20 Wisconsin at Arizona State - WISCONSIN
(Sat.) - #19 Washington at Illinois - WASHINGTON

TEXAS TOP 5
(Sat.) - #1 Alabama at #6 Texas A&M - ALABAMA
(Sat.) - #25 Mississippi at Texas - TEXAS
(Sat.) - Kansas at Rice - KANSAS
(Sat.) - Ball State at North Texas - BALL STATE
(Sat.) - Texas-El Paso at New Mexico State - UTEP

JON'S TOP 5
(Sat.) - Morgan State at Liberty - LIBERTY
(Sat.) - Central Florida at Penn State - PENN STATE
(Sat.) - Mississippi State at Auburn - AUBURN
(Sat.) - Vanderbilt at #13 South Carolina - SOUTH CAROLINA
(Sat.) - Boston College at USC - USC

Week 2 Recap

I followed up an 11-4 week with a 12-3 effort (that included Texas and Florida laying eggs), but Rick Cook slammed home a 14-1 showing.

Holy "Geaux" Tigers!

WEEK 2 STANDINGS
Rick Cook (14-1 - only missed South Carolina/Georgia)
Jon Walk (11-4)

CUMULATIVE STANDINGS
Rick Cook (14-1; Wk. 2)
Ed Parker (8-2; Wk. 2 - No Jon's Top 5 picks)
Jon Walk (23-7)
Anonymous Yahoo User (11-4; Wk. 1)
Don Womble (8-7; Wk. 1)

NATIONAL TOP 5 (AP/USA)
(Sat.) - #13/#14 Notre Dame at #17 Michigan - MICHIGAN (Win - Michigan, 41-30)
(Sat.) - #6 South Carolina at #11/#12 Georgia - SOUTH CAROLINA (Loss - Georgia, 41-30)
(Sat.) - #12/#9 Florida at --/#24 Miami (Fla.) - FLORIDA (Loss - Miami, Fla., 21-16)
(Sat.) - #2/#3 Oregon at Virginia - OREGON (Win - Oregon, 59-10)
(Sat.) - Hawaii at Oregon State - HAWAII (Loss - Oregon State, 33-14)

TEXAS TOP 5
(Sat.) - Sam Houston State at #7 Texas A&M - TEXAS A&M (Win - Texas A&M, 65-28)
(Sat.) - #15/#16 Texas at BYU - TEXAS (Loss - BYU, 40-21)
(Sat.) - Montana State at SMU - SMU (Win - SMU, 31-30)
(Sat.) - Houston at Temple - HOUSTON (Win - Houston, 22-13)
(Sat.) - Prairie View A&M at Texas State - TEXAS STATE (Win - Texas State, 28-3)

JON'S TOP 5
(Sat.) - Eastern Michigan at Penn State - PENN STATE (Win - Penn State, 45-7)
(Sat.) - Monmouth at Liberty - LIBERTY (Win - Liberty, 45-15)
(Sat.) - Syracuse at #19/#20 Northwestern - NORTHWESTERN (Win - Northwestern, 48-27)
(Fri.) - Wake Forest at Boston College - BOSTON COLLEGE (Win - Boston College, 24-10)
(Sat.) - Duke at Memphis - DUKE (Win - Duke, 28-14)

NFL Pick 'Em - Week 2

Jump in and play at any time!

If you post your picks in the Facebook comment, I'll know who you are (obviously).  If you leave your picks in the comment here, please leave your name.

Biggest game of the upcoming week?  Denver at the New York Giants.  Manning vs. Manning.  Another win here for Peyton.

Some games that could go the other way?  Tennessee over Houston, Seattle over San Francisco and Miami over Indianapolis.  That is, if my picks are right.

Week 2 Schedule

(Thu.) - New York Jets at New England - NEW ENGLAND
(Sun.) - St. Louis at Atlanta - ATLANTA
(Sun.) - San Diego at Philadelphia - PHILADELPHIA
(Sun.) - Dallas at Kansas City - DALLAS
(Sun.) - Miami at Indianapolis - INDIANAPOLIS
(Sun.) - Tennessee at Houston - HOUSTON
(Sun.) - Washington at Green Bay - GREEN BAY
(Sun.) - Cleveland at Baltimore - BALTIMORE
(Sun.) - Carolina at Buffalo - BUFFALO
(Sun.) - Minnesota at Chicago - CHICAGO
(Sun.) - New Orleans at Tampa Bay - NEW ORLEANS
(Sun.) - Detroit at Arizona - DETROIT
(Sun.) - Jacksonville at Oakland - OAKLAND
(Sun.) - Denver at New York Giants - DENVER
(Sun.) - San Francisco at Seattle - SAN FRANCISCO
(Mon.) - Pittsburgh at Cincinnati - CINCINNATI

Week 1 Recap

Three played last week, including myself, and we all went 10-6.  And I needed both wins on Monday night to make it there.

STANDINGS
Rick Cook (10-6)
Matt Shoemaker (10-6)
Jon Walk (10-6)

(Thu.) - Baltimore at Denver - DENVER (Win - Denver, 49-27)
(Sun.) - Tennessee at Pittsburgh - PITTSBURGH (Loss - Tennessee, 16-9)
(Sun.) - New England at Buffalo - NEW ENGLAND (Win - New England, 23-21)
(Sun.) - Atlanta at New Orleans - ATLANTA (Loss - New Orleans, 23-17)
(Sun.) - Tampa Bay at New York Jets - TAMPA BAY (Loss - New York Jets, 18-17)
(Sun.) - Kansas City at Jacksonville - JACKSONVILLE (Loss - Kansas City, 28-2)
(Sun.) - Seattle at Carolina - SEATTLE (Win - Seattle, 12-7)
(Sun.) - Miami at Cleveland - MIAMI (Win - Miami, 23-10)
(Sun.) - Minnesota at Detroit - MINNESOTA (Loss - Detroit, 34-24)
(Sun.) - Oakland at Indianapolis - INDIANAPOLIS (Win - Indianapolis, 21-17)
(Sun.) - Cincinnati at Chicago - CHICAGO (Win - Chicago, 24-21)
(Sun.) - Arizona at St. Louis - ST. LOUIS (Win - St. Louis, 27-24)
(Sun.) - Green Bay at San Francisco - SAN FRANCISCO (Win - San Francisco, 34-28)
(Sun.) - New York Giants at Dallas - NEW YORK GIANTS (Loss - Dallas, 36-31)
(Mon.) - Philadelphia at Washington - PHILADELPHIA (Win - Philadelphia, 33-27)
(Mon.) - Houston at San Diego - HOUSTON (Win - Houston, 31-28)

Enjoy!

NFL Pick 'Em - Week 1

First game is Thursday night and, of course, we have a full schedule.

Here's who I think is going to win ...  What about you?

(Thu.) - Baltimore at Denver - DENVER
(Sun.) - Tennessee at Pittsburgh - PITTSBURGH
(Sun.) - New England at Buffalo - NEW ENGLAND
(Sun.) - Atlanta at New Orlenas - ATLANTA
(Sun.) - Tampa Bay at New York Jets - TAMPA BAY
(Sun.) - Kansas City at Jacksonville - JACKSONVILLE
(Sun.) - Seattle at Carolina - SEATTLE
(Sun.) - Miami at Cleveland - MIAMI
(Sun.) - Minnesota at Detroit - MINNESOTA
(Sun.) - Oakland at Indianapolis - INDIANAPOLIS
(Sun.) - Cincinnati at Chicago - CHICAGO
(Sun.) - Arizona at St. Louis - ST. LOUIS
(Sun.) - Green Bay at San Francisco - SAN FRANCISCO
(Sun.) - New York Giants at Dallas - NEW YORK GIANTS
(Mon.) - Philadelphia at Washington - PHILADELPHIA
(Mon.) - Houston at San Diego - HOUSTON

There might be a reach or two here, but isn't that what it's all about?

Enjoy!

NCAA College Football Pick 'Em - Week 2

Jump in and play at any time!

If you post your picks in the Facebook comment, I'll know who you are (obviously).  If you leave your picks in the comment here, please leave your name.

The lack of challenging games continues into week 2 of the NCAA college football season.

Notre Dame vs. Michigan and South Carolina vs. Georgia headline this week's dance card.

Florida at Miami (Fla.) used to be a marquee matchup any time the two teams played, but the battle for recruiting is the hottest here.

The rest?  I simply tried to pick the games that would produce the closest result either by knowledge or from looking at the point spread.  Enjoy!

Week 2 Schedule

NATIONAL TOP 5 (AP/USA)
(Sat.) - #13/#14 Notre Dame at #17 Michigan - MICHIGAN
(Sat.) - #6 South Carolina at #11/#12 Georgia - SOUTH CAROLINA
(Sat.) - #12/#9 Florida at --/#24 Miami (Fla.) - FLORIDA
(Sat.) - #2/#3 Oregon at Virginia - OREGON
(Sat.) - Hawaii at Oregon State - HAWAII

TEXAS TOP 5
(Sat.) - Sam Houston State at #7 Texas A&M - TEXAS A&M
(Sat.) - #15/#16 Texas at BYU - TEXAS
(Sat.) - Montana State at SMU - SMU (Don't be surprised if Montana State gives the Ponies a game)
(Sat.) - Houston at Temple - HOUSTON
(Sat.) - Prairie View A&M at Texas State - TEXAS STATE

JON'S TOP 5
(Sat.) - Eastern Michigan at Penn State - PENN STATE
(Sat.) - Monmouth at Liberty - LIBERTY  (Monmouth lost to FCS #2 Montana State on the road.)
(Sat.) - Syracuse at #19/#20 Northwestern - NORTHWESTERN  (Media Bowl)
(Fri.) - Wake Forest at Boston College - BOSTON COLLEGE
(Sat.) - Duke at Memphis - DUKE

Week 1 Recap

Went 11-3 going into Monday night's game between Florida State and Pittsburgh.  Missed two games - Clemson vs. Georgia and BYU vs. Virginia - by a total of six points.  My two reaches, I thought, paid off.  They were UTSA over New Mexico and Northern Illinois over Iowa.  New Mexico has been horrible as of later and UTSA's coach is former Miami (Fla.) head man Larry Coker and Northern Illinois has a Heisman candidate in Jordan Lynch and played in the Orange Bowl.  Iowa is always up for an upset.

STANDINGS
Jon Walk - (12-3)
Anonymous Yahoo User - (11-4)
Don Womble - (8-7)

NATIONAL TOP 5
(Sat.) - #5 Georgia at #8 Clemson - GEORGIA (Loss - Clemson, 38-35)
(Sat.) - #12 LSU at #20 TCU - LSU (Win - LSU, 37-27)
(Sat.) - #19 Boise State at Washington - BOISE STATE (Loss - Washington, 38-6)
(Mon.) - #11 Florida State at Pittsburgh - FLORIDA STATE (Win - Florida State, 41-13)
(Sat.) - Mississippi State at #13 Oklahoma State - OKLAHOMA STATE (Win - OSU, 21-3)

TEXAS TOP 5
(Fri.) - Texas Tech at SMU - TEXAS TECH (Win - Texas Tech, 41-23)
(Sat.) - Rice at #7 Texas A&M - TEXAS A&M (Win - A&M, 52-31)
(Sat.) - Idaho at North Texas - NORTH TEXAS (Win - North Texas, 40-6)
(Sat.) - UTSA at New Mexico - UTSA (Win - UTSA, 21-13)
(Sat.) - New Mexico State at #15 Texas - TEXAS (Win - Texas, 56-7)

JON'S TOP 5
(Thu.) - Liberty at Kent State - KENT STATE (Win - Kent State, 17-10)
(Sat.) - Penn State at Syracuse - PENN STATE (Win - Penn State, 23-17)
(Sat.) - Houston Baptist at Sam Houston State - SHSU (Win - SHSU, 74-0)
(Sat.) - Northern Illinois at Iowa - NORTHERN ILLINOIS (Win - Northern Illinois, 30-27)
(Sat.) - BYU at Virginia - BYU (Loss - Virginia, 19-16)

Kickoff Run For Sight 5K Race Report

Getting ready to head into this weekend's events, I haven't had a chance to blog a little about the Kickoff Run For Sight 5K that I ran in Mobile, Alabama last Saturday.

I made the trip over to the Mobile area to see a very good friend of mine, Rebecca Massie, get married to a good, down-to-earth guy in Keith Bell.

I guess you could say they've been together for a little while (I don't get into a lot of that ... i.e. keeping up with how long, etc. ... even with friends), but the one thing that has always impressed me about Rebecca is that she doesn't do friendships half-way.

If you're her friend, she goes all in.  A very risky, yet admirable trait.  So when I was invited to attend her wedding, I was fortunate enough to be able to make the trip.

And shortly after making the travel arrangements, of course, there was a race to be found!

I've run in Mobile before; therefore, it wasn't a new north American city - as I have over 100 outside of Texas to my credit, but it was on the campus of the University of South Alabama.

One of my better half marathons was the First Light Half Marathon a few years ago and then, two Januarys ago, Bill Dwyer and I traveled to Jackson, Mississippi so I could run the Mississippi Blues Marathon before venturing south to Mobile to watch Adrienne Langelier, Rebecca and a couple of her friends break the First Light Marathon women's relay record.

Actually, I think they shattered it.  Nonetheless, I historically digress.

The race benefited the sight programs of the University Lions Club and the one thing that was excellent - a rarity in the south - was that they had a "no shirt" registration option.  (You see this a lot in the Pacific Northwest, but rarely in Texas where I live.)

Start time was 7:30 a.m. and it was only about five minutes off of getting the race started on-time.  Not a major inconvenience, even though rains from the Gulf were threatening.  With the humidity, it wouldn't have been a bad thing.

The course (here) was a little out and back with a 1.5-mile elongated loop in the middle of it -- think of a lollipop, I guess.  Course map -

In that loop was the mile 15 marker of the First Light Marathon where there was a relay exchange.  If memory serves me correct, it is where Sam Gardner handed off to Rebecca.  (If I'm wrong, I'll be corrected!)

Coming off a good weekend the week before in West Virginia and Ohio, my fear was that the humidity would be a kick in the rear end again.

It was, but it really didn't seem to come in to play until the last mile.

A good bit of the first mile was slightly downhill as we ran toward the University of South Alabama Circle.  The left-hand turn onto Aubrey Green Drive brought the mile 1 marker at the top of a slight incline and I posted a 9:32.18 first mile.

Felt pretty good and even though I knew I was slowing down some - while just trying to run steady - I took a quick breather once or twice after making a right on to Health Services Road and then on to USA North Drive.

The mile 2 marker revealed a 9:56.85 time for a cumulative mark of 19:29.03.  Not too bad.  9:45 per mile.

But it was mile three, going slightly back up hill, especially even the last stretch that ran by the USA intramural soccer fields, that brought out a 10:39.01 butt-kicking on me.

Now, what's crazy is that all of my post didn't get "cut and pasted" in here.  And I didn't notice it until Adrienne made a comment Sunday morning on what was already here.

And I didn't save what I had entered into either Word Pad or when I cut and paste it to Note Pad before getting it in here.  Ugh!

Well, the bottom line is that I had a gun time that was a second off of the official timer, Little Red Hen Productions, but I had a 7-second offset for my "chip time" that put my overall time at 30:57.

The last tenth of a mile, of which the marker was set just past the last right hand turn to set up a straight shot to the finish, came in like 49 seconds.  I figured it to be "on" - or measured correctly - on the way out because I mentally remember it being 56 seconds (which is just under a 10-minute pace).

My summary was that this is a nice event.  The course isn't completely closed, but at 7:30 a.m. in the morning early in the semester there wasn't much traffic.  The University of South Alabama and the City of Mobile police monitored the course extremely well.

I think the official results had just 87 official timed finishers - and I think that I might have been 47th.  Ugh.  Nonetheless, I enjoyed myself.

Well, except for the one gentleman just outside of the finish chute.  Again, the official timer was really doing manual timing and using the tear tag at the bottom of the bib to keep people in order.

There were three workers and the first gentleman - as there was also a female and a second man beyond him - was rude and not any help at all.  He was hollering for me to tear my tag off after I came running hard to the finish line.  My thought was, "Buddy, why don't you do something and tear it off for me."

It left me a little perturbed.  But since I really was looking to get back to the hotel so I could get showered and begin the drive back to New Orleans, I quickly got my keys, which were under the timer's tent, went to a Pavillion area, grabbed a banana and a bottle of water and went to my car.

Since there was a tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico, I wanted to get to the Louis Armstrong Airport to get on an earlier flight to make it home with plenty of time before I needed to go back out and get my parents, who were flying in from Pittsburgh after visiting my grandparents.

NCAA College Football Pick 'Em - Week 1

Each week, I'll put together five top national games, five top Texas games and five top games from me.

Fair warning, though, that my five top games will more than likely always include Penn State (where I'm from) and Liberty (where my daughter goes to college).

With that disclaimer, here are this week's games and my picks:

NATIONAL TOP 5
(Sat.) - #5 Georgia at #8 Clemson - GEORGIA
(Sat.) - #12 LSU at #20 TCU - LSU
(Sat.) - #19 Boise State at Washington - BOISE STATE
(Mon.) - #11 Florida State at Pittsburgh - FLORIDA STATE
(Sat.) - Mississippi State at #13 Oklahoma State - OKLAHOMA STATE

TEXAS TOP 5
(Fri.) - Texas Tech at SMU - TEXAS TECH
(Sat.) - Rice at #7 Texas A&M - TEXAS A&M
(Sat.) - Idaho at North Texas - NORTH TEXAS
(Sat.) - UTSA at New Mexico - UTSA
(Sat.) - New Mexico State at #15 Texas - TEXAS

JON'S TOP 5
(Thu.) - Liberty at Kent State - KENT STATE
(Sat.) - Penn State at Syracuse - PENN STATE
(Sat.) - Houston Baptist at Sam Houston State - SHSU
(Sat.) - Northern Illinois at Iowa - NORTHERN ILLINOIS
(Sat.) - BYU at Virginia - BYU

Please put your selections -- with your name! -- in the comment section of this post (and not necessarily the Facebook comment area) or send me a regular or Facebook e-mail.

Thanks!  And I hope here goes to having a little fun this college football season!

News and Sentinel Half and Inside The Park Home Run Race Reports

Instead of having two separate race reports, I'll include both the News and Sentinel Half Marathon in Parkersburg, West Virginia from Saturday and the Inside The Park Home Run Race at Cleveland's Progressive Field from Sunday.

As soon as planning started to commence for getting Waverly to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia to begin school and that her Mom would be driving her up (so that they could visit her family in Tennessee), it was an opportunity for me to prepare a week's vacation that turned out to include many things.

First and foremost, it was to be available for Waverly's transition at Liberty.  Mom provided Waverly with a lot of assistance with things that Moms are just stronger at and I was there to provide support, if needed.

Secondly, I would visit my grandparents in central Pennsylvania.  This was even before the Canada vacation three weeks ago allowed us a chance to slip in and see them.

Then, it was a combination of a couple of things.  I knew that a very good friend of mine, Cassie Mondragon, who is from Parkersburg, West Virginia, was going to be running the News and Sentinel Half Marathon as well as many of her family members.

I've run the race three times, from 2005-2007.  (I'll benchmark times later.)

I also had the chance to string together the opportunity to see six minor league ballparks in six states in seven (7) days.  I could have added a seventh, but Waverly wouldn't have been happy with me - at all.  This trip was really all about her!

Then, while planning on where and what I was going to do between Saturday's race and Sunday afternoon's flight out of Pittsburgh, I spied this brand-new event that included a finish on the field inside of Progressive Field in Cleveland.  "Awesome" was the only thought that I had.  The fact that it was just $20 - made it even better.

I really didn't have an idea of how the News and Sentinel Half Marathon was going to go.  I hadn't paid too close to the weather forecast and the three previous times I had run the race it was hot, humid and hilly.  And, of course, the hilly didn't change.

Before the vacation to Canada, I was getting in my fair share of workouts, but the trip derailed me a little even though Waverly and I covered a lot of ground on foot.  I logged 25 miles the following week and even less this past week.

I took plenty of gear to run all week, but I had absolutely nothing going into Saturday.  Plus the week had been intensive on Mountain Dew, Mallo cups (can only get these in Cracker Barrels in the south - think Reese's cups with marshmallow; they're made in Altoona) and ballpark food.

I left Lynchburg at about 7 a.m., took Mom to Charlottesville, Virginia for her to fly home and then I headed west to Charleston, West Virginia where I took in a West Virginia Power baseball game.  They are the Pittsburgh Pirates' affiliate in the South Atlantic League.

I was scheduled to stay Friday night in Marietta, Ohio, which would allow for me to run the race in Parkersburg and then shower after the race on the way to my activities in Akron on Saturday night.

However, once I arrived in Charleston, I was whipped.  I also noticed that there was a Fairfield Inn just blocks from the ballpark.

I reached out to Cassie to see if I could shower at her parents after the race and I cancelled my reservation in Marietta and booked a stay there.  I checked in and got parts of three hours of sleep before the game.  Very much needed.

My pre-race fuel came in the form of two hot dogs, a pretzel and a soft drink that evening, but I grabbed something on the drive that my stomach could handle.

After parking, stashing my keys in a flower bed (I hate carrying things on the run other than a water bottle) and picking up my packet, I set out to finish Cassie and her family.  (I also don't carry my phone during a race.)  I spent about 30 minutes meandering around the start and when I couldn't spot her, I figured that I would see her on the course.

And sure enough, within the first half mile, I noticed her gait from behind and kindly announced my presence.  We traded information on what our race plans were and they were pretty much the same:  take it easy and see what happens.

Best decision that I've made in a long while and the biggest surprise is that I ran pretty much the entire half marathon - much different than the start-and-stop fest four weeks earlier.

I think it had a little bit to do without oppressive heat and/or humidity, but a lot of it had to do that we were running a pace that we could easily carry on a conversation the bulk of the way.

Longtime readers of this blog (and its predecessor) will know that we had a group called the Houston Running Bloggers - about two dozen of us that had blogs like this one.

I met Cassie on a Thursday evening eight (8) years ago at the HYLA's Tie One On For Charity 5K in downtown Houston.  Three months later, as the Houston Striders - a club we both belonged to - learned that they would host the next year's RRCA National Convention, I decided to travel - with Waverly - and run the News and Sentinel Half.

Cassie didn't run that year, but Waverly stayed with her the entire time (as a 10-year-old).

We ran it together the next year, I believe, and then Cassie had a really good race the following year in 2007 when I ran it.

We caught up on many a subject and Cassie ran into former classmates that she had in high school while she ran.  It really turned out to be a pretty nice race and run for both of us.

If I had been completely time-focused, I would have been disappointed with the 2:27:07 effort, but it was all good - for a multitude of reasons.  Especially since some of my friendships from the Houston Running Bloggers (and the Houston Striders) are ones that are the best and that I've maintained - positively - the longest.

We maintained a pretty even pace the entire way, evidenced by the splits below:

Mile 1 -- 10:16.90
Mile 2 -- 11:11.58
Mile 3 -- 11:19.16
Mile 4 -- 11:17.30
Mile 5 -- 10:41.10
Mile 6 -- 11:21.72
Mile 7 -- 10:55.34
Mile 8 -- 11:03.86
Mile 9 -- 11:01.51
Mile 10 -- 11:03.13
Mile 11 -- 11:19.16
Mile 12 -- 11:29.06
Last 1.1 -- 14:07.33

Mile 11 we both faltered a little and Mile 12 includes the 12th Street hill, which is semi-steep, but it is short -- and you get it all back fairly quick.

We probably lost a minute and a half in the last 1.1 mile, but there were two perfectly good reasons:  1.) I cramped pretty bad in my right hamstring, which was surprising since I hit all but one water station and 2.) Cassie ran over and gave her son, Gabe, a kiss, who lit up with a big smile when he saw his Mom running.  Great stuff!

Looking back at my splits, I'm thinking:  "These are perfectly good marathon splits right now."

So to run 2:27:07 on nothing from the week leading into the race, it gives me hope to work towards a late October marathon perhaps.  (I have another half scheduled in Mansfield, Texas on Saturday, September 14.)

The current ledger for Parkersburg, West Virginia looks like this:

2:41:53 - 8/20/05 - News and Sentinel Half Marathon (Hot and Hilly), Parkersburg, WV - 18
2:32:29 - 8/19/06 - News and Sentinel Half Marathon (Hot and Hilly), Parkersburg, WV - 29
2:24:05 - 8/18/07 - News and Sentinel Half Marathon, Parkersburg, WV - 40
2:27:07 - 8/17/13 - News and Sentinel Half Marathon, Parkersburg, WV - 92

So when I put together the type of trip that I did for this past week, I begin to look and see what can I "fill in" before I have to fly home.  Typically, the first thing that comes the mind is the opportunity to run some place different.

And when you can throw another ballpark in the mix, all the better.

I found - for a great price of $20 - the Inside The Park Home Run Race that started outside of Progressive Field, the home of the Cleveland Indians, and finished inside on the field.  It was put on the Hermes Racing group, a very reputable race production company in the greater Cleveland area.  And, for the most part, they didn't disappoint.

It was pretty easy to find the ballpark in the downtown area (plenty of signage) after driving north from Akron, where I spent the night.  Closest place to park was $3.50 - right next to a permanent "life" parking spot:  the Erie Street Cemetery.

Packet pickup was pretty painless.  A bib (B-tag in play), pins and nice T-shirt and I had plenty of time to walk around and inside the ballpark to capture a bunch of pictures for the stadium.

Runners had the choices of doing four different distances.  I chose the "Home Run" distance which included two loops of the ballpark on the streets and sidewalks interspersed with a pair of runs up the right-field ramps, around the upper deck and down the left-field ramps.

We lined up on Eagle Ave., which is beyond - and on the outside of - the left-center field wall and in between it and a parking garage.  The only thing that the event production company needed was my area of expertise:  an announcer for people to understand where and when they needed to be.  (There was a gentleman walking up and down between two queues of runners with a small, electrified megaphone, but better could have happened too.)

Temperatures were perfect:  upper 60's.  I was a little sore from the day before, but once I started to run and found a place where I could maintain my pace consistently I locked in on a target to follow.

And follow to the best of my ability I could.

We went from the streets for the first three-tenths of a mile to the sidewalks around the ballpark and surprisingly, they weren't that punishing on the legs.  When we got to the right-field corner, we entered the ball park and started up the ramps.

There were 10 of them and they were long and not that steep.  Fairly easy to run all of them.  Once we reached the top, we ran the upper deck semi-circle from right to left field and down the ramps in that corner of the ball park.

When I came around a corner, I would swing to the outside about halfway down the ramp, look over my left shoulder to see if there was somebody coming straight down the ramp and then aim for the U-turn and then repeat all the way down.

The acquired target and her friend were in close vicinty and the end result for the other lap around the ballpark, up and down the ramps and around the top was to stay close as we all helped each other.

Before the race, when I saw the timing mat set up in front of the third-base dugout, it led me to believe that once we entered the field - even though I had a map but didn't look at it - we would make a hard right to finish.

Ha!  When we hit the warning track, it was to the left and to run all the way around the field.  Cool running, but I sped up a little too soon before leaving the bowels of Progressive Field.

I outsprinted the two females, beating them to the finish line by three seconds.

My chip time was 36:27, which would have made it 9:07 per mile for a 4-miler.  I've got to think that the course was a little short.  I just can't believe that I made up that kind of time going down the ramps.

Regardless, it was a fun event.  Lots better than the Ramp Romp 5K at Kyle Field, where the ramps are much steeper.  (Hard headed Aggies!)

Great, fun weekend of racing!

2013 Schedule

Races Announced
1/1 - 14th annual Texas Marathon, Kingwood
1/27 - 3rd annual Galveston Marathon and Half Marahon, Galveston
2/16 - NBA FIT Run, Walk and Dribble 5K, Houston
3/9 - Exygon and Baptist Hospitals Gusher Marathon, Beaumont
3/16 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Half Marathon, Seabrook
3/17 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon, Seabrook
4/6 - Muddy Trails 5K and 10K, The Woodlands
4/7 - Texas10 Huntsville, Huntsville
5/4 - CB&I Sprint Triathlon, The Woodlands (All; returning after 2010-2011)
5/11 - El Chupacabra de Houston 5K/10K, New Caney
5/25 -- Angel Run Half Marathon and 10K, Montgomery

7/4 - Baytown Bud Heat Wave 5-Miler, Baytown

Races Covered (Media)
1/13 -- Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston
3/2 -- Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon, The Woodlands
5/18 -- Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas, The Woodlands

Races Volunteered
4/7 - TWRC Sunday Night 5K, The Woodlands
4/14 - Houston Kids Triathlon, Houston
5/5 - TWRC Sunday Night 5K, The Woodlands

Races Run

1/5 -- New Year's Resolution 5K, Diboll (28:45.34) - 77th Texas city or town!
1/6 -- TWRC Sunday Night 5K, The Woodlands (30:05.97) - with Willie Fowlkes
1/12 -- ABB 5K, Houston (39:16.80) - with Waverly Walk
1/13 -- Chevron Houston Marathon (4:57:56)
1/20 -- Run For The Governor's 5K, Point Blank (28:46.46) - 78th Texas city or town!
2/2 -- Rocky Raccoon 100, Huntsville State Park (DNF; Mile 32; Blisters)
3/24 -- Ocean Drive Marathon, Cape May to Sea Isle City, NJ (5:36:23) -- 31st state - marathon!
3/30 -- Chisholm Trail Half Marathon, Crawford, TX -- 79th Texas city or town!
4/6 -- Fairview Half Marathon, Fairview, TX -- 80th Texas city or town!
4/20 -- Bud Shuster Run For Your Life 5K, Holidaysburg, PA (~29:30)
4/21 -- 4th annual Beaver Stadium Run 5K, State College, PA (31:27)
4/26 -- Presence Covenant Medical Center Illinois 5K, Champaign, IL (30:58)
5/27 -- Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX (31:09)
6/7 -- Dusk Dash at Duessen 5K, Houston, TX (32:17)
6/8 -- Greyhound 5K, Kosse, TX (36:25; ran with Ken Johnson) -- 81st Texas city or town!
6/22 -- Polish Pickle Run 5K, Bremond, TX (30:38)
6/29 -- Race to Read 5K, Harker Heights, TX (31:35; Course long) -- 82nd Texas city or town!
7/6 -- Freedom 5K, Nacogdoches, TX (30:17) -- 83rd Texas city or town!
7/7 -- TWRC Sunday Night 5K, The Woodlands, TX (38:33; ran with Waverly Walk)
7/12 -- 2nd annual Sealy FD 5 Alarm 5K, Sealy, TX (30:46)
7/13 -- Vern's No-Frills 5K #51, Georgetown, TX (32:08) -- 84th Texas city or town!
7/20 -- 35th annual Lunar Rendezvous Run 5K, Clear Lake, TX (31:03)
7/21 -- Presque Isle Half Marathon, Erie, PA (2:24:19)
8/3 -- Midnight Madness Down Main 5K, Salado, TX (30:37) -- 85th Texas city or town!
8/3 -- Be Healthy Lake Travis Day 5K, Lakeway, TX (32:49) -- 86th Texas city or town!
8/4 -- TWRC Sunday Night 5K, The Woodlands, TX (31:06)
8/10 -- Blues Capital of Texas 5K, Navasota, TX
8/17 -- News and Sentinel Half Marathon, Parkersburg, WV (2:27:07)
8/18 -- Inside The Park Home Run, Cleveland, OH

Races Registered
8/24 - Kickoff Run For Sight 5K, Mobile, AL
9/2 - Alaina Dixon 5-Miler, Houston, TX
9/14 -- Methodist Mansfield Run With Heart Half Marathon, Mansfield, TX

Races Scheduled - Did Not Start
4/27 - Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon - Champaign, IL (50th marathon)

Potential Races
8/25 - Run For Wellness 5K, Houston, TX
8/31 - Dove Fest 10K, Hamilton, TX
9/1 - TWRC Sunday Night 5K, The Woodlands, TX
10/12 - Poplar Forest 5K, Lynchburg, VA (with Waverly Walk)
10/27 - Cape Cod Marathon, Falmouth, MA
12/8 - B-CS Marathon, College Station, TX

Races Committed to Announce
9/7 AM - 9/11 Heroes Run 5K, Ellington Field, Houston, TX
9/7 PM - Galveston Sand Crab 5K and 10K, Galveston, TX
9/21 - Toughest 10K Kemah, Kemah, TX
9/28 - Patriot Run 5K, Houston, TX
9/29 - Texas10 Katy, Katy, TX
10/5 - Nike South Cross Country, The Woodlands, TX
10/19 - Toughest 10K Galveston, Galveston, TX
11/3 - Texas10 Waco, Waco, TX
11/9 - Pleasure Island Bridge Half Marathon, Port Arthur, TX
11/17 - La Porte By The Bay Half Marathon, La Porte, TX
11/23 - Nike Cross South Regionals, The Woodlands, TX
12/7 - Texas10 Conroe, Conroe, TX

Blues Capital of 5K (Navasota) Race Report

My summer running tour of Texas - I guess you could call it - continued this morning in the county seat of Grimes County, Navasota, for the Blues Capital of Texas 5K.

For the second consecutive year, my good friend Leanne Rosser and I made the short drive west across Highway 105 to participate in what is really a nice, simple and well-run community race.

It is produced by the Navasota Kiwanis in conjunction with the Blues Festival that is hosted each year by the city.  It is the third year for the race and it is a shame that they don't get more people to turn out than they do.

There's both a 5K and a 1-mile Fitness Challenge for some of the kids, although there seemed to be a lot of youngsters who were doing the longer race this morning.

The course is pretty flat and it is just west of downtown out 105 in August Horst Recreation Park.  It starts on the north side of 105 in a yet-to-be-developed residential and/or business park (not sure which it is completely expected to be).

Therefore, you have wide open streets to run on for the first 2.5 miles before you cross back across 105 - with law enforcement support to slow traffic as it is coming in to and leaving from town.  Once across the road, you run the top part of the letter "P" in reverse to the finish line.

Just one thing you need to know, though, about the course:  both years that we've run it it hasn't been accurate.  (Last year, it seemed a bit short.)

This year even had an upgrade:  half-mile mile markers that seemed to be accurately placed.

However, there was just one thing wrong:  whoever gave the instruction to setup the water stop on the out-and-back stretch of the course went too far, causing everyone to run approximately 3.5 miles.

Two runners' Garmins measured 3.49 and 3.52 miles.  While there weren't a lot of turns or trees to misestimate the measurement that much, the wide streets could on a winding first three quarters of a mile could have caused people to not run the tangent properly.

First .5 mile -- 4:34.08
Second .5 mile -- 4:49.31 (9:23.39)
Third .5 mile -- 8:26.66 (this is where the course was "long")
Fourth .5 mile -- 5:23.61 (23:13.66)
Fifth .5 mile -- 5:13.26 (28:26.92)
Last .6 mile -- 6:28.80 (34:55.72)

Even though it was still in the 10-minute per mile (or just under range), I actually ran more consistent than I have most all summer long, despite not running at the track on Wednesday nights like I had last summer.

One thing that is also guaranteed with this race:  it is either hot, humid or both.  Humid was a given and it got hot towards the end with the 8 a.m. on-time start.  Additionally, you receive a nice technical shirt (although Leanne was quick to point out that the ladies didn't have a women's cut top) as well as a nice drawstring bag.  Plenty of water, Gatorade, bananas and it is chip-timed by the good guys at Run Houston Timing.

We saw a friend that we both made last year in Becky Nesbit, who lives nearby and runs with - and is coached by - Finish Line Sports' Andy Stewart in Sugar Land.  She finished second overall this year after winning it all last year.

I also got the opportunity to visit with a woman from Montgomery County, Tanci Foster, who is a frequent participant of Robby Sabban's Running Alliance Sport races.  Her teenage son will be running his first half marathon in mid-November at the La Porte By The Bay Half Marathon.  I told her online on Facebook to remind me on race morning and that I would look out for him and proudly announce that great accomplishment.

Even bigger RAS supporters, Monica Montoya and Keith Cotropia, also made the long drive from the League City area.  They had just got back from running the Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon in Washington state.

The running funny from last year is that this is where Leanne borrowed $100 from me to buy a pair of shoes that she saw that she liked from the Brazos Running Company.  I think I had just come off of vacation and still had the money on me (as I usually don't carry that much on me at any one given time.)

So, of course, we stayed to make sure that neither one of our names weren't called during the drawing for door prizes.  One number got close to Leanne's #43, but no winners - or chicken dinners.

Leanne and her husband, Jim, have turned out over the last few years to be some of my very best friends.  Jim's not a runner, but he supports Leanne's pastime rather well - even signing her up for a marathon (Napa Valley next March) without even asking.

She had done her long run the day before - in her buildup for the Chicago Marathon - and decided to run easy back in my part of the race and still came away with a third-place age group finish.  I really appreciated that.  Not too many people have - over the years - sacrificed their race to run with me.

We had talked that it was the third race that we had run together - the other two were Angie's Half Crazy Half Marathon and the Panhandle Half Marathon in Lubbock last September when she went out to visit her son who was (and is) a student at Texas Tech University.  I was also partly responible for getting her interested in the Philadelphia Marathon where last November she ran her personal best at that distance.

A great morning all-in-all as I made the drive home to Spring where I had bags that were primarily packed to head out on vacation that included a six-state tour of minor league ballparks, including the most important part of the visit - seeing my daughter, Waverly, off at college in Lynchburg, Virginia at Liberty University.

And for those who follow along, no, it was not a new Texas city or town for me.  It was a year ago, however, as it was #74 on the road to 100!

Hope to run a bit this week in a couple of different states before next weekend's fun racing events.  Stay tuned and, as always, thanks for reading!

Be Healthy Lake Travis Day 5K Race Report

I've said many times before that when I chase states in marathons and half marathons, I take what the calendar gives me.  I don't worry too much about the course - mainly just the temperature at the time of year.

The same applies when chasing my other goal -- a race in 100 Texas cities and towns.

Of course, earlier today, at midnight, I ran the Midnight Madness Down Main 5K in Salado.

There was another 5K close - in a new city; therefore, I doubled up.

I've heard - since moving to Texas - of many people who come to the area west of Round Rock and vacation at and on Lake Travis.

Until this morning, I've never seen it before, and once I got out on Rt. 620 West, I was impressed with the natural beauty that Texas has in this area.  Wow.

And, well, yes, the hills too.

In this area, don't trust the time projection on Google Maps.  It took me longer to get to the race site with all of the stoplights on Rt. 620.

When I registered for today's Be Healthy Lake Travis Day 5K, I actually checked to make sure that Lakeway was a distinct city even though the race's venue had an Austin mailing address.

Lakeway does exist - and not too many long stretches of flat road either.

So make this Texas city or town #86 to run a race in.

After getting to the race site within 30 minutes of the start (not how I like to do things), I grabbed my camera, took a couple of pictures with my camera and talked with a Lakeway police officer who saw and commented - positively, I might add - about my Penn State running shirt.

Seems he was from Lancaster - down towards Philadelphia - and I shared about how I had been home last weekend to see my grandparents.  (Then, of course, somebody on my return trip of the out-and-back course made a comment about West Virginia, which used to play Penn State for a long, long time in many sports.)

I also saw that Lone Star Timing and Brad Davidson - who is partners in the Texas 10 Series with Nathan Beedle, Angie Henderson and Willie Fowlkes - was going to be there and we talked for a couple of minutes before the start.

Ah, this is one place - while beautiful - that Willie will scare off runners if he does a Texas10 race -- not unless he makes it double points!

This was kind of opposite of the race that I did in April in Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania near my hometown of Tyrone in that there was two declines and one big inclines going out instead of the opposite.

Therefore, the splits - as there were no mile markers (which might have been depressing anyway) -- were as follows:

Out -- 15:22.34
Back -- 17:27.18

And even though it was only 81 degrees, according to the weather through my iPhone, it felt warmer - close to 9 a.m. - as we were coming up the last major hill and incline or two that immediately followed.

I would say that this was the hardest 5K course that I've done since they held the King of Jester 5K in Austin back in 2005.  History would reveal that even though it was cool - held on February 27 - that it was actually 3.25 miles and I covered it in 35:29.

Fun stuff.  That's what it is all about, isn't it?

The heat and the hills reminded me of what I'm going to encounter in two weeks in Parkersburg, West Virginia at the News and Sentinel Half Marathon, which I will be running for the fourth time.

Not sure why other than that my friend Cassie Mondragon will be there, which is where she is from.

Time to head back to the Spring area.  Hope your Saturday - and weekend - is off to a great start!

Midnight Madness Down Main 5K (Salado) Race Report

The alarm goes off.  It is ... 10 p.m.!  What is this?

The last time I remembered being rustled out of my sleep in the dark to get up and run, I was in a van somewhere between Columbus and Katy at leg 23 during the Texas Independence Relay.

(No, Bill, not THAT year!  The next one!)

This time was consensual, I guess, as I got out the door from the Spring Hill Suites here in Round Rock to head to Salado to run a race in my 85th Texas city or town.

It would be the third annual Midnight Madness Down Main 5K that would start at midnight from the Brookshire Brothers parking lot, just off of Interstate 35.

I got there by 11 p.m. and this was a race in need of an announcer - just to get people moving in the right direction - and a little bit more of an experienced volunteer team.  (That didn't say that they weren't willing and helpful.  It is just that there were long lines for most folks who had pre-registered.)

There probably weren't more than four to five hundred, which was a great crowd actually.  Especially for a community the size of Salado.

And speaking of community, it very much appeared to be a community event, which was sponsored by the local Anytime Fitness franchise.

From my race director's point of view, the timing company, Race Day Event Services, out of Gustine, could have provided a bit more help simply in dividing their chips into three (3) groupings and employing two more volunteers with easier lists.

THAT was the major drawback in the flow of people.

The course went out of the Brookshire Brothers parking lot, out to Main Street where you took a left (heading south towards Austin) until you got to Royal where runners took another left and then retraced your steps - with the exception of a shortened dog-leg through the grocery store parking lot.

The crowd seemed to be more of a "color run" or "electric run" crowd as opposed to a group of racers.  Code word:  Move up in the queue of people.

I got around a handful of walkers and as I got on to Main street, my headlamp allowed me to keep an eye on the road that was semi-dark (with some lamplights from local business along the route).

I was feeling really good, especially on the downhill, as we crossed a creek that runs through town and on to the left-hand turn before we ran into a slight incline.  Felt like I ran pretty strong to the turn-around and then the start-and-stop seemed to return, but I didn't feel as "destroyed" as I have been recently.

I think the situation has been that I had four solid workouts since Sunday; therefore, it is still just trying to find a comfortable long-distance pace.

There was a gentleman that I noticed in the parking lot who had been at the Race to Read 5K in Harker Heights earlier this summer.

At that race, he was a couple of minutes ahead of me, but tonight we were kind of trading back and forth on the return to the finish line.  He was wheezing pretty heavily.  At one point I asked if he was OK and he said that he was recovering from pneumonia!  Yikes!

Mine - not pneumonia - was, ah, a little weight-induced perhaps.

As we turned off Main on to a side road and before we entered the parking lot, I got ahead of him and finish strong.  With the 17-second offset at the start, my watch would reveal a 29:34.15 finish.  Wow!

However, in talking with him and another woman who both had Garmins, the course might have been a little short.  He had 2.98.  She had 3.02.  Let's just call it a tenth of a mile short and if you do the conversion back to a 5K, it is a 9:51 per minute pace which figures to be 30:37.

I'll take that for midnight and 84 degrees!

There was a 3K marker that I passed in 16:53.31, which would have been a 9:03 pace.

The remaining 2K was in 12:40.84, which would be 10:12 per mile pace (if it was accurate).

My guess is that the 3K distance might have been off.  Who knows for sure.

With races in my smaller towns, you just don't know what you're going to get.  Although, it really shouldn't make any difference.  There are enough of the "right" people in running communities all over the state that can make sure a course is not only measured properly, but is put out according to those measurements.

Since I needed to get back, grab a late night bite to eat and get a little sleep for Saturday morning's 5K in Texas city or town #86, I didn't stick around for the awards.

If you're not concerned about time and want to enjoy a race with a good small-town vibe and feel with great people, put this midnight Saturday morning run on your calendar next year!

Presque Isle Half Marathon Race Report: Enough to Finish, Not Enough to Race

At some point in time, to get ready for the fall and winter marathon season, I figured that I would have to encounter the half marathon distance again.  It is a distance that I enjoy in that I can run (and race) and not completely beat myself up at.

Once I confirmed that Waverly and I would be coming to Canada and flying through Pittsburgh, I looked for Sunday races and found that the Presque Isle Half Marathon was the morning after we would fly in.

We got to Erie a little after eight, had dinner at Cheddar’s and got to bed early – given that we lost an hour coming east.  I had a really good night of sleep as the alarm went off at 5 a.m.  We were both up and out the door by 5:30 a.m. and in the next 30 minutes, including a stop to something light to eat and some Powerade, we were in Presque Isle State Park.

What was interesting about this event - produced by the Erie Runners Club - is that there were no bibs, but everyone had a timing chip and got a technical shirt as part of their $35 entry.

I had run this race back in 2007.  I had flown into Pittsburgh late on a Friday night, drove to the Altoona area to surprise almost my entire family, including Waverly, and then ran a 5K in Roaring Spring where we had the chance to meet Brian Sell and his wife.

The next morning, early, of course, I drove to Erie, ran the half and then drove back to Tyrone, where I’m from and my grandparents – to this day – still live.

In the run-up to us making the trip, my father, Will, had been communicating via e-mail with a friend who played softball with him in the 1970s for many years, Jeff McNelis.

When we got in town last night, after eating, we were both pretty tired and figured that I would call Jeff, who was going to be there to see his son, JJ, run his first half marathon ever, once we got to the Park.

There was no cell service for us.   So the task would be to try and locate him before the race.

We walked around from about 6 a.m. until right before the race started at 6:45 a.m.  Waverly and I had split up at about 6:35 a.m.

The race got started on-time, but the funny thing was the lack of too many pre-race formalities for a race of this size (would estimate that there might have been a 1,000 runners.)  The gentleman who had the microphone in his hand admonished those waiting in line for the restroom that “you bathroom people had about three minutes left”.

Where I was queued up at, the only way we could tell that the race had started was for all of the chips starting to go off from runner’s feet crossing the timing mat.

I told one guy that Mike Reilly’s job was indeed safe.

No sooner had I crossed the starting line, I heard a “Jon!” and it was Jeff who was standing next to Waverly.  Hard to miss a tall redhead that you’ve seen in pictures on Facebook!

The temperature for the race was actually pretty nice for a mid-July morning.  It was humid, but not as much as Houston is.

The slogan for the race, which I thought was great, was, “As in life, you only go around once.”  The park, that is.  I believe for their marathon in the fall that it is two loops.

We kind of did a short out-and-back and I saw Jeff, his wife, and Waverly again in about six tenths of a mile.

I knew that a 2:19, which I did on this course on a whim six years ago, would probably be out of the question since I hadn’t covered the distance since April.

I ended up with a 2:24:19, but it was the strangest way to get that time – ever.

When you look at my splits below, you’ll think that I ran pretty steady and consistently the entire way.  Sort of.  If you call a half marathon a continuous series of 200- and 400- meter repeats with short recoveries.

As I’ve been experiencing on my 5K’s, it is like the muscle memory on my gait and pace wants to do one thing, but I don’t have the base to do what I might be capable of.

It was a little frustrating and it wasn’t until about mile 7 until things didn’t feel as if I had somebody sitting on my breathing a little bit.

At about that mile, a gentleman asked me if I wanted some of his fruit chews.  I wondered to myself, “Gee, do I look that bad?”  Yes, I was sopping and wringing wet the entire race – liked I was running after swimming in a triathlon, but I think it ticked me off a little.

I politely declined and then I started to run harder, and I felt good, but the continuous track workout continued.

And all the while, I didn’t feel totally and completely spent physically.  Such an odd feeling.

I’m really baffled.

Nonetheless, here are my splits:

Mile 1 – 10:15.66
Mile 2 – 10:29.25 (20:44.91)
Mile 3 – 10:52.25 (31:37.16)
Mile 4 – 11:00.75 (42:37.91)
Mile 5 – 10:58.87 (53:36.78)
Mile 6 – 11:06.82 (64:43.60)
Mile 7 – 10:59.32 (75:42.92)
Mile 8 – 10:52.27 (86:35.19)
Mile 9 –11:37.84 (98:13.01)
Mile 10 – 11:11.69 (109:24.70)
Mile 11 – 11:06.99 (120:31.69)
Mile 12 – 10:50.60 (131:22.29)
Mile 13 – 11:38.12 (143:00.41)
Last .1 – 1:19.12 (144:19.53)

After I finished I found Waverly and Jeff and we went over and met his wife, his son – who finished his first half marathon in 2:02, and his wife as well as his grandson.

We talked for about 10-15 minutes.

Jeff hadn’t changed in all of those years.  His son seemed to run well and enjoyed the experience.  It turned out we ran the same race back in April at the Beaver Stadium Run 5K.

It is the great thing about running:   you typically – regardless of ability and/or experience – can find common ground quickly.

Next half marathon for me could be even more of a challenge:  the News and Sentinel Half Marathon in Parkersburg, West Virginia in four weeks.  It is hillier and it will be hot.

I guess I have some work to do.

35th annual Lunar Rendezvous Run 5K Race Report

Waverly will tell you from traveling with me that I'm the master of vacation planning.  And part of that was scheduling a flight today that wasn't at the crack of dawn so I could squeeze in a race this morning here in town.

I knew that the last time I put a bib on for the Lunar Rendezvous Run that the first winner of the Houston Marathon, Dan Green, was putting on one too!

What I didn't realize is that it had been five years -- 2008!  I didn't have a great time that day - and today still isn't where I want things to be, but I figure everything will come together in the fall and winter.

And running six miles yesterday afternoon probably didn't help either.

Hosted at the Space Center Houston parking lot and run on the grounds of NASA in Clear Lake, the Lunar Rendezvous Run is put on by race director Jay Lee and supported by his staff at On The Run and the Bay Area Running Club.

The majority of races on the southeast part of town are put on by Jay, Robby Sabban or a combination of resources and parties.  The original Seabrook Lucky Trails Marathon race director Bob Linza was among the regulars helping out.

Sure, I run too many races.  It is the people, though, that I get a chance to see and interact with that make the investment in time and resources so worthwhile.

After being helped with my packet by Cheryl Jantkowski and Lori Alvarez, I visited with Robby and Bob for awhile.  Also talked to today's eventual winner Ryan Smith of Sugar Land.  (Glad to know that he plans on coming up and running the 2014 Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon with us.)

As 7 a.m. approached, HARRA president Joe Carey asked to man the microphone to help getting people to their proper locations (packet and chip pickup) in time so as to not delay the start of the race.  I think it was a successful effort as Jay got the race started a couple of minutes early actually.

Runners on the far southeast side of Houston are certainly a pliable bunch!

As I was running to the start line, I told Pauline Nicodemus, "Darn.  Robby remembered to put the 3-mile flag out."

I've been trying to keep from trying to put down an 8:55 - 9:05 first mile, but it didn't seem like 9:29.30 was slow enough.

I grabbed some water at the aid station and then went in to a two-mile version of doing lots of 200-meter repeats with short breaks in between.  Again, my legs want to run low 9's and the rest of my system isn't supporting that effort.

Mile 2 was 10:10.53 and mile 3 was even worse -- 10:29.99.  I guess I picked it up a little in the last tenth of mile in 53.32 for a total time of 31:03.14.

Have had lots better and lots worse, but I'll keep going out there and try to get it back in the 28's and 29's where I'm capable at any day -- and, looking back, have been in the summertime even.

I got ahead of June Harris in mile one and had the rememberance of her catching and passing me down the homestretch of last year's Outrigger's by the Bay 5K, but she would pass me around that water stop.

Jim Alvarez was running with someone and they were looking to get under 30 and I told them to stay focused on June and she'd get them under that time.

One BARCer who I've heard by name was saying that she was using me to pace off of - well, that's a mistake!  After we both had finished (she ahead of me), I found out it was Anna Stegemann-Wilson.  (Thought she only did the long stuff, like fellow BARCer Annabel Dixon.)

Saw or talked to the usual suspects Ben Harvie, John Moyer and had a great conversation before the race with Chris Peden, who handles all of Robby's tax work with Running Alliance Sport.

Missed Veronica Hoge at the Baytown Bud Heatwave, but she was there before jetting off to New York and then Stockholm.  Vera Balic was back racing and, today, I couldn't keep up with her father, Boris.  Another day.  Another race.

Want to run a not fancy, but well-executed, fast and flat course?  Lunar and Outrigger's are two that you should put on your summer calendar if you're in the greater Houston area.

Vern's No-Frills 5K #51 Race Report

Where do I start?  When I saw that I would be able to do the 5 Alarm 5K in Sealy last night, I also spied the opportunity to do Vern’s No Frills 5K in Georgetown.  This would give me a race in Texas city or town #84, but more importantly an opportunity to run a race established by one of the early Run The Woodlands 5K regulars Bill Schroeder of Georgetown.  (And a good friend from when we were fellow members of the Houston Striders.)

He and his wife Mindy have taken their own running experiences (from their days in Cincinnati) as well as others such as Don Drewniak and Roger Boak, added some nice touches of their own and put together a classic low-cost race/running/walking starter for families in northern Travis and Williamson counties.

The Vern’s No Frills 5K was started about five years ago.  The course is a sweet, winding double out-and-back that is on concrete trails in Georgetown’s Berry Springs Park and finishes on the crushed granite surface that is similar to Memorial Park in Houston.  The race is on the third Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. of every month.  (This week was different as Bill heads to the National Senior Games Association next weekend in Cleveland, Ohio.)

The price on this race is just right:  $1.  You get your own bib that you keep for life!

The bottom line, though, is that it is a labor of love for Bill.  We had a chance to visit after I finished on a warm central Texas morning and he said that today is one of 25 races that he puts on each year.  (These include 12 Vern’s No Frills 5K and a half-dozen Georgetown Running Club events.)

For me, it was 10 years to the weekend from when I did my very first Run The Woodlands 5K – July 2003.

I went off course (yes, I crossed Crownridge) and was wearing a baseball cap and a cotton T-shirt.  I’ll always remember getting advice from Tom Pinney about the change of attire.  Everyone has to start somewhere, of course.  And today, like at many Run The Woodlands in the past, there were many folks for who a 5K run was a challenge and an accomplishment.

Me?  I was running on little fuel.  I left Sealy right after the race and made it to the hotel in Round Rock at 1 a.m.  It took the cleaning lady, I believe, 20 minutes to get me checked in and there were three people behind me!  I pity them.  So, it was a short night.  I got about three hours of sleep and probably another 45 minutes after I got to the Park where the race was being held at.

(When trying to save a buck, please do not stay at the Extended Stay America in Round Rock near McNeil Road.  Major, major mistake.)

Over the years, Vern’s No-Frills 5K has raced $7,000 through its $1 entry fees to give back to the Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department to use in the park that they hold the race.

Bill certified the course and sold sponsorships to have granite half mile markers (a la the HARRA markers in Memorial Park).  They looked really nice.

As I stated earlier, Bill took some of the hallmarks of the original Run The Woodlands 5K and incorporated them in this race.  One of those is something only the most hard core of us – me and Bill Dwyer probably – would recognize and that is that Saturday’s race was “Vern’s No-Frills 5K #51”.  Don Drewniak, the creator of Run The Woodlands, numbered each race, which is also what his original club – the Central Mass Striders – did on their weekly free 5K.

At this month’s race, the Ashlyn’s Angels organization was in attendance and Bill afforded three of their participants, better known as the captains of their racing chairs, to start early and miss much of the congestion.

After Bill thanked his sponsors and those others who supported the event, educating those that might have been there for the very first time, he had everybody raise their right hand and repeated, “I promise.  To be careful.”  Vintage Roger Boak on the Tour de Bayou free cross country races put on by HARRA.  I loved it.

Funny story on what might have been one of my only Tour de Bayou races.  I was just starting to run and I carried a lot more weight than what I do now.  It was an event that started near the Jackson Hill bridge, I think, and at the bottom of the Bayou.  It was two loops.  To start, you had to run up the hill and then do the loops.  Well, after the first loop, realizing that it was too much for me being new, I went back over the bridge and left after loop #1.

Saturday’s race was hot and humid.  Classic Texas conditions, of course.

It is on a winding concrete path heading west out and under Interstate 35 and back to the entry area where there was another half mile or so that had a similar turnaround at its terminus.

You passed the three-mile marker and then made a left on to the crushed granite trail where Bill and his timer would capture your lifetime bib number and tell you your time.

My run wasn’t too hot and this was a day that I probably shouldn’t have clicked my watch at the half mile markers as it clearly showed my demise.  And I had even dialed it back.

.5 mile – 4:48.06
1 mile – 4:55.59 (9:43.65)
1.5 mile – 5:07.41 (14:51.06)
2 mile – 5:23.64 (20:14.70 … Ugh! 10:07 a mile and I knew that the course was not off!)
2.5 mile – 5:20.80 (25:35.50)
3 mile – 5:26.89 (31:02.39)
Last .1 – 1:06.29 (32:08.68)

At least the last mile and a half was steady!  ;-)

I was 77th out of 161 – ha! – in the top half for the second straight day in a row.  I’ll have to pick up the pace Saturday at the Lunar Rendezvous Run to do it for the third straight 5K.

Results, with name, age and city, are online typically by noon at noexcusesrunning.com.  (Just like Don used to do with RTW at runningintheusa.com.)

I also catch - and remember - very quirky things (my great love for facts, figures and statistics and what I think makes me a good race announcer) including the gentleman that had a ragged Woolmarket Duathlon singlet.  When I started to add this entry, I thought that it was from an event that I thought I remembered in San Angelo; however, this is a three-race duathlon series in Gulfport, Mississippi much like the Webster Bicycle Duathlon Series that Kevin and Jana Landry put on for years in La Marque.

If your schedule ever works out, this is a great, classic “grass roots running” event to take part in.

Here’s some material from Bill that speaks a little bit more to some of the tenets of the event:

+  The No Frills 5k was started in Apr 2009 and was renamed in tribute to Vern Cantwell, a dear friend who had a fatal heart attack while cycling with friends. He was the race’s first starter and a runner’s best cheerleader.

+  Vern’s No Frills 5K is usually held every third Saturday of the month. The event is free to students K-12 and $1 for adults. The race was started to encourage adults and especially children to get out and participate in a fun, casual, and professionally organized event. Over 7,500 runners and walkers have finished a Vern’s No Frills 5K event. Even only charging a very nominal amount the race has raised over $7,000 that goes directly back to Berry Springs Park & Preserve. The money has been used for a log splitter, wildflower seeds, stone half mile markers, certification of the trail, and updating the interpretive signs.

+  Bill Schroeder started the No Frills 5k to provide a low/no cost 5K event to encourage people to run or walk. The event appeals to not only competitive runners, but also first time participants. People pushing strollers and walking their dogs also come out to enjoy the casual, fun, and professionally organized event. Because the course is basically flat and only has 3 turns, many people run/walk their best times. Since the course is certified, people are ensured that they are running/walking an accurate course and because it is held monthly, they can come back and see how their fitness is improving.  (Much like Run The Woodlands 5K. – Jon)  Also, another side benefit to Berry Springs Park & Preserve is that once people come out to Vern’s No Frills 5k, they end up coming out to camp, picnic, play, and walk at other times because the park is such a hidden gem.

+  Every April on the anniversary of the race, the Georgetown Running Club and the Georgetown Taco Cabana contribute breakfast tacos as a little “frill” to all participants.

+  Bill Schroeder as the founder of Vern’s No Frills 5k and now President, Georgetown Running Club (GRC) continues to put on the event. GRC has always been a title sponsor and provides all insurance coverage (this keeps the cost of the event to a minimum) and almost all of the volunteers come from the club. Not only does GRC put on Vern’s No Frills 5K, but when the park was flooded in Sep 2010 and the race was cancelled for that month, the GRC turned out with 40 volunteers and helped to clean-up, repair fencing, and help to get the park back open sooner than later. GRC was also instrumental in getting the 5K trail certified so it is accurate and also purchasing and installing half mile markers for the trail. All of this was done without using any park funds or tax dollars. Other sponsors include No Excuses Running, REI, Luke’s Locker, Road ID, Luna Chix, and Taco Cabana.

+  Course records are 15:52 for the men and 19:10 for the women.  Most participants?  268 in July 2012.  The race has only been cancelled twice -- once due to the entire park being flooded and during a very long thunderstorm.

5 Alarm 5K Race Report - Sealy

Ah, yes, the adventurous soul.

I had a multitude of possibilities for this weekend as Waverly has been gone to youth church camp and will be getting back Saturday afternoon.  I had thought about running a race on Sunday, but she’s only going to be singing on stage at church possibly two more Sundays (as we’ll be on vacation for at least one and maybe two).  And this Sunday is the first of those two.

I just realized this week that the Toughest 10K in Texas, which is held annually in Lampasas, is Saturday, but I’ve committed to run the Vern’s No Frills 5K in Georgetown.

The race is fashioned after the original $1 race – Run The Woodlands. 

Former Kingwood resident Bill Schroeder was one of the many regulars of RTW and he started this Georgetown race approximately five years ago.

But to get to Georgetown on Saturday morning, the road went through Sealy.

As I think I explained in an earlier post, because I work so many events in the late spring, my running suffers and it takes me during the summer time to put it back together for the next fall.

Therefore, I run a lot of races.  I enjoy the atmosphere, the people and the many interesting things that I see and can (and cannot!) apply to races that I assist with.

Last year, as part of the Sealy Community Foundation’s Sealybration, they held the first annual 5 Alarm 5K, which started at 10 p.m.

Yes, very dark streets.  Sure, there were street lights, but if you didn’t know the street and its surface and cracks you could have taken a pretty good tumble.  (I brought my head lamp this time and wore it the entire way.)

I think I ran fairly well last year.  (Just checked.  Maybe not.  30:11.  But I recall feeling good as I ran in a new type of show, Asics Cumulus.)

The work week was a little long and slow and I didn’t get in the gym until Thursday night where I ran 6 miles on the treadmill from 10 to 11 p.m.

I then added another six (6) on the treadmill this afternoon from 3:25 to 4:25 p.m.  Yes, 12 miles in the 24 hours preceding the 5K.  Sure, not the brightest idea when “racing”, which is a relative term for me.

They had approximately 175 signed up this year with 159 finishers – an increase from last year’s 119.

I placed myself at the back and took 20 seconds to cross the start line.  Gary Mulvihill from Run Wild Timing in Houston was doing the timing and we were using the B tag with the microwave readers.

The course is certified and it is as flat as can be – as flat as the Beneeezy Purple Monkey 5K and 10K in Alvin, which is held in late August.

Mile 1 came and went in 9:20.13.  I passed a lot of people, but it was one of the steadiest miles that I’ve run in quite some time.  I was pleased that I dialed it back a little.

I was a little disappointed in the time of mile 2, but was satisfied with the effort.  I’ve been in a situation recently where my legs will try to run an 8:55 to 9:10 mile, but the rest of my body wouldn’t agree.

This mile was as steady as the first, but the time came through as 10:05.70 to put me at 19:25.83 – which is a 9:42 pace.

Mile 3 registered as 10:25.88, which was at 29:51.71.  Lots of starts and stops, but again:  solid effort.

The last tenth of a mile was 59.84 for a total time of 30:51.55, but Gary got me at 30:46.  Which should I choose to record?  You decide.  The gun time, interestingly, was equal – 31:12.

I guess I shouldn't complain with the time after running 12 miles, even though the course in Nacogdoches last Saturday was a little bit more difficult and I ran 30:17.  Even though it was warm (80 degrees perhaps), the humidity wasn't bad.

You can tell the “quality” of the field, however, when I finished 71^st overall out of 159.

For the record, this is a solid little event - that raises money for the Sealy Fire Department to honor two firefighters who lost their lives in 2000 and 2004 -- which might benefit from an earlier start (like 8:30 p.m. even) as Gary suggested to them.  Then again, if have the right light, it isn't too bad to run that late at night.

Then I gathered my keys from Gary's gear and it was back on the road again to drive to Round Rock, via Highway 71 through Columbus to Highway 183 and then to Interstate 35.

Georgetown in a few hours will be Texas city or town #84.  Can’t wait!