Chisholm Trail Half Marathon Race Report

When I started running and signing up for races, I used other races as built-in training and to keep me motivated.  Almost 10 years later, nothing's changed.

I have the Illinois Marathon on the dance card in four weeks.

So I thought it might be a good idea to put a few half marathons on the schedule in between.

Today was the first of two that I have paid for.  

It was the Chisholm Trail Half and Quarter Marathon, which was hosted by the Waco Striders Running Club from Tonkawa Park in Crawford.  (Crawford, about 15 or so miles northwest of Waco, is probably best known for being the residence of former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura.)

I got into Waco Friday evening early enough to pick my packet up at On The Run, which is located in downtown, and stayed at the Homewood Suites near Hillcrest Hospital at I-35 and Hwy. 6.

The race was an 8 a.m. start.  Therefore, I was up at 6 a.m., grabbed a danish and a bagel at 7 a.m., drove out to about 8 miles from Crawford, picked up some fluids and then went on to the race site.

Still had plenty of time, though, and visited a little bit with Monica Montoya and Keith Cotropia from League City - frequent supporters of all of Robby Sabban's race.

We were off on-time and it took about 17 seconds to clear the start line.  The weather was cool and breezy, but it was only about 61-62 degrees.  (It would be at around 72-74 at the end of the half marathon.)

Wished for a little while that I had brought and put on a long-sleeved technical top, but later on it would warm up.

We took a left out of the park on 4th St. and made a right on to Chisholm Trail Rd., hence the name of the event.  This course reminded me of so many races that I've done before - ones like the Country Roads 10K in San Marcos, the Dime Box Mini-Marathon (10K) in Dime Box and some of the ones that I did on weekends in Washington state in 2006-2007.

Mile 1 -- 10:03.27

Mile 2 -- 10:12.17 - 20:15.44 (10:08 gun)

These first two felt really, really quick - for me; especially since the end of mile two had a 2% grade drop.

Mile 3 -- 10:34.49 - 30:49.93 (10:13 gun)

Mile 4 -- 11:15.88 - 42:15.81 (10:34 gun)

Mile 5 -- 9:57.35 - 52:13.16 (10:27 gun)

No surprise on the slowdown as there were plenty of segments where the grades climbed 1% and 2%, according to mapmyrun.com.

At mile 5, there was a turnaround and we came back a mile to take a left on Bible Hill Road (which I didn't know the name of then but I'm certain I invoked a lot of praying on the three-mile stretch).

Mile 6 -- 10:38.40 - 1:02:51.56 (10:28 gun)

I didn't get as much back in that mile as I thought I would so after I took in some water at the stop, I tried to make quick work of things.

Mile 7 -- 10:03.68 - 1:12:55.24 (10:25 gun)

Mile 8 -- 10:38.71 - 1:23:33.95 (10:27 gun)

Mile 9 -- 11:16.37 - 1:34:50.32 (10:32 gun)

But by the time I got back out to Chisholm Trail Road, I was hurting a little and where there wasn't an uphill, there was wind (out on the prairie!)

Mile 10 -- 11:22.58 - 1:46:12.90

Mile 11 -- 10:36.59 - 1:56:50.49 (10:38 gun)

Honestly, looking at the elevation on the course map, I should have gotten more out of mile 10, but did get the time that I should had in mile 11.

Mile 12 -- 11:49.87 - 2:08:40.36

Mile 13.1 -- 12:28.13 - 2:21:08.39

Mile 12 was an uphill and the last 1.1, well, I was just exhausted even though it was pretty flat at this point.

Hills, wind (which left me a little partched) and too quick of an attempt to "race" - by my definition - left me with a not so solid performance.

The final "chip" time, according to my watch, will be 2:20:51.

The Waco Striders were using manual timing so my time there will be listed as the gun time.

I had a chance to visit former Houston Strider (and Houston Running Blogger) Bill Cox, who is trying to get back running again - and drop some weight.  He took the early start at 7:15 a.m. and made it to the finish before me.  I crossed paths on the road between mile 6 and 7 - for me going out.

It was really good to see him.  I didn't get a chance to see Monica and Keith come in as I wanted to get back to the hotel, relax a little, shower and then I grabbed lunch at Chuy's.

With the way that Highway 6 is completely two lanes each way all the way from Waco to Waller, the complete drive in return, including a stop in Navasota, was just under three hours.  Nice.

So this was my 89th half marathon and a race in my 77th Texas city or town.

Have to have some things to shoot for when you're not as fleet of feet as others.

Thanks for reading!

Ocean Drive Marathon Race Report

It is 4:15 a.m. Eastern, so it seems to be the best time to knock out a race report before getting on the plane back to IAH – and to sleep!

Yesterday’s Ocean Drive Marathon gave me marathon finish #49 and in my 31st state.

My chip time was 5:36:23, which isn’t what I hoped for but it is reasonable given the preparation.

I made my reservations to come to New Jersey less than two weeks after dropping at mile 32 at Rocky Raccoon.  My thought process was that I could get back to my 5-6 workouts a week and be completely ready to put down a cold weather, 5-hour marathon.

However, heavy involvement with both the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon and the Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon, which includes a lot of pre- and post-work behind the scenes, cut those weekly 60- to 90-minute workouts to 2-3 times per week.

In between, I announced for the Exygon and Baptist Hospitals Gusher Marathon in Beaumont, which still required about a half day to prep, and took out most of my Saturday.

I’m constantly surprised about how much that those activities take out of me – outside of my normal work day.

The follow-up from Seabrook, which included attending a city council meeting where the city of Seabrook approved increased funding for the event in 2014, had me getting in workouts on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  So much for taper, right?

Heck, I hadn’t even gotten the miles in, to be honest.

And I’m not sure that my head was completely in this one, like it was for Portland, Maine last fall.  It was one of these things that if I hadn’t traveled so far, I might have just stayed in bed Sunday morning.  How did I know this?

One, I didn’t notice when I was at packet pickup on Saturday afternoon – after our flight being delayed three hours coming from IAH to Philadelphia – that I didn’t have pins for my bib.  And, two, even after I bought some extra strength Tylenol to take before I ran that I had left the two tablets that I had taken out of the bottle until after I was en route to the race site.

Some of this comes, I think, from not always enjoying travelling by myself to these races out-of-state.  I enjoy working towards a goal, but doing it with others who are doing it at my pace would be much more enjoyable.  And when I say pace, I’m not just talking about minutes per mile.

I know many 50 staters, if you will, who it seems like their meaning for existence is wrapped up in seeing how many they can do and so on.  Not me.  I take them when I can get them.

With a 9 a.m. Eastern time start and deciding not to go to Sea Isle City where the finish was (to take the shuttle to the start), I made it to the front of the Residence Inn that I was staying at in Somers Point to get a bagel and a breakfast muffin.  I had some Gatorade (because I had read that there wouldn’t be any electrolytes on the course until about mile 11), but I still realized that I needed something to hold my bib in place.

So I found a Rite Aid Pharmacy and bought binder clips and shipping tape.  When the binder clips didn’t seem like they were going to hold on the top that I was wearing, I used the shipping tape – and it stayed in place the entire race. I went to the restroom, along the seawall, and then made my way towards the start.  I was able to stay in my car until after the National Anthem.

I hadn’t been there too long when I spied a running hat that looked familiar.  I thought to myself, “No way”.  But, yes, there in New Jersey was a Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon hat!  I made my way over to another surprise – a good friend of mine from the Houston Striders, John DiMarco.  He was starting back on his state chase and this was going to be number 24 for him.

The woman with the Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon hat was Terry Allen from Lake Jackson and she was with Sue Wheeler from Houston, who was a BARRA member that submitted their club report for Inside Texas Running when I was the editor of HARRA’s Footprints.  Small world.

John and I ran for about the first mile, talking about The Woodlands Marathon.  He is good friends with Marnie Staehly from San Antonio and was there to follow her after he completed the half.  He was also telling me about how much of a nice guy that Colorado’s Matt Levassiur was, as well as sharing some observations about some things that took place on the course.

In our conversation, I totally missed mile 1 and when I got to mile 2, I realized that the 19:49.20 was definitely faster than I needed to be going.

Therefore, I purposedly backed off to a 10:52.22 in mile three (30:41.42 cumulative), but the next four miles were just disconcerting because you didn’t know if the entire course was going to be this way – as the mile markers were way off.

11:31.87 - Mile 4 (long)
  9:02.63 - Mile 5 (short) - 10:17 between the two
  8:16.25 - Mile 6 (really short)
12:38.47 - Mile 7 (really long) - 10:27 between the two

I was still running pretty easy and the weather, albeit cold, wasn’t that bad nor was the wind.  The forecast was for but about 8 miles an hour after being in the double digits the two days before.

However, I knew that there was going to be a point in time that without taking something for the pain – and not having the miles on my legs – that the wheels were going to come off the car.

The next three miles still seemed pretty easy, but mile 11 is the first one that I sensed that things may become more of a challenge.

10:25.97 - Mile 8
10:59.85 - Mile 9
10:40.73 - Mile 10
11:01.92 - Mile 11

I held steady for miles 12 and 13 and hit the latter mile marker in about 2:17:43 overall.

At the halfway mark, though, I got in under 2:19, which normally is about where I want to be, but I knew that the back half wasn’t going to be as kind.  If you’ve been running long enough, you just kind of know.

11:07.07 - Mile 12
11:06.87 - Mile 13
  1:11.87 - Mile 13.1
10:26.37 - Mile 13.1 - 14 (11:37 for the entire mile)

So at mile 14, I figured that I was at 2:30.  It was time for “marathon math” and I figured that 12 miles at 16 minutes a mile was 3:12 – or a 5:42-5:44 finish.  I could live with that.

I had already signed up for the Illinois Marathon in Champaign, Illinois for in five weeks, plus I wanted to get back to my 5-6 workouts a week.

The next four miles were a little bit of a struggle, but I was still on PR pace (4:47:32) through mile 17 and just slightly over at mile 18.

13:21.82 - Mile 15 (~2:42:33 ... 11-min per is 2:45)
12:20.24 - Mile 16 (~2:54:53 ... 11-min per is 2:56)
12:40.26 - Mile 17 (~3:07:34 ... 11-min per is 3:07)
13:24.63 - Mile 18 (~3:20:58 ... 2 minutes over 11 min per mile, which is PR pace)

It was here that I pretty well decided to shut it down and it was final once I hit the mile 19 marker.

13:52.55 - Mile 19 (~3:34:50 ... 5:26 at 16-minute per mile)
15:49.50 - Mile 20
15:15.60 - Mile 21

Things were OK until mile 22.  I thought the mile marker might had really, really been off because it came through as 18:09.83, but I could feel myself being kind of disoriented.  I was looking for vehicles along the route where I could have gotten into and warmed up.

I went through 6:26.48 of mile 23 before I spotted the City of Avalon’s ambulance.  I got their attention and was able to get in their ambulance to warm up.  I could tell that maybe hypothermia might have been coming on.  After I finished my 50-miler in 2008 at Huntsville State Park, Bill Dwyer forgot to warn me that once I stopped that my core body temperature would plummet.

I assumed that this is what was happening here.

After spending another 6:47.56 in the ambulance, it was another 11:34.66 walking until I made it to mile 23, which was over the final bridge.  You had to get to this bridge by five hours and 30 minutes to be counted as an official finisher.

It was at this bridge where the only visible damage that I saw from Superstorm Sandy.  It had really mangled parts of the road that the county and DOT had worked to make sure that runners would still be able to pass it – even though vehicles are far from going through there.

The next two miles, once again, weren’t pretty, and I didn’t realize until after I got back to the hotel that I only have a 30-lap watch and not a 50-lap so I couldn’t tell how much I picked it up in the last mile when I alternated a run and a walk every 100 steps.

15:47.64 - Mile 24
17:00.85 - Mile 25
3:37.51 - MIle 25 - 25.2

All in all, it was simply another state for a 5:36:23 finish.  Have had lots better and some worse even; however, I would not recommend this marathon for anybody chasing states and looking for New Jersey.

While the course is primarily flat, there are a lot of turns in the last half of the course.

Law enforcement and the volunteers were excellent.  This is not the place to come looking for a crowd, though.

But it was these three paragraphs in the pre-race story in the Press of Atlantic City that spoke volumes to me.

The road will have less foot traffic than in previous years. As of 3 p.m. Saturday, 650 runners had registered for the marathon. That marked a decrease (approximately 20 percent) for the first time in the 15-year history of the race. Another 540 had signed up for the 10-mile race and approximately 250 are scheduled to participate in the five-kilometer run.

The ODM can be tough on runners. Besides having to traverse five bridges, they have had to deal with a head wind for 12 of the 14 previous editions of the marathon. But weather may not be as big a factor this year. The forecast for today, according to weather.com, calls for temperatures in the 40s with winds from the southeast at seven miles per hour.

"I have no idea why our numbers are down this year," DiPalma said. "The only thing I can think of is people from other parts of the country were a little hesitant to register because of the way Hurricane Sandy hit the area."

No, I think it is because other marathons – even though the number of marathoners is starting to trend down – take care of their runners much better than this race does.

Granted, it was cold, but I’ve worked marathons were it was cold and the show still goes on to give runners what they pay for – and that’s a lot of recognition and attention as well as decent food at the end.

When it is cold, you wanted something warm to hit the spot – oranges, bagels and sandwiches from Wawa (a local convenience store) isn’t going to cut it.  I don’t know if there was any coffee around because I don’t drink it, but if there had been some hot chocolate, I would have taken a stab at it.

While I saw somebody on the bus back to the start that had won an age group award, which were really, really nice, the medal – and I’m not necessarily a big medal guy – was just a step above what you would order from Rainbow Racing.

And it was almost punishment for not catching the pre-race shuttle that the driver on the post-race shuttle seemed to take the circuitous route when everybody just wanted to get there.  Oh, this was aside of almost running a red light and then coming to an almost screeching halt at another.  Crazy stuff.

Hope I didn’t bore you to sleep if you’re still reading … but if you did make it this far, thank you for reading.

Some Different Inspirations

If I spent time writing about all of things that I get to experience in supporting local road races and triathlons, among other service opportunities, I wouldn't have time to get much else done -- and things such as faith, my daughter and work need to take priority.

One of the most challenging things for me over the years - in what I get the opportunity to do -- has been the arrogance of some of the athletes that I've encountered.  It is a very small percentage, but enough to be a major discouragement.

For every one of those, thank goodness, there's 10, 20 or 50 individuals who are truly inspiring.

I witnessed one last weekend at the Exygon and Baptist Hospitals Gusher Marathon when 32-year-old Iram Leon pushed his six-year-old daughter Kiana in a borrowed stroller to win the race after the race directors, Rich and Amie James, bent their rules to give him an opportunity that many other races wouldn't.

Why?  He has brain cancer, but also because he's doing his best to create memories for his daughter if the worst shall happen.

I interviewed, during our Running Alliance Sport Marathon Preview Show from the Houston Marathon Expo two months ago, Brandon Adame - a blind athlete with an incredible personality and spirit who doesn't let that challenge stop him from achieving what other adults only dream of.

One of those accomplishments is a finish - with his guide, Nigel Willerton - in the inaugural Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas almost two years ago.

Even if you see Iram and Brandon dressed in non-athletic attire, you might perceive them to be athletes.

In the same way, more than likely, you'd stereotype Missouri City's Peter Raybourn as one who wasn't.

La Porte fireman Tony Constanzo - a recent Rocky Raccoon 100-mile finisher - and I had a chance to visit with the 51-year-old at the completion of today's Seabrook Lucky Trail Half Marathon and I gained an even deeper appreciation about how every person that signs up for a race or competition of any kind does it for their own reason.

And the one thing that I wish that I could impress on everyone is that your reason or your ability isn't any better than anyone else's.

Peter's a big man.  Your first instinct may be to think why a 330-pound man, if he was going to come out and participate in such an event, wouldn't work more diligently to lower his weight to better his performance.

I can't speak for Peter in my short conversation with him today, but he's been down to as low as 270 - and is aiming to get back there.  However, for many, many years, he weighed 465 pounds.

That's a loss - in body weight - of an entire athletic female!

He's completed the Rocky Raccoon 50 miler not once, not twice, but five (5) times.

I know of some accomplished athletes that won't even try it once.

My best friend, besides my daughter, once told me that if you can train to run a marathon that you can finish a 50-miler.

And Tony will have to correct me if I misheard, but I believe that Peter has completed the MS150 distance five times.

Of course, that's really nothing to many Ironman athletes who'll do up to six century rides in getting ready for the 140.6-mile journey.

But Peter's legally blind.

His corrected vision is 20/300.  His field (or range) of vision is, I believe he said, about five percent (or degrees) now.

He hasn't driven a vehicle since 1998.

His primary goal was - and still is (if he can get under the new 15-hour, 50-mile time limit at Rocky) - to get to 500 miles to get the special jacket that Joe Prusaitis gives out.

If not, he's still happy in finishing half marathons - and an occasional marathon - at Steve and Paula Boone's Texas Marathon, Daryl Beatty's Surfside Beach Marathon and Robby Sabban's Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon as well as a variety of Joe's trail races.

And he's most appreciative of those races versus other large events that dispatch him - and others - to the sidewalks after 10 miles.

It is men and women like Iram, Brandon and Peter that keep me giving what talents that I have in supporting and recognizing their accomplishments long after the less-gracious athletes are  off and away pontificating their smackdowns of those that they think that they're better than.

Running Into Busy

When I help out and work a lot of events (namely the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon, the Exygon and Baptist Hospitals Gusher Marathon and the Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon), which I sincerely enjoy doing, my running typically suffers.

Last year, it was really bad as I didn't do much between the 52-mile effort at Rocky Raccoon and the finish at the Garmin Marathon in Olathe, Kansas on April 21, which I was fortunate to get done under six (6) hours (5:54:49).

So what's a guy to do?  Get busy, right?

Here's a very tentative schedule through mid-May:

3/24/13 - (1) *Ocean Drive Marathon (Cape May to Sea Isle City, NJ - New State)
3/30/13 - (2) Chisholm Trail Half Marathon (Crawford, TX - New Texas City)
4/ 6/13 - (3) Fairview Half Marathon (Fairview, TX - New Texas City)
4/ 6/13 - Announce Muddy Trails 5K/10K (The Woodlands, TX)
4/ 7/13 - Announce Texas 10 Huntsville (Huntsville, TX)
4/ 7/13 - TWRC Sunday Night 5K (The Woodlands, TX)
4/13/13 - (4) Davy Crockett Bear Chase Half Marathon (Groveton, TX - New Texas City)
4/14/13 - (5) Run For The Rose 5K (Houston, TX)
4/20/13 - (6) Danish Capital of Texas Fun Run 5K (Danevang, TX - New Texas City)
4/26/13 - *Presence Covenant Medical Center Illinois 5K (Champaign, IL)
4/27/13 - (7) *Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon (Champaign, IL - New State)
5/ 4/13 - (8) Finish Line Announce CB&I Sprint Triathlon (The Woodlands, TX - Tentative)
5/ 5/13 - TWRC Sunday Night 5K (The Woodlands, TX)
5/11/13 - (9) Announce El Chupacabra de Houston 5K/10K (New Caney, TX)
5/18/13 - Cover Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas (The Woodlands, TX)

And here are the footnotes to above:

(1) - State #31 and Marathon #49.  Hope to get to visit with my good friends, Rob and Lysa Jones.
(2) - $30 before 3/22.  Sure, gas will be more getting to and from, but maybe George W. will come out and run it.
(3) - Totally tentative.  A new event from Libby Jones.  If not, will probably run a 5K in La Porte to support another friend.
(4) - Totally tentative as well.  One of Steve and Paula's race that I stopped announcing because I started to cover the Memorial Hermann Ironman 70.3 Texas.
(5) - Can run this and make it back in time for church on Sunday.  Otherwise, I'd sit this one out.
(6) - Four races in Montgomery County that day and I'm making a drive.  Yes, all for a new Texas city.
(7) - State #32 and Marathon #50.  Got a $179 round-trip air fare to Chicago which gets me back on Saturday night too!
(8) - Tentative as well.  Long story as to why I didn't in 2012 after doing so in 2010-2011, but our church is hosting a race that day and they may be in need of assistance.
(9) - Bill Gardner has hired me to announce another one of his races after doing the Sandcrab 5K/10K last August in Galveston.

So, that's the plan (or vision, as somebody once said). 

I haven't run a race since February 2 and haven't finished on since January 20th.

Therefore, it's time to get to work - and have a little fun!

What I Learned At Rocky Raccoon on Saturday

I think many people would think that I’m disappointed after dropping at mile 32 with blisters at yesterday’s Rocky Raccoon 100.  I’m not.  Far from it.

I attempted it – actually twice now -- because I thought that I could complete it.  I still think that it is possible, but it will have to wait for another time.

A friend of mine wrote to me on Wednesday, “Look deep.  Sometimes what we thought we were “searching” for through some goal or end result is something completely different and we may find it in the journey.”

I had a minor motivator last year as a result of the arrogance of a few, but that’s really not natural – and not right.

Waverly, my daughter (for any new readers), got me for my birthday last month a day-by-day calendar of Tony Dungy.  It still sits on January 23 this morning, but it reads:  “What’s important is not the accolades and the memories of success, but the way you respond when opportunities are denied.”

Very, very true.  I’ve failed in that area before and the outcome wasn’t good in many ways.  I’m deeply regretful of the last time that I actively recall that happening and I’ve apologized for how I responded.

What I did learn through the exercise of attempting a 100-miler yesterday – and something that I sure that I already knew (and not in a prideful way) – is that I am an individual who is very deeply loved by many, many people and by God.

People who really know me know that for as many people who know me or know who I am know that I never seek attention for myself.  There’s a verse in the Bible, and I can’t find it (even with an online search), that speaks to the “edification of the Saints”.

And I believe that it is where my spiritual gift is – and it is why my abilities – verbal and written – are used to encourage and bring positive attention towards others.

At one point during each of our first loops yesterday, I was running close to Dallas’ Libby Jones and between the two of us it seemed like we knew half of the field.  I chuckled and smiled to myself at the time.

During packet pickup the day before, I had a chance to visit with Rich and Amie James, the race directors of the Gusher Marathon in Beaumont, Bill Moeller from Spring, Claude Hicks, Jr., who had just finished the H.U.R.T. 100 in Hawaii two weeks before, Les Ellsworth from The Woodlands, Francisco “Paco” Garza and I saw many others that I knew but didn’t get a chance to say “Hi!” too.

Before the start, I spent a good long time (for a short 10-15 minutes) primarily talking to a very kind, warm Christian man, Robert Lott, Jr., who I’m proud to call a friend.

I quietly watched one of the classiest women in Houston’s running history, Donna Sterns, and her daughter, get their husband and father, Darrell, ready for his 100-mile adventure.  It was very cool to watch and see, especially since Donna’s running history is truly a great one (that she would never tell you of).

It is also just how that generation of runners is.

Somewhere after the Nature Center (the first three miles), I ran into very good friends, Allen Lazenby, Jr. and Kevin Kline, of a good friend of mine, Becky Spaulding.  We shared a lot of good conversation in covering a good bit of the next 6-8 miles or so as we ran into the Dam Nation aid station and through much of the 6-mile loop back.  Robert had caught up to me to the very end of the loop and we went into the aid station together.

When I got to the Park Road aid station, there was Jim Braden.  What a pleasant surprise and as I have stated before, such an honor.  Jim is like Donna in that he’d never tell you all that he’s accomplished – and out of respect to him, I won’t recount it here.

What I learned from Bill Dwyer after I had dropped is that he showed up for Bill’s Volte group run, ran a little bit and asked Bill if I was on the start line and wondered if he could make it there before I made it to the 15-mile mark.  He did, and I, once again, was very, very grateful for the show of support.

I’ve done stuff like that before.  It is fun and is greatly appreciated by people that you show that support to.

Before making it there, I talked to a gentleman who wearing his Toughest 10K Kemah technical shirt and we carried on a good conversation for a mile or two about Seabrook and the Texas Bridge Series.  It is good to talk about good races to another runner.

At the Park Road aid station, I saw Libby Jones, a race director from Dallas, a fellow writer for Texas Runner and Triathlete and a good friend.  She introduced me to her friend, Lesley Jones, who she ran the whole way with, and we carried on a good conversation until we separated for the final three miles in to wrap up our respective loops.

Once I ended the first loop, I was encouraged by the 4:41:56 split in; however, I took about 15 minutes going to my car and making some changes, such as a short-sleeved shirt (for the second loop, which started to warm up.)

The start of the second loop was uneventful.  I saw Amie James early in the loop and when I got to the first aid station in 42 minutes, I was encouraged that it was a little bit faster than the first loop of the morning. 

Probably the biggest mistake that I made was not switching shoes in between loop one and two or at least taking my socks off and re-vaselining my feet up.

Working the Nature Center aid station on the second loop - much to my surprise - was June Harris, a Bay Area Running Club member.  It is always good to see people that you know working the races that you love to participate in.

The next three mile segment, things were moving along OK, but with it beginning to warm up, I knew that chafing may become an issue (which really hurt me physically at the Chevron Houston Marathon three weeks before).

There was a funny moment on the way to Dam Nation when I stopped to … ah … adjust the shorts a little bit.  Amie was coming up from behind with another runner and they chuckled about what happens on a trail versus the things that don’t occur during a road marathon.  The next young woman who came up shortly thereafter boldly said that she “enjoyed the show” (not that I “really” showed anything). 

I found out from talking to her for next mile or so that she was from Kansas and had done the Heartland 100 a couple of times.  It reminded me of somebody (the comment not the 100-milers) and I quickly let it go.  She was a pretty woman though.

When I rolled into Dam Nation, even though I was on the money with my salt tablets (two every hour on the hour), I wasn't getting enough to drink.  The North Texas Trail Runners, who man that aid station do a great job there, were clearly advising me that I needed to drink more.  So I went out on the 6-mile loop with a cold bottle of water and Gatorade.

I soon caught up with Allen again and we walked on a pretty good pace to beyond the turnaround until he got away from me up on the spillway.  And it was here, where the 50-milers joined us from their shorter loop out of Dam Nation, that I began to slow down even more than a 15-minute mile.

When I got back into Dam Nation, I was really hurting.  Every step hurt with a blister on my right heel.  (It still hurts on Sunday.)  I started down the path to the Park Road Aid Station thinking that Bill Dwyer would have made it there by then.  But when I saw a golf cart delivering supplies to Dam Nation, I stopped them and asked them if they were going to be going out soon.  They were, asked me to stay put and they came back – in about 10 minutes – and got me.

I saw Annabel Dixon and Claude Hicks, Jr. before the cart came.  Annabel encouraged me to keep going, but Claude knew where I was at and still congratulated me.

The Community Emergency Response Team with Walker County came, put me on their cart and took me to the spillway.  I saw my friend Becky with three runners that were with her doing the 50-miler and I told her that I had the same “disease” that she did five years earlier in her first 50-mile attempt:  blisters.

The C.E.R.T. cart took me to the spillway, where I got a boat ride across the lake from another trio of C.E.R.T. and event volunteers.  I got out of the boat and immediately turned my timing chip in.

I called Bill, thinking he might have been waiting at the Park Road aid station (~mile 35), but he hadn’t made it to Huntsville yet.  It would have been good to have seen him (and Mary Carter who were planning on making the drive up) as well as Waverly, who was planning on coming up after she got off work.

I thought about staying, like I have many other years, but I knew Waverly was going to be getting home – and when she’s going off to school in six months, I wanted to get back home.  I think most people can understand that.

And I was so very thankful for everything that she did to help me that evening.

She went across the road to HEB to pick up a few things and she cooked dinner for me – chicken alfredo.  And then after I had watched more TV (two and a half hours) then I had in a long, long time, she went and got a couple of blankets out so I could sleep on the couch.

All the while, I scanned through the dial on the television and started watching Charles Stanley, a pastor of a megachurch in Atlanta, Georgia and the founder of In Touch Ministries.  Stanley is one of the few “television” preachers, if you will, that I have ever given any time to, but as I explained to Waverly, I first heard of Stanley listening to the radio in conjunction with programming around James Dobson’s “Focus on the Family”.

He talked about how, in his life, there always seemed to be something missing – and not just that his father had been but that he never allowed himself to fully realize that God loved him.  I think it – like many things – was something that I needed to hear.

I am sincerely happy for each and every person that I know or know of who successfully accomplished their goal on Saturday and Sunday – and for whatever their reason was of pursuing it.

I’ll close a great experience with the ending words of a status update from a first time 50-mile finisher, who feared putting themselves on the wait list (especially after finishing a marathon two weeks before):  “An ultra run ain’t about you, your feet, your hunger or your discomfort.  It’s about the people, the humanity happening all around you.”

So.  Very.  True.

Thanks for reading.

100 Days Challenge - Daily Log

"The rules are simple.  Choose to move, intentionally, for 30 minutes every day for the first 100 days of 2013." ~ John Bingham

Tuesday, January 1 -- 12.5 continuous hours on my feet announcing and volunteering for the Texas Marathon in Kingwood.
Wednesday, January 2 -- 60 minutes on the treadmill (5.3) and 30 minutes on the stationary bike (12).
Thursday, January 3 -- 60 minutes on the treadmill (5.3)
Friday, January 4 -- 60 minutes on the treadmill -- 34 (5.3), 16 (5.5), 5 (5.7) and 5 (5.9).
Saturday, January 5 -- 28:45 5K in Diboll.  25 minutes on the treadmill (5.0) followed by 25 minutes on the stationary bike.
Sunday, January 6 -- 50 minutes on the stationary bike followed by a 30:05 5K (TWRC Sunday Night 5K in The Woodlands).
Monday, January 7 -- 60 minutes on the stationary bike.
Tuesday, January 8 -- Life won out.
Wednesday, January 9 -- 10 kilometers running on the track at Knox Junior High.  (8 of 9 days)
Thursday, January 10 -- 21:40 on the treadmill (legs felt heavy) followed by 40 minutes on the stationary bike (9 of 10 days)
Friday, January 11 -- Working the Expo.  On my feet the entire time.  Calling it a workout day!
Saturday, January 12 -- 39:17 5K at the ABB 5K in Houston with the red-headed princess, Waverly.
Sunday, January 13 -- 4:57:56 Chevron Houston Marathon.  5th best marathon ever!
Monday, January 14 -- Chafing recovery.
Tuesday, January 15 -- Chafing recovery.
Wednesday, January 16 -- Four (4) miles at the track.
Thursday, January 17 -- 10 minutes on the treadmill, 45 minutes on the stationary bike and 10 minutes on the elliptical trainer.
Friday, January 18 -- 30 minutes on the treadmill.
Saturday, January 19 -- 60 minutes on the treadmill.
Sunday, January 20 -- 55 minutes on the treadmill and 28:46 5K in Point Blank. (17 days total.)
Monday, January 21 -- 60 minutes on the stationary bike.
Tuesday, January 22 -- Rest.  And my Dad's 66th birthday.
Wednesday, January 23 -- 80 minutes on the stationary bike (average rpm 95) and then at least 10 kilometers on the track.
Thursday, January 24 -- Life wins again.
Friday, January 25 -- 15 minutes on the treadmill followed by 50 on the stationary bike.
Saturday, January 26 -- 60 minutes on the treadmill, 36:25 on the stationary bike (got bored) and then 20 minutes on the elliptical machine.

Top 2012 Texas Marathons, Companion Half Marathons and Marathon Events

Top 10 Texas Marathons in 2012

1.  7,614 - Chevron Houston Marathon
2.  4,871 - MetroPCS Dallas Marathon
3.  3,898 - Livestrong Austin Marathon
4.  3,112 - Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio Marathon
5.  1,424 - Cowtown Marathon (Fort Worth)
6.  1,006 - Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon
7.    699 - Big-D Texas Marathon
8.    613 - Scott & White Healthcare B-CS Marathon (Brayn-College Station)
9.    367 - Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon
10.   307 - Fort Worth Marathon

Top 10 Texas Companion Half Marathons in 2012

1.  16,515 - Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio Marathon
2.  10,381 - Livestrong Austin Marathon
3.   9,876 - MetroPCS Dallas Marathon
4.   9,374 - Chevron Houston Marathon (Aramco Half Marathon)
5.   6,326 - Cowtown Marathon (Fort Worth)
6.   3,110 - Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon (St. Luke's The Woodlands Half Marathon)
7.   2,098 - Scott & White Healthcare B-CS Marathon
8.   2,064 - Big-D Texas Marathon
9.   1,075 - Chosen for Adoption Marathon (New Braunfels)
10.  1,059 - Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon

Top 10 Texas Marathon Events in 2012

1.  21,640 - Cowtown Marathon (Fort Worth) - 10K, 5K, Kids 5K, Ultra
2.  20,593 - Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio Marathon - Mini-Marathon (3-Mile)
3.  19,743 - Chevron Houston Marathon - 5K
4.  15,337 - MetroPCS Dallas Marathon - 5K
5.  15,315 - Livestrong Austin Marathon - 5K
6.   4,797 - Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon - 5K
7.   3,250 - Big-D Texas Marathon - 5K
8.   2,702 - Scott & White Healthcare B-CS Marathon
9.   1,867 - Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon
10.  1,495 - Tyler Rose Marathon - 5K

Top 2013 Houston Marathon Veteran Performances

Below is a listing of the top times in this year's Chevron Houston Marathon by Houston Marathon Veterans and those who will be joining the ranks (by finishing their 10th Houston Marathon) as a result of their finish.

Eight (8) men and three (3) women joined the latter category to stretch the men's top 25 and women's top 10 accordingly.

The listing below represents the runner's name, age, city of residence and the number of finishes at Houston followed by any significant note from viewing their complete results at marathonveterans.com, a website created by Houston Marathon Veteran Dalton Pulsipher.

An asterisk means that their number of marathon finishes have been achieved consecutively.

Men
1.  2:34:54 - Peter Lawrence, 41, Houston (15th, PR)
2.  2:48:25 - Jose Oviedo, 36, Houston (10th*, 8 of 10 sub-3)
3.  2:51:45 - Stephen Baumgartner, 39, Houston (13th, 9th straight sub-3)
4.  2:52:21 - Francisco Galaviz (MEX), 49, Monterrey (10th, 8th straight sub-3)
5.  2:53:45 - John Yoder, 41, Houston (19th*, 13 of last 14 sub-3)
6.  2:58:35 - Brian King, 33, Richmond (10th*, PR, 1st time broke 3 hours)
7.  2:59:10 - Matthew Padon, 44, Austin (20th*, 11th sub-3)
8.  2:59:19 - Garrett Rychlik, 45, Cypress (13th, 4th sub-3 in last 5 year)
9.  2:59:23 - David Nemoto, 49, Houston (10th, 2nd best ever)
10.  2:59:52 - Francisco Garza, 47, Houston (11th*, 3rd sub-3)
11.  3:03:35 - Robert Walters, 52, Houston (12th, broke a string of 6 straight sub-3's)
12.  3:04:07 - Christopher Ciamarra, 42, Alpharetta, GA (13th, best placing in 3 years)
13.  3:06:08 - Alexander Valdez, 43, Houston (15th*, 5th fastest)
14.  3:10:59 - Abelino Jeronimo, 53, Houston (10th, 2nd fastest)
15.  3:12:04 - Jacob Tonge, 50, Houston (10th)
16.  3:13:04 - Brett Hervat, 46, Houston (15th, first finish in 4 years)
17.  3:13:13 - Richard Peoples, 53, Houston (17th)
18.  3:14:25 - Timothy Nielsen, 46, Houston (17th*)
19.  3:14:54 - Dennis Troland, 47, Katy (11th)
20.  3:16:21 - Agapito Gaytan, 51, Rosenberg (12th)
21.  3:18:57 - Rich Fredrich, 55, Katy (23rd)
22.  3:20:49 - Mark Conran, 53, Pearland (10th)
23.  3:20:53 - Bernie Babinat, 48, Sugar Land (15th)
24.  3:21:59 - Robert Hahn, 31, Houston (13th*, 5th fastest)
25.  3:22:35 - Ed Sturdivant, 46, Missouri City (11th)
26.  3:23:12 - Jeff Eisele, 42, Houston (16th*)
27.  3:23:21 - Eric Stotzer, 45, Houston (14th)
28.  3:24:13 - Scott Spencer, 50, Katy (11th)
29.  3:24:35 - Robert Dunn, 46, Liberty (18th*)
30.  3:25:27 - Peter Schipperjin, 51, Cypress (14th)
31.  3:25:52 - Edward Montana, 41, Katy (18th*)
32.  3:26:32 - Brian Claar, 53, Castle Rock, CO (10th*, PR)
33.  3:27:59 - Paul Lopez, 47, El Campo (13th)

Women
1.  3:24:40 - Barbara Stoll (DEU), 51 (16th, broke a string of 12 straight sub-3:10's)
2.  3:26:27 - Suzy Seeley, 53, Houston (19th*, 13th sub-3:30)
3.  3:26:32 - Dana Barger, 38, Missouri City (11th, 8th straight sub-3:30)
4.  3:27:44 - Marlene Hicks, 47, Georgetown (16th*, 10th straight sub-3:30)
5.  3:28:35 - Caroline Burum, 47, Houston (15th, 11th sub-3:30)
6.  3:29:48 - Karen Anderson, 51, Fort Collins, CO (15th, 9th sub-3:30)
7.  3:34:04 - Melissa Hurta-Crites, 49, Freeport (11th)
8.  3:36:29 - Rochelle Ray, 41, Spring (10th)
9.  3:37:23 - Maribel Aguilar, 37, Missouri City (10th, PR)
10.  3:37:47 - Jacqueline O Brien-Nolen, 47, Kingwood (17th)
11.  3:38:50 - Suzanne Day, 55, Houston (10th)
12.  3:39:39 - Lupe Gomez, 59, Pasadena (24th)
13.  3:39:41 - Therese Novak, 51, Lake Charles, LA (15th)
13.  3:44:47 - Nancy Winchester (CAN), 45, Houston (13th)

Galveston Marathon and Half Marathon Legacy Runners (2011-2012)

The third annual Galveston Marathon and Half Marathon, scheduled to take place Sunday, January 27, 2013, has - to date, in its first two years - featured 21 marathoners and 105 half marathoners who have completed the same distance both years of the return of the event to the Island.

Another 10 athletes completed a marathon one year and the half marathon the other.

Marathon
Aaron Blades, Sugar Land
Chris Button
David Davison, Katy
David Jones, Corpus Christi
Donna Palmer, Pearland
Ginger Trimble Knox, Fort Worth
Jacqueline O Brien-Nolen, Kingwood
John Pontikas, Texas City
Jose Amador, Houston
Jose Angel Reyes
Keith Rogers, Friendswood
Kevin Kline, Sugar Land
Lora Lechago, League City
Matt Chauvin, League City
Mauricio Parada, Houston
Richard Buitron, Pearland
Robert Furman, Katy
Terry Frank, Seabrook
Tracy Galleymore
Wendy Clark, Houston
William Schneider, Katy

Half Marathon
Adelaida Cuellar, Pasadena
Alison Brown, Houston
Alison Roos, Houston
Amy Morgan, Angleton
Andrea Adams, Houston
Angela Pina, Seabrook
Anh Hunter, Houston
Arin Gage, Texas City
Billie Vasquez, Humble
Bonnie Humphrey, Lake Jackson
Brian Harper, Galveston
Bruce Boyd, Houston
Casey Hannigan, Corpus Christi
Cesar Guevara, Kingwood
Chris Kidwell, League City
Christene Wood, Humble
Christina Palazzotta, Galveston
Christy Hennigan, Lubbock
Collette Haenes, Houston
Connie Paulino, Spring
Cynthia Everett, Houston
Dawn Burris, Beaumont
Dawn Clements, Houston
Deann Lewis, Pearland
Debbie Miller, Houston
Debbie Rau, Seabrook
Debbie Servantes, Bacliff
Dee Knapp, Lubbock
Deedee Terry, Kingwood
Derek McWilliams, Beaumont
Diane McKernan, Houston
Donna Villarreal, Sugar Land
Dustin Henry, Galveston
Elgin Faulkner, Houston
Elizabeth Eastman, Houston
Emily Shuttlesworth, Hitchcock
Garfield Johnson, Houston
Haley Stransky, Needville
Ilse Bekker, Houston
Jamie Belinne, Pearland
Jammie Barnes, Houston
Jason Arcemont, Spring
Jason Sessions, Pearland
Jeanne Smith, Galveston
Jeffrey Davis, Canyon Lake
Jennifer Dewhirst, Houston
Jenny Renault, Katy
Jesse Sarabia, Houston
Jessica Lewis, Galveston
Jessica Mullins, Houston
Jesus Jijon, Houston
Jimmy Kirkhart, Eustace
Joe Hoff, Galveston
Joe Purtle, The Woodlands
Joe Stokes, Kilgore
John Franciosa, Spring
Jorge Neira, Galveston
Kaley Welsh, Houston
Karen Cook, Houston
Kaytlynn Welsch, Alvin
Kenneth Karam, Houston
Kenneth Stein, Bellaire
Kim Forrest, Angleton
Kimberlee Slaughter, Spring
Larie Cappadonna, Magnolia
Leo Henny, Lake Charles LA
Linda Riviera, League City
Lori Diaz, League City
Lori Kocian, Galveston
Louise Benavidez, Galveston
Lynn Baker, Pearland
Lynne Sustala, Houston
Michael Purvey, Houston
Michelle Crossley, Houston
Michelle Guigneaux, Galveston
Migel Cruz, Pearland
Mike Tersigne, Galveston
Omer Womack, Deer Park
Paul Nielsen, Houston
Rachel Sessions, Houston
Randall Swearingen, Houston
Ray Cartwright, Alvin
Rene Scott, Houston
Rhonda Dean, Houston
Richard La Cour Jr, Webster
Robert Aleksejczyk, League City
Rose Buitron, Pearland
Roxana Harrison, Houston
Sandi Genrich, Spring
Sandra Guzman, Houston
Sandy Robbins, Baytown
Shane McDermott, Galveston
Sharon Metyko, Galveston
Shawn Jackson, Katy
Stan McLeod, Cypress
Steve Fanos, Houston
Susan Rothery Troscinski, Spring
Tanya Lopez, Pasadena
Tina Brooks, Houston
Todd Latimore, Houston
Traci Gou, Tomball
Tracy Osmond, League City
William Garner, Houston
Xavier Loredo, Houston
Zachery Shanks, Huntsville

Marathon and Half Marathon
Aaron Obregon, Richmond
Alan Walker, The Woodlands
Brandi Sanderson, Galveston
David Sanderson, Galveston
Donnie Artley, Lake Jackson
Guy Rozas, League City
Hud Hopkins, Galveston
Kevyn Trammell, Alvin
Leanna Pickens, Galveston
Michael Mullins, Houston

90 to Join Houston Marathon Veterans in 2014

Ninety (90) runners completed their journey to become Houston Marathon Veterans on Sunday with an official finish in the 41st running of the Chevron Houston Marathon.

Prior to Sunday's race, the runners listed below were presented by the Marathon as being those who had finished the event nine (9) times before.

Those who have BQ at the end of their listing qualified for the 2014 Boston Marathon with their finishing time while those with HD completed the "Houston Double" by also finishing the ABB 5K on Saturday.

Aguilar, Maribel (USA), Missouri City, TX, 37, 3:37:23 (BQ)

Akin, Melissa (USA), League City, TX, 41, 4:51:28

Amador, Jose (USA), Houston, TX, 54, 4:00:37

Attleson, Ross (USA), Houston, TX, 41, 4:58:16

Aventurado, Rick (USA), Richmond, TX, 45, 4:35:37

Barger, Dana (USA), Missouri City, TX, 38, 3:26:32 (BQ)

Bate, Mary Jo (USA), Houston, TX, 49, 5:02:57 (HD)

Benitez, Rosi (USA), Houston, TX, 59, 4:39:17

Berglund, Karen (USA), Kingwood, TX, 61, 5:26:51 (HD)

Beyer, Karen (USA), Sugar Land, TX, 38, 3:57:08

Blakset, Beate (USA), Houston, TX, 50, 4:18:07

Branham, Donna (USA), Houston, TX, 50, 5:11:27

Bue, Grant (USA), Houston, TX, 54, 3:56:47

Buell, Jarold (USA), Houston, TX, 65, 4:51:21

Burnside, Jill (USA), Katy, TX, 49, 5:25:32

Castronovo, Tony (USA), Tomball, TX, 43, 3:49:55

Claar, Brian (USA), Castle Rock, CO, 53, 3:26:32 (BQ)

Cliffe, Timothy (USA), San Antonio, TX, 58, 4:30:47

Colosimo, Kelly (USA), Lake Jackson, TX, 46, 3:56:31

Conran, Mark (USA), Pearland, TX, 53, 3:20:49 (BQ)

Cook, David (USA), Houston, TX, 49, 4:27:33

Day, Suzanne (USA), Houston, TX, 55, 3:38:50 (BQ)

Digennaro, Michael (USA), Harker Heights, TX, 55, 5:18:57

Duffy, Brian (USA), San Antonio, TX, 50, 3:58:34

Ehrsam, Paul (USA), Houston, TX, 56, 3:50:16

Foster, Melvyn (USA), Grapevine, TX, 44, 4:20:41

Friday, John (CAN), Thunder Bay, ON, 54, 3:45:32

Galaviz, Francisco (MEX), Monterrey, 49, 2:52:21 (BQ)

Gonzalez, Lisa (USA), The Woodlands, TX, 43, 3:41:29 (BQ)(HD)

Gourwitz, Gayleann (USA), Houston, TX, 57, 5:00:15

Graham, John (USA), Houston, TX, 51, 5:21:37

Green, Annabella (USA), Houston, TX, 57, 5:48:56

Hallaway, Katherine (USA), Katy, TX, 31, 4:27:20

Harris, Cathy (USA), Katy, TX, 63, 5:26:08

Harrison, David (USA), Richmond, TX, 57, 5:44:30

Hebert, Gary (USA), Pasadena, TX, 57, 4:16:32

Heck, Kent (USA), Bellaire, TX, 50, 3:40:43

Henny, Leo (USA), Lake Charles, LA, 62, 4:33:06

Hilton, Brenda (USA), Houston, TX, 65, 4:40:21

Horn, Gary (USA), Kingwood, TX, 55, 3:51:13

Jack, Cathi (USA), Houston, TX, 56, 4:59:10

Jacobs, Pete (USA), Missouri City, TX, 40, 3:29:19

Jeronimo, Abelino (USA), Houston, TX, 53, 3:10:59 (BQ)

Jordan, Dan (USA), TX, Houston, 55, 3:53:15

Kessler, Stuart (USA), The Woodlands, TX, 52, 3:50:33

King, Brian (USA), Richmond, TX, 33, 2:58:35 (BQ)

Le, Michael (USA), The Woodlands, TX, 51, 4:14:14

Lee, Rayman (USA), Spring, TX, 51, 5:32:14

Lejarza, Richard (USA), Spring, TX, 49, 4:49:25

Liu, Stan (USA), Houston, TX, 55, 5:51:00

Lockwood, Annette (USA), Katy, TX, 50, 5:07:34

Lopez, Samuel (USA), Houston, TX, 44, 4:43:07 (HD)

Mathews, Ken (USA), Katy, TX, 56, 3:57:07

Matthews, Warren (USA), Houston, TX, 48, 5:50:08

McWhorter, John (USA), Houston, TX, 48, 3:30:50

Mitchell, Robert (USA), Houston, TX, 49, 5:07:18

Montemayor, Ruben (USA), Allen, TX, 52, 4:46:40

Nemoto, David (USA), Houston, TX, 49, 2:59:23 (BQ)(HD)

Norton, Kirk (USA), Spring, TX, 45, 3:35:57

Oppenheim, Mark (USA), Spring, TX, 55, 4:15:43

Oviedo, Jose (USA), Houston, TX, 36, 2:48:25 (BQ)

Palmer, Donna (USA), Pearland, TX, 46, 4:14:08

Petti, Ronald (USA), Nacogdoches, TX, 45, 4:18:33

Pham, Kim (USA), Cypress, TX, 48, 4:59:15 (HD)

Ramirez, Garibaldis (USA), Houston, TX, 47, 3:34:29

Randolph, Bob (USA), Richmond, TX, 51, 5:52:19

Ray, John (USA), Spring, TX, 49, 4:26:49

Ray, Rochelle (USA), Spring, TX, 41, 3:36:29 (BQ)

Reynolds, Brendan (USA), Kingwood, TX, 42, 3:57:59

Rocha, Sonia (USA), Tomball, TX, 40, 5:30:29

Rollins, Rachel (USA), Cedar Park, TX, 46, 4:29:24

Sadberry, Denise (USA), Katy, TX, 46, 3:50:31 (BQ)

Saldana, Rick (USA), League City, TX, 49, 3:37:44

Scanterbury, Franklin (USA), Houston, TX, 59, 5:10:53

Sobel, Ike (USA), Houston, TX, 50, 4:39:18

Spoon, Deborah (USA), Conroe, TX, 51, 4:50:28

St Jean, Chris (USA), Seabrook, TX, 30, 4:08:23

Stone, Howard (USA), Bellaire, TX, 45, 5:20:39

Tidwell, Mark (USA), Houston, TX, 46, 3:57:44

Tonge, Jacob (USA), Houston, TX, 50, 3:12:04 (BQ)

Trotter, Eric (USA), Plano, TX, 47, 3:48:44

Velez, Javier (USA), Houston, TX, 54, 4:41:34

Wagner, John (USA), Austin, TX, 50, 3:37:33

Walsh, Kerry (USA), Pearland, TX, 67, 4:59:42

Ward, Kevin (USA), Houston, TX, 60, 3:56:33

Wiley, James (USA), Austin, TX, 66, 3:51:44 (BQ)

Williams, Keli (USA), Pearland, TX, 38, 4:41:32

Williams, Marc (USA), Houston, TX, 52, 5:37:38

Winburn, Lee (USA), Katy, TX, 43, 4:22:53

Zainfeld, Richard (USA), The Woodlands, TX, 55, 5:20:01

2013 Money Winners at Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Half Marathon

Men's Marathon
Bazu Worku (ETH) = $40,000 (1st overall)
Teferi Balcha (ETH) = $20,000 (2nd overall)
Solomon Molla (ETH) = $10,000 (3rd overall)
Birhanu Gedefa (ETH) = $6,000 (4th overall)
Dereje Abera (ETH) = $4,000 (5th overall)
Teshome Etana (ETH) = $3,000 (6th overall)
Andrew Carlson (USA) = $2,000 (7th overall) + $5,000 (1st American)
Scott Wietecha (USA) = $2,500 (2nd American)
Sergio Reyes (USA) = $1,000 (3rd American)
Benjamin Zywicki (USA/The Woodlands) = $500 (4th American) + $500 (1st local elite)

Chris Knorzer (USA/Rocklin, CA) = $1,500 (1st overall masters) + $500 (1st American masters)
Peter Lawrence (USA/Houston) = $1,000 (2nd overall masters) + $250 (2nd American masters) + $250 (1st local elite 40-49)
Kelly Dowe (USA/Houston) = $500 (3rd overall masters)

Ryan Smith (USA/Houston) - $350 (2nd local elite)
Matthew McCurdy (USA/Pearland) - $150 (3rd local elite)

Hugh Leidlein (USA/Lake Jackson) - $125 (1st local elite 50-59)
Jerry Hammervold (USA/Houston) = $125 (1st local elite 60-69)
Fred Steves (USA/Houston) = $125 (1st local elite 70-79)

Women's Marathon
Merima Mohammed (ETH) = $40,000 (1st overall)
Buzunesh Deba (ETH) = $20,000 (2nd overall)
Meskerem Assefa (ETH) = $10,000 (3rd overall)
Meseret Legese (ETH) = $6,000 (4th overall)
Olena Burkovska (UKR) = $4,000 (5th overall)
Tera Moody (USA) = $3,000 (6th overall) + $5,000 (1st American)
Kelly Calway (USA/Colorado Springs, CO) = $2,000 (7th overall) + $2,500 (2nd American)
Andrea Walkonen (USA/Lebanon, NH) = $1,000 (3rd American)
Laleh Mojtabaeezamani (USA/Keller, TX) = $500 (4th American)
Angela Spadafino (USA/Houston) = $500 (1st local elite)

Laura Bennett (USA) = $1,500 (1st overall masters) + $500 (1st American masters) + $250 (1st local elite 40-49)
Heather Hamilton (USA/Kingwood) = $350 (2nd local elite)
Brittany Van Nielen (USA/Kingwood) = $150 (3rd local elite)

Jody Berry (USA/Houston) = $125 (1st local elite 50-59)
Pat Himel (USA/Kingwood) = $125 (1st local elite 60-69)
Leona Devine (USA/Conroe) = $125 (1st local elite 70-79)

Men's Half Marathon
Feyisa Lilesa (ETH) = $15,000 (1st overall)
Deriba Merga (ETH) = $10,000 (2nd overall)
Wilson Erupe (KEN) = $5,000 (3rd overall)
Shadrack Biwott (USA) = $2,500 (4th overall)
Luke Puskedra (USA) = $1,000 (5th overall)

Brian Haskett (USA/Tomball) = $1,000 (1st overall masters) + $150 (1st local elite 40-49)
Stewart Harwell (USA/Houston) = $250 (1st local elite)
Maximo Mendoza (USA/Pearland) = $150 (2nd local elite)
Chris Stelzer (USA/Houston) = $100 (1st local elite)

Joe Melanson (USA/Orange) = $75 (1st local elite 50-59)
Peter Mullin (USA/Houston) = $75 (1st local elite 60-69)
Kenneth Ruane (USA/Orange) = $75 (1st local elite 70-79)

Women's Half Marathon
Mamitu Daska (ETH) = $15,000 (1st overall)
Caroline Kilel (KEN) = $10,000 (2nd overall)
Hellen Jemutai (KEN) = $5,000 (3rd overall)
Chemtai Rionotukei (KEN) = $2,500 (4th overall)
Zemzem Ahmed (ETH) = $1,000 (5th overall)

Kimberly Mac Namee (USA/The Woodlands) = $1,000 (1st overall masters) + $150 (1st local elite 40-49)
Jill Vacek (USA/Houston) = $250 (1st local elite)
Katherine Marshall (USA/Houston) = $150 (2nd local elite)
Liz Baugher (USA/Cypress) = $100 (1st local elite)

Pam Meaux (USA/The Woodlands) = $75 (1st local elite 50-59)
Katherine Collins (USA/Houston) = $75 (1st local elite 60-69)
Carol Baker (USA/Bellaire) = $75 (1st local elite 70-79)

Nearly 70 Percent of New 2013 CHM Veterans Return to Marathon

After last year’s Chevron Houston Marathon, 85 runners – the majority of them from the greater Houston area – had finished their 10th Houston Marathon to become an official Houston Marathon Veteran.

And, of course, much to the delight of the organizer, after the runner’s efforts over the years, an overwhelming majority of them will return to the marathon distance for this year’s race.

Just twenty percent – 15 runners – decided not to participate in any Chevron Houston Marathon event in 2013.

Two deferred their entry to 2014, while one is participating in the ABB 5K on Saturday and ten in the Aramco Half Marathon which leaves 57 – just over 67 percent – to start on their second decade of Chevron Houston Marathon finishes.

The complete list, with bib numbers for Sunday’s races, is as follows:

Chevron Houston Marathon
741 - Scott Spencer, 50, M, Katy
744 - Dana Barger, 38, F, Missouri City
745 - Lynn Beasley, 52, F, Houston
747 - Kimberlie Budzik, 52, F, Friendswood
748 - Connie Butcher, 49, F, Houston
749 - Wanda Buxton, 49, F, Richmond
751 - Arburn Cain, 44, F, Missouri City
752 - Jackie Carrasco, 45, F, Clear Lake Shores
754 - Curtis Childs, 51, M, Houston
755 - Wendy Clark, 49, F, Houston
756 - Miguel Correa, 41, M, Spring
757 - Daniel Cousins, 50, M, Houston
759 - Chris Duggan, 46, M, Houston
761 - Susie Eisenberg-Argo, 51, F, Sugar Land
762 - Eric Etheridge, 44, M, Austin
764 - Dave Faber, 58, M, Spring
765 - Donna Fink, 44, F, Pasadena
768 - Mario Garcia, 54, M, Corpus Christi
770 - Francisco Garza, 47, M, Houston
771 - Brad Godwin, 51, M, Cypress
773 - Kimberly Harvey, 47, F, Katy
774 - Joseph Henderson, 55, M, The Woodlands
776 - Jeffrey Hill, 37, M, Houston
780 - Scott Johnson, 60, M, Houston
781 - John Kincl, 48, M, Baytown
782 - Kristen Koudelka, 42, F, Katy
783 - Carolyn Kundiger, 55, F, Houston
784 - Dennis Lang, 59, M, Houston
786 - Orin Lewis, 48, M, Houston
789 - Michael Marcoux, 60, M, Katy
792 - Max Mendoza, 54, M, Houston
793 - Jay Milton, 48, M, Friendswood
794 - Christian Navarro, 40, M, Houston
795 - Akira Nishikawa, 49, M, Houston
796 - Thomas Okazaki, 55, M, Southlake
797 - Jim Peiffer, 69, M, Houston
798 - Steven Peppel, 46, M, Houston
799 - John Powers, 49, M, Magnolia
800 - Benjamin Proko, 31, M, Houston
801 - Rafael Ramos, 60, M, League City
802 - Uno Reilly, 54, F, Bossier City, LA
803 - Jorge Rivas, 46, M, Houston
805 - Jan Ross, 57, F, Pasadena
807 - Ramon Sanchez, 64, M, Galveston
808 - David Sanderson, 62, M, Galveston
809 - William Schick, 53, M, Katy
810 - Jennifer Singletary, 45, F, League City
812 - Toni Smith, 53, F, Katy
813 - John Spiller, 46, M, Houston
816 - Alicia Ten Eyck, 53, F, Houston
818 - Anthony Toh, 44, M, Humble
819 - Candice Trimm, 42, F, Katy
820 - Dennis Troland, 47, M, Katy
821 - Tony Van, 46, M, Houston
822 - Robert Irving, 62, M, Beaumont
2901 - David Tran, 43, M, Houston
2974 - Susan Hardwick-Smith, 45, F, Houston

Aramco Half Marathon
21269 - Danny Golden, 43, M,  The Woodlands
22804 - Lauren McCreary, 53, F,  Houston
22865 - Tonya Arnold, 48, F,  Galveston
25746 - Linda Tyler, 56, F,  Missouri City
28279 - Christine Webb, 60, F,  Houston
28840 - Alberto Salazar, 54, M,  Houston
28850 - Steven Stansbury, 48, M,  Friendswood
28870 - Robert Thompson, 48, M,  Sugar Land
29047 - Kathleen Mahon, 58, F,  Houston
34203 - Sondra Gajevsky, 50, F,  Pearland

ABB 5K
2253 - Donald Buckholt, 52, M, Houston

Nearly 50 with 25+ Houston Marathon Finishes Set to Start on Sunday

When the gun goes off Sunday morning for the 41st running of the Chevron Houston Marathon, 44 men and four women will begin their effort which will further cement their status as the eldest statesman of the Chevron Houston Marathon Veterans.

With 25 or more prior finishes and ranging in age from 51 to 80, the group of 48 lead a list of 1,093 runners over the past four decades who have completed 10 or more Chevron Houston Marathons.

Likely to wear bib numbers 29 and 38 as part of the local elite field and reflecting their gender-leading number of finishes, Katy’s Maria Camacho and Houston’s Jack Lippincott will lead the group to the start line on Sunday.

Missing from this year’s list is Corpus Christi’s Clent Mericle, who is tied for second on the all-time list with Houston’s Rich McMahan with 35 finishes, but is the leader in the race’s history with 27 sub 3-hour finishes.

Led by Lippincott, McMahan, Houston’s Ray Boytim and Katy’s Arlen Isham, 17 of the list of runners below have finished each of their 25 or more marathons consecutively.

The fastest career marathoner running on Sunday with 25 or more marathon finishes is HARRA’s Vice President of Clubs, Roger Boak, who has completed his 29 Houston Marathons in an average time of 3:08:17, according to marathonveterans.com.

Here is Sunday ‘s list of anticipated participants with 25 or more official Chevron Houston Marathon finishes:

29* - Maria Camacho, 57, F, Katy - 29 marathons
38* - Jack Lippincott, 66, M, Houston - 38 marathons+
306 - Rick McMahan, 59, M, Houston - 35 marathons+
307 - Ray Boytim, 80, M, Houston - 34 marathons+
308 - Arlen Isham, 68, M, Katy - 34 marathons+
309 - Wayne Rutledge, 55, M, Spring - 33 marathons
310 - Louis Waddell, 73, M, Houston - 33 marathons
311 - Charlie Viers, 71, M, Natchitoches, LA - 32 marathons
312 - Boris Balic, 76, M, Houston - 31 marathons
313 - Lonnie Brauner, 66, M, The Woodlands - 31 marathons
314 - Rudy Alvarez, 58, M, Houston - 30 marathons
315 - Stephen McNeil, 55, M, Corpus Christi - 30 marathons+
316 - Roger Boak, 64, M, Houston - 29 marathons
317 - Robert Eury, 64, M, Houston - 29 marathons+
318 - Daniel Jason, 66, M, Houston - 29 marathons+
319 - Tony Allison, 57, M, The Woodlands - 28 marathons
320 - Manuel Gonzalez, 67, M, La Porte - 28 marathons
321 - Richard Rekieta, 61, M, Montgomery - 28 marathons
322 - Rudolph Rendon, 65, M, Austin - 28 marathons
323 - Jesse Smalls, 66, M, Katy - 28 marathons
324 - Will Hrachovy, 64, M, Houston - 27 marathons+
325 - John McClung, 52, M, Houston - 27 marathons
326 - Marylyn Patrick, 68, F, Plano - 27 marathons+
327 - JP Reed, 56, M, Houston - 27 marathons+
328 - Susan Rouse, 54, F, Conroe - 27 marathons+
329 - Ted Thrasher, 62, M, Angel Fire, NM - 27 marathons+
330 - Leonard Topolski, 51, M, Pearland - 27 marathons+
331 - George Guidry, 68, M, Orange - 26 marathons
332 - Brian Jenison, 53, M, Houston - 26 marathons+
333 - Layne Mashburn, 68, M, Kingwood - 26 marathons
334 - Robert McDowell, 62, M, Houston - 26 marathons
335 - Larry McPhillips, 61, M, Port Arthur - 26 marathons
336 - Lee Miksch, 76, M, Cypress - 26 marathons+
337 - Charles Moore, 58, M, Houston - 26 marathons
338 - Lee Norris, 65, M, Bellaire - 26 marathons
339 - Don Padilla, 63, M, Deer Park - 26 marathons
340 - Paul Roche, 64, M, The Woodlands - 26 marathons
341 - Phyllis Thompson, 69, F, Houston - 26 marathons
342 - James Tuscany, 59, M, Hilo, HI - 26 marathons
343 - Steve Boone, 63, M, Humble - 25 marathons+
344 - Dan Dick, 64, M, Galveston - 25 marathons
345 - Richard Evans, 56, M, Beaumont - 25 marathons
346 - Terence Fanning, 61, M, Houston - 25 marathons
348 - David Stephens, 58, M, Seabrook - 25 marathons
349 - Fred Steves, 71, M, Houston - 25 marathons
350 - Harry Vroulis, 67, M, Houston - 25 marathons
351 - JR Wacasey, 53, M, Houston - 25 marathons
352 - Gene Wilson, 59, M, Houston - 25 marathons+

Five men, who have recorded 25 or more marathon finishes at the Chevron Houston Marathon, will be lacing up their shoes on Sunday for the 13.1-mile Aramco Half Marathon. They include:

22789 - Robert Luchsinger, 63, M, Dallas - 25 marathons
24386 - Ernest Murry, 62, M, Friendswood - 25 marathons
27768 - Gerald Meyers, 65, M, Cypress - 25 marathons
35101 - Phillip Smith, 77, M, Houston - 25 marathons
36526 - Jim Healy, 79, M, Houston - 27 marathons

Local Elites at 2013 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Half Marathon

While the Chevron Houston Marathon's Run For A Reason program will raise more than $2 million for approximately 60 partner charities, another of its success programs -- the Local Elite Invited Runner program -- gives some of the greater Houston area's top amateur runners the opportunity to receive many of the same perks and benefits as the world's best based on their performances at local races last fall.

This year, 37 athletes -- 25 in Sunday's Chevron Houston Marathon and 12 in the Aramco Half Marathon -- will toe the start line after being the first runner to meet a specific time standard for their age group at either last year's Chevron Houston Marathon, the USA Space City 10-Miler, the Houston Half Marathon, the HMSA Classical 25K or the Finish Line Sports Sugar Land 30K.

Included are Houston's Jack Lippincott and Katy's Maria Camacho, the athletes who represent their gender with the most career Houston Marathon finishes, as well as the 2003 Houston Marathon overall winner Sean Wade, who is set to run the half marathon in 2013.

The complete list of athletes, their age, city of residence and how they qualified is listed underneath the event they are racing on Sunday:

Marathon
Bennett, Laura, 45, Houston - 2012 Houston Marathon 40-49
Berry, Jody, 52, Houston - 2012 USA Space City 10-Miler 50-59
Bounds, Scott, 60, Houston - 2012 HMSA Classical 25K 60-69
Bustillos, Wilmer, 47, Houston - 2012 Houston Marathon 40-49
Camacho, Maria, 57, Katy - Most Houston Marathons
Caron, Anngela, 31, Sugar Land - 2012 Houston Half Marathon Open
Cuevas, Sim, 52, Houston - 2012 HMSA Classical 25K 50-59
Dowe, T. Kelly Dowe, 41, Houston - 2012 Houston Half Marathon 40-49
Hammervold, Jerry, 60, Sugar Land - 2012 Finish Line Sports 30K 60-69
Harvey, Sabra, 63, Houston - 2012 USA Space City 10-Miler 60-69
Jones, Virginia, 32, League City - 2012 USA Space City 10-Miler Open
Lawrence, Peter, 41, Houston - 2012 USA Space City 10-Miler 40-49
Lippincott, Jack, 66, Houston - Most Houston Marathons
McCurdy, Matthew, 35, Pearland - 2012 Houston Marathon Open
McLean, Richard, 55, Houston - 2012 Finish Line Sports 30K 50-59
Seeley, Suzy, 53, Houston - 2012 Finish Line Sports 30K 50-59
Sharenson, Andrew, 42, Houston - 2012 Finish Line Sports 30K 40-49
Smith, Ryan, 27, Cypress - 2012 HMSA Classical 25K Open
Stoll, Barbara, 51, Houston - 2012 Houston Marathon 50-59
Wade, Sean, 46, Houston - 2003 Houston Marathon Open Winner
Walters, Robert, 52, Houston - 2012 Houston Marathon 50-59
Wilson, Nora, 56, The Woodlands - 2012 HMSA Classical 25K 50-59
Wood, Geri, 64, Houston - 2012 Houston Marathon 60-69
Yoder, John, 41, Houston - 2012 HMSA Classical 25K 40-49
Zywicki, Benjamin, 24, The Woodlands - 2012 USA Space City 10-Miler Open

Half Marathon
Figueroa, Sesar, 28, Stafford - 2012 Finish Line Sports 30K Open
Flores, Joe, 53, Houston - 2012 USA Space City 10-Miler 50-59
Glasscock, Mike, 65, Kingwood - 2012 Houston Marathon 60-69
Holden, Stacy, 36, Houston - 2012 Finish Line Sports 30K Open
Jamalyaria, Jamal, 60, Deer Park - 2012 Houston Half Marathon 60-69
Kristick, Corrie, 29, Houston - 2012 Houston Marathon Open
Mac Namee, Kimberly, 41, The Woodlands - 2012 Houston Half Marathon 40-49
Marshall, Katherine, 31, Bellaire - 2012 HMSA Classical 25K Open
Meaux, Pam, 52, The Woodlands - 2012 Houston Half Marathon 50-59
Melanson, Joe, 57, Orange - 2012 Houston Half Marathon 50-59
Mullin, Peter, 62, Houston - 2012 USA Space City 10-Miler 60-69
Ruane, Kenneth, 71, Orange - 2012 USA Space City 10-Miler 70-79

December's Biggest Movers in Texas Multisports Facebook Rankings

Which Texas races, organizations, clubs or retail stores added the largest number of friends, likes or members between 11/30/12 and 1/2/13?

And have also increased their numbers by the largest percentage from the previous month?

By Number
682 - Dallas White Rock Marathon - Road Race
598 - Rock 'n' Roll Dallas Half Marathon - Road Race
597 - Luke's Locker - Retail Store
305 - RunTex (Austin) - Retail Store
303 - Chevron Houston Marathon - Road Race
285 - The Cowtown Marathon (Fort Worth) - Road Race
258 - Austin Marathon & Half Marathon - Road Race
258 - Scott & White Healthcare BCS Marathon - Road Race
223 - New Year's Double (Allen) - Road Race
216 - Rogue Running (Austin) - Training - Running
-10-
205 - Fiesta Marathon (McAllen) - Road Race
195 - 3M Half Marathon (Austin) - Road Race
170 - The Texas Independence Relay - Road Race
170 - OutRival Racing - Training - Multisports
153 - Austin 10/20 - Road Race
149 - Ironman Texas (The Woodlands) - Triathlon
145 - The Woodlands Marathon - Road Race
144 - Statesman Capitol 10,000 - Road Race
144 - Mellew Production Events (Dallas) - Event Production Company
130 - Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop (Austin) - Retail Store

By Percentage
58.87% (141 to 224) - Beach to Bay Relay Marathon (Corpus Christi) - Road Race
50.50% (101 to 152) - Irving Running Club - Running Club
49.39% (247 to 369) - The Woodlands Cycling Club - Cycling Club
39.12% (524 to 729) - Fiesta Marathon (McAllen) - Road Race
34.17% (319 to 428) - TriTactics Coaching (The Woodlands) - Coaching - Multisports
22.52% (373 to 457) - LGRAW's Bold in the Cold 5K & 15K - Road Race
22.22% (81 to 99) - Irving Las Colinas Marathon Series - Road Race
18.98% (353 to 420) - Irving Las Colinas Marathon - Road Race
18.92% (111 to 132) - Tellepsen Family Downtown Y Jingle Bell Run (Houston) - Road Race
17.61% (460 to 541)- Fleet Feet Sports San Antonio - Retail Store
-10-
16.67% (309 to 358) - Cross the Creek Cyclo-cross Race Series - Cycling Race Venue
15.86% (309 to 358) - Golden Triangle Strutters (Beaumont) - Running Club
15.50% (1,097 to 1,267) - OutRival Racing - Training - Multisports
13.08% (107 to 121) - Strike Force Racing (The Woodlands) - Training - Multisports
11.93% (1,869 to 2,092) - New Year's Double (Allen) - Road Race
11.70% (94 to 105) - BCS Triathlon Club (Bryan-College Station) - Multisport Club
11.11% (45 to 50) - Waco Striders Running Club - Running Club
10.44% (910 to 1,005) - Houston Running Calendar -
10.42% (48 to 53) - Carrollton Runners Club - Running Club
10.31% (834 to 920) - Kyle Field Ramp Romp (College Station) - Road Race

Mellow Johnny's Still No. 1 in Texas Multisports Facebook Rankings

Is the Facebook page of your favorite Texas race, organization, club or retail store on this list?

We update now on a monthly basis the number of Facebook friends, followers or members that pages which support Texas races, organizations, clubs or retail stores have?

These measurements were taken during the January 2-3, 2013 time window.

Is there a page that we're missing?  (We're finding new ones every day.)  If so, please drop me a line at walksports(at)aol.com.

18,085 - Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop (Austin) - Retail Store
17,823 - Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Marathon - Road Race
15,457 - RunTex (Austin) - Retail Store
13,656 - Austin Marathon & Half Marathon - Road Race
13,263 - Chevron Houston Marathon - Road Race
12,801 - Dallas White Rock Marathon - Road Race
11,129 - Luke's Locker - Retail Store
10,375 - Rock 'n' Roll Dallas Half Marathon - Road Race
7,691 - Marathon Kids (Austin) - Organization
7,515 - Run On! Texas - Retail Store
-10-
7,071 - The Cowtown Marathon (Fort Worth) - Road Race
5,923 - Rogue Running (Austin) - Training - Running
5,801 - Scott & White Healthcare BCS Marathon - Road Race
4,789 - Austin 10/20 - Road Race
4,602 - Jack and Adam's Bicycles (Austin) - Retail Store
4,264 - 3M Half Marathon (Austin) - Road Race
4,068 - Heels and Hills (Irving) - Event Production Company
3,866 - Dallas Running Club - Running Club
3,577 - Statesman Capitol 10,000 - Road Race
3,379 - Tejas Trails - Event Production Company
-20-
3,327 - ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run - Road Race
3,279 - The Texas Independence Relay - Road Race
3,150 - OnUrMark Productions (Houston) - Event Production Company
2,924 - The Woodlands Marathon - Road Race
2,874 - The Gusher Marathon (Beaumont) - Road Race
2,796 - Bike Barn (Houston) - Retail Store
2,793 - CapTexTri (Austin) - Triathlon
2,294 - Mellew Production Events (Dallas) - Event Production Company
2,278 - Run In Texas (Garden Ridge) - Event Production Company
2,255 - Ironman Texas (The Woodlands) - Triathlon
-40-
2,200 - Tru Tri Sports (Cypress) - Retail Store
2,152 - Get Fit Amarillo - Retail Store
2,150 - El Paso Marathon - Road Race
2,149 - Hill Country Running Co. - Retail Store
2,149 - Redemption Race Productions (San Antonio) - Event Production Company
2,092 - New Year's Double (Allen) - Road Race
2,061 - Brazos Running Company - Retail Store
2,057 - Up And Running (El Paso) - Retail Store
1,953 - Alamo 13.1 - Road Race
1,858 - Team In Training - North Texas Chapter - Training - Multisports
-50-
1,836 - San Antonio RoadRunners - Running Club
1,832 - The Army Marathon (Killeen to Temple) - Road Race
1,729 - Bicycle World of Houston - Retail Store
1,666 - TXU Energy Turkey Trot benefiting Sheltering Arms Senior Services - Road Race
1,664 - Fort Worth Running Company - Retail Store
1,638 - Sea Rim Striders (Beaumont) - Running Club
1,616 - Fort Worth Runners Club - Running Club
1,479 - Richardson Bike Mart - Retail Store
1,430 - Capital to Coast Relay - Road Race
1,401 - Austin Runners Club - Running Club
-60-
1,359 - Texas Round-Up (Austin) - Road Race
1,347 - Rungirl Half Marathon (Humble) - Road Race
1,340 - Rogue Athletic Club (Austin) - Team - Road Racing
1,267 - OutRival Racing - Training - Multisports
1,234 - BlueBell Fun Run (Brenham) - Road Race
1,217 - Fit Tri Run (Galveston) - Retail Store
1,217 - Armadillo Dash (College Station) - Road Race
1,214 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon - Road Race
1,210 - In Flight Running (Houston) - Training - Running
1,207 - Soler's Sports (San Antonio) - Retail Store
-70-
1,202 - Finish Line Sports (Sugar Land) - Retail Store
1,180 - OnUrLeft Sports Coaching (Houston) - Training - Multisports
1,148 - The Runner (Arlington) - Retail Store
1,128 - RunFAR Racing Services, Inc. (Mansfield) - Timing Company
1,128 - Texas Runner & Triathlete - Magazine
1,121 - Houston Racing Triathlon Club - Multisport Club
1,101 - San Angelo Road Lizards - Running Club
1,087 - Texas Running Company (Sugarland) - Retail Store
1,065 - Big Bend 50 Ultra Marathon - Trail Race
1,053 - Ironhead Race Productions (Euless) - Event Production Company
-80-
1,052 - Chosen:  Marathon for Adoption (New Braunfels) - Road Race
1,040 - Galveston Marathon and Half Marathon - Road Race
1,035 - Colonel's Bicycles (Fort Worth) - Retail Store
1,014 - Texas Running Company (Austin) - Retail Store
1,005 - Houston Running Calendar -
983 - Corpus Christi Roadrunners - Running Club
980 - IAAP Racing (San Antonio) - Event Production Company
976 - Angie's Half Crazy! Half Marathon (Houston) - Road Race
953 - Houston Fit - Training - Running
944 - Houston Area Road Runners Association - Organization
-90-
934 - Rhythm and Blues Half Marathon and 5K (Houston) - Road Race
920 - Kyle Field Ramp Romp (College Station) - Road Race
916 - City of Conroe Parks and Recreation - Event Production Company
876 - Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers - Running Club
857 - Runner Triathlete News - Magazine
848 - USA Triathlon South Midwest Region - Organization
844 - The Showdown Half Marathon (Fairview) - Road Race
841 - Austin Tri-Cyclist - Retail Store
816 - Burning Pine 5K & 10K (Bastrop) - Road Race
799 - Texas 10 Series - Road Race Series
-100-
796 - USA Fit Marathon (Sugar Land) - Road Race
792 - Houston Half Marathon & Relay - Road Race
778 - La Porte By The Bay Half Marathon - Road Race
745 - CORE Running Company (San Marcos) - Retail Store
744 - Pleasure Island Bridge Half Marathon (Port Arthur) - Road Race
740 - Bayou City Classic 10K - Road Race
736 - TRI Aggieland - Triathlon
730 - On The Run - Beaumont - Retail Store
729 - Fiesta Marathon (McAllen) - Road Race
716 - Houston Triathlon - Triathlon
-110-
714 - The Bill Crews Remission Run (Conroe) - Road Race
688 - North Texas Runners - Running Club
677 - Fort Worth Marathon - Road Race
667 - Tri Team Transport (Austin) - Retail Service
651 - Tri On The Run (Houston) - Retail Store
645 - On The Run - Clear Lake - Retail Store
643 - USA Fit San Antonio - Training - Running
637 - Too Hot To Handle (Dallas) - Road Race
622 - Toughest 10K (Kemah) - Road Race
609 - Tri On The Run Fitness Center (Houston) - Retail Service
591 - The Austin Triathlon - Triathlon
-120-
574 - Bridgeland Triathlon (Houston) - Triathlon
568 - On The Run Waco - Retail Store
563 - Jail Break Run Half Marathon & 5K (Baytown) - Road Race
541 - Fleet Feet Sports San Antonio - Retail Store
535 - Katy Triathlon - Triathlon
534 - The Toughest 10K Galveston - Road Race
533 - GE Run Thru The Woods (The Woodlands) - Road Race
529 - Peyton's Bikes (Midland) - Retail Store
527 - Steps for Students 5K Run (Houston) - Road Race
521 - Miracle Match Marathon (Waco) - Road Race
-130-
520 - RunTex Georgetown - Retail Store
519 - The Texas Bicycle Racing Association - Organization
492 - Plano Pacers Running Club - Running Club
481 - Kemah Triathlon - Triathlon
481 - The Rookie Triathlon (Austin) - Triathlon
477 - Bay Area Bicycles (Corpus Christi) - Retail Store
471 - Shadow Creek Ranch Triathlon - Triathlon
468 - West Texas Running Club (Lubbock) - Running Club
467 - The Woodlands Running Club - Running Club
458 - Brazos Running Company Turkey Trot 5K & 1 Mile Family Fun Walk - Road Race
-140-
457 - LGRAW's Bold in the Cold 5K & 15K - Road Race
449 - Houston Striders - Running Club
444 - Abilene Runner's Club - Running Club
437 - Swim Shops of the Southwest (Spring) - Retail Store
432 - Houston Trail Runners Extreme (HTRex) - Trail Running Club
429 - Run For Wellness 5K Series (Houston) - Road Race Series
428 - TriTactics Coaching (The Woodlands) - Coaching - Multisports
426 - Lonestar Multisport (The Woodlands) - Multisport Club
420 - Irving Las Colinas Marathon - Road Race
393 - Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake - Triathlon
-150-
388 - Bay Area Running Club - Running Club
385 - Too Cold To Hold 5M/10M - Road Race
375 - Alamo Series (San Antonio) - Road Race Series
375 - Bay Area Multisport (Clear Lake) - Multisport Club
369 - The Woodlands Cycling Club - Cycling Club
358 - Golden Triangle Strutters (Beaumont) - Running Club
354 - Waco Triathlon Club - Triathlon
354 - Cox Racing Services (Fort Worth) - Event Production Company
347 - Bayou City Road Runners - Running Club
346 - Richardson Bike Mart - White Rock Store - Retail Store
-160-
341 - No Limits Run (Fort Worth) - Road Race
325 - Revolution Multisport (Fort Worth) - Training - Multisports
322 - Snapping Tortuga (Willis) - Event Production Company
320 - Jack's Generic Triathlon (New Braunfels) - Triathlon
317 - TriWaco Olympic & Sprint Triathlon - Triathlon
316 - College Station Running Club - Running Club
316 - Commitment Day Houston - Road Race
314 - Cross Timbers Trail Runs - Trail Race
314 - Outloud! Productions (Houston) - Event Production Company
301 - Finish Strong Sports (Houston) - Retail Store
-170-
279 - Couples Triathlon (Austin) - Triathlon
276 - Houston Masters Classical 25K - Road Race
267 - Trinity 5000 Summer Series (Fort Worth) - Road Race Series
266 - Skeese Greets Women's Tri (New Braunfels) - Triathlon
253 - Marathoning for Miracles (Abilene) - Road Race
247 - CC Southside Cycling (Corpus Christi) - Cycling Club
233 - Fort Bend TriPsyclones - Multisport Club
232 - TriMAC - Tri Memorial Athletic Club (Houston) - Multisport Club
229 - Texas Power Arlington Turkey Trot - Road Race
225 - Melon Dash 5K (McKinney) - Road Race
-180-
225 - Lufkin Area Pacesetters (LAPS) - Running Club
224 - Beach to Bay Relay Marathon (Corpus Christi) - Road Race
222 - Baytown Bud Heatwave - Road Race
221 - Fort Worth Cycling & Fitness Center - Retail Store
219 - Galveston Revival Race 5K/10K - Road Race
203 - Wolf Pen 5K and 10K - Road Race
198 - Bellaire Trolley Run 5K - Road Race
195 - Seven Hills Running Club (Huntsville) - Running Club
193 - CrossRoads Marathon (Odessa) - Road Race
189 - Swim Shops of the Southwest (Spring) - Retail Store
-190-
184 - Frankenthon Monster Marathon (Cedar Park) - Road Race
174 - Mayor's 5K Abilene - Road Race
171 - Finish Strong Coaching (The Woodlands) - Training - Multisports
171 - Coach Trent Triathlon Coaching (Houston) - Training - Multisports
168 - SelectTRI The Woodlands - Youth Triathlon Club
167 - Bikeland (The Woodlands) - Retail Store
166 - Sunstroke Summer Stampede (Austin) - Road Race Series
165 - El Scorcho Run (Fort Worth) - Trail Race
164 - Riverstone Community Heart and Sole 5K (Missouri City) - Road Race
159 - Jeff Brede's Triathlon (Houston) - Triathlon
-200-
159 - Tri On The Run Racing Team - Team - Triathlon
152 - Irving Running Club - Running Club
143 - The Republic of Texas Triathlon (Corpus Christi) - Triathlon
135 - Austin Subaru Doggie Du Dash - Duathlon
134 - R & B Sports Events (Austin) - Event Production Company
132 - Tellepsen Family Downtown Y Jingle Bell Run (Houston) - Road Race
130 - Galveston Island TRI Sports - Multisport Club
128 - Launch Multisport (The Woodlands) - Event Production Company
123 - Finish Strong Coaching (The Woodlands) - Training - Multisports
121 - Strike Force Racing (The Woodlands) - Training - Multisports
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118 - Dawson Winter Dash 5K (Pearland) - Road Race
117 - Mid-County Run Club - Running Club
114 - SBR Coaches (Cypress) - Training - Multisports
113 - Love. Run. Marathon. (Huntsville State Park) - Trail Race
107 - The Round Rock Express Ride - Cycling Event
106 - RRCA Texas - Organization
105 - BCS Triathlon Club (Bryan-College Station) - Multisport Club
105 - Cross the Creek Cyclo-cross Race Series - Cycling Race Venue
101 - Triathlon/Running Club at UTMB - Multisport Club
99 - Trinity Multisport (College Station) - Multisport Club
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99 - Irving Las Colinas Marathon Series - Road Race
90 - South Coast Endurance (The Woodlands) - Training - Multisports
89 - Tunnel-to-Tower-Run-Houston - Road Race
78 - Rattler Run, Navasota, Texas 3.2.13 - Road Race
77 - Lone Star Timing (Austin) - Timing Company
71 - Blues Capital of Texas 5K (Navasota) - Road Race
71 - Crazy Desert Trail Race - Trail Race
69 - Ponderosa Running Club - Youth Running Club
68 - Knock Out Crohn's 5K (Houston) - Road Race
67 - OutSwim Cancer (The Woodlands) - Swim Event
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65 - Tornados Running Club Cinco de Mayo 5K (Houston) - Road Race
59 - Dallas Pride Run 5K - Road Race
59 - Navasota Running Club - Running Club
58 - The Driven Race and Club Solutions - Race Service Organization
53 - LGRAW's Double Trouble 5K & 10K - Road Race
53 - Carrollton Runners Club - Running Club
52 - Houston Fit Triathlon - Training - Triathlon
51 - Fort Worth Flyers Cycling Club - Cycling Club
50 - Waco Striders Running Club - Running Club
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47 - St. Nick Fun Run BCS  (College Station) - Road Race
43 - UST Running Club - Running Club
42 - Lake Tejas Triathlon (Colmesneil) - Triathlon
37 - Jiggle Butt Run UT Arlington TX - Road Race
35 - New Mexico Texas Challenge Marathon - Road Race
11 - SpringActionPhotos.com - Race Photogrpahy

Experiences Galore: A Look Back at 2012

There have been years in the past that I have been busier, but 2012 was still a pretty fun year - especially after working through some personal challenges that I allowed to keep me from performing by best for (and eventually costing me) two race directing assignments.

You won't read about a plethora of PR's here.  That simply isn't my main focus, and which some people don't get that it isn't.

A ton of different experiences?  You bet.  Absolutely.  Let's take a look:

Races completed:  37 - 6 halves (or better), 4 10K's, 14 5K's, 5-, 7- and 10-miler.  Duathlon.  (Technically, the 7-miler is really a DNF at a 14-miler, but it was the middle of a three-race, 14-hour effort.)
Marathons completed:  9 - Houston, Philadelphia and Bryan-College Station were not new states.
New states:  6 - Mississippi, Kansas, Alaska, Nevada, Montana, Maine.

This leaves me with a marathon in 30 states and a half marathon (or better) in 37 states.

DNF's:  2 - Rocky Raccoon 100 and Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon in Louisville.
Races announced:  17
Races as official media:  6 - U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, The Woodlands Marathon, Ironman 70.3 Texas, Ironman Texas, Ten For Texas and Run Thru The Woods.
Race directed:  1 (BMI 5K)
Race support:  1 (Run For Hans 5K)
Races spectated:  5 (First Light Marathon, TriGirl Super Sprint Triathlon, City of Conroe Turkey Trot and a couple of others)

Waverly sang the National Anthem at:  13.

I'm very fortunate that I get to work with some of the best race directors in the business.  They include (in no particular order):

Robby Sabban (Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon and Half Marathon, Baytown Bud Heat Wave, Toughest 10K Kemah, Toughest 10K Galveston and La Porte By The Bay Half Marathon)

Willie Fowlkes (The Woodlands Marathon and Texas 10 Conroe)

Juris Green (Nike South and Nike Cross South Regional)

Steve and Paula Boone (Texas Marathon and End of the World/Day After the End of the World Marathon)

Rich and Amie James (Gusher Marathon, Pleasure Island Bridge Half Marathon)

Bill Gardner, Run in Texas (Galveston Sand Crab 5K/10K)

Kelly Dietrich and Angel Nicks (Muddy Trails 5K/10K and CB&I Sprint Triathlon*)

Kevin and Jana Landry (Galveston Marathon and Half Marathon**)

Roxanne Davis (Kiwanis Kids Triathlon, Conroe YMCA Trail Run 5K and Run Thru The Woods)

* Withdrew from announcing CB&I Sprint Triathlon because of some personal ethical conflicts.
** Will return to announce the 2013 event after missing 2012 because it fell on the same weekend as Rocky Raccoon.

If you asked me to rate my top 10 memories of 2012, I'd be hard-pressed to limit it to just that many.

The following, however, and in no particular order, seemed to stick out:

1.)  Covering the last three miles of the Chevron Houston Marathon with Waverly.  Always a highlight.  2013 will mark the eighth straight year that we'll do so.

2.)  Having Bill Dwyer and Waverly supporting me during my Rocky Raccoon 100 attempt and Jim Braden driving up from The Woodlands to cheer me on during my second loop.  Jim's a class act and a multisports legend.

3.)  Having Joan Benoit Samuelson's daughter, a representative for Nike, tell me at the Nike Cross Regionals that, "By the way, you're doing awesome!"  That is, speaking of my race announcing.  Receiving kind words from Coach Dan Green during Nike South was especially an honor, though, too.

4.)  Providing logistical support for the Run For Hans 5K and Beth Whitehead in her effort to honor Hans Weberling, who passed away earlier in 2012 from nueroblastoma.

5.)  Three races in 14 hours in Louisiana the last weekend in November.

6.)  Running the Panhandle Half Marathon in Lubbock with my good friend, Leanne Rosser.

7.)  Running Outrigger's 5K in Seabrook and the Extraterrestial Full Moon Midnight Marathon in Rachel, Nevada within 24 hours.

8.)  Three races in two weekends in Alaska, including a pretty decent marathon.

9.)  Watching Waverly sing the National Anthem in front of large crowds of 5,000 or more at The Woodlands Marathon and Run Thru The Woods.

10.)  A solid 4:48 marathon in Portland, Maine at the end of September.

11.)  Seeing Kimberly Mac Namee's return to road racing with wins in Texas City (overall), Lake Houston (overall), Toughest 10K Kemah (overall), Ten For Texas (masters), Houston Half (masters) and Run Thru The Woods (masters).

12.)  Waverly's finish line pictures at The Woodlands Marathon - as credentialed media - being used on marathonguide.com.

13.)  The U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon experience.

14.)  Working any Running Alliance Sport event with a great volunteer team and being able to be a part of donating $85,000 to charity in 2012.

15.)  Getting to meet Camille Herron and Jeffrey Eggleston at The Woodlands Marathon and reconnecting with Michael Wardian after seeing him at Western States, Boston and even a 5K in Washington, D.C.

16.)  The road trip with Bill Dwyer to Mississippi and Alabama for me to run the Mississippi Blues Marathon and watch Adrienne Langelier and Rebecca Massie compete on a relay together the following day at the First Light Marathon in Mobile.

17.)  Flawless race announcing performance at Texas 10 Conroe, perhaps my best of the year even with handling Nike Cross Regionals and interviewing Leo Manzano.

18.)  And, yes, even an hour and a half in the medical tent at the Bryan-College Station Marathon, but more importantly, my best friends waiting to make sure that I was OK.

Additionally, a few friends - Tony Allison, Geri Henry and Susan Rouse - completed their 50 state journeys this year all of The Woodlands.

And its been good to see Bill get his Volte Endurance Training group off the ground and start to be successful.

Plus there were some things that I was fortunate enough to be able to do and be involved in that either nobody knows about or very few do, and I prefer that it stays that way.

If I slighted anyone, my apologies.  It wasn't intended.  I could probably come up with something positive from every event that I was involved with or attended, but that would take a few extra hours.

Lots of fun in 2012 and lots in store for 2013.