2016: Racing Year In Review

It was a fun, different year.

Racing got better throughout the year, which is a good thing I guess.

66 races, including nine of the $1 entry or free variety.

I didn't count the Labor Day 5K with the Seven Hills Running Club since it was a $2 entry for non-members, which may change for 2017.  The non-member part, that is.

38 new cities or towns to run in.  13 of them came in the Lone Star State and a whopping 25 throughout the rest of the United States.  (Waverly actually ran in 9 of them with me.)

That pushes my totals to 125 Texas cities and towns to have run a race in and another 159 North American cities or towns.  Maybe I'll get to 300 in 2017.  We'll see.

I also ran my first marathon in nearly two years.  Again, not sure how many more of those you might see.  And that was only because I didn't really want to run a half for $90.

So, $5 more for an extra 13.1?  Sure.

I enjoy it all.  My natural inclination towards numbers and stats have opened up over the last 14 years the opportunity to write about and race announce the sport(s).

I finished a race this year in 19 states and pushed - through finishes in Ohio, Maryland, Nevada, Kentucky, Michigan and Vermont - my half marathon state total to 45.

This leaves only Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Hawaii and California.  I actually registered for a race in California, in conjunction with acquiring a cheap fare, but getting to announce the UIL Region III Preview meet with the Sam Houston State University team took precedence.

Best Race (Performance):  59:51 10K at Lake Jackson Turkey Trot 10K on Thanksgiving morning.  Beautiful, sunny, clear, crisp and cold day to race and I did well - for me.  It was my first 10K under an hour in approximately four years.  And I beat Waverly to the finish line after a bunch of races this year of her kicking my butt!

Runner-up Best Race (Performance):  Actually, not the 2:15:26 Revel Mount Charleston Half Marathon in Las Vegas in early May, but rather the 2:16:17 Harlingen Half Marathon on Sunday, November 13, 2016.  It came a day after a solid, 10-mile race from San Diego to Alice.  Both courses were flat, and it was cold or downhill like Revel Mount Charleston was.

Most Fun Race:  Definitely had to be the 32nd annual Moonlight Chase 4-Miler in Eldridge, Iowa on Saturday evening, July 9.  Less than 24 hours before the start of the race, Waverly and I were still at George Bush Interncontinental Airport waiting on a delayed flight to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP, for you airline mavens).  We made it to our hotel just across the border in Wisconsin at about 3-something on Saturday morning.

Guess what?  We had a 5K in New Richmond at 8 a.m.  Waverly typically hits her stride at the start of mile two and I was about 10 seconds behind her when she motored to a minute and 19 second victory.

We still had the drive to southeastern Iowa to make after venturing to find a tiny dot on the map that was Waverly, Wisconsin.

Pretty big crowd (913 finishers) for a race where you're running in streets that are fairly dark, but such a festive, spirited Fourth of July-like atmosphere.  Waverly got out ahead of me, but she could hear me lurking as I loudly engaged with the crowds that we were racing through.  Less than 400 meters from the finish, I almost caught her, but made the mistake of letting her know that I was coming for her.  She's got a pretty good kick - for folks with our type of (non) speed - and I almost caught her, finishing two seconds behind her.  So close, but great fun.

Coldest Race:  Union Hospital Run For Home Half Marathon in New Philadelphia, Ohio on Saturday, April 10.  The temperature was 30-33 degrees, the wind chill from 23-25 and some flurries late in the race.

Best Finish:  Same race as above.  Finishing on the track in Woody Hayes Stadium (named for the legendary Ohio State football coach) in a Penn State jersey, ranked up there (in earlier years) with finishing on the fields at Notre Dame and Illinois in Penn State gear and double high fiving Franco Harris crossing the 50-yard line inside of Beaver Stadium.

DNS:  Two.  Mississippi Blues Half Marathon in January and Ventura Half Marathon in California in September.

DNF:  One.  The North Face Race to the Top of Vermont in Stowe.  While a tough, tough race (turned hike, like the Leadville Heavy Half), I simply ran out of time before I had to leave Stowe to get back to Boston's Logan Airport and catch a flight.  It is a 4.3-mile, 2,564 vertical feet hill climb.

Toughest Course (and knowing it before hand):  Blue Ridge Mountain Half Marathon in Roanoke, Virginia - a race that bills itself as America's Toughest Road Half Marathon.  Held in late April, it has 1,897 of elevation gain.

Toughest Course (and not):  Bourbon Derby Half Marathon in Paris, Kentucky on the second Saturday in June.  The heat factor this year made the 1,147 feet of elevation gain while running through and near a number of different horse farms feel even more difficult.

Interesting Course, Part 1:  Through the Universal Studios lot during the Run To Remember Los Angeles 10K in late January.  (No, I didn't stop and take pictures.)

Interesting Courses, Part 2:  Starting off the Mardi Gras Parade on Sunday afternoon, February 7, in Lake Charles, Louisiana - all the way down to the entrance to McNeese State University and doing the same up and down the middle of FM 1960 during the Shamrock 'N Run 5k here in Houston.

Airport Runways, On and Off:  We got to run basically the entire race on the runways of Angelina County Airport in Diboll, Texas during the Run The Runway 5K in early October, while we ran on maybe a small part of a taxiway at the Airport in Longview during the Longview Running Club's Up and Away 5K in mid-to-late July.

Lots of Fun, Part 1:  Waverly and I did five races in eight days during summer vacation.  Two 5K's in Wisconsin, a four-miler in Iowa and a pair of 5K's in Minnesota.

Lots of Fun, Part 2:  Four races during the Thanksgiving weekend.  A 5K on Wednesday evening in Lafayette, Louisiana, a 10K in Lake Jackson on Thanksgiving morning, a half marathon on Friday morning in Dallas and a 5K in Round Rock late Sunday afternoon.

Lots of Fun, Part 3:  Three races over Memorial Day Weekend, all in Pennsylvania.  The Tri-Burg Special:  5K in Fryburg, 10K in Philipsburg and 3.8-Miler on Memorial Day in Boalsburg.

And with the exception of the first two weekends of 2016, I was either running a race, announcing it or was in attendance of one for the remaining 50.

Got any new hobbies I should try instead?

Women's Quarter Marathon Finishers, Age-Group Bests and Top 20 Times

The Women's Quarter Marathon in Katy is produced by iRun Productions and is timed by RunFAR Racing Services.

Finishers
2017 (Jan. 7) - 424 (1:14:16 average)
2016 (Jan. 9) - 486 (1:15:21 average)

Overall
2017 - 45:29, Amie Smith, 39, Austin
2016 - 45:20, Gabriela Gadeva, 29

Overall - Second Place
2017 - 47:16, Lauren Valentino, 38, Houston

Overall - Third Place
2017 - 47:31, Sarah Kelley, 27, Katy

Masters
2017 - 49:58, Karrie Bellard, 52, The Woodlands
2016 - 48:43, Suzy Seeley, 56, Houston

Masters - Second Place
2017 - 50:07, Gita Kulkarni, 40, Houston

Masters - Third Place
2017 - 51:22, C. Stephenson-Lake, 42, Cypress

Top 20 All-Time Times
45:20 - Gabriela Gadeva, 29, 2016
45:29 - Amie Smith, 39, Austin, 2017
45:52 - Natalie Harvey, 29, 2016
46:59 - Avery Lewis, 28, 2016
47:16 - Lauren Valentino, 38, Houston, 2017
47:31 - Sarah Kelley, 27, Katy, 2017
48:43 - Valeria Garcia, 26, 2016
48:43 - Suzy Seeley, 56, 2016
48:44 - Charlotte Harris, 44, 2016
48:45 - Camille Boon, 38, Houston, 2017
48:54 - Merry Armentrout, 35, 2016
49:04 - Nora Gentry, 25, 2016
49:14 - Catherine Christie, 15, 2016
49:21 - Gita Kulkarni, 39, 2016
49:58 - Karrie Bellard, 52, The Woodlands, 2017
49:58 - Monica Castellanos, 37, Pearland, 2017
50:03 - Danielle Cooper, 31, 2016
50:05 - Kristin Trahan, 35, Katy, 2017
50:07 - Gita Kulkarni, 40, Houston, 2017
50:18 - Leslie Medley Russell, 49, 2016

Top 20 All-Time Masters Times
48:43 - Suzy Seeley, 56, 2016
48:44 - Charlotte Harris, 44, 2016
49:58 - Karrie Bellard, 52, The Woodlands, 2017
50:07 - Gita Kulkarni, 40, Houston, 2017
50:18 - Leslie Medley Russell, 49, 2016
50:40 - Carolyn Turner, 42, 2016
51:22 - C. Stephenson-Lake, 42, Cypress, 2017
51:24 - Jennifer Laine, 44, Pearland, 2017
51:49 - Rhonda Emerson, 58, 2016
51:58 - Jenny Lu, 44, 2016
53:02 - C. Stephenson-Lake, 41, Cypress, 2016
53:30 - Emma Jeter, 42, 2016
53:31 - Marina Van Den Adel, 41, 2016
53:50 - Rhonda Emerson, 59, Pearland, 2017
54:37 - Kelly Cavazos, 43, 2016
55:28 - Elva Castro, 46, 2016
55:29 - Kelli Ann, 41, Katy, 2017
56:14 - Magali Exbrayat, 41, Houston, 2017
56:22 - Yao Peng, 40, 2016
56:25 - Candace Dartez, 49, 2016

Legacy Runners (84)
Deb Adams, 59, Houston
Kelsey Adams, 27, Houston
Shauna Alexander, 63, Katy
Monique Allman, 35, Houston
Brandy Alrashed, 36, Katy
Katherine Alvarez, 36, Katy
Claudia Arguelles, 27, Houston
Ginna Balestrini, 42, Katy
Jennifer Bernard, 54, Katy
Connie Bormans, 43, Katy
Karen Braddock, 45, Katy
Candace Brawner, 33, Katy
Sarah Bromley, 38, Houston
Waynette Brunkhorst, 60, Richmond
Jacqueline Bryant, 40, Katy
Cathy Buchanan, 66, Missouri City
Megan Burke, 28, Katy
Carrie Calkins, 42, Katy
Elaine Campbell, 41, Katy
Robin Cartwright, 31, Richmond
Emily Chik, 28, Sugar Land
Moni Collins, 40, katy
Victoria Dao, 29, Houston
Candace Dartez, 50, Katy
Kirsten Davenport, 46, Humble
Jessica Dobbs, 29, Houston
Sara Dobbs, 54, Houston
Barbara Earhart, 60, Katy
Sheila Echols-Smesny, 39, Pearland
Rhonda Emerson, 59, Pearland
Magali Exbrayat, 41, Houston
Joann Fadeley, 60, Katy
Jaclyn Felts, 31, Hockley
Katia Filina, 34, Cypress
Debbie France, 42, Katy
Valerie Francis, 50, Humble
Lynn Furman, 69, Katy
Olevia Garcia, 48, Richmond
Elisa Gavia, 34, Stafford
Caitlin Hall, 24, Katy
Amanda Harris, 36, Richmond
Tina Harvey, 55, Houston
Ursula Hemingway, 41, Katy
Cynthia Hill, 43, Katy
Dona Hinton, 57, Houston
Nancy Holcomb, 71, Houston
Deborah Holcombe, 58, Katy
Brenda Holden, 38, Katy
Renata Holland, 31, Houston
Kim Johnston, 55, Richmond
Gita Kulkarni, 40, Houston
Kim Lawson, 45, Katy
Summer Leal, 36, Houston
Erica Lehotzky, 31, Houston
Sharon Mata, 49, Katy
Mattie Mathews, 56, Houston
Jo May, 68, Houston
Christie Mayer, 37, Victoria
Rita McKenzie, 50, Houston
Stephanie Montalvan, 20, Stafford
Nancy Nunnery, 59, Richmond
Karla Oakley, 60, Katy
Loan Obrien, 42, Baytown
Darienne Owings, 43, Houston
Mary Perko, 57, Katy
Lorena Ponce, 35, Richmond
Jessie Rollow, 32, Katy
Latiffany Sauls, 46, Missouri City
Amy Schmitt, 41, Katy
Jennifer Serrano, 31, Houston
Angela Siebe, 48
Helen Smith, 58, Richmond
C. Stephenson-Lake, 42, Cypress
Amy Taylor, 40, Houston
Johanna Virguez, 38, Katy
Ally Walker, 36, Katy
Lillian Wanjagi, 44, Fulshear
Lindsey Webb, 30, Katy
Lena Wigger, 15, Houston
Alli Williams, 23, The Woodlands
Andrea Witte, 47, Katy
Leslie Woodward, 55, Katy
Wei Yuan, 37, Katy
Joanne Zhou, 43, Katy

14 and Under
2017 - 1:01:56, Hallee Sobin, 12, Fulshear
2016 - 55:55, Lena Wigger, 14, Houston

15-19
2017 - 54:18, Lena Wigger, 15, Houston
2016 - 49:14, Catherine Christie, 15

20-24
2017 - 53:33, Stephanie Montalvan, 20, Stafford
2016 - 50:20, Leslie Cislo, 24

25-29
2017 - 56:24, Jessica Harrison, 28, Cypress
2016 - 45:52, Natalie Harvey, 29

30-34
2017 - 51:16, Nastassja Hagan, 31, Katy
2016 - 50:03, Danielle Cooper

35-39
2017 - 48:54, Merry Armentrout, 35
2016 - 48:45, Camille Boon, 38, Houston

40-44
2017 - 51:24, Jennifer Laine, 44, Pearland
2016 - 48:44, Charlotte Harris, 44

45-49
2017 - 59:10, Suzanne Jackson, 48, Fulshear
2016 - 50:18, Leslie Medley Russell, 48

50-54
2017 - 1:00:03, Linda Neely-Shelmire, 51
2016 - 56:41, Elaine Franks, 50, Katy

55-59
2017 - 53:50, Rhonda Emerson, 59, Pearland
2016 - 51:49, Rhonda Emerson, 58, Pearland

60-64
2017 - 59:01, Patricia Bender, 61
2016 - 58:24, Joann Fadeley, 60, Katy

65-69
2017 - 1:03:18, Ginger Hopper, 68, Katy
2016 - 1:01:10, Jo May, 67

70-74
2016 - 1:36:03, Nancy Holcomb, 70

70 and Over
2017 - 1:05:18, Kathy McWilliams, 72, The Woodlands

75 and Over
2016 - 1:32:47, Nancy Dillow, 75

Source:  mychiptime.com

21 Marathoners Ready To Finish 20th Chevron Houston Marathon

The number of marathoners who have completed 20 or more Chevron Houston Marathons currently stands at 239 according to houstonresults.com, the race's website which houses all of its marathon and half marathon results since their race's inception.

Twenty-one (21) more are currently registered to join the race's 20 Marathon Club with a finish at the 45th running of the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday, January 15, 2017.

While one of the most consistent and highest performing male masters runners in the greater Houston area, Richard Peoples, is on the list, the list is dominated by women who are familiar to many in Houston's running scene.

Kingwood's Jacqueline O Brien Nolen has finished 16 Chevron Houston Marathons since 2000, including her CHM personal best of 3:25:29 in 2015, which was good enough for seventh in her age group two years ago.

Nolen typically tunes up for the Chevron Houston Marathon by running the Metal Sawing Technology Texas Marathon in her hometown every New Year's Day.  With her finish on Sunday, it was her 17th in the event's 18-year history as Texas' sixth oldest marathon.  She's also won the Texas Marathon six times.

Longtime Al Lawrence Running Club member and HARRA Board member Annie Hadow has posted 16 sub-4 marathons at Houston out of her 19 since 1993.

Like Hadow, Leslie Medley Russell has 15 sub 4-marathons.

Houston's Claire Greenberg has 19 consecutive CHM finishes to her credit.

Kingwood's Gloria Mahoney's 19 finishes would be streaking, except for not racing in 2014.

League City's Deb Clifford and Houston's Belinda Reyes and Kathleen Kress Hanson round out the greater Houston area's representation of 10 women that are poised to enter the 20 Chevron Houston Marathon Club two Sundays from now.

The complete list, including gender, race day age and hometown are listed below:

20 - Annie Hadow, F, 52, Houston
20 - Belinda Reyes, F, 53, Houston
20 - Bill Thorne, M, 70, Houston
20 - Chris McWatt-Green, M, 66, Houston
20 - Claire Greenberg, F, 54, Houston
20 - Dale Kelley, M, 55, Houston
20 - David Torres, M, 55, Houston
20 - Deb Clifford, F, 56, League City
20 - Gloria Mahoney, F, 66, Kingwood
20 - Holly Stewart, F, 46, San Antonio
20 - Jacqueline O Brien-Nolen, F, 51, Kingwood
20 - Kathleen Kress Hanson, F, 56, Houston
20 - Keith Booth, M, 63, Austin
20 - Leslie Medley Russell, F, 50, Houston
20 - Marlene Hicks, F, 51, Georgetown
20 - Matthew Denio, M, 60, Cypress
20 - Phillip Wo, M, 60, Sugar Land
20 - Richard Peoples, M, 57, Houston
20 - Robert Fanning, M, 55, Cypress
20 - Robert Furman, M, 70, Katy
20 - Rudy Serrato, M, 59, Houston

Sources:  Chevron Houston Marathon, chevronhoustonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com and marathonguide.com

Youngest Legacy Marathoners Ready for Another Chevron Houston Marathon

At the close of the 2016 Chevron Houston Marathon, 27 runners under the age of 37 had covered the marathon distance on the streets of Houston 10 times or more.

The youngest of those was 26-year-old Raymond Tam from Fresno, an unincorporated community in Fort Bend County.

Tam ran the first of his 11 Chevron Houston Marathons in 2006 at the age of 16.

On Sunday, January 15, 2017, at the 45th running of Texas' second oldest marathon, he'll be one of 19 of those 27 runners that will be looking to pad their Legacy Runner finishers total.

Rosenberg's Jonathan Tydlacka, who will be 36 on race day, will be going for his 21st Chevron Houston Marathon finish.

Only two of those 19 are females -- Belton's Elaine Ver Halen and Cypress' Rebecca Martinez.

Ver Halen, 33, will be aiming for her 14th Chevron Houston Marathon while Martinez, 12, is going for her 12th.

Two other females with 10 or more finishes -- Katy's Katherine Hallaway and Houston's Meredith Macnaughton -- are registered for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon.

Below is a complete list of the 19 Legacy marathoners under the age of 38 who are signed up - courtesy of the race's confirmation search feature - to run this year's Chevron Houston Marathon (with their gender, race day age and hometown):

21 - Jonathan Tydlacka, M, 36, Rosenberg
18 - Brett Davis, M, 33, Fredericksburg
17 - Robert Hahn, M, 35, Houston
15 - Benjamin Proko, M, 35, Cypress
14 - Chris St Jean, M, 34, Seabrook
14 - Elaine Ver Halen, F, 33, Belton
13 - Andre Phillips, M, 36, Indianapolis, IN
13 - Andy Gardner, M, 36, The Woodlands
13 - Cesar Pena, M, 37, Houston
13 - Claudio Rodriguez, M, 37, Houston
13 - Joe Schwieterman, M, 31, Houston
13 - Timothy Feges, M, 30, Sugar Land
12 - Alfredo Marcial, M, 37, Houston
12 - Mark Perry, M, 37, Aransas Pass
12 - Raul Munoz, M, 37, Baytown
12 - Raymond Tam, M, 27, Fresno
12 - Rebecca Martinez, F, 37, Cypress
11 - Brad Hunt, M, 35, Houston
11 - Kurt Ramsauer, M, 36, Houston

Sources:  Chevron Houston Marathon, chevronhoustonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com and marathonguide.com

Four Runners Slated to Finish 30th Chevron Houston Marathon

When Gene Wilson, James Tuscany, Richard Evans and Steve Boone cross the finish line of this month's 45th annual Chevron Houston Marathon, they will do so knowing that they'll never have to pay the run the race ever again.

It is a perk that they'll earn when the quartet will join 33 other runners who have already finished 30 or more Chevron Houston Marathons.

Twenty-six of those 33 Legacy marathoners, according to the confirmation search feature on the Chevron Houston Marathon website, will join the aforementioned four on the marathon course on Sunday, January 15, 2017.

One runner, Houston's Rich McMahan, is slated to join fellow Houstonian and inaugural Houston Marathon Hall of Fame inductee Jack Lippincott to finish 40 or more Chevron Houston Marathons.

Lippincott has finished 42 Houston Marathons, dating back to 1976.

Another four -- Ray Boytim, Louis Waddell, Richard Rekieta and Paul Roche - are registered to run the Aramco Houston Half Marathon.

The complete list of 30 marathoners who will have 30 or more Chevron Houston Marathon finishes when they complete the race in less than two weeks are listed below with their gender, race day age and hometown:

43 - Jack Lippincott, M, 70, Houston+
40 - Rick McMahan, M, 63, Houston
37 - Arlen Isham, M, 72, Katy
36 - Charlie Viers, M, 75, Natchitoches, LA
36 - Lonnie Brauner, M, 70, The Woodlands
36 - Wayne Rutledge, M, 59, San Leon
35 - Boris Balic, M, 80, Houston
35 - Stephen McNeil, M, 59, San Antonio
34 - Maria Camacho, F, 61, Houston+
34 - Robert Eury, M, 68, Houston
34 - Roger Boak, M, 68, Houston
33 - Daniel Jason, M, 70, Houston
33 - Manuel Gonzalez, M, 71, La Porte
33 - Rudolph Rendon, M, 69, Austin
33 - Rudy Alvarez, M, 62, Houston
33 - Tony Allison, M, 61, The Woodlands
32 - Jesse Smalls, M, 70, Katy
32 - John McClung, M, 56, Houston
32 - Susan Rouse, F, 58, The Woodlands
32 - Will Hrachovy, M, 68, Houston
31 - Brian Jenison, M, 57, Houston
31 - Charles Moore, M, 62, Houston
31 - Don Padilla, M, 67, Deer Park
31 - J P Reed, M, 60, Houston
31 - Larry McPhillips, M, 65, Port Arthur
31 - Robert McDowell, M, 66, Houston
30 - Gene Wilson, M, 63, Houston
30 - James Tuscany, M, 63, Hilo, HI
30 - Richard Evans, M, 60, Beaumont
30 - Steve Boone, M, 67, Humble

+  Unable to confirmation via the confirmation search; however, the male and female with the most Chevron Houston Marathon finishes are considered local elites, whose entries are not listed in the confirmation search.

Sources:  Chevron Houston Marathon, chevronhoustonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com and marathonguide.com

Corpus Christi American Bank Half Marathon Finishers Numbers

Half Marathon
2016 (12/31) - 298 (113 men / 185 women)
2016 (1/2) - 221 (91 men / 130 women)
2015 (1/3) - 154 (67 men / 83 women / 4 unknown)
2014 (1/4) - 144 (77 men / 67 women)
2012 (12/8) - 148 (68 men / 80 women)
2011 (12/10) - 149 (80 men / 69 women)
2010 (12/11) - 137 (76 men / 61 women)
2009 (12/19) - 127 (70 men / 57 women)
2008 (12/20) - 116 (67 men / 49 women)
2006 (12/16) - 122 (66 men / 56 women)
2005 (12/10) - 64 (35 men / 29 women)

HM Athena/Clydesdale
2016 (12/31) - 12 (9 men / 4 women)
2016 (1/2) - 14 (8 men / 6 women)

HM 2-Person Relay
2016 (12/31) - 41 relay teams
2016 (1/2) - 36 relay teams
2015 (1/3) - 44 relay teams
2014 (1/4) - 24 relay teams
2012 (12/8) - 45 relay teams
2011 (12/10) - 46 relay teams
2010 (12/11) - 40 relay teams
2009 (12/19) - 38 relay teams
2008 (12/20) - 18 relay teams
2007 (12/15) - 27 relay teams
2006 (12/16) - 19 relay teams
2005 (12/10) - 19 relay teams

5K
2016 (12/31) - 136 (49 men / 87 women)
2016 (1/2) - 65 (22 men / 43 women)
2015 (1/3) - 77 (27 men / 40 women / 10 unknown)

Do Not Race List

28th Corpus Christi Half Marathon powered by American Bank, Corpus Christi, TX

The Corpus Christi Road Runners made a Cyber Monday offer on the event's Facebook page.  After carefully investigating that there was no race day registration or packet pickup, I made the following comment on the post (which the administrator of the page liked):  "Great offer. Have run it before. Would think about coming down from far north Houston, but without race day registration or packet pickup (would have to leave by at least noon on Friday to make it for 4 p.m. end of PPU) ... I'll pass."

Just checked today, December 27, as one of their posts was in my news feed, and they are now offering race day packet pickup.

If you've been putting on a race for 27 years, you can figure out - a month out - if you can offer race day packet pickup or not and stick to it.

Minden Run For St. Jude Half Marathon, 10K and 5K, Minden, LA

I ran this half marathon in 2015 and the timer recommended me to announce it earlier this year (2016).  When I agreed to do it, I offered that I would charge them my 10K rate as opposed to my regular half marathon rate.  When I was done and getting ready to leave for the day, I spoke with the race director and told her that I would submit my invoice that evening.  She said, "That's great as I want to be able to get our check out to St. Jude Medical Center right away."  I did and I was never paid for my services.

Texas Half Marathon - 5-Plus Year Veterans (2009-2016)

8 years
Lillie Fontenot
Omer Womack
Paul Cain

7 years
Derek Nolen
Faye Caldwell
Linda Law
Mark Coleman
Paula Parshall
Sara Pressel

6 years
Ben Knippel
Bonnie Beirne
Brianna Nolen
Eunice Mahoney
Gary Pressel
Katheryn Nolen
Kevin Rarey
Monica Montoya
Peter Raybourn
Rose Linseisen
Ruth Johnston
Walt Yarrow

5 years
Addie Kephart
Carolyn Wyborney
Dwain Rollerson
Jessica Baxter
Karen Stanford
Katherine Droll
Keith Cotropia
Lisa Earehart
Lisa Yarrow
Mark Mann
Randall Smith
Steve Potlock
Terrell Smith
Trent Nolen
Varun Gupta

Texas Marathon - 5-Plus Year Veterans (2000-2016)

17 years
Steve Boone

16 years
Gerry Simpson
Jacqueline O'Brien-Nolen

14 years
Rene Villalobos

13 years
Mike Huff (plus two half marathons)
Richard Jares
Robert Lott, Jr.

12 years
Fred Ward

11 years
Bill Moeller
Chuck Struckness
German Collazos
Karen Berglund
Ron Berglund
Terry Sawma

10 years
Angela Tortorice
Christal Albrecht
Jim Reeve
Suresh Shah
Thomas Moberly
Yen Nguyen
Yong Collins

9 years
Bridget Moeller (plus one half marathon)
Carlos Reyes
Danielle Skelton
John Hyak
Peter Bennett
Ray Boytim (plus two half marathons)
Suzy Seeley (plus three half marathons)

8 years
Chris Duggan
Edward Campos
Harris Argo
Paula Sokolich
Susie Eisenberg
Vincent Kowalski

7 years
Aiko Hanyu
Brian Jenison
Claude Hicks, Jr.
Donald Hickombottom (plus one half marathon)
Grant Hodges
Guy Rozas
Joseph Wasicka
Ken Johnson (plus two half marathons)
Ken Merenda (plus one half marathon)
Laurence Macon
Margot Campos
Robert Hill
Victor Bhatt

6 years
Charles Taylor
Clyde Shank
Don Womble (plus one half marathon)
Evan Groutage
Frances Wasicka
Hudon White
Joe Barry
Michael Digennaro
Morgan Lusby
Robert Furman
Sergio Leonardi
Tina King
Wayne King
Willem Maas

5 years
Carol Earles
Christopher Culpepper
Clark Courtright
Donna Crocker
Donna Palmer
Gary Van Kuiken
Henry Bittle
Ila Owers
Jacob Gautreaux
James Baudhuin
Jay Teinert
Jim Simpson
Jones Ramsey
Karen Castro
Kathy Hodges
Kelly Shank
Kimberlie Budzik
Maggie Mount
Mark Crichton
Mark Thurber (plus two half marathons)
Miroslaw Malinowski
Nhithi Nguyen
Patrick Foley
Penny Derkowski
Rahul Reddy
Richard Carroll
Stefanie Bernosky (plus one half marathon)
Stephen Jones
Steve Lind
Tom Detore

Eight Greater Houston Half Marathons Increase Prices By January 9

Between now and Monday, January 8, 2017, eight (8) greater Houston area half marathon races - that will be held between January 29 and April 23 - will have some form of price increase or registration-related deadline come to pass.

Perhaps the best and most unheralded deal in all of greater Houston is the two-person marathon relay that is part of the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon on Saturday, March 4, 2017.

I was so surprised that I actually confirmed this on the telephone with race director Willie Fowlkes on Friday, December 23.

So if you're not hung up on seeing your own name in the individual results of a half marathon, but want to race the distance at the cheapest price in town, this is your deal!

Each runner of the two-person relay pays just $55 through Sunday evening, December 31 and $60 per person once the ball drops in Times Square to bring in 2017.

A complete listing by date of the registration-related deadlines is listed below:

January 1
USA Fit Marathon and Half Marathon finishers will receive their choice of a "Finishers" sweatshirt, 1/4 zip pull-over shirt or backpack, if registered by January 1.  After January 1, only backpacks are guaranteed.  The official link is here.

The Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon increases the price on all of its races but the Family 2K run by $5 on January 1.  Therefore, the marathon goes from $110 to $115, the half marathon from $90 to $95 and the 5K from $35.  The four-person marathon relay goes from $180 to $200 - or from $45 per runner to $50.  Exchange Points will be at the 6.5, 13.1 and 19.75 marks for the 4-person relay teams.  The official link is here.

Texas Country Music Half Marathon, less than two weeks after it was announced, will see a price increase on January 1.  The half marathon fee increases to $80, the half marathon relay team jumps to $110 (from $90) and the 10K goes from $40 to $50.  The official link is here.

The Cross Creek Ranch Dusk To Dawn Half Marathon, 5K and 1K, to be held on Saturday, March 25, 2017, will see its prices go up on January 1.  Prospective half marathoners will pay $84 instead of $75, 5K runners will pay $35 instead of $30 and 1K'ers will increase $2 to $20 even.  The official link is here.

January 3
Surfside Beach Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K future participants will experience a price on January 3.  Price for the Surfin' Surfside 5K will go from $40 to $50 and Offseason pricing for the marathon and half marathon will increase from $75 to $85.  The race's Facebook page posted on December 22 reminding runners to "register the family by January 4th to claim your shirt sizes!"  The official link is here.

January 4
Katy Half Marathoners may defer their entry up to a year, but are charged $30 to do so.  The deadline to defer or change distance must be submitted before January 4, 2017.  The official link is here.

January 7The Messina Hof Wine & Roses Half in Bryan will have its registration fees increase from $90 to $110 for the half marathon and from $45 to $50 for the 5K on January 7, 2017.  The race is on Sunday, April 23, 2017.  The official link is here.

January 9
Rhythm and Blues Half Marathon prices increase on January 9, 2017.  The half marathon goes from $85 to $95, the quarter marathon goes from $60 to 70 and the 5K goes from $45 to $55.  The official link is here.

(Disclaimer:  While the writer does provide various communications-related services to many races in the greater Houston area, he no longer serves the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon as its media relations director.)

Run The Woodlands 5K Race Report

Back in 2003, when I first started to run, there was this twice-a-month $1 race series, Run The Woodlands 5K.

It was - and still is - held at Barbara Bush Elementary in The Woodlands.

The race was basically a time trial course in that it never changed.  Therefore, you could always go out and benchmark yourself - in race conditions - where you were in your fitness.

And if you didn't need a t-shirt and a bunch of post-race food, you could do so for a $1.

Many times I would wake up at 7:15 a.m. and realize that I could make it there before the 8 a.m. start time.

Go up to the table, sign the waiver, put a $1 in the box and get ready to run.

Today's race completed the 17th year of the series that either spawned or was a great influence to two others -- Vern's No Frills 5K in Georgetown (produced by former and frequent RTW participant Bill Schroeder) and the current Run For Wellness 5K Series in Houston.

Today, I repeated that trend from the early years, arriving at the race site at about 7:40 a.m.

I ran with the Seven Hills Running Club's Ken Johnson, as I do many times at the once-a-month Sunday Night 5K produced by The Woodlands Running Club (well, really, Bill Dwyer).

Our time was 36:54, but that's never the important thing.  Running with Ken, it is a chance to converse with one of the few people that is out there and sees more than I do.

Run The Woodlands 5K was race #65 for me this year -- and nine of them were of the Run The Woodlands, Run For Wellness or TWRC Sunday Night 5K varieties.

If all goes well, I'll add one more in Mission, Texas next Saturday morning.  It will be a race in Texas city or town #125 and Texas county #64.

As always, being at a race, regardless if I'm running, working or volunteering, it is about the people that I see and meet.

The Attanuccis were there.  Vincent and son Michael.

They recently completed another BMW Dallas Marathon together earlier in the month.  It was Michael's 16th marathon and Vincent's 46th.

Vincent, a Penn State graduate, has run a mile a day for at least the last ten years.

Congratulations to Michael as he'll be getting married one week from today, December 31, 2016 in Fort Worth.

Dr. John Slate, who lives in The Woodlands and is a member of the Seven Hills Running Club in Huntsville, was out today.

Long-time friend Rick Cook and his son, Cooper, who is in the seventh grade, were racing today.  They live just right around the corner from the school.

Rick, Bill Dwyer and myself along with Andrew Perry started the Montgomery County Triple in 2006 and while working for Luke's Locker, who produces the race now, Rick was the RD of Run The Woodlands 5K for a year or so.

The very first Run The Woodlands 5K I ever attended was the second Saturday of July 2003.  I got lost by making a right-hand turn across Crownridge instead of left to come back to the finish.

That day, a man encouraged me to get rid of the cotton t-shirt and baseball hat.  (Yes, I was a newbie once.)

He ran with this really tall dog, whose name was Khobar.

His name is Tom Pinney and he was there this morning.  It was really good to see and talk with him -- and he was continuing to encourage another generation of runners that were out there.  Something we all need to do every chance we get.

I think the two daughters of fellow Spring High School graduate Kim Driver were there.

And as Ken and I made the turn into the school parking lot, we saw former Houston Strider Joan O'Connor, who has relocated up to The Woodlands upon her work retirement.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, I went to Hughes Landing where Bill's Volte Endurance Training group was finishing up their long runs in preparation for next month's Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon.

Conversed with many, including Mary Carter, Rich Cooper, Leeanne Rosser, Randy Harris and others, but went there primarily to wish probably my best friend, Bill, a Merry Christmas and to give him a gift.

Although I'll see him later as he'll be at North Park Baptist Church for tonight's Christmas Eve service as his son-in-law Chris is leading worship.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Dallas Marathon Finisher Numbers

2016
5K - 278 (139 men / 139 women) (41.7% decrease)
Marathon Relay - 621 + 5 = 626 (12% increase)
Half - 6,712 (3,142 men / 3,570 women) (8.5% increase)
Marathon - 2,812 (1,751 men / 1,061 women) (2.4% increase)

2015
5K - 477 (197 men / 280 women)
Marathon Relay - 195 + 215 + 41 + 63 + 6 + 12 + 17 + 5 + 5 = 559
Marathon - 2,746 (1,727 men / 1,019 women)
Half - 6,184 (2,853 men / 3,331 women)

2014
5K - 418 (271 men / 147 women)
Marathon Relay - 218 + 221 + 36 + 73 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 6 + 1 + 1 = 568
Marathon - 3,951 (2,328 men / 1,623 women)
Half - 8,442 (3,652 men / 4,790 women)

2012
5K - 590 (257 men / 333 women)
Marathon Relay - 58 + 128 + 15 + 10 + 273 + 21 + 208 + 117 + 28 + 5 + 5 = 868
Marathon Clydesdale/Athena - 327 (278 men / 49 women)
Marathon - 4,875 (2,970 men / 1,905 women)
Half - 9,879 (4,347 men / 5,532 women)

Today's Price Guide to Houston Area Half Marathons Post-Chevron/Aramco

1/29 - USA Fit Marathon ($95), Half Marathon ($85) and 5K ($35)
2/4 - Katy Half Marathon ($105), Half Marathon Relay ($150 2-person), 5K ($50) and Kids 1K ($30)
2/4 - Surfside Beach Marathon ($75), Half Marathon ($75), 5K ($40) and Kids Race ($15)
2/12 - Galveston Marathon ($105), Half Marathon ($85) and 5K ($30)
2/12 - Rhythm and Blues Half Marathon ($85), Quarter Marathon ($60) and 5K ($40), Houston [No race day PPU]
2/18 - Love. Run. Marathon ($90), Half Marathon ($80) and 10K ($60), Huntsville State Park - Returning from 2015
2/25 - Citizens Medical Center Half Marathon ($70) and 5K ($30), Victoria - First year race
2/25 - Jail Break Run Half Marathon ($85) and 5K ($35), Baytown
2/26 - Texas Country Music Half Marathon ($70), Half Marathon Relay ($90 2-person) and 10K ($40), Houston - First year race
2/26 - Republic of Texas Half Marathon ($85), Quarter Marathon ($50) and 5K ($40), College Station
3/4 - The Woodlands Marathon ($110), Marathon Relay ($110 2-person or $180 4-person), Half Marathon ($90), 5K ($30) and Family 2K ($25) [No race day PPU]
3/4 - The Gusher Marathon ($98), Half Marathon ($88) and 5K ($25), Beaumont
3/17-19 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon ($85), Marathon Relay ($180 4-person), Half Marathon ($85), Half Marathon Relay ($90 2-person), Quarter Marathon ($45) and 5K ($35)
3/19 - St. Paddy's Half Marathon ($75), Race Day PPU ($12 donation to Snowdrop Foundation), Sugar Land
3/25 - San Felipe Shootout Trail Half Marathon ($75), 10K ($55), 5K ($45), San Felipe
3/25 - Cross Creek Ranch Dusk to Dawn Half Marathon ($75), 5K ($30) and 1K ($18), Fulshear - PM race
4/8 - Davy Crockett Bear Chase Marathon ($65), Half Marathon ($65), 5K ($25), 1M ($15), Groveton
4/8 - Texas Wine Series at Whistling Duck Half Marathon ($85), 10K ($70) and 5K ($55), Weimar
4/9 - Vintage Park Half Marathon ($90), Half Marathon Relay ($130 2-person), 5K ($40), 1K ($25), Houston - First year race
4/23 - Divas Half Marathon ($95), 5K ($50), Race Day PPU ($20), Galveston
4/23 - Messina Hof Wine & Roses Half Marathon ($90), 5K ($45), Bryan

Largest Trail Races in Texas by Finisher Miles - 2016

First attempt to establish a metric of some kind - other than simply the total number of finishers - that would determine the largest trail races in Texas.

Again, the idea - just like road races - is that sure you can sign up a million runners, but it all depends on who gets to the finish line.

Therefore, I took the total number of finishers from each race in a given event multiplied by the number of miles at each race's distance to come to a "finishers miles" total.

If I'm missing a trail race that was run in Texas in 2016, please let me know:

26,846.0 - Bandera
24,000.0 - Rocky Raccoon 100, Huntsville
21,346.0 - Brazos Bend 100, Needville
17,987.2 - Ragnar Trail Relay Hill Country, Comfort
16,815.1 - Brazos Bend 50, Needville

16,595.6 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon
13,922.4 - Snowdrop 55 Ultra, Sugar Land
11,775.0 - Rocky Raccoon 50, Huntsville
 8,287.5 - Franklin Mountains Trail Run, El Paso
 8,042.0 - Palo Duro Trail Run, Amarillo

 7,874.2 - Wild Hare, Warda
 7,349.6 - Hells Hills, Smithville
 6,848.1 - Grasslands Trail Run, Decatur
 6,758.0 - Capt'n Karl's Pedernales Falls, Johnson City
 6,262.0 - El Scorcho Diez, Fort Worth

 5,997.3 - Pandora, Burnet
 5,918.1 - Blazing 7's Trail Run, Bellville
 5,900.0 - Cactus Rose, Bandera
 5,640.0 - Habanero Hundred, Bellville
 5,057.4 - Cross Timbers Trail Run

 4,791.6 - Whispering Pines, Tyler
 4,550.8 - Capt'n Karl's Reveille, Burnet
 4,462.4 - Big Bend Ultra
 4,444.8 - Isle du Bois, Pilot Point
 4,427.0 - San Felipe Shootout, San Felipe

 4,207.2 - Fossil Valley, Dallas
 3,942.0 - Jackalope Jam, La Marque
 3,859.5 - Horseshoe Trail Run, Hitchcock
 3,760.3 - Possum Kingdom Lake, Graford
 3,732.9 - Austin Rattler Run, Smithville

 3,592.5 - Wildflower Half, Bastrop
 3,570.0 - Prickly Pair Trail Race, San Antonio
 3,521.6 - Capt'n Karl's Colorado Bend
 3,503.0 - Capt'n Karl's Muleshoe Bend, Spicewood
 3,303.9 - J&J Race and Running Reunion, Rocksprings

 3,286.8 - The Circus, Cedar Creek
 3,200.1 - Paleface - May 2016, Spicewood
 3,178.5 - Big Cedar Endurance Run, Glen Rose
 2,996.6 - Texas Switchback, Johnson City
 2,776.2 - Night Moves and Next Generation Trail Races - August, Hitchcock

 2,652.9 - Rough Creek Trail Run, Glen Rose
 2,349.8 - The Ranch, Austin
 2,306.4 - The Maze, Austin
 2,280.5 - Piney Woods Trail Fest, New Caney
 2,144.7 - TXU Energy Crazy Desert Trail Run, San Angelo

 2,120.4 - The Tangle, Austin
 2,002.0 - Lighthouse Hill Ranch, Johnson City
 1,968.9 - Saddle Blazer, Killeen
 1,937.5 - Sky Island, Fort Davis
 1,781.8 - El Chupacabra de San Antonio

 1,710.0 - Texas 2-Way Torture Test, Johnson City
 1,630.7 - XTERRA Magnolia Hill, Navasota
 1,629.2 - XTERRA Cameron Park, Waco
 1,620.0 - Trans-Pecos Ultra, Alpine
 1,552.6 - Rawhide, Comfort

 1,519.3 - Wonderland, Gail
 1,445.0 - Toughest N' Texas, Waco
 1,370.2 - Rugged and Raw, Dallas
 1,330.0 - IAAP Trail Run, San Antonio
 1,314.9 - Friends of Government Canyon Recharge Race, San Antonio

 1,255.5 - El Chupacabra de Houston, New Caney
 1,240.0 - XTERRA Pedernales, Johnson City
 1,162.3 - Night Moves and Next Generation Trail Races - October, Hitchcock
 1,143.4 - Paleface - October 2016, Spicewood
 1,088.1 - The Mammoth at Dinosaur Valley, Glen Rose

 1,072.6 - Shannon Trail Series Race 3, San Angelo
   924.0 - XTERRA Muleshoe, Spicewood
   895.5 - Shannon Trail Series Race 2, San Angelo
   821.5 - XTERRA Gator Bait, Huntsville
   821.5 - Shannon Trail Series Race 1, San Angelo

   756.4 - XTERRA Jurassic, Glen Rose
   688.0 - Cedar Brake, Dallas
   680.3 - XTERRA ATX, Spicewood
   536.3 - XTERRA Dallas, Grapevine
   533.2 - 30K of the Dinosaur Trail Race, San Angelo

   512.9 - XTERRA Bluebonnet, Burnet
   508.4 - Skinnydipper Sun Run 5K, Decatur
   474.3 - Purgatory Trial Run at Spring Lake, San Marcos
   356.2 - Dirt Trails & Pony Trails, Austin
   342.9 - Texas Trail Camp, Rocksprings

   288.1 - Run 4 Bibles Trail Run, Dallas
   226.3 - Pioneer Trail 5K, Austin

Thanks for your interest and support.

Largest Trail Races in Texas by Distance - 2016

100M - 240, Rocky Raccoon 100, Huntsville
100K - 231, Bandera, Bandera
50M - 158, Rocky Raccoon 50, Huntsville
60K - 80, Capt'n Karl's Pedernales Falls, Johnson City

50K - 267, Bandera, Bandera
30K - 157, Capt'n Karl's Pedernales Falls, Johnson City
26.2M - 220, Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon, Seabrook
20M - 79, Texas 2-Way Tortute Test, Johnson city

25K - 274, Bandera, Bandera
13.1M - 470, Seabrook Lucky Trail Half Marathon (Saturday), Seabrook
20K - 265, Palo Duro Trail Run, Palo Duro Canyon
10M - 121, Whispering Pines, Tyler

15K - 93, Friends of Government Canyon, San Antonio
10K - 232, San Felipe Shootout, San Felipe
5M - 95, Cross Timbers Trail Run, Lake Texoma
5K - 331, Texas Flower Country Women's, Fredericksburg

Houston's 12K of Christmas Finisher Numbers

12K

2013 - 702 (466 women / 236 men)

2014 - 551 (351 women / 202 men)

2015 - 576 (366 women / 201 men)

2016 - 532 (325 women / 207 men)

Male - Overall

2013 - 38:28.7, Jared Carson, 27, Austin

2014 - 39:34.7, Travis Barczak, 24

2015 - 36:54, Austin Roth, 25

2016 - 41:06, Zach Morgan, 26

Female - Overall

2013 - 48:47.1, Kylee Short, 33, Houston

2014 - 49:15.5, Sydney Davis, 16

2015 - 47:56, Kathryn Brake, 26

2016 - 49:24, Amanda Cruise, 33

Male - Masters

2013 - 43:32.2, Rudy Rocha, 44, Baytown*

2014 - 46:53.0, Miguel Pena, 41

2015 - 48:16, Mark Daiber, 53

2016 - 50:25, Rogelio Corona, 46

Female - Masters

2013 - 51:21.8, Martha Long, 45, Houston*

2014 - 50:59.8, Lilia Vazquez, 51

2015 - 55:49, Charlotte Harris, 44

2016 - 1:03:33, Margaret Brenner, 60

6K

2013 - 116 (78 women / 38 men)

2014 - 132 (81 women / 51 men)

2015 - 260 (179 women / 81 men)

2016 - 484 (316 women / 168 men)

Male - Overall

2013 - 27:19.2, Trevion Jones, 24, Houston

2014 - 22:24.4, Jaylen Mouton, 14

2015 - 21:08, Rodrigo Silva, 19

2016 - 23:11, Thomas Holland, 24

Female - Overall

2013 - 23:18.2, Megan Betts, 26, Austin

2014 - 27:26.8, Monja Jovic, 29, Houston

2015 - 24:50, Kristin Kabay, 34

2016 - 25:28, Kristin Kabay, 35

Male - Masters

2013 - 29:34.4, Frank Tsuru, 53, Houston*

2014 - 30:51.1, Bryan Greer, 43*

2015 - 22:42, Peter Mullin, 65, Houston** (28:43, Peter Tellegen, 59)

2016 - 26:07, Bartendex Oropeza, 41** (27:50, Albert Watkins, 49)

Female - Masters

2013 - 34:49.8, Jana Blackburn, 43, Houston*

2014 - 30:43.3, Jill Martin, 48*

2015 - 29:17, Rachel Clary, 53** (30:33, Cheryl Hope, 46)

2016 - 31:18, Lillian Evans, 42

* Event didn't officially recognize
** Finished second or third overall, which bumped slower runner into official Masters winner.

Top Medals of 2016 From Races I Ran!

Medals from road or trail races are supposed to be fun.

Besides, at the end of the year, the ribbon gets wrapped around the medal and then they go in a box!

Honorable Mention

Mansfield Run with Heart Half and Sylvan Beach Triathlon and Duathlon
(Two races that I announced this year!)

#10 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon 5Ks (Friday Trail/Saturday Road)
(I ran these!)

#9 - Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Half Marathon
(Roanoke, Virginia - Toughest Road Half Marathon in the USA)

#8 - Pocatello Half Marathon
(Idaho - State #45 for Half Marathons)

#7 - Air Capital Half Marathon
(Wichita, Kansas - Threw this one in an open weekend in October)

#6 - Genworth Virginia 10 Miler
(Lynchburg, Virginia - Different conceptual design than the two years before)

#5 - Run to Remember 10K
(Los Angeles, California - Medal looks like a police badge.  Pretty cool!)

#4 - Memorial Hermann Ten For Texas
(First time to run it since the first year it returned.  Sleek, classic design)

#3 - Brazos Bend Marathon
(Needville, Texas - Longest distance of the year; close third to #1 and #2.)

#2 - Harlingen Half Marathon
(One of the three biggest medals of the year; heavy and simple patriotic design)

#1 - Revel Mt. Charleston Half Marathon
(Las Vegas, Nevada - Great race; first 8 miles downhill.  Can hurt somebody with this medal!)

Complete 10-Mile Race History

1:35:27 - Space City 10-Miler, Clear Lake, 10/10/10
1:41:42 - Jingle Jog, Pearland, 12/3/05
1:43:06 - Ten For Texas, The Woodlands, 10/14/06
1:43:14 - Jim Wells County - VFW Post 8621 10-Miler, San Diego to Alice, 11/12/16
1:43:20 - Ten For Texas, The Woodlands, 10/8/16
1:45:09 - Run For The Water 10-Miler, Austin, 11/6/16
1:46:50 - Space City 10-Miler, Clear Lake, 10/14/12
1:49:31 - Space City 10-Miler, Clear Lake, 10/3/04 (Half marathon the day before)
1:50:03 - Virginia 10-Miler, Lynchburg, VA, 9/24/16
1:50:59 - Virginia 10-Miler, Lynchburg, VA, 9/26/15
1:51:33 - Virginia 10-Miler, Lynchburg, VA, 9/27/14
1:54:19 - Space City 10-Miler, Clear Lake, 10/15/06
2:04:56 - Space City 10-Miler, Clear Lake, 10/2/05 (Half marathon the day before)

Texas' Top 10 Marathons of 2016

For those that think that Beach to Bay shouldn't be in this list, I added a 10th marathon where the marathon relay isn't the focus of the race.

7,827 - Chevron Houston Marathon, January 17 (4,796 men and 3,031 women)
3,413 - BMW Dallas Marathon, December 11 (1,750 men, 1,060 women and 603 relays)
3,225 - Austin Marathon, February 14 (1,945 men and 1,280 women)
2,593 - Humana Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio Marathon, December 4 (1,427 men and 1,166 women)
1,926 - Beach to Bay Marathon Relay, Corpus Christi, May 21 (1,843 relay, 46 men and 37 women)
1,263 - Cowtown Marathon, Fort Worth, February 28 (778 men and 485 women)
1,020 - Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon, March 5 (546 men, 334 women and 140 relay)
  659 - Baylor Scott & White BCS Marathon, College Station, December 11 (332 men, 294 women and 33 relay)
  491 - Big D Texas Marathon, Dallas, April 10 (280 men, 204 women and 7 no gender)
  325 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, January 1 (170 men and 155 women)
  314 - El Paso Marathon, February 21 (217 men and 97 women)

Relay teams in all races count as one finisher.

Texas 10K's with 1,000-Plus Finishers - 2016

16,581 - Austin American Statesman Cap10K, Austin, (7,394 men and 9,187 women)
  4,045 - ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K, Houston, February 27 (2,071 men and 1,974 women)
  3,110 - The Cowtown 10K, Fort Worth, February 27 (1,272 men and 1,838 women)
  2,288 - 34th annual All-America City 10K, Edinburg, February 6 (1,038 men and 1,250 women)
  2,014 - Humana Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio 10K, San Antonio, December 3 (760 men and 1,254 women)
  1,962 - 9th annual Toughest 10K Kemah, Kemah, September 18 (746 men and 1,216 women)
  1,899 - Tour Des Fleurs 10K, Dallas, September 17 (617 men and 1,282 women)
  1,826 - 6th annual Toughest 10K Galveston, Galveston, October 15 (695 men and 1,131 women)

  1,493 - 32nd annual Longest Causeway Run 10K, Port Isabel, January 9 (665 men and 828 women)

  1,174 - Houston Half and 10K, Houston, October 30 (420 men and 754 women)

  1,141 - 12th annual Trinity River Levee Run 10K, Dallas, March 5 (579 men and 562 women)

  1,115 - Green 6.2, Houston, March 26 (429 men and 686 women)
  1,048 - Katy YMCA Turkey Dash 10K, Katy, November 24 (491 men and 557 women)

Nike Cross Regionals South Report - #NXR #NXRSOUTH

Great day working - and race announcing - the Nike Cross Regionals South at Bear Branch Sports Park in The Woodlands this morning.

The team thinks that the crowds were way up as cars were parked up and down Research Forest - am sure some residents will be ringing up The Township over that!

Have definitely got to say that the team that produces Nike South and NXR South is one of the best to work with.  For me, I get the honor of saying I get to announce for one of the top boys high school cross country programs in America.

And when you work with the best, you have to elevate your game.  It was a solid day for me.  My vantage point at the finish kept me from having some of my best finish line calls, but they got the job done today.

Great teams provide great support, though.

Coach Shawn Hamilton gets the sound setup - and continues to make improvements - and arranges for upbeat music to be played throughout the meet.  The best timers in Texas, RunFAR USA, with Raul Najera and Graham Schooley working the meet today, ensure quick, accurate results.  Things were so smooth today that Raul was taking video on Facebook Live.

The Woodlands HS Boys Cross Country booster club is incredible.  They're so friendly, giving and hard-working.  It is such a joy and pleasure to work with, represent and be a part of their team.

This includes starter Wayne Rutledge, Tim Vibrock and the Golden family (Kevin and Kelley).  Henrita van Wyngaarden has been routinely volunteering meet after meet as well.

Great to see Tom Sherwood today as well as the McHales - father Tom (and Penn Stater) and his daughter Liz and the holder of a pair of Guinness World Records Calum Neff.

The other local Guinness World Record holder Ronnie Delzer was in the park watching, having run for East Carolina in his athletic past.

Texas Independence Relay race directors Jay and Joy Hilscher were there from Austin to see their son run.  I think he might have been the only one to cross in a TIR shirt.  (The yellow one.)

The people - Kate and Matt - that come out from Nike are super easy to work with - and it is very, very easy to get on the same page as them and work to take care of the sponsor relationship.

I've been fortunate enough to interview over the last five years - Leo Manzano, Chris Derrick, Emily Infeld, Mary Cain and today, Hassan Mead, U.S. Olympian in the 5,000 meters.  What a nice guy!  He did such a great job interacting with the kids.  (Saw Bernard Lagat, who he lost to in the US Olympic Trials by 20/100'ths of a second, was at #NXR Southwest today.)

The person that really provides me with the information to walk on to the property as prepared as possible is John Sullivan, best known by everyone as "Sully".  John does all of the seeding.  I get a data file on Wednesday with all of the racers, which this year totaled a little over 1,800.

Through some combined research work, I'm able to share with those in attendance that there were 20 state champions and 46 runners who finished in the top three of their state meet present today.

Super job by The Woodlands High School Junior ROTC program for their perfect presentation of the colors this morning and this senior from Liberty University that I happen to know - Waverly - did a really solid and beautiful job with the National Anthem this morning - after landing at about 10 p.m. last night.

And while I had known Coach Dan Green through a sportswriter friend that covered cross country for The Courier and the Houston Chronicle for many years, the late Scott Kaiser, I always appreciate JoAnn Blakeley for making the introduction to Coach Juris Green more than five years ago.

Cross country meets are exhausting to work compared to a road race, but I always seem to walk away satisfied from working these meets as well as those - UIL Region III and UIL Region III Preview - produced by the Sam Houston State cross country and track and field programs, led by David Self, the last two seasons.

No rest for the weary, though.  La Porte By The Bay Half Marathon in the morning!  :-)

Texas Half Marathon Report; November 12-13, 2016

Nine half marathons across Texas this weekend sent 4,763 runners across finish lines to push the statewide 2016 finisher's count over 90,000.

The Cypress Half Marathon, although down 21.5 percent from a year ago, led the way with 1,494 total finishers (relay teams count as one finisher each), while the South Padre Island Half Marathon was second with 1,163 finishers.

The two half marathons increased the total number of half marathon in Texas this year with over 1,000 finishers to 17.

Produced by Onurmark Productions, the Cypress Half Marathon is currently the 12th largest half marathon so far this year.  Its Katy Half Marathon, run in early February, sits in the 10th position.

The South Padre Island Half Marathon, which started a year ago, was off 30 percent in its total number of half marathon finishers on Saturday -- 1,663 to 1,163.

Dallas' Trinity River Run Half Marathon increased by nearly 80 percent its number of finishers from 302 a year ago to 542 on Sunday, largely as a result of more than double the number of female runners.

The third annual Harlingen Half Marathon & Relay saw a 29 percent decline in its total number of individual finishers on Sunday as 513 crossed the finish line in Fair Park after 724 did so last year.

Through Sunday, 146 events - both road and trail races - with defined half marathon distances have produced 94,362 finishers to date.

Harbor Half Marathon Official Finishers

2005 -   94
2006 - 136 +   55
2007 - 187 +   68
2008 - 253 + 111
2009 - 329 + 155
2010 - 421 + 217 /   76
2011 - 394 + 216 /   81
2012 - 364 + 197 / 146
2013 - 419 + 170 / 132 /   58
2014 - 471 + 177 / 217 / 115
2015 - 394 + 126 / 177 /   86
2016 - 318 +   91 / 182 /   73

Half marathon plus relays, 10K and 5K

2016 Texas 10-Mile Finishers Numbers

2,980 - Austin 10/20, 4/3/16 (1,020 men, 1,960 women)
1,876 - Run For The Water, Austin, 11/6/16 (837 men, 1,039 women)
1,760 - Ten For Texas, The Woodlands, 10/8/16 (796 men, 964 women)
419 - Space City 10-Miler, Houston, 10/9/16
412 - Texas 10 Cypress, 10/9/16 (includes 3 unofficial)

402 - Space City 10-Miler, Houston, 2/21/16
400 - Texas 10 College Station, 1/31/16
350 - Texas 10 Sienna, 4/24/16
263 - Texas 10 Huntsville, 9/25/16
215 - Texas 10 Boerne, 4/3/16

Texas' Top 25 10-Mile Times of 2016

Men

0:47:56 - Kenneth Rotich, 25, Grand Prairie, Austin 10/20
0:47:59 - Stanley Boen, 37, Grand Prairie, Austin 10/20
0:48:07 - Peter Chebii, 37, Grand Prairie, Austin 10/20
0:48:41 - Alfred Kiplagat, 27, Georgetown, Austin 10/20
0:48:57 - Henry Lelei, 27, Bryan, Austin 10/20

0:49:08 - Benjamin Metto, 40, Georgetown, Austin 10/20
0:49.12 - Philipp Baar, 24, Corpus Christi, Texas 10 Conroe
0:50:07 - Will Nation, 24, Austin, Austin 10/20
0:50:13 - Biya Simbassa, Space City 10-Miler (February)
0:51:02 - Ryan Miller, 24, Conroe, Texas 10 Boerne

0:51:18 - Drew Soucy, 27, Austin, Austin 10/20
0:51:50 - Ryan Miller, 24, Spring, Texas 10 Conroe
0:51:52 - David Justus, Space City 10-Miler (February)
0:51:56 - Mark Pinales, 23, Round Rock, Run For The Water
0:52:04 - Adam Godwin, 24, Spring, Texas 10 Conroe

0:52:13 - Drew Bean, Space City 10-Miler (February)
0:52:13 - Maximo Mendoza, Pearland, Ten For Texas
0:52:13 - Abinet Adravo, 29, Space City 10-Miler (October)
0:52:33 - Geoff Speelman, The Woodlands, Ten For Texas
0:52:43 - Carlos Arias, 22, Houston, Space City 10-Miler (October)

0:53:17 - Ryan Miller, 24, Conroe, Texas 10 Sienna
0:53:26 - Austin Duckworth, 26, Austin, Austin 10/20
0:53:38 - Michael Gillis, 28, Pearland, Texas 10 Sienna
0:53:45 - Adam Saloom, 26, Houston, Space City 10-Miler (October)
0:54:11 - Brock Moreaux, Space City 10-Miler (February)

Women

0:55:45 - Mia Behm, 26, Austin, Austin 10/20
0:56:45 - Mary Davies, Houston, Space City 10-Miler (February)
0:56:48 - Kelsey Bruce, 23, Dallas, Austin 10/20
0:57:45 - Anita Perez, 33, Universal City, Austin 10/20
0:58:17 - Hillary Montgomery, 23, Spring, Texas 10 Sienna

0:58:41 - Samantha McClellan, The Woodlands, Ten For Texas
0:59:41 - Lauren Stroud, 25, Lake Jackson, Space City 10-Miler (October)
0:59:51 - Megan Saloom 28, Houston, Texas 10 Conroe
0:59:55 - Megan Saloom, 28, Houston, Space City 10-Miler (October)
1:00:08 - Caitlin Keen, 23, Fort Worth, Austin 10/20

1:00:26 - Liza Hunter Galvan, 46, San Antonio, Austin 10/20
1:00:33 - Megan Mueller, 31, Austin, Austin 10/20
1:01:18 - Jen Frankmann, 31, Richardson, Austin 10/20
1:01:24 - Rexi Parcells, 23, Austin, Austin 10/20
1:02:35 - Kaitlyn Johnson, 23, Austin, Run For The Water

1:02:41 - Amanda Jenkins, 25, Space City 10-Miler (October)
1:02:54 - Peggy Yetman, 48, Spring, Ten For Texas
1:02:57 - Emily Daum, Space City 10-Miler (February)
1:03:01 - Amanda Cruse, Livingston, Ten For Texas
1:03:14 - Amber Reber, 31, Austin, Austin 10/20

1:04:21 - Kristine Burciaga, 27, San Antonio, Texas 10 Boerne
1:04:36 - Desiree (Ficker) Berry, 39, Austin, Run For The Water
1:04:41 - Desiree (Ficker) Berry, 39, Austin, Austin 10/20
1:04:47 - Jackie Tobin, 36, Space City 10-Miler (October)
1:05:09 - Susan Brooks, 39, Katy, Texas 10 Conroe*
1:05:18 - Sarah Jackson, 27, Austin, Austin 10/20

Gazelle Foundation Run For The Water 10-Miler Finishers Numbers

10-Mile
2007 - 1,404 (724 men / 680 women)
2008 - 1,134 (610 men / 524 women)
2009 - 1,058 (526 men / 532 women)
2010 - 1,023 (454 men / 569 women)
2011 - 1,464 (689 men / 775 women) *included Barefoot and Wheelchair divisions
2012 - 1,931 (878 men / 1,053 women)
2013 - 1,837 (869 men / 968 women)
2014 - 2,044 (910 men / 1,134 women)
2015 - 2,073 (984 men / 1,089 women)
2016 - 1,876 (837 men / 1,039 women)

Companion 5K
2008 - 262
2009 - 483
2010 - 621
2011 - 822
2012 - 1,079
2013 - 1,155
2014 - 1,565
2015 - 1,844
2016 - 1,507

Total
2007 - 1,404
2008 - 1,296
2009 - 1,541
2010 - 1,644
2011 - 2,286
2012 - 3,010
2013 - 2,992
2014 - 3,609
2015 - 3,917
2016 - 3,396

2016 Texas Half Marathon Finishers Numbers

11,081 - Aramco Houston Half Marathon, Houston, 1/17/2016
9,558 - Rock 'N' Roll Dallas Half Marathon, Dallas, 3/20/2016
8,114 - Austin Half Marathon, Austin, 2/14/2016
6,355 - The Cowtown Half Marathon, Fort Worth, 2/28/2016
5,300 - 3M Half Marathon, Austin, 1/24/2016

3,306 - The Woodlands Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K, The Woodlands, 3/5/2016
1,875 - Alamo 13.1 Half Marathon, San Antonio, 3/20/2016
1,751 - Divas Half Marathon, Galveston, 4/17/2016
1,671 - Katy Half Marathon and 5K, Katy, 2/6/2016
1,571 - Big-D Texas Marathon and Half, Dallas, 4/10/2016

1,375 - Plano Balloon Festival Half Marathon and Relay, Plano, 9/25/2016
1,214 - The Bearathon and 5K, Waco, 3/19/2016
1,019 - El Paso Half Marathon, El Paso, 2/21/2016
928 - USAFit Half Marathon, Sugar Land, 1/31/2016
913 - Rhythm & Blues Half Marathon, Quarter Marathon and 5K, Houston, 2/14/2016

908 - Wounded Warrior Half Marathon, Irving, 6/12/2016
805 - Big Star Half Marathon, Frisco, 4/16/2016
738 - Fairview Half Marathon, Fairview, 4/9/2016
675 - The Hottest Half Marathon and 10K, Dallas, 8/14/2016
641 - St. Paddy's Half Marathon, Sugar Land, 3/20/2016

641 - Nutrabolt Oktoberfest Half Marathon, College Station, 10/16/2016
631 - HEB Alamo Run Fest Half Marathon, San Antonio, 2/21/2016
579 - Skyline Half Marathon, Dallas, 5/1/2016
556 - Galveston Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K, Galveston, 2/14/2016
539 - The Irving Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K, Irving, 4/16/2016

523 - Run The Line Half Marathon and 5K, Texarkana, 2/21/2016
523 - The Outlaw Half Marathon, Fredericksburg, 4/9/2016
498 - The Texas Half, Irving, 1/24/2016
491 - Showdown Half Marathon, Fairview, 10/8/2016
477 - New Year's Day Half Marathon, Allen, 1/1/2016

470 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Half Marathon and Relay - Saturday, Seabrook, 3/19/2016
466 - Jalapeno Half Marathon, Fort Worth, 6/26/2016
461 - Missions Marathon Half Marathon, San Antonio, 2/13/2016
449 - Cocoa Women's Half Marathon, San Antonio, 1/17/2016
439 - Tyler Rose Marathon and Half Marathon, Tyler, 10/9/2016

437 - Messina Hof Wine & Roses Half Marathon, Bryan, 4/24/2016
434 - 3rd annual JBSA Half Marathon, Randolph AFB, 4/24/2016
428 - Too Cold To Hold Half Marathon, Dallas, 1/31/2016
366 - That Dam Half Marathon, Grand Prairie, 10/16/2016
354 - Republic of Texas Half Marathon, College Station, 2/27/2016

337 - Carabba's Classic Half Marathon and Relay, San Antonio, 6/18/2016
323 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Half Marathon and Relay - Sunday, Seabrook, 3/20/2016
319 - Wildfire Half and 10K, Denton, 7/17/2016
311 - Exygon and Baptist Hospitals Half Marathon, Beaumont, 2/27/2016
308 - Surfside Beach Half Marathon, Surfside Beach, 2/20/2016

298 - Miracle Match Half Marathon, Waco, 1/31/2016
297 - Jail Break Run Half Marathon and 5K, Baytown, 2/20/2016
293 - Wee Chi Tah Trail Run, Wichita Falls, 8/28/2016
284 - Lone Star Race Half Marathon, Arlington, 4/24/2016
278 - Energy City Half Marathon, Midland, 4/2/2016

276 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, 1/1/2016
271 - American Bank Half Marathon and Relay, Corpus Christi, 1/2/2016
271 - Illuminations Austin Half Marathon, Lost Pines, 3/5/2016
266 - Panther Half Marathon and 5K, Fort Worth, 3/13/2016
264 - Badass Brazos Half Marathon, Waco, 8/7/2016

233 - 28th annual Lake Benbrook Half Marathon and 5K, Benbrook, 1/30/2016
223 - Orange Leaf Half Marathon, New Braunfels, 7/16/2016
214 - Cross Creek Ranch Dusk to Dawn Half Marathon, Fulshear, 3/5/2016
212 - Run With Heart Marathon and 5K, Mansfield, 1/30/2016
210 - Willie McCool Memorial Half Marathon, Lubbock, 4/2/2016

209 - Wildflower Half Marathon, Bastrop, 5/7/2016
187 - Grasslands Trail Run Half Marathon, Decatur, 3/19/2016
181 - Canton Balloon Festival Half Marathon, Canton, 5/14/2016
173 - San Felipe Shootout, San Felipe, 3/12/2016
170 - Cross Timbers Trail Run Half Marathon, Gordonville, 2/13/2016

163 - Texas Wine Series at Llano Estacado Half Marathon, Lubbock, 10/8/2016
161 - Texas Wine Series at Kiepersol Estates Half Marathon, Tyler, 4/16/2016
152 - AMBUCS Longview Half Marathon, Longview, 3/12/2016
145 - Pandora's Box of Rox Half Marathon, Burnet, 3/5/2016
144 - Dragon's Den Half Marathon, San Antonio, 8/13/2016

142 - Clark Gardens Half Marathon, Weatherford, 10/1/2016
140 - Natural Bridge Caverns Trail Run Half Marathon, San Antono, 2/7/2016
138 - Texas Wine Series at Flat Creek Estate Half Marathon, Marble Falls, 3/20/2016
135 - Franklin Mountains Trail Run, El Paso, 9/10/2016
132 - Party Run Half Marathon, Dallas, 4/23/2016

128 - Honored Hero Run Half Marathon, Fort Worth, 10/16/2016
127 - Hope & Healing Half Marathon, Amarillo, 5/7/2016
122 - Resolution Run Half Marathon, McKinney, 1/9/2016
120 - Amarillo Half Marathon, Amarillo, 4/9/2016
119 - CRC Mother's Day Half Marathon and 5K, Fort Worth, 5/9/2016

116 - Lost Pines Trail Run Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K, Austin, 3/20/2016
114 - Heroes for Hope Half Marathon and 5K, Fort Worth, 1/30/2016
108 - The XPRESS Half Marathon, Wichita Falls, 3/5/2016
108 - Night Moves Trail Run Half Marathon, Hitchcock, 8/6/2016
107 - The Double Half Marathon - Morning, San Antonio, 9/4/2016

105 - Texas Wine Series at Whistling Duck Half Marathon, Weimar, 4/3/2016
104 - UCAN Half Marathon, McKinney, 4/10/2016
101 - XTERRA Magnolia Hill 21K, Navasota, 7/10/2016
100 - Temple Rotary Club Half Marathon, Temple, 5/14/2016
99 - The Duel Half Marathon (Paved Trail), Wichita Falls, 1/16/2016

96 - Buffalo Stampede Half Marathon, College Station, 10/1/2016
96 - West Texas Half Marathon, San Angelo, 10/16/2016
93 - Rough Creek Trail Run, Glen Rose, 9/17/2016
92 - Dare to Ascend Trail Run Half Marathon, Georgetown, 9/24/2016
91 - XTERRA Cameron Park 21K, Waco, 8/14/2016

90 - Texas Switchback Half Marathon, Johnson City, 6/4/2016
87 - Wichita Falls Running Club Dam Run Half Marathon, Wichita Falls, 5/7/2016
83 - Davy Crockett Bear Chase, Groveton, 4/23/2016
76 - Carnival of Venice Half Marathon, San Antonio, 4/8/2016
69 - Saddle Blazer Trail Half Marathon, Killeen, 2/27/2016

68 - Angel Run Half Marathon, 10K and 5K, Montgomery, 4/16/2016
67 - 8th annual Surf-N-Turf Half Marathon, Corpus Christi, 1/30/2016
59 - River Road Run Half Marathon, New Braunfels, 1/2/2016
59 - TXU Energy Crazy Desert Trail Run Half Marathon, San Angelo, 3/12/2016
56 - Spectrum Rawhide Trail Half Marathon, Comfort, 10/8/2016

49 - XTERRA Muleshoe 21K, Spicewood, 7/31/2016
48 - Dust Bowl Half Marathon Series - Day 1, Dalhart, 3/23/2016
47 - Amarillo Town Club Chilly Hilly Half Marathon, Amarillo, 3/26/2016
42 - Lights of Life Half Marathon, Suplhur Springs, 10/1/2016
41 - Jim's Goose Chase Half Marathon, Dallas, 5/29/2016

41 - Memorial Day Half Marathon, Dallas, 5/30/2016
40 - The Multiple Sclerosis Half Marathon, Dallas, 5/28/2016
38 - ECVFD Resolution Run Half Marathon, San Angelo, 1/9/2016
36 - Mayor's Half Marathon, Amarillo, 9/10/2016
33 - XTERRA Bluebonnet 21K, Burnet, 4/3/2016

33 - XTERRA ATX 21K, Spicewood, 4/24/2016
26 - The Double Half Marathon - Evening, San Antonio, 9/4/2016
18 - ECVFD Stop, Drop & Roll Half Marathon, San Angelo, 10/8/2016
12 - Frio River Run Half Marathon, Concan, 2/20/2016

Holiday Half Marathon & 5K Finishers (Galveston, TX)

Half Marathon
2012 - 252 (156 women, 96 men)
2014 - 374 (206 women, 163 men, 5 relay)
2013 - 418 (240 women, 172 men, 6 relay)
2015 - 213 (121 women, 88 men, 4 relay)

Overall
2012 - 1:20:41, Edward Carson, 38
2013 - 1:15:38, Joey D'Eramo, 24
2014 - 1:12:32, Name Unknown, 26
2015 - 1:28:28, Walter Mayer, 39, Houston

Overall - Female
2012 - 1:23:48, Kaytlynn Welsch, 12, Alvin
2013 - 1:29:55, Kaytlynn Welsch, 13, Alvin
2014 - 1:32:33, Kaytlynn Welsch, 14, Alvin
2015 - 1:32:25, Amanda Cruise, 32, Livingston

Masters
2012 - 1:27:23, Stephen Jones, 43
2013 - 1:32:06, J. Ernesto Jimenez, 43
2014 - 1:28:22, Leo Hernandez, 44, Houston
2015 - 1:35:59, Greg Thomas, 59, Hockley

Masters - Female
2012 - 1:37:26, Dana Andrae, 43
2013 - 1:42:28, Jennifer Perez, 47
2014 - 1:48:44, Susan Rouse, 56, The Woodlands
2015 - 1:46:43, Jitka Newald, 57, Dickinson

5K
2013 - 79 (54 women, 25 men)
2014 - 136 (94 women, 42 men)
2015 - 120 (81 women, 39 men)

Overall
2013 - 25:02, Paul Coffman, 29
2014 - 18:21, Charles Ray, 15, Schertz
2015 - 18:57, Eli Greene, 13, Sugar Land

Overall - Female
2013 - 21:36, Heather Welsch, 11, Alvin
2014 - 22:50, Andrea Rood, 29, Livingston
2015 - 23:47, Amalia Guardiola, 39, Houston

Masters
2013 - 25:13, Robert Sevilla, 68, New Caney
2014 - 22:25, Adam Eiler, 44, Houston
2015 - 20:16, Alberto Trevino, 40

Masters - Female
2013 - 29:47, Ingrid Gonzalez, 52
2014 - 24:07, Lauren Gobar, Fulshear
2015 - 24:21, Maria Carmichael, 41, Galveston

Dates
2015 - Sunday, November 22
2014 - Sunday, November 23
2013 - Sunday, November 24
2012 - Sunday, November 18

Lauren Stroud's Current Race Win Streak

October 9, 2016 - Space City 10-Miler, Houston, 59:40
September 17, 2016 - Badges & Bases 5K, Houston, 17:52
August 20, 2016 - Lake Houston 5K, Kingwood, 17:26.9
August 13, 2016 - Outriggers 5K, Kemah, 17:11.4
July 30, 2016 - Mosquito Chase 5K, Clute, 17:36.8

July 23, 2016 - Summer Sizzler 7K, Lake Jackson, 25:36
July 16, 2016 - Lunar Rendezvous 5K, Clear Lake, 17:08.3
July 4, 2016 - Dow Firecracker 4, Lake Jackson, 22:52.4
June 18, 2016 - Dad's Day 5K, Houston, 17:08
May 7, 2016 - Pear Run 10K, Pearland, 35:04.8

April 23, 2016 - Flapjack 5K, Freeport, 16:58
April 2, 2016 - Gator Gallop 5K, Lake Jackson, 16:56
March 26, 2016 - Brunch Run 4M, Houston, 21:54.6
March 20, 2016 - St. Paddy's Half Marathon, Sugar Land, 1:16:19.0
March 5, 2016 - Women Against Violence 5K, Houston, 16:54.0

February 27, 2016 - ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K, Houston, 34:48 (second to Mary Davies)

The Woodlands' Delzer's All Set For Saturday's GWR Attempt

SPRING -- Record attempts don't happen overnight.

The Woodlands' Ronnie Delzer, who will attempt on Saturday at Luke's Locker in The Woodlands to set a new Guinness World Records mark for the longest distance run on a treadmill in 12 hours, has been targeting the record since last summer.

"David Staley (from the Denver, Colorado area) broke the record in July 2015 with 81.62 miles, and that's when I heard about it," said the 34-year-old husband and father of two. "I thought to myself I could do that, knowing at the time what I had run for my first 100 (mile race)."

And that was fast by the sport's standards.

His 14-hour, 15-minute, 53-second third place overall finish in February of last year at the 23rd annual Rocky Raccoon 100 in Huntsville State Park was the 56th best 100-mile time ever.

Staley's mark has since been surpassed twice and is currently held by Canadian David Proctor who ran 86.49 miles in 12 hours on a treadmill during Memorial Day weekend.

Still, it is just a little bit faster - a pace of 8 minutes and 19 seconds per mile - than Delzer's 8:33 that day.

And he started out more conservative than most do at the race.

"It is known for a fast start," he said. "I watched it the year before and what I noticed is there would be one or two packs off the front racing each other early.

The three-time Ironman, including the first two Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas, noticed that after the first two 20-mile loops many had dropped -- a signal to him to "run my own race".

"Rocky Raccoon 100 is a five loop course and I sat back and enjoyed the experience," Delzer said. "I was running with people I had been doing my homework on so it was really cool.

"My splits for the first 60 miles were a little faster than I expected but I felt really good and in control. It wasn't until the last 30 miles where I started to fade."

Homework is something that's been a hallmark of the former East Carolina Pirate cross country and track competitor.

"I do like to know what I am getting myself into before I do something because once I commit to something I'm all in," he said.

Delzer competed in The North Face Endurance Challenge 50-miler last December (finishing 37th overall in a field chock-full of the west coast's best ultrarunners) as well as this past April's Gorge Waterfalls 100K in Oregon where he was ninth overall.

The latter was a Golden Ticket race to the venerable Western States 100, run every July from Squaw Valley to Auburn, California.

And without it (needing a fifth place finish or better with a rolldown or two), he then submitted his application to Guinness World Records.

"It turns out to be a perfect time to try this and should be a good build up leading into another 100 at the end of the year," Delzer said.

He also spent time this summer crewing at Badwater Ultra 135 in Death Valley, California.

"I don't want to just pick something and do it," Delzer said. "I want to do my best and test my limits. One of the benefits of observing up close and personal is being able to visualize what the race is like. I'll use that during training and also during the race."

Training he also said is being able "to control what's in your head."

Guinness World Records accepting his application to attempt to break the mark more than a month ago helped him snap out of "some low patches" from earlier in the summer.

"Knowing that I have something to train for has definitely helped with my motivation," he smiled.

Nor does it hurt when your coach is one of the top ultra runners in the world, Ian Sharman.

"He holds some GWR's so he's been through this and has been able to offer guidance along the way," he said.

Delzer credits his family and sponsors with putting him in the best position for tomorrow's record attempt.

Six years ago, Delzer was a general manager at a window and door manufacturing plant in North Carolina, but the company was rebounding from bankruptcy in addition to leadership and organizational changes.

"We did a lot of praying and this (The Woodlands) is where God brought us," he said.

He took a 20 percent pay cut, accepting a manager trainee position for a similar company in the greater Houston area.

His wife, Stefanie, left her job as a recreation therapist.

"It turned out to be one of the best decisions we've ever made," the outdoor salesman for a company that specializes in millwork for custom builders remarked. "Once we got here I knew this is where I wanted to raise our family so I told my managers that I wanted to stay in the Houston market."

And eight months after they called The Woodlands home, the plant in North Carolina closed.

The likes of Klean Athlete, Alternative Health Center of The Woodlands and Sterling Ridge Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine have also helped him open the windows into his body to see how well-positioned he could be for Saturday - and beyond.

"I know that I'm in really good shape and my body feels the best it has ever felt," he said. "I really have to give credit to my sponsors for that.

"I truly believe they help me perform at my best, I'm stronger and healthier because of them and they allow me to reach my full potential."

And if he wasn't feeling any pressure, that full potential was noticed by none other than the man he's chasing -- David Proctor.

"When I opened Facebook this morning, I had a friend request from him and then he commented on my post yesterday," he said.

"I know it (tomorrow's record attempt) will be challenging at times, but I have done some great workouts and (have) figured out what works and doesn't."

(c), Walk Sports Services, 2016

Prices of Texas Marathons on August 1, 2016

$65 - 11/24/16 through 11/27/16 - The Texas Quad (Dallas) - until September 1
$65 - 12/17/16 and 12/18/16 - The Texas Double - until September 15
$65 - 12/31/16 and 1/1/17 - New Year's Double Marathon (Allen) - until tier of 101-300 runners if filled; both days

$70 - 3/18/17 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon - until September 30

$75 - 2/4/17 - Surfside Beach Marathon - until January 2, 2017
$75 - 2/19/17 - Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon - until August 31
$75 - 4/2/17 - Irving Marathon - until October 31

$80 - 1/15/17 - McAllen Marathon - until September 30

$84 - 4/2/17 - Big D Marathon (Dallas) - no indication of a future price increase

$85 - 10/22/16 - Frankenthon Monster Marathon (Cedar Park) - until August 31; was $75 through July 31

$89 - 10/9/16 - Tyler Rose Marathon - no indication of a future price increase

$90 - 11/13/16 - Hill Country Marathon (Marble Falls) - until October 16
$90 - 1/1/17 - Texas Marathon (Kingwood) - no indication of a future price increase
$90 - 2/12/17 - Galveston Marathon - until December 20
$90 - 2/26/17 - Cowtown Marathon (Fort Worth) - until August 6

$95 - 10/22/16 - Marathon 2 Marathon - until October 1
$95 - 1/22/17 - Miracle Match Marathon (Waco) - until December 31
$95 - 1/29/17 - USA Fit Marathon (Sugar Land) - no indication of a future price increase
$95 - 3/4/17 - Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon - until August 31

$98 - 3/4/17 - Exygon and Baptist Hospitals Gusher Marathon (Beaumont) - no indication of a future price increase

$100 - 11/13/16 - Fort Worth Marathon - until August 31
$100 - 12/11/16 - Baylor Scott & White Health B-CS Marathon - until August 31
$100 - 3/22/17 - Dust Bowl Series - Dalhart - no indication of a future price increase

$105 - 12/4/16 - Rock 'N Roll San Antonio Marathon - no indication of a future price increase; was $96 through July 31

$110 - 2/19/17 - NXP Austin Marathon - until August 29

$119 - 12/11/16 - BMW Dallas Marathon - until August 31; was $109 through July 31

$130 - 11/12/16 - South Padre Island Marathon - until September 30; was $110 through July 31

$135 - 1/15/17 - Chevron Houston Marathon - until sold out

Registration not open for 2017
4/9/16 - Amarillo Marathon
4/23/16 - Davy Crockett Bear Chase (Groveton)

Update on The Woodlands Township Board of Directors Meeting, July 27, 2016

I attended The Woodlands Township Board of Directors Meeting last evening, even though I learned via a Facebook comment from Director Mike Bass on a post by Barry Blanton that the public hearing involving the Special Events Policy had been moved to the Evening meeting in August.

That means it will be discussed on Wednesday, August 24, 2016 at 6 p.m.

The only item on the agenda was the approval of the Host Value Sponsorship Agreement between The Township and The Woodlands Marathon Management, LLC.

Let me restate that I have no skin in this game as I am a resident of unincorporated Harris County, specifically, a Spring, Texas postal address.

The only service that I currently provide for any event that is put on in The Woodlands Township is that I serve as the race announcer for the Muddy Trails 5K, 10K, 5K-9 and Kids Fun Run and the CB&I Tri The Woodlands Triathlon, both produced by the Parks and Recreation Department of The Township.

Upon starting to run, for those who don't know my past, I got involved in reporting on road races and triathlons first through my "Houston Running" blog and later in avenues such as Texas Runner and Triathlete (then Inside Texas Running and Runner Triathlete News) and the Conroe Courier.

The latter came about when asked by publisher Jim Fredricks to write a weekly running and triathlon column.

I did so for about five years and stopped about the time that Jim left The Courier.

Back to last evening:  Having read the agenda and the Board packet posted Friday evening, I figured - given how the Sponsorship Agreement had been changed - that its approval would be a formality.  However, I wanted to see the discussion of the Board members to get a sense of what to expect next month with the Special Events Policy.

The Township's Assistant General Manager, Community Services John Powers presented the agenda item to the Directors.

John gave some general history for context and stated that basically it was a three-year agreement with two one-year renewal provisions, The Township would have the ability to approve the course (where Montgomery County Precinct 3 did so in the past) and that a donation to the Parks and Recreation department was removed.

There was minor discussion on the matter with Director Bass clarifying that even though the agreement gives The Township approval authority on the course that it wouldn't go into effect until The Township and Montgomery County Precinct 3 formalize their agreement to allow The Township to approve courses for races.

Montgomery County Precinct 3 would still approve traffic control plans, which are produced by a certified roadway design or traffic engineer.

Director Bass made a motion to approve the agreement.  Director John McMullan seconded the motion.

The Woodlands Marathon Management, LLC did not have anyone in attendance for the meeting.

So what changes?

Looking at the executed Host Venue Sponsorship Agreement from September 2011 and the proposed Agreement for approval, the changes are minor.

After the first five-year agreement expired, The Woodlands Marathon Management, LLC asked for a 10-year agreement.  However, the term approved is for three years and "may be renewed for up to two additional one (1) year periods ..."

The dates for the next three years are set:  March 4, 2017, March 3, 2018 and March 2, 2019.

As noted above, The Township will "have final approval of the Event race routes and schedules, upon county-approved traffic control plans for each of the Event races, as well as the Woodlands Development Company, L.P.'s ("TWDC") approval for any Event use of the Woodlands Waterway."

Exhibit B in both agreements spells out the responsibilities of The Township.

The parks and venues to be provided were listed in the original agreement, but are noted as "to be later specified".

The most significant change is that The Township will provide "value, by in-kind usage of electronic message boards to notify residents of potential lane or road closures."

Exhibit C lists the responsibilities of The Woodlands Marathon Management, LLC.

A new item is that the Marathon "will remove all traffic control devices and related signage within 24 hours of the Event.  Failure to do so will results in The Township's removal of such signage and Event-related traffic control devices, at The Marathon's expense."

The Marathon adjusted its stated influx of "athletes, media, staff, VIPs and spectators" from 4,000 to 25,000.  (Even with 8,000 participants, 25,000 is a reach.  You're taking the position that every single participant will bring three people with them to cheer them on.  There's no penalty if this isn't met or achieved, nor is there a way to accurately measure it - unless every single participant responds to the post-race survey.)

The Marathon increases its guarantee of "hotel room nights related to the event with hotels within The Woodlands" from 150 to 400.

The Marathon reduces its contracted donations from $40,000 to $25,000 and eliminates the $1,000 give to the Parks and Recreation Department.  The race previously agreed to give $20,000 in donations to not-for-profit organization and $20,000 in donations for local and regional volunteer organizations and groups.  It is now $25,000 for both of the groups combined, resulting in a $15,000 per year gain by The Woodlands Marathon Management, LLC (if the numbers required by groups or conditions to trigger these donations weren't reached.)

The Marathon also agreed to limit the maximum number of participants for each Event, but the race numbers are all listed as TBD, for the moment.

The Marathon also agrees to providing The Township with an Economic Impact Study at the conclusion of the 2017 and 2019 events.

The agreement is a win-win for the event (as it can plan long-term, particularly from a sponsorship standpoint), The Township (as they can continue to use it in their marketing with the race being part of a complete, well-rounded community) and the residents.

Why the residents?  Because there's no excuse for them not to know when the event is.

It will be interesting to see if these dates conflict with the SAT that is held at The Woodlands High School or if the marathon next year (and in future years) will adjust its route to ensure there isn't the conflict that potentially occurred this year with students that would have been arriving at a time where a continuous stream of runners would block the entrance to the high school as they ran north in the eastbound lanes on Research Forest.  (As you'll remember, the SAT cancelled the test on Friday - a day before the exam - when the marathon wouldn't adjust its course.)

Beyond that, I had a good conversation with Parks and Recreation Director Chris Nunes about the Special Events Policy that will be discussed at the next month's Evening Board meeting.

I lobbied for some communication methods to be employed to keep residents in the loop of all events and their traffic impacts, specifically what the City of Houston uses.  Chris shared that there may be an electronic opportunity that's being explored and developed to make that type of information (such as road closures due to events and/or races) - and much, much more - to residents.

I also inquired about the future dates for CB&I, given that we now know that Ironman Texas will remain in The Woodlands.  I asked this in the frame of reference that the Board has expressed a desire for races to be spaced four weeks apart in a specific village, plus that the Kemah Triathlon is shifting from April to October in 2017.

More on those likely next month.