2017 Chevron Houston Marathon BQs for the 2018 Boston Marathon

3:14:51 - Abouzahr, Fadi (USA), M, 49
2:36:47 - Abrha, Serkalem (ETH), F, 29
3:01:45 - Acosta Rosales, Edgar (MEX), M, 41
4:19:51 - Adams, Chris (USA), M, 70
2:59:48 - Aguilera, Luis (USA), M, 41
3:08:27 - Aguirre Jr, Jaime (USA), M, 34+
2:58:40 - Alfaro, Ricardo (ESA), M, 50
3:29:22 - Allen, Michele (USA), F, 54
3:27:28 - Anderson, John (USA), M, 52
4:06:17 - Anderson-Blair, Jetola (USA), F, 54+
3:40:49 - Ashley, Amy (USA), F, 39+
2:30:18 - Assefa Wondimagegn, Meskerem (ETH), F, 31
2:12:33 - Atanfu Zerihun, Yitayal (ETH), M, 23
2:22:47 - Atkinson, Brian (USA), M, 24
2:57:23 - Avalos, David (CRC), M, 44
3:39:12 - Avila, Jessica (USA), F, 42
2:54:51 - Aviles, Edward (USA), M, 46
2:12:44 - Ayele Woldegiorgis, Abayneh (ETH), M, 29
3:22:32 - Aznar, America (CAN), F, 42

3:08:16 - Baber, George (USA), M, 42
3:19:36 - Badea, Virgiliu (ROU), M, 48
3:20:57 - Balli, Alfredo (MEX), M, 45
3:08:36 - Banes, Fren-Mark (USA), M, 35
3:57:00 - Barr, Joel (USA), M, 64+
3:23:22 - Barrionuevo, Natalia (USA), F, 41
3:25:44 - Bauer, Brian (USA), M, 52
3:28:08 - Baugher, Liz (USA), F, 28
3:06:47 - Baumgartner, Stephen (USA), M, 43
2:27:33 - Bean, Drew (USA), M, 27
2:27:07 - Bedada, Girma (USA), M, 36
3:33:36 - Beim, Samantha (USA), F, 25
3:24:37 - Belforti, Gabriel (USA), M, 45
4:05:02 - Belic, Cathy (CAN), F, 55
2:46:12 - Bell, Samuel (USA), M, 40
3:17:52 - Beltran, Marco (USA), M, 44+
3:22:49 - Berman, Mark (USA), M, 51
3:32:33 - Bernosky, Stefanie (USA), F, 34
3:19:24 - Berry, Timothy (USA), M, 48
3:35:14 - Bertin, Jean-Charles (USA), M, 56
3:58:45 - Bertram, Lillian (USA), F, 51
3:19:29 - Blake, Sophie (USA), F, 24
3:57:19 - Boak, Roger (USA), M, 68
3:39:06 - Bobadilla Escamilla, Veronica (MEX), F, 35
3:46:22 - Boyd, Bruce (USA), M, 61
3:29:15 - Braun, Steven (USA), M, 49+
3:16:09 - Breuer, Jennifer (USA), F, 43
3:08:32 - Brinkley, Teddie (USA), M, 36
4:08:52 - Brousseau, Mike (CAN), M, 68
4:02:51 - Brown, Daniel (USA), M, 66
3:04:01 - Bruner, Drew (USA), M, 29
3:51:27 - Buchan, Rhona (GBR), F, 50
3:55:13 - Bucknall, Lynn (USA), F, 57
3:39:20 - Bue, Grant (USA), M, 58
3:14:04 - Buitrago, Fredy (USA), M, 43
4:10:07 - Burns, Lenord (USA), M, 70
3:31:01 - Burum, Caroline (USA), F, 51
2:57:22 - Bustillos, Wilmer (USA), M, 51
2:37:50 - Butler, Jason (USA), M, 44
3:43:12 - Butler, Pam (USA), F, 59

2:53:48 - Cai, David (USA), M, 19
2:29:12 - Camargo, Andres Camilo (COL), M, 30
3:22:03 - Camp, Hillary (USA), F, 24
3:31:45 - Camp, John (USA), M, 55
3:28:07 - Campos Rios, Mariana (MEX), F, 32
2:49:51 - Cantara, Rocio (PER), F, 30
3:45:33 - Capriotti, Karin (USA), F, 45
3:31:57 - Carlson, Tausha (USA), F, 40
3:18:29 - Caron, Anngela (USA), F, 35
2:45:23 - Carr, Stephen (USA), M, 37
3:58:37 - Carrasco, Jackie (USA), F, 49+
3:07:39 - Carro, Greg (USA), M, 39
2:59:54 - Carter, Benjamin (USA), M, 28
3:52:42 - Castillo, Roxana (USA), F, 51
2:37:42 - Cater-Cyker, Zach (USA), M, 32
3:39:08 - Cheng, Yifan (USA), M, 54+
3:29:28 - Cherry, Sara (USA), F, 35
2:18:59 - Cheseret, Robert (USA), M, 33
2:56:42 - Chi, Eric (USA), M, 31
3:18:37 - Chico, Roberto (MEX), M, 51
4:08:51 - Chow, Andrew (USA), M, 67
3:12:55 - Christie, Gordon (USA), M, 47
3:32:39 - Claar, Brian (USA), M, 57
2:56:43 - Clark, Brian (USA), M, 31
3:34:36 - Clark, Kelley (USA), F, 28
3:27:39 - Clark, Royce (USA), M, 49+
3:03:43 - Class, Caleb (USA), M, 30
4:24:17 - Clemens, Paula (USA), F, 59+
2:58:36 - Collier, Christopher (USA), M, 35
4:16:41 - Collins, Yong (USA), F, 62
3:39:49 - Collmorgen, Connie (USA), F, 52
3:22:43 - Cooper, Mark (USA), M, 53
3:25:47 - Corbet, Etienne (USA), M, 53
2:46:03 - Corey, Squire (USA), M, 30
3:27:12 - Cortes, Jorge (USA), M, 54
3:12:13 - Coulter, Katrina (USA), F, 28
3:24:31 - Craig, Don (USA), M, 48
2:38:37 - Crouch, Sarah (USA), F, 27
2:57:53 - Cruise, Amanda (USA), F, 33
3:22:03 - Cuervo, Antero (USA), M, 44+
3:53:55 - Cui, Heather (USA), F, 50
2:59:58 - Cummings, Tom (USA), M, 47
3:33:14 - Currie, Jason (USA), M, 56
3:28:59 - Cutaia, Marissa (USA), F, 27
2:44:54 - Cutter, Patrick (USA), M, 27

3:05:48 - Dannemann, Benjamin (USA), M, 36
2:42:57 - Davies, Mary (NZL), F, 34
3:59:51 - Davila, Juan (MEX), M, 67
3:17:52 - Davis, Amanda (USA), F, 33
3:39:25 - Davis, Timeca (USA), F, 37
3:14:29 - Dawkins, Erika (USA), F, 29
2:51:01 - De Reuck, Colleen (USA), F, 52
3:24:18 - Deeny, Mark (USA), M, 47
2:30:44 - Degefa, Biruktayit (ETH), F, 26
3:20:44 - Delu, Adam (USA), M, 46
3:25:15 - Dolliazal, Mohamed (USA), M, 49+
3:34:46 - Donaghy, Erin (USA), F, 26
3:53:42 - Donaldson, Mary (USA), F, 51
2:37:55 - Dostal, Ryan (USA), M, 27
3:01:01 - Dougherty, Frank (USA), M, 26
3:02:40 - Dublin, Andrew (USA), M, 33
3:36:20 - Duchesne, Sara (USA), F, 45
3:51:46 - Duffin, Neil (USA), M, 59+
3:25:59 - Duffy, Brian (USA), M, 50
2:58:42 - Duncan, Paul (USA), M, 32
3:12:31 - Dye, William (USA), M, 43

2:57:16 - East, James (USA), M, 23
2:47:06 - Ebel, Boone (USA), M, 36
3:48:05 - Ederle, Nicole (USA), F, 46
3:21:40 - Elhalaby, Awatif (USA), F, 32
3:19:34 - Endara, Carrie (USA), F, 34
3:21:55 - Engle, Chuck (USA), M, 45
3:28:07 - Eno, Alicia (USA), F, 39
3:27:45 - Enrico, Luis (USA), M, 52
3:51:39 - Enriquez Loredo, Gerardo (MEX), M, 59+

3:02:37 - Fagan, Brian (USA), M, 38
3:31:07 - Felchak, Michael (USA), M, 58
3:39:02 - Feller, Lisa (USA), F, 39
2:30:18 - Fikadu Kassa, (Pacer) Kedir (ETH), M, 32
3:17:48 - Fontenot, Bree (USA), F, 22
2:47:35 - Foster, Megan (USA), F, 39
3:57:22 - Franco Acacio, Gregorio (MEX), M, 65
3:17:52 - Frank, Virginia (USA), F, 36
3:29:15 - Fryar, Traci (USA), F, 37
3:45:39 - Fullerton, Stephen (USA), M, 59+
3:37:53 - Funk, Laurie (USA), F, 37
3:27:43 - Fuss, Karen (USA), F, 35

4:22:52 - Galindo, Jose (USA), M, 69+
3:13:30 - Gamisans, William (USA), M, 42
2:44:46 - García Martínez, Martín (MEX), M, 27
3:49:07 - Garcia, Juan (USA), M, 61
3:18:47 - Garcia, Starla (USA), F, 27
3:28:52 - Garcia, Victoria (USA), F, 22
3:06:37 - Garza, Francisco (USA), M, 51
3:20:14 - Gaytan, Agapito (USA), M, 55
3:39:07 - Gillespie, Angus (NED), M, 54+
3:11:37 - Glaser, William (USA), M, 48
3:54:24 - Golbert, Arthur (USA), M, 61
2:56:34 - Gollins, Daniel (USA), M, 30
3:27:07 - Gomez Tenorio, Paola (MEX), F, 36
3:28:43 - Gonzalez Paez, Javier (USA), M, 52
3:45:54 - Gonzalez, Lisa (USA), F, 47
3:07:01 - Gooch, Jason (USA), M, 43
3:35:11 - Graves, Lindy (USA), F, 35
3:22:59 - Gray, Robert (USA), M, 49
3:36:32 - Green, Verney (USA), M, 55
2:30:29 - Greene, Mark (USA), M, 26
3:08:44 - Greenham, James (USA), M, 40
3:27:38 - Griffin, Sarah (USA), F, 39
2:59:03 - Grissom, Eric (USA), M, 37
3:44:48 - Guerrero, Natalie (USA), F, 39+
3:05:56 - Gugliuzza, Paul (USA), M, 35
3:33:48 - Guillen, Diana (USA), F, 34
3:45:22 - Gutierrez, Maurilio (USA), M, 61
3:47:07 - Guzman Estrada, Luis (MEX), M, 66

3:15:34 - Hagen, Michelle (USA), F, 26
2:57:32 - Hahn, Andrew (CAN), M, 40
3:18:35 - Halkey, Jennifer (USA), F, 34
3:28:13 - Hall, Karyn (USA), F, 27
3:38:20 - Hall, Mandy (USA), F, 39
2:54:48 - Hall, Matt (GBR), M, 44
3:14:38 - Hall, Patrick (USA), M, 46
3:29:38 - Hall, Sally (USA), F, 48
2:57:22 - Haller, Peter (CAN), M, 22
3:52:37 - Halligan, Kathy (USA), F, 47
4:14:30 - Halsey, Margaret (USA), F, 60
3:19:06 - Hammang, Lauren (USA), F, 27
3:12:44 - Hammervold, Jerry (USA), M, 64
3:50:49 - Hammond, Irma (USA), F, 48
3:18:50 - Haney, Lauren (USA), F, 24
3:33:21 - Hanselka, Kristen (USA), F, 26
2:50:40 - Hardcastle, Kath (USA), F, 35
3:29:01 - Harding-Udoh, Omolayo (NGR), F, 40
3:22:47 - Harp, Rachel (USA), F, 33
3:15:33 - Hartin, John (USA), M, 59
4:04:41 - Harvie, Ben (USA), M, 70
3:48:41 - Harwell, Mark (USA), M, 59+
2:49:38 - Haskett, Brian (USA), M, 45
2:24:29 - Hay, Jonny (GBR), M, 24
3:29:59 - Hayes, Elizabeth Newton (USA), F, 30
3:28:55 - Head, Jessica (USA), F, 33
3:38:58 - Heitzwebel, Tim (USA), M, 59
2:58:32 - Hellen, Ryan (USA), M, 33
3:54:34 - Hendrickson, Mark (USA), M, 59+
2:38:05 - Hengoed, Joseph (USA), M, 27
3:21:41 - Hennessey, Andrew (USA), M, 54
3:32:46 - Henriquez, Stefanie (USA), F, 30
4:07:18 - Hermon, Maria (USA), F, 59
2:51:31 - Hernandez, Jose (MEX), M, 34
3:31:13 - Hernandez, Tricia (USA), F, 39
3:43:58 - Hilger, Kristine (USA), F, 43
2:41:15 - Hill, Alistair (CAN), M, 39
4:40:55 - Hilton, Brenda (USA), F, 69+
4:38:02 - Himel, Pat (USA), F, 64+
2:57:38 - Hiriart Ramirez, Erick (MEX), M, 29
4:04:05 - Hobbs, John Peter (USA), M, 65
3:05:53 - Hodge, Danielle (USA), F, 29
3:57:50 - Hoekman, Robert (USA), M, 75
3:31:44 - Holden, Stacy (USA), F, 40
2:57:23 - Honrath, Jerod (USA), M, 42
3:00:14 - Hopper, Melissa (USA), F, 39
3:26:51 - Hummel, Nali (USA), F, 27
2:59:23 - Hunt, Patrick (USA), M, 25

3:20:44 - James Jr, Willie (USA), M, 58
3:09:33 - James, Ryan (USA), M, 42
2:57:35 - Janah, Yassir (USA), M, 38
3:54:10 - Jarufe, Creusa (USA), F, 56
3:45:28 - Jenkins, Yvonne (USA), F, 44+
3:09:54 - Jimenez, Alex (USA), M, 39
3:14:28 - Jimenez, Raquel (USA), F, 31
4:08:27 - Johnson, Barbara (USA), F, 60
2:47:12 - Johnson, Steven (USA), M, 26
3:18:19 - Jones, Jessica (USA), F, 39
2:38:19 - Jones, Joshua (USA), M, 23
3:05:28 - Jones, Nadine (USA), F, 41
3:27:15 - Jones, Rebecca (USA), F, 22

2:52:36 - Kalescky, Robert (USA), M, 34
2:32:33 - Kandie, Solomon (USA), M, 38
3:08:19 - Karlgaard, Joe (USA), M, 42
2:51:58 - Kassa, Belay (USA), M, 35
3:19:14 - Kazmierczak, Clare (USA), F, 40
3:11:01 - Keating, Burton (USA), M, 41
3:30:15 - Kelley, Sarah (USA), F, 27
2:25:57 - Kersh, Stephen (USA), M, 25
2:17:25 - Kibet, Elkanah (USA), M, 30
3:02:56 - Kieser, Jeremy (USA), M, 36
3:16:30 - Killeen, Joe (USA), M, 57
4:00:59 - Kim, Eunsup (USA), M, 64+
2:38:16 - Kiplagat, David (USA), M, 33
3:47:45 - Kirkpatrick, Jennifer (USA), F, 44+
3:43:53 - Kohn, Dale (USA), M, 59+
3:42:16 - Kopel, Allyson (USA), F, 43
3:59:58 - Kowal, Peri (USA), F, 55
3:00:13 - Krause, Philip (USA), M, 29
3:14:14 - Kruppa, Catherine (USA), F, 43
3:35:12 - Kuehn, Amber (USA), F, 37
3:06:49 - Kwan, Andy (USA), M, 39
4:08:06 - Kwan, Raymond (USA), M, 64+
2:57:38 - Kwon, Jae (USA), M, 31

3:45:20 - Lafuente, Elva (USA), F, 51
3:38:22 - Lance, Joe (USA), M, 57
3:00:34 - Lastovica, Grant (USA), M, 28
3:04:08 - Latimore, Zachary (USA), M, 24
3:18:16 - Laughlin, Lauren (USA), F, 51
2:37:00 - Lawrence, Peter (USA), M, 45
2:58:00 - Lawrence, Ryan (USA), M, 36
3:18:54 - Lazarine, Daniel (USA), M, 52
4:16:28 - Le, Quynh (USA), F, 59+
2:18:16 - Leak, Colin (USA), M, 30
3:41:24 - Lee, Karen (USA), F, 45
3:11:58 - Lee, Kerry (USA), M, 42
3:21:14 - Lee, Liz (USA), F, 33
3:33:26 - Lefeldt, Nele (USA), F, 32
3:33:34 - Leidlein, Hugh (USA), M, 56
2:37:31 - Lemus Reyes, Pedro Manuel (MEX), M, 26
3:25:41 - Leong, Michelle (USA), F, 38
3:00:37 - Lewis, Jason (USA), M, 39
3:51:28 - Lichnovsky, Larry (USA), M, 69
2:44:46 - Lisle, Stuart (USA), M, 33
3:19:00 - Liu, Lei (USA), M, 45
3:52:39 - Liu, Yan (USA), F, 46
3:43:45 - Loeb, Vernon (USA), M, 60
3:35:55 - London, Christi (USA), F, 40
3:14:59 - Lopez, Esperanza (USA), F, 25
2:57:29 - Lord, Will (USA), M, 17+
3:34:41 - Loughnane, Kevin (USA), M, 60
3:40:10 - Lucero-Calhoon, Sarah (USA), F, 44
3:21:00 - Luo, Yi (USA), M, 45
2:29:02 - Lustgarten, Brett (USA), M, 27
3:43:36 - Lybarger, Diane (USA), F, 40
3:52:00 - Lynch, Cherie (USA), F, 44+

3:44:28 - Mahlenkamp, Karin (USA), F, 40
3:48:08 - Mahony, Brid (USA), F, 45
3:16:57 - Maliszewski, Steve (USA), M, 44+
3:34:59 - Manley, Laura (USA), F, 28
2:54:17 - Manning, Matthew (USA), M, 36
3:10:30 - Mannion, John (USA), M, 45
3:07:53 - Maples, Matthew (USA), M, 40
3:58:45 - Marashi, Fred (USA), M, 67
4:23:22 - Marquette, Nancy (USA), F, 59+
3:08:42 - Marquez, Rodrigo (USA), M, 35
3:54:36 - Martin, Dora (Lizi) (USA), F, 58
2:52:28 - Martinez, David (USA), M, 43
3:15:01 - Martinez, Humberto (USA), M, 53
3:12:17 - Marzuk, Rachid (BRA), M, 42
3:09:47 - McClain, Alan (USA), M, 42
3:19:57 - Mcclanahan, Rochelle (USA), F, 44
3:41:08 - Mccullough, Holly (USA), F, 40
2:40:21 - Mccurdy, Matt (USA), M, 39
3:38:12 - Mcginty, Dennis (USA), M, 55
3:08:24 - Mchenry, Alex (USA), M, 51
3:54:18 - Mckissick, Frances (USA), F, 54
3:58:46 - Medrano, J Carlos (USA), M, 67
3:19:52 - Melanson, Joe (USA), M, 61
3:35:33 - Meneley, Amber (USA), F, 40
3:43:57 - Menendez, Jessica (USA), F, 41
3:06:32 - Messa, Luiz (BRA), M, 38
3:28:36 - Meyer, Jacquelyn (USA), F, 28
2:56:48 - Michael, Julius (USA), M, 28
2:57:04 - Michna, Vinny (USA), M, 38
2:16:16 - Milaw Asefa, Abrha (ETH), M, 28
3:06:10 - Millard, Joshua (USA), M, 40
2:43:57 - Miller, Matt (USA), M, 27
2:58:11 - Miller, Sebastian (USA), M, 22
2:57:24 - Mock, Lee (USA), M, 41
2:56:38 - Mollenkopf, Ingrid (USA), F, 27
3:01:13 - Monteiro, Rodrigo (BRA), M, 46
3:40:20 - Moon, Thuy (USA), F, 45
3:08:34 - Moore, Omar (USA), M, 37
3:36:01 - Moore, Tom (USA), M, 58
3:20:59 - Morelock, Anna (USA), F, 29
2:44:30 - Morera Malcolm, Leonardo (CRC), M, 26
3:25:18 - Morris, Amanda (USA), F, 31
2:49:35 - Morris, Jonathan (USA), M, 37
3:26:41 - Moss, Avi (USA), M, 54
3:36:44 - Mutz, Jenna (USA), F, 36

3:21:14 - Nathanson, Lindsey (USA), F, 29
2:21:29 - Nation, Will (USA), M, 24
2:43:00 - Neff, (Pacer) Calum (CAN), M, 32
3:29:46 - Nelson, Brooke (USA), F, 27
3:54:48 - Newton, Peggy (USA), F, 44+
3:06:18 - Neylon, Dermot (USA), M, 36
3:16:55 - Null, Christopher (USA), M, 49
3:02:04 - Nurre, Peter (USA), M, 31

3:57:15 - Obrien-Nolen, Jacqueline (USA), F, 51
3:02:52 - Obvintsev, Alex (USA), M, 42
2:51:05 - Olah, Gabor (USA), M, 41
3:11:04 - Oldenburg, Bridget (USA), F, 36
2:12:05 - Ondoro, Dominic (KEN), M, 28
3:00:03 - Ontko, Robert (USA), M, 28
2:56:50 - Ortiz Vega, Diego (USA), M, 30
2:56:39 - Oviedo, Jose (USA), M, 40

3:21:23 - Padar, Bart (USA), M, 45
3:23:18 - Padon, Matthew (USA), M, 48
3:37:45 - Painter, David (USA), M, 60
3:21:42 - Palomo, Joe (USA), M, 47
2:35:51 - Papadimitriou, Antonis (GRE), M, 36
3:24:47 - Pape, Peter (USA), M, 45
4:05:49 - Parraguirre, Julie (USA), F, 54+
2:57:33 - Parva, Benjamin (USA), M, 23
3:38:09 - Patlan, Renee (USA), F, 35
3:38:57 - Patterson, Sunday (USA), F, 40
3:19:45 - Peck, George (USA), M, 47
2:48:26 - Pellerin, Jeremie (CAN), M, 23
3:08:20 - Penfold, Ian (USA), M, 51
3:40:55 - Perales, Veronica (USA), F, 39+
3:31:19 - Percival, Nikki (AUS), F, 43
2:51:40 - Perez, Miguel (USA), M, 41
3:35:00 - Perry, Natalie (USA), F, 39
3:22:58 - Phillips, Katlyn (USA), F, 37
3:37:19 - Phinney, Jennifer (USA), F, 39
3:11:03 - Pietz, Lisa (USA), F, 33
3:13:49 - Plunkett, Natty (USA), F, 26
3:30:24 - Pooler, Kristina (USA), F, 33
3:39:34 - Porter, John (USA), M, 56
2:51:36 - Power, Rich (USA), M, 52
3:46:19 - Powitzky, Kristine (USA), F, 44+
3:39:09 - Pregler, Jennifer (USA), F, 38
3:24:04 - Presswood, Melody (USA), F, 37
3:05:17 - Probst, John (USA), M, 49
3:54:06 - Provenzano, Mark (USA), M, 60
3:03:07 - Putansu, Steven (USA), M, 32

3:17:50 - Raines, David (USA), M, 55
3:29:29 - Raquepo, Amado (USA), M, 53
3:13:07 - Rasco, Drew (USA), M, 39+
3:26:35 - Rasco, Sarah (USA), F, 39
3:52:50 - Ray, Rochelle (USA), F, 45
3:12:12 - Reed, James (USA), M, 43
3:41:10 - Repice, Victoria (USA), F, 46
3:16:43 - Reyes, Jose (USA), M, 50
3:13:17 - Reyna, Benigno (USA), M, 41
2:35:12 - Richard, Timothy (USA), M, 28
3:33:42 - Richardson, Nicole (USA), F, 36
3:10:30 - Richter, Bob (USA), M, 49
3:49:36 - Ripple, Joanne (USA), F, 58
3:19:22 - Rivas Lopez, Natalia (USA), F, 25
3:57:53 - Robertson, Shay (USA), F, 51
3:09:56 - Robinson, Keith (USA), M, 47
3:30:08 - Rodriguez, Lorena (MEX), F, 30
3:39:55 - Roeschel, Jessica (USA), F, 36
3:32:54 - Rogowski, Elena (USA), F, 24
3:37:57 - Romano, Tom (USA), M, 60
2:28:59 - Romero, Juan (MEX), M, 39
2:21:03 - Rono, Aron (USA), M, 34
2:25:58 - Roth, Austin (USA), M, 26
3:13:54 - Rowe, Jeremy (USA), M, 43
3:34:25 - Rudin, Allison (USA), F, 43
3:34:10 - Ruocco, Neil (USA), M, 55
2:56:19 - Rusnaczyk, Michael (USA), M, 23
3:06:52 - Rychlik, Garrett (USA), M, 49

3:33:01 - Sabbagh, Rana (USA), F, 36
3:59:18 - Sailors, Pam (USA), F, 53
3:34:50 - Salazar, Mckenzie (USA), F, 22
3:29:34 - Salazar, Paul (USA), M, 54
3:37:36 - Sanchez-Williams, Mariana (USA), F, 41
4:23:03 - Sanden, Gunnar (USA), M, 76
3:06:15 - Sanderson, Samuel (USA), M, 39
3:19:55 - Sandfort, Katharine (USA), F, 21
3:01:37 - Sanzone, Richard (USA), M, 38
3:34:51 - Sasaki, Yoshiaki (USA), M, 58
4:06:31 - Sauceda Ochoa, Estela (MEX), F, 58
2:53:19 - Saums, Jeremy (USA), M, 37
2:59:59 - Sauvageau, Elizabeth (USA), F, 29
3:01:20 - Sauvageau, Joseph (USA), M, 28
3:33:17 - Schell, Courtney (USA), F, 20
3:32:58 - Schellhorn, Kendall (USA), F, 30
3:26:53 - Schipperijn, Peter (USA), M, 55
3:22:22 - Schroeder, Steve (USA), M, 51
3:39:50 - Schwartz, Hal (USA), M, 55
3:26:50 - Scott, Sherry (USA), F, 48
2:49:03 - Scoville, Morgan (USA), M, 34
3:39:50 - Seeley, Suzy (USA), F, 57
3:45:43 - Sekelsky, Mark (USA), M, 59+
2:54:55 - Selert Faraud, Kir (USA), F, 29
3:06:58 - Senterfitt, Jay (USA), M, 42
3:22:33 - Shafer, Marne (USA), F, 36
3:25:33 - Shaffer, Patricia (USA), F, 39
2:12:54 - Shiferaw, Andualem (ETH), M, 24
2:45:07 - Shockey, Ernest (USA), M, 39
2:57:09 - Sicher, Nathan (USA), M, 35
2:49:45 - Sieczkowski, Brian (USA), M, 38
2:58:08 - Simmons, Timothy (USA), M, 31
2:59:06 - Simpson, William (USA), M, 35
3:30:50 - Skak, Louise (NOR), F, 40
3:23:34 - Skinner, Ashley (USA), F, 32
3:34:10 - Smith, Rebecca (USA), F, 24
3:19:01 - Sorensen, Don (USA), M, 49
3:20:53 - Spiller, John (USA), M, 50
3:06:07 - Stamp, Quinn (USA), M, 36
3:11:36 - Steele, Tim (USA), M, 55
3:37:44 - Stepanian, Elizabeth (USA), F, 42
3:57:16 - Stephens, Vicki (USA), F, 49+
3:25:56 - Stewart, Holly (USA), F, 46
3:11:24 - Stewart, Paul (USA), M, 40
2:46:54 - Stice, Kenneth (USA), M, 23
3:17:33 - Stoll, Barbara (USA), F, 55
3:15:33 - Stone, Roger (GBR), M, 48
2:46:17 - Stoot, Steven (USA), M, 26
3:17:19 - Stotzer, Eric (USA), M, 49
3:36:19 - Studebaker, John (USA), M, 55
2:59:12 - Studenny, Matthew (USA), M, 33
3:06:44 - Suberbielle, Stormy (USA), M, 41
3:40:38 - Sullivan, Susan (USA), F, 39+
2:52:32 - Sutter, Hayley (USA), F, 27
3:51:42 - Sword, Ruel (USA), F, 50
3:19:53 - Sylte, Maria (USA), F, 26
3:03:15 - Sylvester, Zoltan (USA), M, 47

3:19:20 - Tapp, Carolyn (USA), F, 48
3:34:38 - Taylor, Kate (USA), F, 22
3:38:09 - Thies, Allison (USA), F, 42
3:14:24 - Thomas, Aaron (USA), M, 40
3:42:32 - Thomas, Greg (USA), M, 61
3:30:55 - Thompson, James (GBR), M, 54+
3:36:04 - Tidd, William (USA), M, 54+
3:16:24 - Tobin, Jackie (USA), F, 37
3:21:17 - Todorov, Emmanuel (USA), M, 48
2:59:09 - Tognarelli, Michael (USA), M, 44
3:31:39 - Tonge, Jacob (USA), M, 54+
3:00:45 - Trimm, Logan (USA), M, 28
3:48:19 - Trotter, Paul (USA), M, 61
3:22:27 - Tsounis, Alex (USA), M, 44+
3:08:42 - Tucker, Krysten (USA), F, 29

4:10:28 - Uttecht, Carole (USA), F, 61

3:15:26 - Valdez, Alexander (USA), M, 47
3:28:54 - Van Wyngaarden, Henrita (USA), F, 47
3:17:22 - Varhue, Nora (USA), F, 24
3:36:58 - Vazquez, Lilia (USA), F, 53
3:19:56 - Vega Garcia, Alin (MEX), F, 40
2:23:56 - Vega, Javier (MEX), M, 25
3:11:29 - Vegas, Julia (USA), F, 31
3:30:55 - Venable, April (USA), F, 31
3:23:55 - Viger, Rachel (USA), F, 25

3:05:20 - Wade, Andrew (USA), M, 34+
2:35:57 - Wade, Becky (USA), F, 27
3:50:56 - Walker, Ken (CAN), M, 59+
3:34:21 - Walter, Katie (USA), F, 25
3:24:59 - Wang, Edward (USA), M, 52
3:38:44 - Wang, Shan (USA), F, 45
3:19:51 - Warechowski, Lisa (USA), F, 50
3:33:28 - Wareing, Reed (USA), F, 36
3:23:33 - Warnsman, Eric (USA), M, 45
3:11:40 - Watanabe, Tetsuo (USA), M, 43
3:35:15 - Watson, Haley (USA), F, 38
3:08:55 - Watson, Jason (USA), M, 41
3:27:01 - Weimer, Allyson (USA), F, 29
3:11:14 - West, Al (USA), M, 45
3:34:13 - Wethington, Halcie (USA), F, 25
3:39:25 - Whalen, Jennifer (USA), F, 35
3:28:30 - Wigle, David (USA), M, 55
2:50:12 - Wijayaratne, Hiruni (SRI), F, 26
3:13:53 - Wilbanks, Mitch (USA), M, 39+
3:54:58 - Wilderman-Hay, Mary-Ellen (CAN), F, 49
3:38:01 - Willard, Ellen (USA), F, 36
3:07:05 - Williams, Curt (USA), M, 34+
2:54:27 - Williams, Jacob (USA), M, 27
3:54:55 - Winchester, Nancy (CAN), F, 49
3:42:10 - Winter, Len (USA), M, 65
3:22:24 - Withers, Andrew (USA), M, 44+

3:02:34 - Xia, Quanxin (USA), M, 37

3:19:44 - Yoder, John (USA), M, 45
3:15:01 - Yost, Mark (USA), M, 58
3:38:23 - Yost, Marty (USA), M, 56
2:52:31 - Young, Andrew (USA), M, 32
2:17:29 - Young, Tim (USA), M, 29

3:51:42 - Zhu, Meifang (USA), F, 65
2:34:06 - Zimak, Trevor (CAN), M, 33
3:02:06 - Zimmerman, Michael (USA), M, 36
2:53:50 - Zuñiga Gaitan, Adriana (MEX), F, 26

(+) indicates those runners whose time qualifies them for the older age group they will move into in 2018

2017 USA Fit Marathon BQs for 2018 Boston Marathon

2:48:07 - Adam Saloom, 27, M, Houston TX
2:59:42 - John Mannion, 45, M, Sugar Land TX
3:00:59 - Omar Venzor, 31, M, Dallas TX
3:05:24 - Francisco Garza, 51, M, Houston TX
3:06:32 - Steve Maliszewski, 44, M, Houston TX
3:08:40 - Adam Robertson, 41, M, Houston TX
3:22:40 - Victoria Webster, 32, F, Houston TX
3:32:04 - Natalie Jansen, 29, F, Houston TX
3:33:26 - Nicole Cheriyan, 37, F, Houston TX
3:37:12 - Trey Hamlett, 57, M, Lockhart TX
3:42:01 - Diane Lybarger, 40, F, Richmond TX
3:47:02 - Maurilio Gutierrez, 61, M, Sugar Land TX
3:52:40 - Cheri Payne, 45, F, Missouri City TX
3:53:30 - Donnadale Arthur, 53, F, Katy TX
3:54:48 - Stacy Garcia, 45, F, Meadows Place TX
4:04:44 - Jetola Anderson-Blair, 54, F, Houston TX*

* Qualifies for the 2018 Boston Marathon as the runner will be in a different age group on race day in 2018.

2017 Texas Marathon BQs for 2018 Boston Marathon

3:10:31 - Ramesh Kanjilimadhom, M, 47, Kochi, India
3:20:15 - Erin Dawson, F, 35, Indianapolis, IN
3:31:20 - Emily Zavinsky, F, 31, Houston, TX
3:32:08 - Gary Poulson, M, 60, Humble, TX
3:34:20 - Sarah Kelley, F, 27, Katy, TX
3:38:50 - Sylvia Ly, F, 35, Houston, TX
3:39:16 - Stefanie Bernosky, F, 34, Houston, TX*
3:45:08 - Suzy Seeley, F, 57, Houston, TX
3:58:00 - Jacqueline O'Brien Nolen, F, 52, Kingwood, TX
4:04:07 - Jetola Anderson-Blair, F, 54, Houston, TX*
4:05:20 - Hudon White, M, 64, Stephenville, TX*

* Qualifies for the 2018 Boston Marathon as the runner will be in a different age group on race day in 2018.

2017 Galveston Marathon BQs for 2018 Boston Marathon

2:49:59 - Steven Johnson, 26, M, Madison, WI
3:02:13 - Donald Quintana, 33, M, Mandville, LA
3:16:12 - Lisa Steffes, 45, F, Hazleton, PA
3:17:24 - Al West, 45, M, League City, TX
3:27:33 - Patricia Shaffer, 39, F, Rosenberg, TX
3:28:20 - Keith Schlieker, 49, M, Hearne, TX
3:35:52 - David Sanchez, 55, M, Green Bay, WI
3:37:54 - Michelle Didion, 48, F, LaPorte, IN
3:43:21 - Stacy Holden, 40, F, Houston, TX
3:44:16 - Danrey Toth, 53, F, Rolling Meadows, IL
3:45:31 - George Sandoval, 72, M, Galveston, TX
4:04:31 - Jelka Jonker, 59, F, Austin, TX

Galveston Marathon Announcing Report

Sunday was the seventh running of the rebirth of the Galveston Marathon, with its associated half marathon, 5K and kids 1-mile run.

I was fortunate enough to be able to announce the race for Jana and Kevin Landry and Jay Lee for the sixth of those seven years.

Like anything else, you work hard to earn people’s trust and when it is returned it is incredibly rewarding.

And, even so, it can at times be daunting to maintain that level of quality.

If you’ve followed me and what I do for any length of time, you’ve heard me say that – to me – the most challenging part of race announcing has nothing to do with recognizing runners as they come to the finish line.

It is getting runners to the start line and the race started on-time.

As a runner, I don’t like to be cajoled with mindless banter over the microphone.

Tell me what I need to know, where I need to be, thank me for being there and get us started on-time.

So when I go to other races to run, I pay attention to see if there’s something I can do better or is there something I want to make sure that I avoid.

The race needed to change its location this year from Saengerfest Park on The Strand to Stewart Beach Park.

I don’t go to Galveston to get away.  Ever.  Just not my cup of tea.

One of the challenges that I faced upon arriving was where to set up and how to project the sound to accomplish the tasks that I stated earlier.  I was not familiar with the location at all.

The start and finish line – it seemed - was a little distance away from packet pickup and parking – nothing more than when we were by The Strand.

It just felt like that it was going to be an issue to get folks to the start.

In the past, Other Brother would have two sound units – one in the Park for awards and such (which I never do for Galveston because Jana wants me at the finish line making the runners feeling great about finishing) and one at the start/finish for music.

We’ve had a recording for the National Anthem before, but I thought a group sing would work.

I wanted to get everyone over to do it before the wheelchair and handcycle start, but I sensed with the parking being much closer for everyone that many may stay in or near their cars until the start time.

We had four handcyclists, one push cycle and one wheelchair racer for their 7:15 a.m. start.

I was able to get a lot of people beyond the start line to cheer these athletes on.

I had enough time in my timeline to be able engage each of the athletes before the start and find out their name – Rick Weisbrod, Douglas Dillard and Jeff Chaffin across the front and Fred Samuelsen from Deer Park and Bennie Jose Perez in the second row.

I thought it was a little different – and hope it was appreciated.

A lot of credit goes to the Chevron Houston Marathon and groups like Catapult and Achilles International for getting adaptive athletes more involved in races in the community.

I think – and hope – that we’ll see more and more races figure out ways to be more welcoming to these competitors.

Just before the start, Austin’s Dane Rauschenberg, a Penn State grad who’s been engaged in the running world for the last 10 years or so, came up and said Hi!

As did many others, including Galveston’s Kelly Carmichael.  He and his wife, Maria, ran the half on Sunday.

Beyond that, we were able to get the marathon and half marathon and then 5K started at their respective times at 7:30 a.m. and 7:45 a.m.

Jana Landry recorded the start of the half marathon and marathon here.

Before the start of the half marathon and marathon, we did a moment of silence for a young man who lost his life – with two other service personnel – at the hands of an ISIS radical in November serving the military.  Folks were running the race in his memory.

I brought up Jana to give a few words and then we recognized Elgin Faulkner of Houston to be our official starter.  Elgin is 87 years old.

He ran and finished the half marathon for the seventh straight year.

And his first Galveston Half Marathon in 2011, at the age of 81, was his first half marathon ever.

Heidi Walker did a fantastic job engaging the youngsters that were participating in the Kids 1-mile race (or half mile for those younger participants).

Then the real fun began:  the merging of folks with the three events as they approached the finish line.

Fortunately, Run Wild Sports’ Gary Mulvihill had the reader working near flawlessly.

Before I could really get into a roll with the 5K finishers, Friendswood’s John Moyer walked up all bloodied.

His race day was, unfortunately, over after taking a fall early in the race.  He said that it looked worse than it really was.

Houston’s Carlo Deason, 47, won the 5K in 18:52, the fifth fastest men’s time in the race’s short four-year history, while fellow Houstonian Erika Park, 41, used an event best 21:12 to win the women’s race.

In the masters’ division, Houston’s Peter Mullin and Freeport’s Melissa Hurta - a couple of local legends - were the champions.

Peter, 66, was second overall in 19:12, the eighth fastest time ever, while Melissa, 53, posted a fourth-best ever (and masters best ever) time of 22:31.

It was good, as always, to see the Sproba family – Mike and Robin – from Willis.

Carlo’s mom, Mary, 72, had a pleasant, happy smile on her face as she finished to win the 70-74 age division.

In the half marathon, Galveston’s Gabor Olah, 41, won in 1:18:07 – the third best half marathon time for the race ever.

Grove, Oklahoma’s Michaela Warner, 21, broke the event record with a 1:24:15 showing.  She runs for Oklahoma City University and was recruited to the university by world class ultrarunner Camille Herron and her husband Conor Holt (who was the head coach there between 2011-2012 and 2015-2016).

Sugar Land’s Zhang Wu, 41, and Denver, Colorado’s Alyn Park, 65, were the masters champions in 1:28:51 and 1:46:40, respectively.

Former Lamar University athlete Bree Fontenot, 22, won her age group.

The Bay Area Running Club’s Alex Grous had the funniest comeback to me announcing his name at the finish by loudly announcing mine back at me.  Well played, Alex.

Friendswood’s Dale Kohn, 60, won his age group in 1:40:48 and went back out to be a part of the pacing team, which was money all day long.

It’s funny in that people say that I know everybody.  Well, not quite, obviously, but six of the 12 finishers in the men’s 60-64 age group of the half marathon I did!

Seabrook’s Terry Frank, one of our Running Alliance Sport board members, and The Woodlands’ Judith Blevins posted finishes in the 60-64 age group.

Beaumont’s Stephen O’Neil easily won the men’s 55-59 age group in 1:41:13.

As did Dickinson’s Jitka Newald in the women’s side of that age group with a 1:48:43 showing.  It took me a few years to get Jitka’s name pronounced right, but I do so steadily now.

Keith Schreiter paced the 2:20 half marathon group and did so splendidly – 2:20:11 gun and 2:19:29 chip time.

Bartenderx Oropeza was fourth in his 40-44 age group, bumped down a spot by one of the pacers, I believe, Jerry Hernandez.

I didn’t get a chance to talk with him, but I did recognize – in the data file – and then so again on the course Wes Heinlein, who was one of my two TIR teams in 2009 that was a friend of Edwin Quarles when he lived down in Angleton.

From the marathon, it was good to see Pearland’s Donna Palmer, who finished in 4:33:46 good for second in her age group.

She’ll be pacing at The Woodlands Marathon and then running the Trail Challenge at the 14th annual Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon a couple of weeks later.

Most recognizable to me was Houston’s Stacy Holden, the author of People of Memorial Park, who ran a 3:43:20 that was a Boston qualifying time.

Bay Area Running Club’s Al West got one of the other 11 BQ times on the day with a 3:17:24 time.

And, of course, Bennie Jose Perez.

He only missed his PR from the USA Fit Marathon by less than five minutes, but a stellar showing of 4:06:26 in a quad wheelchair and not in the most favorable of conditions.

If you stumble on this blog post and I missed a shout out, I’ll catch up on the next event report.

As I’ve pared back a little back in the last two years, there’s a period of time at nearly every race where I go, “I don’t want to do this anymore.”  That happened on Sunday morning.

The biggest part of it was that I might have to announce in the rain, which I just really don’t care to do.

If I were out there trying to drum up business and announce every weekend like some of my colleagues do, I’d invest in a tent.

But I don’t know how much longer I’m going to do it so why invest that money?

And two other things that I think many don't realize:  1.) the prep time to sound really good and 2.) the physical wear and tear from being on your feet continuously for eight hours (for a marathon).

And I pretty much refuse to sit and announce from a chair.  It's work, right?  :-)

I appreciate the race directors who take what I do seriously and take care of me.  They – and the racers who make it all possible – are the ones that keep me doing it.  Just not as much!

Rhythm and Blues Half Marathon Finishers Numbers (2012-2017)

Half Marathon
2012 - 954 (586 women / 358 men)
2013 - 1,066 (634 women / 432 men)
2014 - 1,622 (967 women / 655 men)
2015 - 1,506 (882 women / 624 men)
2016 - 913 (530 women / 383 men)
2017 - 650 (360 women / 290 men)

Quarter Marathon
2015 - 1,116 (800 women / 316 men)
2016 - 1,034 (739 women / 295 men)
2017 - 725 (511 women / 214 men)

5K
2012 - 865 (608 women / 257 men)
2013 - 1,174 (794 women / 380 men)
2014 - 925 (593 women / 332 men)
2015 - 595 (371 women / 224 men)
2016 - 790 (539 women / 251 men)
2017 - 844 (524 women / 320 men)

Total
2012 - 1,818 (1,194 women / 625 men)
2013 - 2,240 (1,428 women / 812 men)
2014 - 2,547 (1,560 women / 987 men)
2015 - 3,217 (2,133 women / 1,164 men)
2016 - 2,737 (1,808 women / 929 men)
2017 - 2,219 (1,395 women / 824 men)

Sources:  eztoregister.com (2012-2013), nolimitstiming.com (2014-2015) and runhoustontiming.net (2016-2017)

Galveston Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K All-Time Top 20 Times (2011-2016)

Marathon - Men
2:46:51 - Ryan Martine, 34, 2012
2:52:16 - Aaron Gray, 28, 2016
2:52:44 - Kerry Lee, 40, 2015 (Masters)
2:54:55 - Clayton Marshall, 23, 2016
2:55:15 - Olli Haavikko, 39, 2014
2:55:58 - Brad Jones, 35, 2013
2:56:32 - Kerry Lee, 41, 2016
2:56:36 - Christopher Jackson, 40, 2011
2:57:28 - Adam Lazrus, 26, 2016
3:00:26 - German Garcia, 37, 2016
3:01:56 - Daniel Bucci, 32, 2015
3:02:09 - Aaron Knape, 33, 2013
3:02:09 - Alex Schmidt, 23, 2016
3:03:55 - Drew George, 49, 2014
3:05:39 - Caleb Class, 29, 2016
3:06:44 - Corey Yon, 37, 2015
3:06:50 - Tim Olson, 43, 2012
3:06:57 - Andres Sanchez, 36, 2016
3:07:15 - Al West, 42, 2014
3:07:40 - Jason Barnes, 39, 2011

Marathon - Women
3:02:05 - Laura Blaylock, 27, 2015
3:03:43 - Virginia Jones, 32, 2013
3:09:00 - Jessica Scheider, 28, 2013
3:19:16 - Jill Peters, 46, 2012 (Masters)
3:20:35 - Henrita Van Wyngaarden, 46, 2016
3:24:13 - Amy Clark, 38, 2015
3:24:43 - Amy Ostrowski, 25, 2014
3:25:15 - Sara Metcalf, 38, 2016
3:26:19 - Henrita Van Wyngaarden, 45, 2015
3:27:25 - Lindsay Ludlow, 28, 2014
3:28:54 - Angela Stevens, 31, 2014
3:29:08 - Nicole Schopp, 34, 2016
3:30:40 - Suzy Seeley, 53, 2013
3:30:59 - Suzy Seeley, 52, 2012
3:32:36 - Kristen Kilpatrick, 30, 2016
3:32:39 - Katy Stibrich, 34, 2013
3:33:06 - Suzy Seeley, 54, 2014
3:33:15 - Lauren Krone, 24, 2014
3:33:25 - Ashley Olson, 32, 2012
3:34:04 - Hannah Meddaugh, 36, 2016

Half Marathon - Men
1:09:59 - Paul Riley, 29, Madison, WI, 2011
1:17:48 - Bruce Faltynski, 28, South Bend, IN, 2011
1:20:22 - Bradley Pigage, 26, League City, 2011
1:20:33 - Juan Alvarez, 17, Spring, 2015
1:21:12 - Warren Grunwald, 21, Elk Grove, CA, 2012
1:21:22 - Kerry Lee, 38, League City, 2013
1:21:40 - Peter Mullin, 63, Houston, 2014 (Masters)
1:22:04 - Trace Greer, 16, Melissa, 2014
1:22:09 - Michael Barney, 25, Houston, 2012
1:22:44 - Mark Clee, 28, Galveston, 2013
1:23:12 - Nelson Chavez, 43, Quito, PI, 2014
1:23:21 - Tyler Grinstead, 24, Houston, 2016
1:23:25 - Paul Hand, 30, Houston, 2015
1:23:51 - Daniel Glass, 26, Lakewood, CO, 2014
1:23:52 - Daniel Glass, 25, Lakewood, CO, 2013
1:24:09 - David Yemaneab, 29, San Antonio, 2014
1:24:34 - Steve Maliszewski, 41, Sugar Land, 2014
1:24:53 - Luis Vielma, 18, Eagle Pass, 2015
1:25:00 - Deon Belle, 35, Webster, 2016
1:25:07 - Ian Hunter, 25, Miami, FL, 2015

Half Marathon - Women
1:28:16 - Tina Connelly, 45, Port Coquitlam, BC, 2016
1:29:01 - Cheryl Bridgens, 25, Sugar Land, 2013
1:29:37 - Patricia Acopa, 32, Richmond, 2011
1:30:03 - Grace Howley, 17, Kingwood, 2013
1:30:22 - Kaytlynn Welsch, 13, Alvin, 2014
1:32:21 - Suzanne Borrett, 31, Houston, 2011
1:32:45 - Melissa Condrey, 32, Houston, 2012
1:33:04 - Caitlyn Close, 14, Pearland, 2015
1:34:02 - Alexis Llewellyn, 38, Katy, 2013
1:34:04 - Cynthia Mendez-Karr, 41, Mcallen, 2013
1:34:46 - Lindy Graves, 33, Houston, 2014
1:35:13 - Haley Peddy, 24, Atascocita, 2016
1:35:15 - Courtney Grube, 28, Montgomery, 2011
1:35:21 - Samantha Conn, 27, Galveston, 2013
1:35:23 - Laura Harlett, 29, Galveston, 2014
1:35:39 - Laura Harlett, 27, Grapevine, 2012
1:35:56 - Audrey Cherel, 27, Houston, 2013
1:36:15 - Nancy Randall, 43, Houston, 2011
1:37:14 - Morgan Michals, 16, Houston, 2015
1:37:34 - Angela Martinez, 39, Houston, 2012

5K - Men
0:16:31 - Evan Dehart, 29, Galveston, 2015
0:17:28 - Jacob Strueby, 18, Galveston, 2015
0:18:39 - Nicholas Sechfort, 23, Houston, 2015
0:18:51 - Korey Hartman, 26, Richardson, 2014
0:18:56 - Randy Garabedian, 40, League City, 2016
0:19:00 - Kelly Carmichael Jr, 14, Galveston, 2016
0:19:29 - Connor Colorado, 16, League City, 2014
0:19:51 - Corbin Fontana, 15, Spring, 2014
0:20:14 - Ricardo Gomez Jr, 18, Galveston, 2014
0:20:16 - Kelly Carmichael Jr, 12, Galveston, 2014
0:20:19 - Sam Stewart, 15, Galveston, 2015
0:20:48 - Ricky Gomez, 20, 2016
0:20:54 - Ronnie Reeves, 42, League City, 2014
0:21:06 - Chase Achille, 26, Alivn, 2015
0:21:11 - James Reil, 24, League City, 2015
0:21:16 - Jonathan Patterson, 25, Santa Fe, 2014
0:21:20 - James Yarzy, 39, Seabrook, 2015
0:21:22 - Adam Eiler, 44, Houston, 2015
0:21:32 - Michael Omstead, 10, San Antonio, 2014
0:22:02 - Terry Green, 37, Orange, 2014

5K - Women
0:21:34 - Natalie Napolillo, 18, Rockford, MI, 2015
0:22:01 - Christina Segura, 33, Bridge City, 2016
0:22:34 - Melaine Gray, 27, Galveston, 2016
0:22:34 - Kim Knapp, 43, Clute, 2015
0:22:56 - Maria Jaimes, 40, Galveston, 2015
0:22:56 - Maria Carmichael, 41, Galveston, 2016
0:23:06 - Justine Lamperty, 27, Houston, 2016
0:23:11 - Mai Goss, 27, Galveston, 2016
0:23:17 - Meredith Caswell, 14, Columbus, OH, 2014
0:23:24 - Jenny Gruber, 39, League City, 2016
0:23:32 - Maria Munoz, 28, Houston, 2016
0:23:36 - Cameron Graves, 14, Houston, 2014
0:23:50 - Jennifer Smiley, 40, Missouri City, 2016
0:24:00 - Mazzie Hinsdale, 11, Missouri City, 2016
0:24:12 - Marai Jaimes, 39, Galveston, 2014
0:24:24 - Korbin Terpening, 15, Taylor Lake Village, 2016
0:24:27 - Kristin Majewski, 40, League City, 2015
0:24:32 - Shelby Connelly, 13, Port Coquitlam, BC, 2016
0:24:44 - Ruth Dominguez, 12, Goodrich, 2014
0:24:48 - Kelly Bryant, 29, La Porte, 2014

Source:  ezregister.com

Galveston Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K Finishers Numbers (2011-2016)

Marathon
2011 - 149 (53 women / 96 men)
2012 - 160 (67 women / 93 men)
2013 - 158 (69 women / 89 men)
2014 - 198 (74 women / 124 men)
2015 - 131 (57 women / 74 men)
2016 - 146 (56 women / 90 men)

Half Marathon
2011 - 829 (512 women / 317 men)
2012 - 1,016 (601 women / 415 men)
2013 - 802 (477 women / 325 men)
2014 - 810 (437 women / 373 men)
2015 - 602 (311 women / 291 men)
2016 - 556 (283 women / 273 men)

5K
2014 - 226 (146 women / 80 men)
2015 - 125 (75 women / 50 men)
2016 - 200 (137 women / 63 men)

All Races
2011 - 978 (565 women / 413 men)
2012 - 1,176 (668 women / 508 men)
2013 - 960 (546 women / 414 men)
2014 - 1,234 (657 women / 577 men)
2015 - 858 (443 women / 415 men)
2016 - 902 (476 women / 426 men)

Source:  eztoregister.com

35th annual All-American City 10K Finishers and Winners (2008-2017)

Finishers
2017 - 2,466 (1,108 women / 1,358 men)
2016 - 2,288 (1,038 women / 1,249 men)*
2015 - 1,429 (672 women / 757 men)
2014 - 1,744 (849 women / 895 men)
2013 - 1,865 (883 women / 982 men)
2012 - 1,752 (784 women / 968 men)
2011 - 1,276 (508 women / 768 men)
2010 - 1,610 (664 women / 946 men)
2009 - 1,449 (592 women / 857 men)
2008 - 1,156 (478 women / 678 men)

Top Overall Male
2017 - 28:48.4, Julius Keter
2016 - 29:15.6, Julaius Koskei
2015 - 28:03.6, Julius Jogo
2014 - 29:01.9, Leonard Korir, Colorado Springs, CO)
2013 - 28:22.0, Alene Reta
2012 - 29:51.4, Issack Kimaijo
2011 - 28:48.6, Isaack Kimaiyo
2010 - 28:57.3, Macdonard Ondara
2009 - 29:11.6, Eric Chirchir
2008 - 29:18.0, Ridouane Harruifi

Top Overall Female
2017 - 32:15.7, Gladys Yator
2016 - 32:03.8, Buze Dirba
2015 - 33:03.6, Risper Gesabwa
2014 - 33:46.0, Sheularse Alene Amare
2013 - 33:20.0, Belainesh Gebre
2012 - 34:02.9, Genoveva Jelagin Kigen
2011 - 32:30.5, Amare Shewarge Alene
2010 - 33:37.3, Shewarge Alene
2009 - 33:37.9, Belainesh Gebre
2008 - 32:59.2, Genovena Gieen

Top Overall American Male
2017 - 29:08.6, Kiya Dandena, Houston
2016 - 31:37.1, John Valentine
2015 - 30:06.1, Fernando Cabada, Fresno, CA
2014 - 29:47.3, Fernando Cabada, Boulder, CO
2013 - No division
2012 - 29:55.6, Jeffery Eggleston
2011 - 28:50.1, Fasil Bizuneh

Top Overall American Female
2017 - 34:43.5, Tricia Terry, Fort Worth (Smith - 3rd)
2016 - 34:10.2, Lauren Smith, College Station
2015 - 34:50.2, Dawn Grunnagle, Dallas (Smith - 3rd)
2014 - 36:24.4, Dawn Grunnagle, Dallas (Smith - 2nd)
2013 - No division
2012 - 35:59.5, Melissa Todd (Herron - 2nd)
2011 - 36:03.7, Camille Herron
2010 - 35:11.4, Zoilz Gomez

Top Edinburg Male
2017 - 35:45.4, Emmanuel Lopez
2016 - 34:39.1, Joshua Perez
2015 - 34:45.4, Luis Reyes
2014 - 33:28.6, Luis Serrano
2013 - 32:26.2, Hector Gandara
2012 - 33:55.3, Omar Doria
2011 - 33:07.2, Hector Gandara
2010 - 32:03.0, Hector Gandara
2009 - 36:24.0, Andrew De La Garza
2008 - 36:24.1, Andrew De La Garza

Top Edinburg Female
2017 - 36:16.0, Robin Galloso
2016 - 37:48.8, Robin Galloso
2015 - 45:14.1, Benoni Aranda
2014 - 39:39.7, Robin Galloso
2013 - 39:32.7, Krystl Zuniga
2012 - 42:58.8, Jena Cuellar
2011 - 42:06.6, Karla Hernandez
2010 - 43:04.9, Hilda Galloso
2009 - 43:55.5, Karla Hernandez
2008 - 47:54.7, Heather Galloso

Top Valley Male
2011 - 33:47.1, Armando Fierro, Port Isabel
2009 - 35:06.2, Benjamin Hanson
2008 - 31:51.7, Hector Gandara, Edinburg

Top Valley Female
2011 - 41:11.5, Dora Cavazos, Weslaco
2009 - 46:19.1, Veronica Gulligan
2008 - 46:22.4, Veronica Gulligan, McAllen

Top Overall Male Master
2017 - 34:20.8, Ramiro Leos-Cobos
2016 - 33:30.0, Ramiro Leos-Cobos
2015 - 33:52.9, Ramiro Leos-Cobos, Mexico
2014 - 31:19.4, Sammy Kiplagat Cheptoo, Georgetown
2013 - 33:26.5, Ramiro Leos Cobos
2012 - 35:21.7, Oscar Del Real
2011 - 34:38.1, Oscar Del Real Felix,
2010 - 35:06.9, Oscar Del Real Felix, Reynosa, Mexico
2009 - 31:33.2, Jackson Kipngok
2008 - 31:39.4, Jackson Kipngdk, Zapata

Top Overall Female Master
2017 - 41:30.8, Cathy Wilson, McAllen
2016 - 39:51.3, Liza Hunter-Galvan, San Antono
2015 - 44:51.2, Catherine Cavazos, McAllen
2014 - 37:41.8, Liza Hunter-Galvan, San Antonio
2013 - 37:35,2, Liza Hunter-Galvan, San Antonio
2012 - 46:43.5, Catherine Cavazos,
2011 - 43:12.6, Roberta Varela-Hein
2010 - 41:40.7, Roberta Varela-Hein, Universal City
2009 - 41:34.0, Roberta Varela-Hein
2008 - 43:17.1, Nancy Velasquez

Top Overall Male Senior Master
2017 - 35:55.7, Anastacio Barbosa, Mexico
2016 - 36:15.8, Anasmcio Barbosa
2015 - 36:33.6, Anastacio Becerra, Tamaulipas, Mexico
2014 - 39:40.7, Michael Fussell, Dallas
2013 - 38:21,3, Michael Fussell,
2012 - 40:20.9, Benito Chacon, Rio Bravo, TP
2011 - 38:49.7, John McAllister
2010 - 40:18.3, Pablo Rivera-Reyes
2009 - 39:34.1, John McAllister
2008 - 40:16.2, Benito Chacon, Rio Bravo

Top Overall Female Senior Master
2017 - 49:04.4, Irma Guerra, McAllen
2016 - 50:26.1, Irma Guerra, McAllen
2015 - 45:10.2, Enid Schantz-Hagelberg, Pharr
2014 - 44:50.0, Enid Schantz-Hagelberg, Pharr
2013 - 52:45.8, Susan Cox, Weslaco
2012 - 49;35.7, Brenda Willcox, London, Ontario
2011 - 49:30.1, Julie McAllister
2010 - 50:09.9, Francisca Benitez
2009 - 46:06.9, Margo Braud
2008 - 48:43.2, Fraustro Moreno Magua, Guadalupe, Mexico

Top Overall Male Grandmaster
2017 - 43:53.4, Michael Vordenbaum, Fentress
2016 - 45:27.2, Rafael Martinez, Alamo
2015 - 44:44.7, Rafael Martinez, Alamo
2014 - 46:18.3, Tom Roerig,
2013 - 46:15.9, Jim Cookie, Harlingen
2012 - 44:23.8, Steve Walker, London, Ontario
2011 - 44:31.5, Dioyenez Sanchez Rivera, Penitas
2010 - 43:16.8, Diogenes Sanchez
2009 - 42:50.2, Verulo Puente
2008 - 45:02.1, Diogenes Sanchez, Penitas

Top Overall Female Grandmaster
2017 - 44:48.4, Enid Schantz-Hagelberg, Pharr
2016 - 43:58.4, Enid Schantz-Hagelberg, Pharr
2015 - 1:04:57.4, Laura Tovalin Castillo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
2014 - 1:08:32.1, Tovalin Castle
2013 - 1:06:47.7, Kay Duplichan, Rockport
2012 - 1:05:34.6, Kay Duplichan, Rockport
2011 - 49:45.1, Maricela Flores, Weslaco
2010 - 58:10.1, Linda Frysinger, Alamo
2009 - 55:54.5, Linda Frysinger
2008 - 55:52.6, Linda Frysinger, Pharr

Source:  iaapweb.com (2008-2017)

Piney Woods TrailFest Finishers Numbers (2010-2017)

50K
2017 (February 4) - 17 (5 women / 12 men)
2016 (January 30) - 17 (7 women / 10 men)
2015 (February 7) - 25 (5 women / 20 men)
2014 (February 8) - 23 (7 women / 16 men)
2013 (February 9) - 19 (5 women / 14 men)

20-Miler
2017 (February 4) - 44 (26 women / 18 men)
2016 (January 30) - 32 (12 women / 20 men)
2015 (February 7) - 63 (23 women / 40 men)
2014 (February 8) - 49 (23 women / 26 men)**
2013 (February 9) - 24 (12 women / 12 men)

10-Miler
2017 (February 4) - 132 (62 women / 70 men)
2016 (January 30) - 97 (49 women / 48 men)
2015 (February 7) - 109 (53 women / 56 men)
2014 (February 8) - 66 (25 women / 41 men)
2013 (February 9) - 94 (48 women / 46 men)
2012 (January 28) - 93 (42 women / 51 men)
2011 (February 12) - 99 (36 women / 63 men)*
2010 (January 30) - 153 (78 women / 75 men)

20 > 10
2014 (February 8) - 6 (4 women / 2 men)

5K
2017 (February 4) - 62 (41 women / 21 men)
2016 (January 30) - 45 (22 women / 23 men)
2015 (February 7) - 53 (26 women / 27 men)
2014 (February 8) - 36 (19 women / 17 men)
2013 (February 9) - 63 (33 women / 30 men)
2012 (January 28) - 47 (24 women / 23 men)
2011 (February 12) - 73 (39 women / 34 men)*
2010 (January 30) - 53 (30 women / 23 men)

Kids 1-Mile
2017 (February 4) - 19 (13 women / 6 men)
2016 (January 30) - 4 (1 female / 3 men)
2015 (February 7) - 5 (4 women / 1 male)

*includes 3 4K and 1 12-miler
** includes 4 21-miler

Sources:  runintexas.com, iaapweb.com

Cleft Smiles 5K All-Time Finishers and Winners (2015-2017)

2017 (February 4) - 350 finishers (215 women / 135 men)
2016 (February 27) - 298 finishers (190 women / 108 men)
2015 (March 7) - 304 finishers (173 women / 131 men)

Overall - Male
2017 - 18:43.4, Andrew Venegas, 17
2016 - 20:14.1, Justin Dove
2015 - 18:40.0, Andrew Venegas, 15 (Dan Byrne runner-up)

Overall - Female
2017 - 19:46.5, Brianna Gallaher, 15
2016 - 22:46.2, Penny Rettenmaier
2015 - 22:31.0, Penny Rettenmaier, 48

Source:  runhoustontiming.net

2017 Race Announcing Update

Sunday, I'll be race announcing the Galveston Marathon and its three companion races for the sixth time in the race's seven-year renewal.

It will be the first of three marathons that I'll announce over the next six weekends - and the fourth marathon of 2017.

The other two are the Gusher Marathon in Beaumont and the Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon.

The Gusher comes on Saturday, March 4, and now includes a three-distance cycling time trial race and a strength fitness competition called Roughneck.

Seabrook, meanwhile, has evolved into a three-day running festival that begins on Friday, March 17 with the marathon now on Saturday, March 18 and wrapping up with a half on Sunday, March 19.

It is a privilege to be able to do each one of these races, as well as Steve and Paula Boone's Texas Marathon (which is always held on January 1 in Kingwood).

2015 was probably the height of my race announcing and if so, that's perfectly OK.

Those closest to me hear me say often that "I have no ego".  Seriously.

While I'm confident in what I do, and feel like I hold my own with the best in the business, I announce so I can help promote the races that I work with and affirm and recognize the runners that put down their discretionary income to run them.

The last year or so has certainly been interesting.

Robby Sabban's races - or Running Alliance Sport - and the Nike South and Nike Cross Regional meets for The Woodlands High School go on my calendar first.

(A close second is the two cross country meets I announce for Sam Houston State University - the UIL Region III Preview meet in September and the UIL Region III meet in late October.)

In fact, RAS is assuming the race management of a race which will be on the same date this year of a race that I announced for the first time last year.

So I'll announce Yuri's Night 10K and 5K in Nassau Bay on Saturday, April 8 and I sent the e-mail today to the race contact that brought me to the table last year.

They hadn't reconnected yet, but I didn't want to wait until later in the process when I knew that I wasn't going to be there.

A year ago, I walked away from a race series that I was with from its inception in November 2012.

I, at first, had a potential work conflict that may have caused some work-related travel issues if the company that I'm employed by sent me to a NYC-based customer, but there were also some fulfillment issues from the event production company's standpoint.

I was also brought to the table of an out-of-state race for the first time last year for a race that is always held on Super Bowl Saturday.

I ran the race in 2015 and when it was getting eerily close to start the race and there was nobody queued up, I jumped in to make a few announcements for the race director.

The timer made an introduction late that winter and in 2016, I announced the race.

My rate card was shared in all communications.  I agreed to discount my half marathon rate since it was the first time that I was doing their race.

I even talked to the race director before I left the race site that I would submit my invoice that evening to them so they could tally their number up to make a sizable donation to a significant charity.

After not getting paid in a little more than 30 days, I reached out electronically again to the race director with no response.

Oddly enough, within the last few weeks, the race e-mailed me to see if I would be available to announce for them.

I simply responded that I would not be available.  It was kind of sad.  I loved running the race and I enjoyed the atmosphere and the people.

If I had been paid, I would have blocked the race on my calendar until about 30 or 45 days before the race, depending on the race and my relationship with the race director.

I had even e-mailed the timer to make them aware and I got no response from that individual.

Finally, there was another race - a half marathon with a 5K - that I ran the very first edition of in the fall of 2013 and then announced the second and third editions in January of 2015 and 2016.

Two days after Christmas, about 30 days before race day, I e-mailed the individuals - friends, actually - to ask them for an update and I received no communications from them and have yet to hear from them.

Just stunning.

If I'm not good any more, tell me.  I can live with that.

If I'm expensive, which I've actually been told I'm actually pretty cheap comparatively speaking, then tell me that too.

But don't go without communicating anything.

They had also arranged for me to get some microphone time at one of our state's biggest marathons last year - for which I was incredibly grateful and honored - and had intimated back in October that there might have been some more opportunity for this year, but again:  Nothing.  Which is fine.

I've also said to many that I have no designs on dominating the race announcing world.

So I appreciate Richard and Amie James, the race directors with the Gusher Marathon, getting with me immediately after last year's race (think it might have been on-site before the 2016 race was over) and saying, "Hey, likely, we're going to be on the same date as another marathon that you've been involved in 2017."

I told them then that I would be there.

The race director at the marathon that I had been involved with (since its re-entry to the market place) sent me a text asking if I wanted to announce that race this year.

We had talked in the past about me doing it, but that I needed to find a partner (which I had started to investigate).

However, while Rich and Amie would have understood, my word was most important (even though I have failed a time or two elsewhere in my life in that area).

Even here within the last couple of weeks, a respected runner that's known internationally asked where I was going to be on Saturday, March 4 - and they're headed to Beaumont as well.

But they commended me on keeping my word to Beaumont.

So for Beaumont, it will be my sixth year to announce their race.

The Gusher's first year was 2010.  I ran the half marathon in 2011.  And then I approached the couple before 2012 and have been helping them ever since.

Seabrook will be the ninth straight year that I have been on the microphone for a race that is the eighth oldest marathon in Texas, a title it shares with Dallas' Big-D Marathon and the Waco Miracle Match Marathon.

I'm grateful for each race I get to announce and I even more appreciate now Ken Johnson and the Seven Hills Running Club for giving me that first chance in 2007 -- even though I had done a lot of basketball public address announcing when I covered private and parochial high school athletitcs in Texas.

I also appreciate Andy Stewart with Finish Line Sports, The Woodlands Township, Bill Gardner with Run In Texas, the crew at Sylvan Beach Triathlon and Duathlon and Graham Schooley with RA Sports Management for continuing to engage my services.

If there's a race out there that you think that I can help with what I do, which I often say is more than just announcing, a referral always goes a long way -- and thank you in advance for doing so.

Rocky Raccoon 100 Sub-15 Hours All-Time (1993-2017)

12:44:33 - Ian Sharman, 30, 2011
13:16:02 - Eric Clifton, 37, 1996
13:16:56 - Jorge Pacheco, 38, 2006
13:17:42 - Matthew Laye, 32, 2014
13:18:52 - Anton Krupicka, 27, 2011

13:24:52 - Hal Koerner, 36, 2012
13:26:19 - Hal Koerner, 35, 2011
13:32:20 - Anton Krupicka, 23, 2007
13:32:44 - Ian Sharman, 34, 2015
13:38:03 - Ian Sharman, 33, 2014

13:39:13 - James Stewart, 40, 2017
13:42:57 - Ben Hian, 27, 1997
13:44:28 - Ronnie Delzer, 35, 2017
13:45:03 - Ian Sharman, 35, 2016
13:57:17 - Jared Hazen, 18, 2014

13:57:30 - Marco Bonfiglio, 37, 2015
14:04:18 - Matthew Urbanski, 36, 2017
14:05:17 - Paul Terranova, 41, 2015
14:11:40 - Sam Skeels, 36, 2015
14:12:20 - Jorge Pacheco, 40, 2008

14:14:12 - Jorge Pacheco, 37, 2005
14:15:53 - Ronnie Delzer, 33, 2015
14:17:42 - Karl Meltzer, 45, 2012
14:19:28 - Ben Hian, 26, 1996
14:22:18 - Nicole Studer, 32, 2015

14:24:05 - Paul Terranova, 42, 2016
14:27:20 - Karl Meltzer, 44, 2011
14:28:09 - Mike Morton, 41, 2013
14:30:58 - Oswaldo Lopez, 40, 2012
14:35:27 - Jim Garcia, 41, 2000

14:37.50 - Serge Arbona, 37, 2003
14:41:41 - Scott Eppelman, 35, 2002
14:41:44 - Mario Mendoza, 30, 2017
14:42:18 - Henrik Westerlin, 39, 2015
14:47:44 - Joe Hildebrand, 42, 1999

14:48:45 - Dan Aycock, 41, 1993
14:50:17 - James Elson, 32, 2015
14:51:05 - Blake Wood, 43, 2002
14:51:54 - Akos Konya, 32, 2007
14:55:15 - Nathan Leehman, 41, 2015

14:55:50 - Sabrina Little, 29, 2016
14:56:18 - Ben Hian, 28, 1998
14:56:55 - Andy Jones-Wilkins, 38, 2006
14:57:18 - Jenn Shelton, 23, 2007
14:58:32 - Greg Crowther, 36, 2010
14:58:37 - Brooks Williams, 29, 2012

Sources:  tejastrails.com 1993-2016), eventdatasolutions.com (2017 results)

Dawson Winter Dash All-Time Finishers Numbers and Winners (2011-2017)

Finishers2017 (January 28) - 118 (62 women / 56 men)
2016 (January 30) - 229 (137 women / 92 men)
2015 (January 31) - 212 (129 women / 83 men)
2014 (January 25) - 134 (69 women / 65 men)
2013 (January 26) - 166 (104 women / 62 men)
2012 (January 28) - 160 (89 women / 71 men)
2011 (January 22) - 68 (28 women / 40 men)

Men
2017 - 18:15.2, Kyle Stacks
2016 - 15:40.8, Michael Gillis, Pearland
2015 - 15:22.5, Maximo Mendoza, 25
2014 - 18:13.4, Jacob Hook
2013 - 20:49.1, Raymond Cruz, 53
2012 - 15:33.4, Chris Layman, 27
2011 - 20:42, Anthony Franklin

Women
2017 - 23:52.5, Maria Carmichael
2016 - 19:55.5, Jennifer Lewis
2015 - 20:46.0, Lauren Valentino, 36, Houston
2014 - 21:36.0, Anna Dixon
2013 - 18:28.5, Kassie Harris, 26
2012 - 22:53.6, Amelia Biczynski, 11
2011 - 24:37, Kamalah Chang

Sources: runhoustontiming.net (2011-2017; 2012 via active.com)

Fort Bend Kia Half Marathon Race Report

Race #5 new to me in 2017 (Goal is 50)
Race #7 to finish in 2017
Race #9 to be in attendance for in 2017 (7 finish, 1 announce, 1 media)
128th career half marathon
6th best half marathon in raw time, 2:13:05.
Best ever half marathon in age-graded time, 1:57:42

Simply put, Sunday, January 29, 2017 was a great day to race and I'm fortunate enough - financially, schedule, etc. - to have been able to take advantage of it.

My regular routine is all about making the logistics work in my life and things kind of came clear so that I could race the Fort Bend Kia Half Marathon - part of the Memorial Hermann USA Fit Half Marathon.

There are a few half marathons that I want to do a little later in the spring and the best way - to me - to stay ready is to run them when possible.

This race, which features primarily a flat course, has either typically been on a weekend where I had a conflict with another race that I was running or announcing.

Last year, I announced races on both Saturday and Sunday of the last weekend of January.  The reasons why are, sadly, other stories.

I knew my good friend, Bill Dwyer, of Volte Endurance Training, was maybe not going to go to the first race of the Texas 10 Series in Boerne, due to family responsibilities.

And once I saw one of his runners, Criss Neumann, was going to run it, I was all in.

I registered Wednesday evening before online registration closed and picked up my packet the next day at Finish Line Sports in Sugar Land.  Got a nice even #1800 bib number!

Fast-forward to Sunday.  Up at 3:30 a.m., left the house at 4:15 a.m., picked Bill up by 4:35 a.m., stopped and got something quick to eat off University Blvd. in Sugar Land at around 5:30 a.m. and was parked shortly thereafter.

Race start time was 6:30 a.m.  A little odd, but actually perfect, to be honest.

The streets that the first two miles are run on are lit well enough that you don't have any issues seeing the ground below your feet.

Given the temperatures, somewhere in the low 40s, I stayed in the car until about 6:15 a.m. then made our way to the start line.

Saw Felix Lugo and Kevin Kline, then after the National Anthem, jumped in the corral and off we went.

Kingwood's Karen Berglund deduced I was in front of her and husband Ron and I waved, knowing that they were running the marathon (as they had done five times before at Sugar Land), as I wanted to get off to a good, clean start.

Pace felt a little fast for me for a half marathon, especially since I was able to keep Criss in striking distance for three or four miles.

Mile 1 - 9:44.64
Mile 2 - 9:46.11

I saw Bill before the corner as we turned on to University and told him that mile 1 was 9:44 and that it was too fast.  I tried to slow it down, but the pace - given the weather - felt pretty good too.

There wasn't a lot of wind, but when I needed to grab a quick breath and stopped to walk for a few you still didn't want to stay still for long.

Mile 3 - 10:06.70
Mile 4 - 10:05.37
Mile 5 - 10:01.71
Mile 6 - 10:09.32

Along the way, I saw RaceShots.Net's Lance Phegley, who commented on my Liberty Flames technical shirt selection, as he was behind his camera.

For me at least, when you're trying to hammer away at a steady pace which gets you close to some of the fastest times you've run at the distance before, the incline of a few of the bridges felt worse than what they really were.

Plus, I cheer people on when I see them - going the other way (David Raines, Steve Maliszewski, Leno Rios, Victoria Webster, Bennie Perez and Daniel Bucci) - at which time I tend to inherently pick up my pace throwing me out of rhythm a little bit.

The turnaround came just before mile 7, around which time Pearland's Donna Palmer - a steady, solid 4:15-4:30 marathoner - and Houston's Richard Oeschlin, both of whom do the Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon that I announce, came upon me.

Mile 7 - 9:52.44

Donna asked me how things were going and I think I stated that all was good.

Knowing though that I had just gone through the last mile fairly fast, I thought that I would run with (or behind) them a little bit to get into more of a steady pace.

Mile 8 - 10:17.17
Mile 9 - 10:06.54

I did - for a mile it seems, but again the way that the weather was it was hard to not try and push the pace a little bit.

Mile 10 - 10:32.91

I wouldn't say that the wheels came off, but it proved to be the slowest mile of the race and this included the first of two short out and backs off of University.

The first one took us out to a "cheater mat" at approximately the 15K point.  I guess mile 9 was on the way out to it, but when you made it back to University the immediate left-hand turn was up the incline of the bridge.

Just on the other side of the bridge and beyond it was the mile 10 marker.

Mile 11 - 10:14.79
Mile 12 - 10:31.67
Mile 13 - 10:26.95
Last .1 - 1:08.43

From there, I knew I had have one of my better times ever if I could just keep it all together.

I think mile 12 included a shorter out-and-back in the parking lot of the park where the Snowdrop Ultra 55 is held each year.

Also, pretty much everything after the first turnaround - into the finish - was on a wide path and off of University Drive itself, which I'm surprised that it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.

Saw Bill taking pictures to the right as I got ready to make the final left-hand turn to head towards the finish on the campus of the University of Houston-Sugar Land.

Legs look solid, if nothing else does!
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

The funniest thing (in a very good way) of the day, though, was Hugh Fraser's finish line call.

Since I didn't get out of the car until late, I didn't stop over and see Hugh - who has spelled me a little out at Kingwood a couple of years ago when I ran with Waverly, Jack McClintic and one of the Zarate brothers (likely Greg) before the race.

So as I cross the announcer mat, which Run Houston Timing has working well now it seems, I hear Hugh call the two runners in front of me and he goes, "Jon Walk."

And then in a bit of a surprised, excited tone:  "Jon Walk.  Who announces marathons around the state and country."

Well not quite the country, Hugh, but I waved back overhead in appreciation.

It put a big smile on my face.

Kind of like Patty Godfrey, who was handling the post-race awards ceremony (and doing a bang-up job doing so) on Sunday, did giving me No. 1 at her Frontier Fiesta 5K on the University of Houston campus two years ago.

I appreciate the love from the running and triathlon communities and something Bill and I had a good laugh about on the drive back to Spring.

Saw and talked with Peter Manry, who told me he heard Keith Schreiter and I on the radio (from our public service programming spot we did with The Bull 100.3 FM) that morning.

Also had a chance to talk with a local runner (who it took me a while to get her last name announced right over the years) about her faith - which is being attacked - and what the latest immigration issues mean to her.

So I came away with much more than a good time, knowing that the 2:13 was pretty solid and of which I was really pleased with the effort.

Of course, I wondered (seriously, not for long) if I had rested and not done two 5Ks the two days before if I might have gotten closer to 2:10.  Who knows?

The bottom line, though, is I had fun doing the other two and I was able to support a couple of different efforts in different ways and those are good things.

Ten years ago, I had folks in the community criticizing me for as much racing as I did - the quality vs. quantity argument.

To me, if I had something to prove or to specifically achieve, like those individuals did, maybe they might have been right.

Variety is the spice of life, right?

These are my best eight half marathon times all-time:

2:09:45 - 9/11/10 (43) - Elroy Tunnel-Trails Half Marathon, Elroy, WI - 74
2:09:58 - 3/18/06 (39) - Wheatfield Half Marathon, The Dalles, OR - 24
2:10:57 - 12/11/10 (43) - Schlotzsky's Jingle Bell Run Half Marathon, Temple, TX - 76
2:12:06 - 1/29/06 (39) - 12th annual 3M Half Marathon, Austin, TX - 23
2:12:26 - 1/28/07 (40) - 13th annual 3M Half Marathon, Austin, TX - 31
2:13:05 - 1/29/17 (50) - USA Fit Half Marathon, Sugar Land, TX - 128
2:13:17 - 1/31/15 (48) - Minden Run For St. Jude Half Marathon, Minden, LA - 103 (2:13:21)
2:13:45 - 2/9/14 (47) - Biggest Loser Half Marathon, Mobile, AL - 94

The two fastest weren't necessarily on cold days, like the following six were.

The race in Oregon had come after doing four marathons in five weeks, which included my 4:48 marathon PR.

However, as I came into the finish on Sunday, I remembered the effort in Mobile, Alabama, which was the first race after Holly, my sister, had passed away three years ago.

And the day was similarly cool and clear too - and even more flat than Sugar Land.

Mardi Gras 5K Race Report

Race #4 new to me in 2017 (Goal is 50)
Race #6 to finish in 2017
Race #8 to be in attendance for in 2017 (6 finish, 1 announce, 1 media)

Second race of the weekend took me to Angleton, Texas, south of downtown Houston and off Highway 288.

As I stated in an earlier Facebook post, when an United States Olympic Trials Marathon finisher asks you to come out and run her race, you do your best to try and get it on your calendar.

Whenever Lauren Smith Stroud decides to give up running competitively, she can have a pretty good career as a race director.

She did a fantastic job today.  I didn't stay for any of the post-race festivities, but as a racer she got the race started on-time and had a certified course that was extremely well-marked and coned off.

The race was manually timed because of the smaller crowd, which is no big deal as the process to capture those times and runners was sound.

However, this is an event - the Mardi Gras 5K produced by the Angleton Parks and Recreation Department -- that really should grow.

It is basically a flat course with a handful of turns.  MapMyRun.com had 17.19 feet of elevation gain, but I couldn't tell you where that even was.

Here's the course on MapMyRun.com -- Mardi Gras 5K.

Style points would be that maybe the mile markers were a little off, but otherwise from an event production standpoint there's really nothing that you can find fault with.

If you registered before race day, I think the price for a long time was $20.  There was a Kids' 1K that was sparsely attended, which is a shame.

I registered race day for $25, which isn't bad at all (given the nature of our sport these days).

Mile 1 -- 9:25.20
Mile 2 -- 10:21.62
Mile 3 -- 8:34.35
Last .1 -- 1:14.83

Total -- 29:36.00

The funny of the day goes to a lady right before the start.  She asked, "Are you Dr. so-and-so's PA (Physician Assistant)?"  I went, "Ah no."

I know at times that I look official, but not this Saturday morning - or any other for that profession.

At about the halfway point, a man and his son were running and asked if I knew what pace I was running.  I think I replied something to the effect, "As fast as I can and then hold on!"  I said that it felt like about a 9:20 pace.

After we made the right hand turn on to Downing and got to the mile marker, he said, "You were right.  9:20."  I got there a few seconds after in 9:25.

From there, we ran south on Downing and then west on Miller to get to mile 2.

That came in at 10:21 and I thought, "Wow.  The wheels are coming off."  But the temperature was great.  51 degrees.

Nonetheless, I kept plugging away.  A taller gentleman my age and a woman that I saw inside the Recreation Center were running in my general vicinty.

We traded off a little bit down Downing, on Miller and through turns on to Willow, Cedar and then Valderas, but I needed to pause for a quick breath coming down Valderas and could catch neither of them.

Mile 3 was 8:34.35 and the last .1 was 1:14.83.  When I'm running about a 9:20 pace, that last tenth of a mile is basically 56 or 57 seconds.  So that marker was a little off, or the finish was off.

When I talked to Lauren after the race, she thought it was long (like at 3.16) and when I measured it on MapMyRun.com, it was 3.17.  (I don't do Auto Follow Roads and I'm very deliberate and try to mark the tangents where possible to get the shortest possible distance.)

So to go 29:36 at 3:17, that's a 9:20 pace and equates to a 29-minute even 5K.

So I'm really pleased, thirteen and a half hours after another 5K including a drive back from Temple and a drive to Angleton to have essentially run better.

At my age, I'll take it.  :-)

Big Blue Wave 5K Glow Run Race Report

Race #3 new to me in 2017 (Goal is 50)
Race #5 to finish in 2017
Race #7 to be in attendance for in 2017 (5 finish, 1 announce, 1 media)

Every runner has a story, right?

And you're probably wondering why I would go all the way to Temple to run a "Glow Run" 5K on a Friday night.

The original reason is because I was going to run a double in that part of the state.

Not every race site that lists races has them all.  So often times, I'll just Google the date and the words "5K" and "Texas".

Doing so, I found a 5K - that was timed like this one was tonight - in Copperas Cove for Saturday morning.  It would have been a Texas city of town that I had not yet run a race in.

Interestingly, it was called the 5K to the Polar Bear Plunge and would have included a dip into one of the city's swimming pools.

But different plans for Saturday morning have intervened.

So knowing that I was going to be doing a lot of driving this weekend, I went out to George Bush International Airport, rented a car and was headed to Temple at about 1:30 p.m.

I got into the area right about 5 p.m. and within the half hour had made it to Jefferson Elementary School where the fourth annual Big Blue Wave Glow Run 5K powered by Amos Electric was being held to raise money for the Temple Education Foundation's "I Teach Temple" program.

The race day entry fee was $35.

Pro-Fit Event Services was timing the race and I was able to register at a laptop where volunteers then grabbed a bib and matched it to the record that I had just created.

I went across N. 3rd Street to park in Walker Park as I was told that I wouldn't be able to exit the parking lot in front of the school for awhile.

I had my North Dakota State University tech shirt over top a white long-sleeved Space City 10 Miler tech shirt as the temperature at race time was 51 degrees.  I also wore a pair of thin white gloves, enough to keep my hands warm.

Exiting the parking lot would be a slight incline as was the right-hand turn and westerly initial direction of the course.

I went back inside the elementary school to study the map -- and after the race I grabbed a copy so that I could map it on MapMyRun.com to see if the distance was accurate.

There was a warm-up, which caused for concern as to whether the race would start on-time.

However, there wasn't any pre-race agenda.  I did let an individual with a microphone to remind individuals that the course wasn't closed to traffic.

The course was basically at out-and-back, running north and south.

I had no idea how the streets were, what the lighting situation was going to be, etc.  Just head out and see what the course gave us.

Most of the major intersections were either lit with rented lighting and/or there were volunteers manning many intersections.  (After the race, I did advise race leadership that participants should - in the future - be advised to carry a flashlight, wear a head lamp or have some of those keychains with the thumb lights as the streets were dark enough where they would have helped some.)

Mile 1 was 10:10.35.  Ugh, I thought, but I was thinking that the mile marker might had been off because I was rolling pretty good.  [And the MapMyRun.com elevation showed a decline from about .7 miles to right around or just past the mile 1 marker.]

We got to the very south end of the course, which was near a high school soccer field that was just about ready to have a match begin, and then started to head back north.

When we got to mile 2, I was at 19:32.47 and 9:22.12 on the second mile.

That's when I knew that I thought that they were off a little bit.

There was a female runner in close proximity that I was trading back and forth a little bit with.  After passing the mile 2 marker, there would be a pair of left-hand and then right-hand turns.

After we made it through both of them and had crossed Shell Avenue heading north, I figured I pretty well had her.

Over a half mile, there was a 23 foot climb.  Nothing substantial, but enough your legs could slightly tell.

I also knew from running a little bit of the course before the race that the last two-tenths of a mile or so would basically be downhill.

The last .22 miles, according to MapMyRun.com, had a 29-foot drop and I did my best to exploit it.

The last bit was 10:33.01 for a 30:05.48 finish.  (Timer had me for 30:04.9)

I knew given how I've been running that it seemed long and MapMyRun.com confirmed it.

It measured at 3.18 miles, which made for an equivalent 29:23 5K.

And that is what I expected to see based on how I've been running.  And, oh, the female, who was eight years younger than me, didn't catch me, but it was close -- 3.2 seconds close.

It turned out that I was second in my 10-year age group, but I grabbed a Subway 6-inch ham sandwich, talked to the organizer and gave her some feedback (all positive) and then started to make the drive back to Spring.

Although it seemed as if there were more runners, only 74 received an official time - which was 25 less than a year ago.

Excellent smaller race that you hope to see grow.  Good, friendly people and a really nice course.  The link to the course on MapMyRun.com is here.

USA Fit Marathon and Half Marathon 6- And 7-Time Finishers

7 Finishes

Bobbie Browne (M 2009-2011, 2014; HM 2012-2013, 2015)
Debora Vida (HM 2010-2016)
Denise Smith (HM 2010-2016)
Katherine Miller (HM 2009-2010, 2012-2013; M 2014-2016)
Keith Cox (HM 2010-2016)
Nancy Dunn (M 2010; HM 2011-2016)
Peggy DeMarsh (M 2011; HM 2010, 2012-2016)
Randall Smith (M 2009; HM 2010-2013, 2015-2016)
Robin McConaughey (HM 2009-2010, 2012-2016)
Sara Pressel (HM 2010-2012, 2014-2016; M 2013)

6 Finishes

Barbara Hansen (HM 2010, 2013, 2015-2016; M 2012, 2014)
Barry Davis (HM 2010, 2012-2016; M 2011)
Becky Walker (M 2009; HM 2010-2011, 2014-2016)
Benno Dunn (HM 2009-2010, 2012-2013, 2015-2016)
Billie Kennedy (HM 2010, 2012-2016)
Cindy Cox (HM 2011-2016)
Don Womble (HM 2009-2014)
Donna Allotta (HM 2010-2015)
Edward Campos (M 2013; HM 2011-2012, 2014-2016)
Ellen Chu (M 2009-2010, 2012-2013; HM 2015-2016)
Fulin Han (M 2011-2016)
Ilse Bekker (M 2010, 2012; HM 2009, 2013-2014, 2016)
Joyce Walter (M 2011-2012, HM 2013-2016)
Kelva Kelly (HM 2011-2016)
Margot Campos (M 2013; HM 2011-2012, 2014-2016)
Marie Thompson (HM 2011-2014; M 2015-2016)
Michael Fleming (HM 2010, 2012-2016)
Nancy Holcomb (M 2011; HM 2012-2016)
Nanette Willis (HM 2010-2014; M 2015)
Philip Cohen (HM 2011-2016)
Scott Balin (HM 2011-2014; M 2015-2016)
Teresa Levine (HM 2011-2016)
Timothy Beally (HM 2010, 2015; M 2011, 2013-2014, 2016)
Yong Beally (HM 2010-2015)

McAllen Marathon Scott Crane Memorial Run Finishers Numbers (2013-2017)

After moving the race from December to January for its fourth running (and landing on the same weekend as the Longest Causeway Run & Fitness Walk in Port Isabel), the 2018 - and fifth - edition will be a week after the Chevron Houston Marathon on Saturday, January 20 for the 5K and Sunday, January 21 for the Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Relay.

Marathon
2013 (December 15) - 256 (138 men / 60 women / 58 relay)
2014 (December 14) - 345 (138 men / 102 women / 105 relay)
2015 (December 13) - 288 (113 men / 71 women / 104 relay)
2017 (January 15) - 202 (91 men / 55 women / 56 relay)

Half Marathon
2013 (December 15) - 619 (323 men / 296 women)
2014 (December 14) - 901 (424 men / 477 women)
2015 (December 13) - 689 (331 men / 358 women)
2017 (January 15) - 578 (261 men / 317 women)

5K
2015 (December 12) - 130 (55 men / 75 women)
2017 (January 14) - 142 (55 men / 87 women)

Source:  athleteguild.com

Miracle Match Marathon 10K Race Report

Race #4 to finish in 2017
Race #6 to be in attendance for in 2017 (4 finish, 1 announce, 1 media)

This morning's Miracle Match Marathon 10K in Waco was not a new city or county in Texas for me to race in, nor was it a new race to me.

I ran (or maybe battled is a better term) the half marathon two years ago.

The race director, Nancy Goodnight, bills this as the toughest marathon in Texas and I can't say, given my knowledge of the state's races, that it is an unfair assessment at all.

It might even qualify for the half marathon as well.

The 10K?  Maybe not.  The first two miles of this race are fairly flat as you depart from the side of the Hilton Hotel and Waco Convention Center, near the banks of the Brazos River, and you head east - under Interstate 35 - over and onto the Baylor University campus.

You exit the campus, cross a foot bridge that has a little life to it and run around Mc Lane Stadium, where you pass the mile 3 marker on the north side of the stadium.

Right after the return pass of the bridge, you pass the mile 4 marker, make a left hand turn and then make a sweeping upside down U-turn that brings you back in the westerly direction.

You run on a path the parallels the Brazos River where you pass mile 5.

The last 1.2 miles is definitely the most tough part of the course.

You know that you're going to finish coming across the famous Waco Suspension Bridge.

So, if you haven't run it before, you're thinking:  "How are we going to get back up there?"

Well, it was either three or five ramps up to the ground level, near where we started.

You then head west, where the half marathoners go straight towards Cameron Park (lucky them!) while the 10K'ers (that was me today) made a right-hand turn over a flat, paved bridge that took you to the north side of the Brazos.

Off the bridge to the left you went, a slight downhill, to the right for a short out-and-back, back under the bridge, and then up another ramp (not as difficult as those on the south side of Brazos, but a ramp nonetheless) before making the left-hand turn to come across the Suspension Bridge.

Always seems to be an added degree of difficulty with this race.

Today, it was some pretty ferocious high winds that blew from west to east.

And most of the time today, they simply sucked the wind out of me.

As given the description above, you can tell it is definitely not a PR course.  The bottom line is that your legs will know it if the rest of your body happens to sleep through it.

Speaking of sleep, I didn't sleep too well last night, but I don't think it affected my racing.

If anything, the hard 15K yesterday might have.  But, all in all, a good test, especially since I've got a couple of half marathons that I want do to this spring.

Offset - 27.52
Mile 1 - 9:39.50
Mile 2 - 9:53.30
Mile 3 - 10:06.63
Mile 4 - 10:14.75
Mile 5 - 10:09.65
Mile 6 - 9:28.47 (Mile marker was slightly misplaced.)
Last .2 - 3:14.57 (10:35/mile the last 1.2, but I slowed to set up crossing the finish too!)

Total - 1:02:46.87 (10:06/mile)

There's no way I would have broked 10 minutes/mile.  Fresh legs, cool temperatures and no wind.  Probably, but not by much.

It was in the low to mid 50s today.  I thought for a minute to wear a top, but opted for my short sleeved Liberty Flames technical shirt with thin gloves.

Couple of things of note:

1.  The medals are fire service-inspired.  Thin pieces of metal that are hand cut by a Waco fireman who has personally donated stem cells through the Be The Match program.

1a.  Race shirt was great:  "Thrashing quads since 2004".  I can't speak about post-race food and festivities, etc. as I needed to leave (see below), although I'm sure they were excellent.

2.  One of the things, besides extremely efficient race day packet pickup, that I don't recall being highly touted is the proximity of the Waco Convention Center to the start line -- and it being open the morning of the race.  Case in point:  If I my bowels get out of sync and I didn't go before I left my home or hotel, I will figure out a way to hold it (as I'm just not a fan of port-a-potties for that function).  Today I did and the WCC was more than perfect for a clean, non-congested environment.

2a.  I stayed either inside or close to the building to protect myself from the cool temperatures and winds until about a minute before the start of the race.  #winning

Those who I encountered along the way on the 10K course (volunteers, law enforcement, etc.) do an incredibly great job for Nancy, but she does a great job - with a team - of doing right by them and showcasing the area and community incredibly.

Speaking of being on the course, I noted the following:

1.  Saw Houston's Andrew Rennie, who was running the marathon today, somewhere around the mile 1 marker.  I had jumped out to a quick 9:40 first mile and he went with me around the mile marker to talk, but I talked him into letting go because a.) I speed up when I engage in conversation and b.) he needed to slow down to pace himself for the remaining 25.2.

1a.)   Also saw a gentleman with a Space City USA 10-Miler technical race shirt and ABB 5K gloves.  He didn't engage.  Why?  Headphones.  :-)

2.  I circled McLane Stadium with a few "Go Flames!"  Baylor will likely beat Liberty pretty badly in September, but one can pray and dream, right?

3.  Just after passing mile 4, a gentleman said to me (can't make this stuff up), "I hope you're not in my age group."  I told him that I had raced a 15K hard yesterday so that I'd probably crash before we made it to the finish.  (I beat him, but a.) I figure there were others ahead of us if we were in the same division and b.) I saw him on the out-and-back on the north side of the Brazos River.)

4.  I won't put this because I don't know that I want to manage the incoming fire, but let me say this:  Sometimes during a race I get a target and today, I beat mine.  (It had something to do with what they were wearing.  It was out-of-place for the race today.)

I made it to Waco late yesterday afternoon as I didn't go to my planned second college basketball game of the day.  The game at the University of Texas-Dallas (against Louisiana College) was over around 2:45 p.m. and I just couldn't see hanging around the Dallas area until the game at Paul Quinn College started at 5:30 p.m.

I was tired to begin with and if I had, I would not have made it into Waco until about 10 p.m.
And what I paid for a hotel in Waco, I wanted to use it -- as I went to bed early (around 9:30'ish), but I woke up around 4:30 a.m. being unable to go back to sleep.

After the race, getting a bite to eat and making it back to the hotel to shower, I was able to enjoy services near downtown at the First Baptist Church Waco.

It is a historic Texas church and had a marker outside of the building, although I didn't take a picture.

Here, though, is the text on that marker:

Organized in 1851 by the Rev. Noah Byars and charter members, the First Baptist Church of Waco worshiped in the meetinghouse of the First Methodist Church until their own sanctuary was built at fourth and Mary Streets in 1857. It was destroyed by fire in 1877 and was replaced by a larger building. The present house of worship was erected on this site in 1907. Historic figures affiliated with First Baptist Church have included five generals of the Confederacy, former Governor of Texas Pat M. Neff, and Dr. B.H. Carroll, pastor from 1871 to 1899 and later founder of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. Dr. J.M. Dawson, pastor from 1915 to 1946, resigned to become the first executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, Washington, D.C. From 1886, when Baylor University moved to Waco from Independence, Texas, the university and First Baptist Church have enjoyed close association. Every Baylor president since 1886 has maintained active membership here. Many of the faculty, administration, and student body of Baylor University traditionally have provided vital links in the fellowship. Several Baptist churches in Waco owe their origins to former members of this congregation. 

Great message about patience and kindness by Pastor Matt Snowden.

LGRAW's Bold In The Cold 15K Race Report

Race in Texas city or town #126
Race in North American city or town #285
Race #2 new to me in 2017 (Goal is 50)
Race #3 to finish in 2017
Race #5 to be in attendance for in 2017 (3 finish, 1 announce, 1 media)

I think it has been well established that I like to race somewhere new.

I thought about running Rob Goyen's Horseshoe Trail Run in Hitchcock at Jack Brooks Park (which would have been a new city), but I needed to get out of town.  (And it turned out that with some recent rains that runners were having fun in the mud -- ah, not my type of fun!)

Plus I figured out that I could see three new Texas college basketball gymnasiums or arenas this weekend.

So off to the Dallas Metroplex it was.

I saw Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College - now known as Randall University and is out of Moore, Oklahoma - take on Dallas Christian College in Farmers Branch in NCCAA women's college basketball action last evening.

Randall University took the win 68-61 in a hard fought battle.

The female national anthem singer was one of the best I have ever heard.  Incredible.

Prayer before the game and after.  What was so incredibly neat about the latter is that in a gymnasium that was getting ready for the men's game, you couldn't have heard a pin drop.

I actually pulled the trigger on this race late.

I signed up for tomorrow's Miracle Match 10K in Waco for $43.20 on December 31, 2016, but got in the Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers (LGRAW)'s Bold In The Cold 15K for $38.00 even on January 10,2017.

The race was held at Oak Creek Park in Grapevine, which turns out to be a race in my 126th Texas city or town.

Pre-race communications established that race day packet pickup was between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. and that parking might be a little tight -- and it was.  The last few cars looked as if they were going to get parked in Lake Grapevine!

The thing about LGRAW is that it is a top-notch Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) club that has some appearances of an older, legacy club, that is, back in the 1970s and 1980s.

The race starts were simple - not big productions like some are.

The 5K was all chip finish.  No timing mat at the start.

The 15K had a timing mat at the start, but no big announcements -- and they fired an actual starter's pistol.  Awesome.

The course went two miles out to the east and came back towards the start.  Roads without traffic in the Park as well as trails made up the course.

We passed by the finish at about mile 4.3 or so (estimate) and normally that's a demoralizer for me, but the weather was pretty good.

The car temperature read 50 degrees and I actually went against karma by wearing the race technical shirt that I had just received at packet pickup because it was long-sleeved and all I brought was my Park City Marathon, short sleeve race shirt.

At one point, I seriously thought about stopping to take it off, but was glad that I didn't because I didn't recall the temperature ever feeling like it picked up at all.

There was a negligible to slight breeze, but nothing that really stands out.

When we headed to the west, we ran off to the north for a little loop to add some distance and then did an out and back that brought us back to the finish.

The USATF certified course had a total climb of 395 feet and total elevation change of 789 feet.  I relate it to Huntsville State Park, but without the tree roots.

Mostly changing with some flat spots, but the course kept you working.

I probably ran more hills than I have in awhile, certainly because of the cool temperatures, but still walked a little.

With it being cooler, I was able to continue to work on a faster foot turnover where I could and I think it paid off for a 1:36:14 finish -- good for a 10:19 pace.

This would be a 2:15:21 half marathon if I could hold it -- and that is exactly in the range I want to be going forward (even though I'm getting older.)

Saw and talked to Your Sporting Image's Karen Thibodeaux and then saw RRCA At-Large Director Kelly "K2" Richards at the mile 3 mark and then again just past the mile 9 mark.

Kelly is and has been a great contributor to the RRCA for a long time.

I would certainly recommend this race for anybody.

If you're reading this, you're likely to have not run many 15Ks, if at all.  So it would be an automatic PR, but it is a good test of a road course with some small to mid-range rollers that you can keep churning through.

Somebody could come with you that wasn't as active and do the 5K.  LGRAW is a very friendly club that is welcoming to adults and children of all abilities -- and many were out there enjoying the morning.

As a finisher's item, in addition to the long-sleeved, technical shirt that they gave out for registering, LGRAW gave out a head band with ear covers.

Additionally, the mile markers seemed to be spot on and in some places, there the miles had half mile markers too.

I certainly look at races with an event producer's eye - and there's nothing really that I could even think of to complain about.  :-)

Offset - 19.73
Mile 1 - 9:55.01
Mile 2 - 10:16.93
Mile 3 - 10:05.99
Mile 4 - 10:18.43
Mile 5 - 10:31.32
Mile 6 - 10:28.19
Mile 7 - 10:24.93
Mile 8 - 10:26.80
Mile 9 - 10:22.50
Last .3 - 3:24.06

Total - 1:36:14.16 (10:19 pace)

16 Joined The 20 Chevron Houston Marathon Club

This past Sunday, 16 runners completed their 20th Chevron Houston Marathon.

An additional 47 finished their 21st to 24th Chevron Houston Marathon.

The fastest male of this group of 63 was Houston's John Yoder, who co-led Sunday's 3:20 pace group in a "make it under" time of 3:19:44.

The fastest female was the fastest of them all, Barbara Stoll, also from Houston who stopped the clock in 3:17:33.

All 63 runners are listed below with their gender, age and finishing time:

24 - Anthony Mireles, M, 62, 4:50:39
24 - Darryl Anderson, M, 52, 5:56:50
24 - Eddie Espinosa, M, 54, 4:29:30
24 - Irene Binash, F, 59, 5:04:00
24 - Jeff Nash, M, 55, 4:14:27
24 - Kathryn White, F, 49, 4:45:31
24 - Matthew Padon, M, 48, 3:23:18
24 - Michael Holcomb, M, 62, 5:51:27
24 - Roger Souders, M, 58, 3:49:36
24 - Thomas Steets, M, 65, 5:46:00

23 - Billy Mathias, M, 50, 4:41:19
23 - Dalton Pulsipher, M, 39, 4:25:17
23 - Doug Earle, M, 64, 4:53:37
23 - Elva Lafuente, F, 51, 3:45:20
23 - Grant Hodges, M, 60, 5:41:46
23 - Jim Buchwalter, M, 59, 4:48:10
23 - John Yoder, M, 45, 3:19:44
23 - Marc Phillips, M, 68, 5:27:40
23 - Philip Ballmann, M, 57, 4:38:56
23 - Ronnie W Watkins, M, 61, 5:01:09
23 - Steve Hasson, M, 50, 4:31:56
23 - Suzy Seeley, F, 57, 3:39:50

22 - Carole Uttecht, F, 61, 4:10:28
22 - Dale Lee, M, 61, 4:17:23
22 - Edward Montana, M, 45, 4:51:12
22 - Fred Hall, M, 60, 5:42:55
22 - Gary Marsh, M, 63, 5:31:31
22 - Mark Nash, M, 57, 5:15:16
22 - Milburn Breazeale, M, 67, 5:18:58
22 - Robert Dunn, M, 50, 4:58:04
22 - Robert Simon, M, 53, 5:09:19

21 - Benjamin Mayer, M, 49, 5:13:40
21 - Brad Moore, M, 48, 4:57:20
21 - Carl Richard, M, 59, 5:55:11
21 - David Martinez, M, 50, 4:26:34
21 - Elaine Bobigian, F, 66, 5:19:49
21 - Estella Tam, F, 60, 5:47:23
21 - Harry Sokolow, M, 60, 5:28:13
21 - J Carlos Medrano, M, 67, 3:58:46
21 - John Henneman, M, 61, 5:14:10
21 - Jonathan Tydlacka, M, 36, 3:36:31
21 - Marty Applebaum, M, 54, 4:37:07
21 - Michael Luna, M, 56, 5:26:07
21 - Michael Root, M, 53, 3:43:15
21 - Nicolas Meza, M, 65, 5:25:52
21 - Timothy Nielsen, M, 50, 3:39:33
21 - Victor Aguirre, M, 65, 4:44:23

20 - Alberto Mendoza, M, 49, 3:42:15
20 - Barbara Stoll, F, 55, 3:17:33
20 - Chris McWatt-Green, M, 66, 5:22:33
20 - Claire Greenberg, F, 54, 4:27:39
20 - Dale Kelley, M, 55, 5:07:28
20 - David Torres, M, 55, 3:53:29
20 - Deb Clifford, F, 56, 5:31:37
20 - Gloria Mahoney, F, 66, 5:04:10
20 - Holly Stewart, F, 46, 3:25:56
20 - Jacqueline O Brien-Nolen, F, 51, 3:57:15
20 - Kathleen Kress Hanson, F, 56, 5:17:04
20 - Keith Booth, M, 63, 4:59:25
20 - Leslie Medley Russell, F, 50, 4:17:26
20 - Marlene Hicks, F, 51, 4:36:52
20 - Matthew Denio, M, 60, 5:27:42
20 - Robert Fanning, M, 55, 4:45:48

Sources:  chevronhoustonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com

10 Runners 80 And Over Finish 2017 Aramco Houston Half Marathon

Before Sunday, there were 35 times where a runner age 80 or greater finished the Aramco Houston Half Marathon as an official finisher (under four hours chip time).

The most finishers in a single year came last year when six - five men and one woman - crossed the finish line just outside the George R. Brown Convention Center.

On Sunday, January 15, 2017, a record 10 runners did so.

Their times - and their current age, hometown and the number of Chevron Houston Marathons and/or Aramco Houston Half Marathons they finished - are as follows:

2:28:15 - Jim Braden, 81, The Woodlands (20 marathons / 4 half marathons)
2:38:28 - Don Henderson, 81, Galveston (1 marathon / 4 half marathons)
3:02:06 - Ray Boytim, 84, Spring (35 marathons / 2 half marathons)
3:02:19 - Kay Duplichan, 80, Rockport (8 marathons / 8 half marathons)
3:06:09 - Lee Miksch, 80, Cypress (26 marathons / 4 half marathons)
3:08:42 - Phillip Smith, 81, Houston (25 marathon / 9 half marathons)
3:28:47 - Marsha Smith, 81, Houston (4 half marathons)
3:35:56 - Jim Healy, 83, Houston (27 marathons / 5 half marathons)
3:35:58 - Nathaniel Collins, 80, Houston (10 marathons / 16 half marathons)
3:51:30 - Hans Mayer, 81, Houston (8 marathons / 13 half marathons)

Braden's 2:28:15 is the second fastest behind Luciano Garcia's 2:27:03 five years ago in 2012 as an 81-year-old out of Victoria.

The top 10 men's all-time Aramco Houston Half Marathon finishes at 80 and over are as follows:

2:27:03 - Luciano Garcia, 81, Victoria, 2012
2:28:15 - Jim Braden, 81, The Woodlands, 2017
2:32:32 - Dan Allensworth, 81, Galveston, 2011
2:32:55 - Luciano Garcia, 80, Victoria, 2011
2:38:28 - Don Henderson, 81, Galveston, 2017
2:39:07 - Pete Alberts, 81, Houston, 2016
2:45:20 - Luciano Garcia, 82, Victoria, 2013
2:47:14 - Harold Gillespie, 82, Houston, 2005
2:47:28 - Fred Peirce, 82, Spring, 2011
2:48:04 - Fred Peirce, 81, Spring, 2010

The top 10 women's all-time Aramco Houston Half Marathon finishes at 80 and over are as follows:

2:59:46 - Marsha Smith, 80, Houston, 2016
3:02:19 - Kay Duplichan, 80, Rockport, 2017
3:09:18 - Shirley Gilliland, 80, Temple, 2011
3:10:49 - Shirley Gilliland, 81, Temple, 2012
3:22:31 - Marcie McCaskill, 81, Webster, 2006
3:25:01 - Marcie McCaskill, 80, Webster, 2005
3:28:47 - Marsha Smith, 81, Houston, 2017
3:40:58 - Addie Kephart, 80, Atascocita, 2009
3:46:13 - Wren Bump, 82, Webster, 2007
3:54:59 - Addie Kephart, 83, Atascocita, 2012

Nathaniel "Skippy" Collins is the only runner to complete every single Aramco Houston Half Marathon that's ever been produced (2002-2017) - and may still be the only athlete to be a legacy marathon and half marathon runner.

The total number of Aramco Houston Half Marathon finishes for runners 80 and over year-by-year are listed here:

2004 - 1 (Male)
2005 - 3 (2 Men / 1 Woman)
2006 - 2 (1 Man / 1 Woman)
2007 - 2 (1 Man / 1 Woman)
2009 - 3 (2 Men / 1 Woman)
2010 - 2 (Male)
2011 - 4 (3 Men / 1 Woman)
2012 - 5 (3 Men / 2 Women)
2013 - 2 (Male)
2014 - 2 (Male)
2015 - 3 (Male)
2016 - 6 (5 Men / 1 Women)
2017 - 10 (8 Men / 2 Women)

The cumulative number of Aramco Houston Half Marathon finishes at age 80 and over are listed here:

5 - Bernard Blumenthal, Pasadena (2010, 2012-2015; 85)
3 - Harold J Gillespie, Houston (2004-2006; 83)
3 - Jim Healy, Houston (2014-2015, 2017; 83)
3 - Luciano Garcia, Victoria (2011-2013; 82)
2 - Addie Kephart, Atascocita (2009, 2012; 83)
2 - Edward Burns, East Gwillimbury, OH (2015-2016; 82)
2 - Fred Peirce, Spring (2010-2011; 82)
2 - Hans Mayer, Houston (2016-2017; 81)
2 - Marcie McCaskill, Webster (2005-2006; 81)
2 - Marsha Smith, Houston (2016-2017; 81)
2 - Phillip Smith, Houston (2016-2017; 81)
2 - Ray Boytim, Spring (2016-2017; 84)
2 - Shirley Gilliland, Temple (2011-2012; 81)
2 - Wendell Londeen, Huntsville (2007, 2009; 82)
1 - Dan Allensworth, Galveston (2011; 81)
1 - Don Henderson, Galveston (2017; 81)
1 - George Bashen, Montgomery (2005; 80)
1 - Jim Braden, The Woodlands (2017; 81)
1 - Kay Duplichan, Rockport (2017; 80)
1 - Lee Miksch (2017; 80)
1 - Nathaniel Collins, Houston (2017; 80)
1 - Pete Alberts, Houston (2016; 81)
1 - Richard Soller, N. Bend, OH (2012; 84)
1 - Wren Bump, Webster (2007; 82)
1 - Zeno Boehmer, Nacogdoches (2009; 80)

Sources:  chevronhoustonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com

55 Now Have 25 Chevron Houston Marathon Finishes or More

While results, as of Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at 12 noon are still unofficial, the following 51 men and four women finished their 25th or greater Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday.

Their gender, age and finishing time is listed below.

43 - Jack Lippincott, M, 70, 5:36:24

40 - Rick McMahan, M, 63, 5:17:41

37 - Arlen Isham, M, 72, 5:55:27

36 - Charlie Viers, M, 75, 5:56:13

35 - Stephen McNeil, M, 59, 4:44:24
35 - Boris Balic, M, 80, 5:59:13

34 - Roger Boak, M, 68, 3:57:19
34 - Robert Eury, M, 68, 4:35:35
34 - Maria Camacho, F, 61, 5:14:04

33 - Tony Allison, M, 61, 4:43:33
33 - Rudolph Rendon, M, 69, 4:42:55
33 - Manuel Gonzalez, M, 71, 4:59:09

32 - Will Hrachovy, M, 68, 5:12:36
32 - Susan Rouse, F, 58, 4:27:14
32 - John McClung, M, 56, 5:16:03
32 - Jesse Smalls, M, 70, 5:12:43

31 - Robert McDowell, M, 66, 5:57:17
31 - Larry McPhillips, M, 65, 5:28:31
31 - J P Reed, M, 60, 5:02:44
31 - Don Padilla, M, 67, 5:57:07
31 - Charles Moore, M, 62, 4:42:07
31 - Brian Jenison, M, 57, 5:32:58

30 - Steve Boone, M, 67, 5:59:40
30 - Richard Evans, M, 60, 5:17:49
30 - James Tuscany, M, 63, 5:28:08
30 - Gene Wilson, M, 63, 4:55:21

29 - Robert Hoekman, M, 75, 3:57:50
29 - Michael Johnston, M, 60, 4:48:30
29 - James Simmons, M, 66, 5:46:21
29 - Charles Scheibe, M, 62, 5:46:19

28 - Paul Cooley, M, 66, 5:06:05
28 - Fred Steves, M, 75, 4:43:09

27 - William Schneider, M, 64, 4:39:00
27 - Robert Hughes, M, 67, 5:29:09
27 - Rich Fredrich, M, 59, 4:16:11
27 - Randall Keith, M, 58, 4:03:40
27 - Lupe Gomez, M, 63, 4:25:39
27 - Leslie Hale, F, 64, 5:37:12
27 - John McKenna, M, 60, 4:44:58
27 - Joe Pierce, M, 60, 4:24:34
27 - James Thurmond, M, 70, 5:23:45

26 - Terry Green, M, 62, 5:39:07
26 - Ralph Rohena, M, 64, 4:29:01
26 - Michael Danke, M, 48, 5:51:35
26 - John Colico, M, 57, 5:50:07
26 - Jesus Pequeno, M, 49, 4:45:08
26 - Gunnar Sanden, M, 76, 4:23:03
26 - Carlos Reyes, M, 53, 5:10:12
26 - Bob Kirkpatrick, M, 55, 5:53:46

25 - Larry Lindeen, M, 76, 5:06:05
25 - Kenneth Ruane, M, 75, 5:30:01
25 - Jim Carlson, M, 69, 5:36:52
25 - Harry Pang, M, 67, 5:55:24
25 - Glenn Heumann, M, 62, 5:16:17
25 - Evelina Stenroos, F, 63, 5:03:47

Sources:  chevronhoustonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com

The Chevron Houston Marathon From The Men's Marathon Press Truck

I guess I could be like mostly everybody else in print journalism with a press pass and stay in the George R. Brown Convention Center and watch the telecast inside.

And I would have if it was going to rain in the first two hours earlier this morning.

Because of space and the fact that it is a monthly magazine, my story in Texas Runner and Triathlete is basically a synopsis of the day.

I try to finish it before I leave the George R. Brown, which I've done successfully now this year and last, so I'm not inclined to see what others have done (even though I heard the same commentary as they have from the winners and top Americans).

By the way, it is really hard to get much substance out of the Ethiopian and Kenyan athletes.  However, I learned that there is really a style to asking them questions - sitting a row behind Race Results Weekly's David Monti (who knows everybody).

And that is to ask the question slowly.

When you get your copy of the magazine, there'll likely be some news and notes that you haven't seen before - my specialty - and maybe a few quotes from Becky Wade and Jordan Hasay that weren't included in other stories.

I don't write as often as guys like Monti or the Houston Chronicle's Dale Robertson (who seems to try and continually drive home the story line of the dominance of the Ethiopian athletes), so I'm certain their stories have a bit more creativity than mine.

I try to pick up some different themes and then thread them all together.

So like I did a year ago - and like Waverly did for many years while I was running the marathon (as she would take notes and get quotes for me to write the marathon story for Texas Runner and Triathlete), I was on the men's marathon press truck.

Kind of like in a basketball game where you look for lead changes and swings, following a marathon from the press truck is a similar process.

You're watching for when the pack thins and who's left standing when it does.

Getting to the press truck, with the new start line and corral setup, was a challenge in that I was expecting an individual from the HMC team to be going there too - and when they didn't, I navigated myself there and onto the truck.

Was there in plenty of time though and had a chance to trade a great series of texts with a friend before they started their half marathon.

Different this year was the fact that this year's referee was not Sugar Land's Joy Smith.  The 55-year-old, who was fourth overall in the 1998 Houston Marathon (in 2:41:42), was running her first Aramco Houston Half Marathon since 2007 and finished second in her age group in 1:38:37.

The Chevron Houston Marathon really does a great job in its timeline to start the race, as well as many other facets, of course.  There are a lot of things that are done at The Woodlands Marathon because of a relationship between the Houston Marathon Committee's Operations Manager Carly Caulfield and The Woodlands Marathon race director Willie Fowlkes.

I got tasked with turning the clock on at the top of the press truck.  So, even though we were far enough ahead of the start line that I couldn't clearly see the clock, I was listening for when the gun went off.  (I also maintained the time on my personal watch so I could maintain splits.)

So you ask:  What goes on on the press truck?

The biggest function is to make sure that the time is captured at each kilometer and mile marker.

Mile splits are fed back to the Press Center for communication to media members that are there.  This role last year and this year was performed by a pair of Rice Owls men's track and field athletes.

The ham radio operator on the truck was also sharing this information.  (I'm sure there was a level of backup and redundancy in place.)

There was also a gentleman - last year the individual was from the Chicago Marathon team - that was feeding each kilometer split and the total time into a computer which updated a display on the back of the truck which showed the runners their pace per mile and kilometer.

Bob Alexander was the individual that was heading up the positioning of the truck with the car behind us, which was filming the athletes directly behind them, and working with Bayou City Road Runner and local attorney Tom Radosevich.

All the while, the truck had to navigate some of the wheelchair athletes as well as both visually and mobility-impaired athletes, plus we would have to move from one lane to another as the athletes desired to run the tangents through a bend in the road.

After we made the split where we lost the half marathoners, in front of the truck was a quartet of officers on motorcycles.

So it was a continuous synchronization between the challenges in front of Radosevich and staying close enough to be able to visually see when the athletes passed each split point.

I'm sure course certifier Logan Burgess was the one responsible for putting the kilometer and mile markings on the road in bright green paint as part of his course certification work.  They were very beneficial when the truck got a little farther out on some passings of the teardrop flags marking the kilometers and miles.

Beyond that, it was just plain fun while working.

We were able to see the lead pack grow to seven runners by mile 8.  Bib #7 dropped off to seventh as we passed the half way mark at 1:05:013.

By mile 14, the pacer had dropped off and there was a group of five.

At the 30 kilometer mark, the field dwindled to four and two minutes and 17 seconds into mile 24 on Allen Parkway, it fell to three.

There Dominic Ondoro used those 4:49 and 4:50 splits, a couple of the fastest of the day, to pull away for the win.

I told Chevron Houston Marathon race director Brant Kotch in the media center in the GRB at about 11 or so a.m. that I thought the crowd was as good as its ever been.

There were so many people that I knew that I saw out on the course.

Eyecan Alliance's David Adame and Catapault's Alison Fowler very early on.

Next up was Snowdrop Ultra 55 race director and University of Houston Alumni Association race director Patty Godfrey.

Saw Volte's Juan Flores near mile 12.  Other Brother's Peter Manry and Gerry Simpson were near mile 13.  Hempstead's Becky Nesbitt at around mile 17.

Snowdrop's Trish Kline was in the Galleria area just before passing Becky by.

Volte Endurance Training's Bill Dwyer, and probably my best friend besides my daughter, I saw around mile 7 I'm guessing and then again right around mile 23 near Andy Stewart's Finish Line Sports aid station.  Mary Carter I know I saw with Bill twice and Mayra Caamano the second time.

When Bill saw me the last time, I think I hollered that I was the "Mayor of Pressville" on the truck.  :-)

Before that though, the most incredible sight all day was seeing near mile 21 Coach Al Lawrence sitting in a chair along Memorial Drive and he stood up after I hollered at him to cheer on the lead marathoners that were behind us.

I wonder how many people ran by Coach Al today and had no idea or clue who he was.

I'm sure there were others that I missed.  If so, I apologize.

So we're coming down the main stretch of road that heads right to the finish line, but there's a turnout near Main Street.

I got off the truck there and ran to the GRB, getting a short run in for the day.

Great experience.  Glad I was able to be a part of it once again.

The Louisiana Marathon Finishers Numbers

Marathon
2012 - 637 finishers (242 women / 395 men / 25 relay)
2013 - 935 finishers (405 women / 530 men)
2014 - 1,476 finishers (708 women / 768 men)
2015 - 1,361 finishers (638 women / 723 men)
2016 - 1,141 finishers (550 women / 588 men)

Half Marathon
2012 - 1,203 finishers (724 women / 479 men)
2013 - 1,804 finishers (1,077 women / 727 men)
2014 - 2,528 finishers (1,529 women / 999 men)
2015 - 2,853 finishers (1,723 women / 1,129 men)
2016 - 2,749 finishers (1,644 women / 1,099 men)

5K
2012 - 331 finishers (225 women / 105 men)
2013 - 527 finishers (316 women / 211 men)
2014 - 1,054 finishers (627 women / 427 men)
2015 - 1,400 finishers (863 women / 536 men)
2016 - 1,921 finishers (1,204 women / 717 men)

Quarter Marathon
2015 - 398 finishers (249 women / 149 men)
2016 - 543 finishers (363 women / 179 men)

Kids Marathon
2015 - 641 finishers (288 girls / 352 boys)
2016 - 850 finishers (430 girls / 418 boys)

Sources:  thelouisianamarathon.com, onlineraceresults.com