Revel Kulia Half Marathon Race Report

The crazy idea of breaking two hours in the half marathon came to the surface once Revel announced that it had created its inaugural Kulia Marathon and Half Marathon to be held on the Big Island of Hawaii on Saturday, March 9, 2019.

Did I think that I could break it on a flat course?  At some point, possibly.

Doing the math, I know that you have to hold a 9:14 pace the entire way and not until late November was I able to even do that for a 5K.

And, actually, even that was an error.  (I really needed a 9:09 per mile!)

However, I thought that it was possible.  Why?

Well, I do my best racing in the winter time, regardless of what my weight was or is.

When I ran Revel’s Mount Charleston Half Marathon, located on the outskirts of Las Vegas, I had a certain time improvement from times that I had recently produced before that race.

2:16:17 - 11/13/16 - Harlingen Half Marathon, Harlingen, TX – 126
2:19:06 - 11/25/16 - The Waddle Half Marathon, Dallas, TX - 127 (Basically flat)
2:13:05 - 1/29/17 - USA Fit Half Marathon, Sugar Land, TX – 128
2:15:44 - 2/25/17 - Citizens Medical Center Run Against Cancer Half Marathon, Victoria, TX – 129
2:06:09 - 4/29/17 - Revel Mt. Charleston Half Marathon (Downhill), Las Vegas, NV – 130

Somewhere in here, I figured that I had experienced an eight percent difference in times from a flat course to a downhill course.

Therefore, I needed to run a half in less than 2:10 to even have a shot at breaking two.

And let me be blunt, if I achieved it – it would be - a “downhill PR”.

Early last year, I had a physical and my glucose was a bit elevated at 144 (you like it to be under 99) and my hemoglobin, taken three months later, was 6.6 (and this needs to be under 6.0).

So some lifestyle changes were in order.

I cut out as much sodas as I could and made my snacking options as those items that had the least amount of sugar – and I started to eat lunch when I was out on the road traveling.

That is something that I had always struggled with – thinking that I couldn’t do it under the watchful eye of the client that I was doing consulting work for.

The first sign that a sub 2 effort was possible – after committing to the race in mid-September shortly after it opened – was the Nutrabolt Oktoberfest Half Marathon in College Station.

A cool day, I put out a 2:12:49 on a course that had a significant number of turns and some inclines in the middle-to-late parts of the race that my legs knew about the most.

I would have the chance to get in state #46 for half marathon in early November when I ran the Colt State Park Half Marathon in Bristol, Rhode Island and posted a time of 2:15:02.

A double-loop course that had some rollers in it let me know that I was still in the same ballpark as the effort two weeks earlier in Aggieland.

The progression continued at the Waco Zoo Stampede 10K in Waco with a 59:07 on a course that was just a small bit short, but the big surprise came on the Sunday after Thanksgiving with a 28:24 Run For Wellness 5K out at George Bush Park.

Not even well-rested after broadcasting three basketball games at Houston Christian High School in the late afternoon and early evening, I drove to Tyler for the inaugural Tyler Half Marathon on Sunday, November 2 and posted a 2:11:14 on a course that definitely wasn’t flat.

So what was a completely flat course?  The Santa Hustle Half Marathon in Galveston. 

That would be my test to see if sub 2 was a real chance or not, and it didn’t hurt that the price on that race was right too.

Even on a day that wasn’t necessarily in my weather wheelhouse, I notched a flat course PR of 2:06:58 and I started to get excited that sub 2 in Hawaii was indeed possible.

The excellent racing continued into early February with a bevy of low 28-minute 5K’s and a 56:31 10K in Lumberton, but danger lurked.

I started having some knee issues, however, especially on the outside of my right knee.

The only difference – other than the confirmed drop of weight of 28 pounds from the year before – was that I was back in dress shoes, which I hadn’t been in three months.

Plus I’ve never been a high mileage person because I never thought my body could handle it, given that I weighed 252 in early January 2018.

So in the month of February, I ran a lot less during the week – and being in the bitter cold of the northeast (Philadelphia / New Jersey) for work didn’t help things.

In the last week or two, I still was only able to really run a couple of times a week; however, I changed my thinking going into this past Saturday to the fact that if I hit it, great.

If not, it was still state #48 with New Jersey and California to obtain.

The event advertised a descent that dropped 2,505 feet for the half marathon – nearly a half a mile.

After going to packet pickup on late Friday morning, I decided to drive the course – something that I haven’t done since the Little Rock Marathon in March 2006.

And, actually, for once, I was glad that I did.

My reconnaissance proved to be right on race day.

The first five miles were definitely screamers.

The next five had six inclines or uphills, whatever your definition is of them.  I likened the course – in a different sense – to the 3M Half Marathon in Austin – a “net downhill” course.

After that, if you had enough in the tank, it was reasonable that one could hammer the last three, especially the final mile.

Even at 2,644 feet above sea level, race morning it was about 50 degrees.  I had a long-sleeve shirt over my Liberty University racing shirt and I wore the gloves that they provided in the packet pickup bag.

I took a chance that I think might have paid off well and that was that I slipped towards the front of the pack.

We started in the left lane of a two-lane road and I was just 10.44 seconds across the line after the gun went off.

I knew in talking to some of the Revel staff while out at the start that there was about 400 or so registered in both races so it should have allowed everybody to run their own race.

Pre-race, I had two strategies:  1.) put the hammer down and go for broke or 2.) enjoy the day and simply get state #48.

A number of Volte Endurance Training athletes were there, another to do the half and a couple to run the marathon.

Gabby Brockett, who was running the half and was there on the trip with her husband and son, was planning to just enjoy the day.

I would decide completely after mile 1.

The first mile was a little bit of a very slight incline, but I thought it was just a stretch to be able to figure out how you and your legs felt.

In the middle of that first mile, I had a sign that I didn’t stretch – and my right hamstring started to announce its presence.

Mile 1 came through in 8:42.32.

Although there were no markings on the road that might have come during the certification process, the mile markers seemed right.

The second mile had a bit of a pronounced downhill before making the right-hand turn on to Hawaii 19 that would take us 11 more miles to the finish.

We ran in a very-wide left-hand shoulder and I posted an 8:56.94 second mile.

Again, knowing that I had to have 9:14 or better, I realized that I was putting a little time in the bank, but it certainly wasn’t going to be a lot to spare.

I knew that I needed to make a little hay in the next three miles and I did.

Mile 3 – 8:29.45
Mile 4 – 8:49.82
Mile 5 – 8:35.37

And then the inclines started to come.

The next three miles had the following splits:

Mile 6 – 8:51.51
Mile 7 – 9:03.79
Mile 8 – 9:03.93

However, I knew the next two – as we came into Waikoloa Village – were going to be a challenge, especially as a lot of the wind had subsided and temperatures became a bit known.

The mile 9 marker came up just on the south side of the Village and it was the first mile split that was over 9:14 – 9:27.45.

I didn’t panic, but I knew that I didn’t have a ton of gas in the tank as I hadn’t covered the full 13.1-mile distance since late December – and my mileage wasn’t any more than 10-15 the past four weeks.

The tenth mile, which included the biggest incline of them all, revealed a split of 10:13.45.

My watch basically showed 1:30 at that point with a 5K to go.

I realized that it wasn’t going to be easy to make sub 2, but I was also mentally prepared to accept if I didn’t make it.

Mile 11 wasn’t a pronounced downhill; however, it yielded a 9:39.41 split.

There was still a chance.

I figured I had banked 21 seconds, but really it was over the 9:14 – and I wasn’t in a space to try and do the math completely from the 10:13 split.

I thought that the last two miles were screamers, but it was basically only the last mile.

I think – although I could be wrong – that the last aid station came in mile 12.

That split was 9:24.01 – again seven seconds over the 9:14, but 36 seconds under 10 minutes a mile.

At that point, I started to taste it.

Mile 13 was 8:35.04 and the last tenth of a mile was a 10-minute per mile pace of 59.58 (but again, the markers could have been slightly off too).

Twice on the course, I had started to cry thinking about my sister and my grandfather primarily, as I do in many races, but also about my great aunt Phyliss Walk, who passed away less than two weeks ago in our hometown of Tyrone, Pennsylvania.

I almost did so again shortly after finishing, but was just really happy that things all came together to have a really nice race – and to hit a goal that I thought was reasonably possible.

Shortly after I finished, I realized that Gabby hadn’t taken it easy and crossed in 2:06:05.

Good for her.  She later told me that her flat course PR was either 1:56 or 1:58.

The two Volte marathoners didn’t have the days that they were looking for – Leanne Rosser just missed a Boston Marathon qualifying time with an otherwise fine effort of 3:56:51 while Marta Mixa, who at one point was forced to stop in the first half of the race, crossed in 5:44:26.

I saw Houston’s Candace Caesar, an athlete with Team Catapult, before the race as we waited to board school buses to shuttle us to the start line.  She finished the half marathon in 2:51:54.

I knew that the Marathon Junkie – Chuck Engle – was running, but didn’t see him until he approached the finish line.  Chuck was fourth overall and second Masters in 2:56:28.

So what’s next?

I seriously doubt that I’ll head back to doing marathons, even though I have 34 states covered in my 54 finishes.

I have two states to finish in half marathons – New Jersey and California.  I’m currently looking at options on how to complete those – in addition to whatever else I can squeeze in on a trip to do so.

If you read this far, thanks as always for your support and encouragement.

Running keeps me generally healthy physically, but as importantly, it shapes a positive mental health outlook – even when everything in my life might not have gone the way that I originally desired them to have been.

2019 The Woodlands Marathon Double

The following 155 athletes completed The Woodlands 5K Run on Saturday, February 23, 2019 and are registered to compete in either the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon, the Houston Methodist The Woodlands Half Marathon or the Marathon Relay:

Half Marathon (103 runners)
Adela Allec, Tomball
Alan Pate, Magnolia
Alan Wilson, Spring
Alejandro Domenzain, The Woodlands
Alison Story, Conroe
Alvaro Carbajo, Conroe
Amanda Lopez, The Woodlands
Amanda Miller, Richmond
Amy Jackson, Spring
Anahi Campos, Conroe
Anette Jensen, The Woodlands
Ashley Major, Spring
Avya Sisco, Magnolia
Bartenderx Oropeza, Houston
Bobbie Petersen, Conroe
Brandy Sambirsky, Spring
Brooke McCoy, Montgomery
Cesar Argueta, Cypress
Christina Harughty, Montgomery
Cynthia Biehle, Spring
Damon Foy, Tomball
David Brown, Cypress
David Keithley, Huntsville
Debra Sukin, Spring
Denise Powers, The Woodlands
Denise Smith, Houston
Devan Atkinson, Magnolia
Dorien McGee, Spring
Elias Rodriguez, Conroe
Elizabeth Ramirez, Spring
Emmett Gott, Spring
Eric Thomas, Spring
Erica Alston, Splendora
Erika Lawton, Spring
Heather Stanley, Spring
Heidi Hassan, Cypress
Horacio Espinoza, Houston
Jackie Maerz, Spring
Jason Davis, Spring
Javier Williams, Spring
Jeffrey Custer, Conroe
Jennifer Garcia, Spring
Jennifer Hartsock, Cypress
Jennifer Rodriguez, Spring
Jerritt Park, The Woodlands
Jesper Skov, Houston
Jessica Estrada, Willis
John McGowan, Spring
Juan Lecanda, Tomball
Julie Bonner, Cypress
Kara Lewis, Montgomery
Katelyn Hunt, Conroe
Kathy McWilliams, The Woodlands
Kelley Kyle, Conroe
Kenward Sims, Montgomery
Kyle Quinn, Spring
Leslie Pallotta, Spring
Linda Mireles, Cypress
Lindsay Beaton, Dickinson
Louis Hebert, The Woodlands
Lucy Gomez, Spring
Malia Payne, Conroe
Marcela Jaramillo, Spring
Marco Vazquez, Spring
Mariana Sanchez-Williams, Spring
Marta Mixa, Conroe
Martha Contla, The Woodlands
Marty Cochran, Conroe
Maya Zani, Spring
Michael Walsh, Houston
Michelle Alvarez, Houston
Michelle Mouton, Spring
Nilay Dinc, Spring
Oscar Estrada, Willis
Paola Zapata, Spring
Paul Phelps, Spring
Rachel James, Montgomery
Rachel Langille, The Woodlands
Rajesh Ameen, Sugar Land
Rajesh Vinna, Spring
Ravi Kongara, Pearland
Renee Roker, Cypress
Richard Salazar, Spring
Rick Sanders, Spring
Robert Rausch, Richmond
Rod Booher, Conroe
Roosevelt Johnson, Houston
Rosalina Barragan, Houston
Salvador Ceballos, Montgomery
Sarah Howard Alvarez, Hockley
Sean Sipko, Spring
Shannon Hill, Conroe
Stacy Smith, Spring
Stephanie Schlueter, Spring
Susan Moore, Spring
Susana Flamenco, Magnolia
Taylor Sharp, Conroe
Travis Dreibelbis, Spring
Trina McCollum, Cypress
Valerie Ferdin, Corpus Christi
Varun Reddy Desi Reddi, Houston
Vicky Gillmor, The Woodlands
Victoria Santos, Houston

Marathon (21 runners)
Amanda Kelly, Tomball
Bernardo Rocha, Houston
Chris Vasquez, Spring
Christopher Kelly, Spring
Danielle Cureton, Spring
Danielle Skelton Reeves, The Woodlands
Gabriel Belforti, The Woodlands
Hai Nguyen, Spring
Jake Goldstein, Magnolia
Johanna Chesser, Rosenberg
Juan Sorto, Houston
Leslie Pavlock, Magnolia
Lillian Evans, Waller
Linda McCall, Conroe
Nicky Massey, Spring
Oscar Fumero, Spring
Ronnie Harris, The Woodlands
Sally Redmon, Conroe
Sonia Carr, Conroe
Stephanie Weiss, Tomball
Val Parreno, Houston

4-Person Marathon Relay (31 runners)
Alicia Anderson, Conroe
Alicia Yarborough, Spring
Annie Baugh, Richmond
April Baugh Chears, Richmond
Candice Marcella, Katy
Carla Domogalik, Spring
Cecilia Sarabia, Houston
Cheryl Carter, Spring
Chris MacGregor, Houston
Deanna Lewis, Sugar Land
Heather Cridland, Spring
James Spencer, The Woodlands
Jerry Reimer, Spring
Keri Amador, Spring
Latrenda Haywood, Houston
Lori Bode, Katy
Maryann McMeel, Spring
Melanie Reid, Missouri City
Melissa Holloway, Spring
Myra Walker, Beasley
Nancy Fink, Montgomery
Ranak Amin, Spring
Ronald Thomas, Pearland
Scott Floco, Conroe
Sheri Robinson, Magnolia
Stacey Spears, Katy
Stacy Fellers, Magnolia
Steven Ramos, Houston
Tamzin Bianchi, Spring
Troy Herrera, Spring

Sources:  mychiptime.com, The Woodlands Marathon Management

Texas Endurance Sports Entities: 10,000-Plus Facebook Followers

40,825 - Chevron Houston Marathon
37,581 - The Cowtown Marathon
33,525 - Austin Marathon
29,952 - runDallas [Dallas Marathon]
22,751 - Ironman Texas

21,687 - Mid Valley Events
20,763 - Luke's Locker [Dallas, TX]
19,194 - Trail Racing Over Texas
18,930 - BCS Marathon + Half Marathon
18,404 - Run In Texas

17,202 - Austin Fit Magazine
15,295 - Statesman Capitol 10,000
13,756 - Bayou City Triathlon Series
13,251 - Run Project [Dallas, TX]
12,896 - The Texas Independence Relay

12,491 - Tejas Trails Races
12,199 - Run On!
11,464 - Dallas Running Club
10,614 - The Woodlands Marathon
10,610 - Dallas Athletes Racing

10,480 - Run Houston Race Series
10,453 - Fort Worth Running Company
10,434 - DORBA - Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association

Original research by Walk Sports Services.  Researched on February 20, 2019.  May not be complete.  Any omissions are unintentional.

February 2-3, 2019 Races vs. 2018 - By Official Finishers

Hot Chocolate 15K / 5K Houston
2019 - 1,833 (15K), 1,537 (5K)
2018 - 1,341 (15K), 1,055 (5K), 44 (15K diverted)

Katy Half Marathon / 5K
2019 - 1,799 - 1,085 HM / 594 5K / 45 HM Relay / 75 Kids 1K
2018 - 1,635 - 1,194 HM / 354 5K / 56 HM Relay / 54 Kids 1K

Tex Med Run 10K / 5K
10K
2019 - 94 (51 men / 43 women)
2018 - 143 (74 men / 69 women)
5K
2019 (February 2) - 301 (141 men / 161 women)
2018 (February 3) - 257 (115 men / 142 women)

Surfside Beach Marathon
Marathon
2019 (February 2) - 44 + 15 early
2018 (February 24) - 41 + 14 early
Half Marathon
2019 - 221
2018 - 173
5K
2019 - 146
2018 - 117
Kids Race
2019 - 15
2018 - 22

Piney Woods Trail Fest
50K
2019 - 18
2018 - 14
20M
2019 - 32
2018 - 25
10M
2019 - 110
2018 - 53
5K
2019 - 81
2018 - 33

USA Fit Marathon
Marathon
2019 - 100 + 54 early start + 6 handcycle
2018 - 111 + 38 early start + 4 handcycle
Half Marathon
2019 - 431 + 7 handcycle
2018 - 591
5K
2019 - 536
2018 - 532

Run For Wellness - Heights 5K
2019 (February 3) - 167
2018 (February 4) - 168

ChocoLoco 10K / 5K Finishers Numbers

10K
2019 (January 12) - 137 (62 men / 75 women)
2018 (January 21) - 202 (77 men / 125 women)
2017 - 240 (89 men / 151 women)
2016 - 161 (60 men / 101 women)

5K
2019 (January 12) - 596 (187 men / 409 women)
2018 (January 21) - 417 (143 men / 274 women)
2017 - 504 (161 men / 343 women)
2016 - 444 (149 men / 295 women)
2015 (January 24) - 431
2014 (January 25) - 430
2013 (January 26) - 478

Source:  Run Wild Sports Timing (eztoregister.com)

Texas Med Run 10K / 5K Official Finishers Numbers (2005-2019)

Tex Med Run 10K / 5K Official Finishers Numbers
Houston, TX

10K
2019 - 94 (51 men / 43 women)
2018 - 143 (74 men / 69 women)
2017 - 132 (55 men / 77 women)
2016 - 93 (56 men / 37 women)
2015 - 125 (70 men / 55 women)
2014 - 135 (63 men / 72 women)

5K
2019 (February 2) - 301 (141 men / 161 women)
2018 (February 3) - 257 (115 men / 142 women)
2017 (February 11) - 188 (79 men / 109 women)
2016 (February 6) - 164 (79 men / 85 women)
2015 (February 7) - 167 (76 men / 91 women)
2014 (February 8) - 276 (132 men / 144 women)
2013 (February 9) - 1,268 (489 men / 779 women)
2012 (February 11) - 1,190 (567 men / 623 women)
2011 (February 12) - 1,004 (420 men / 584 women)
2010 (January 30) - 1,069 (421 men / 648 women)
2009 (January 31) - 701 (310 men / 391 women)
2008 (January 26) - 460 (205 men / 255 women)
2007 (January 27) - 198 (106 men / 92 women)
2006 (January 28) - 505 (229 men / 276 women)
2005 (January 29) - 302 (124 men / 178 women)
2004 - Results unavailable
2003 - Results unavailable

Sources:  mychiptime.com (2018-2019, 2007-2016), runsignup.com (2017), athlinks.com (2005-2006)

Miracle Match Marathon (2004-2018) - Five or more Marathon Finishes

12 - Angela Tortorice

9 - Caleb Marcinkovich
9 - Michael Digennaro

8 - David Emerson
8 - Maggie Mount
8 - Pompilio Romero
8 - Rene Villalobos

7 - Christopher Doe
7 - Cliff Burgess
7 - Jim Reeve
7 - John Slate
7 - Paul Movroydis
7 - Sergio Leonardi

6 - Bob Simon
6 - David Johnson
6 - David Rodriquez
6 - Elizabeth Mendiola
6 - Frank Bireley
6 - Hilary Grant
6 - Janice Jones
6 - Jeff Venable
6 - Maria Martinez
6 - Mitch Deskins

5 - Cathy Nevans
5 - Christopher Rodriguez
5 - Greta Knoll
5 - Kyle Threlkeld
5 - Rebecca Gartrell
5 - Ruel Sword
5 - Sam Orr
5 - Steve Grady
5 - Terri Brewen

Source:  marathonguide.com

Miracle Match Marathon - 2019 Challenge of the Phoenix Finishers

*Completed two races in 2018

5K - 10K (7)
Becky Luvene
Carol Kimmel*
Jane Casey
Kanesha Moore*
Philip Ballmann*
Rebecca Taormina
Rocky Gonzales*

5K - Half Marathon (46)
Ace Wigley
Adam Sieberg
Angela Poucher*
April Schafer
Becky Antunes
Becky Phillips*
Bethany Gray
Bonnie Reyes*
Boyd Lee
Carl Rinker
Cary Bogan
Crystal Mortensen
Danny Rager
David Thomas*
Elijah Parsons
Gina Ford*
Holly Stump
Jeffrey Outlaw
John Bowman
Joshua Bogan
Kate Healy
Kaytlyn Greene
Krisann Kent*
Lenore Hennie
Lisa Hoerster*
Luke Valdez
Michael Herrera
Michele Lander
Mike Seiler
Monica Rohre*
Natalie Oyler
Nicole Schwartinsky*
Peggy Smith
Peter Chang
Regina Adams
Richard Cofsky
Richard Garcia
Robert Brown
Robert Sorter
Samuel Hoerster
Scott Morgan
Serenity Rose
Shayleen Martin*
Soubanh Manivanh
Stephanie Gaston
Wyndi Kadlacek*

5K - Marathon (12)
Alvin Montgomery
Amy May
Brent Peterson
Guadalupe Moreno
Jana Dvorsky
Jason Book
Kachy Gaytan
Lynzee Clark*
Marco Romero
Nancy Romero
Norma Branscum
Suzanne Book

Sources:  miraclematchmarathon.com, rrptiming.com

Miracle Match Marathon - 2018 Challenge of the Phoenix Finishers

5K - 10K (7)
Dawsen Holly
Kathy Wardlaw
Kelli Schlueter
Kirsten Vandyke
Lisa Hoerster
Rocky Gonzales
Venita Fisher

5K - Half Marathon (53)
Angela Poucher
Ann Garrett
Ashlyn Jennings
Becky Phillips
Beverly Carey
Bonnie Reyes
Carol Kimmel
Chris Earles
Christopher Hardt
Danielle Kelley
David Oyler
David Thomas
Destiny Kelley
Devon King
Dominique Brown
Donna Finto
Erin Busby
Gina Ford
Jennifer Baker
Jennifer Good
Jenny Hering
John Rentmeesters
Kacy Brown
Kanesha Moore
Korin Hardt
Krisann Kent
Leonna Putnam
Lester Sander
Lola Garcia
Lou Ann Sanders
Lynzee Clark
Marighny Dutton
Mark Parker
Mary Wolf
Matthew Clark
Matthew Rafalski
Merci Moore
Michelle Harrold
Monica Rohre
Nancy Haden
Natalie Prater
Nicole Charbonneau
Nicole Prater
Nicole Schwartinsky
Nikki Morris
Pete Boulette
Philip Ballmann
Ratonia Mcclement
Sara Athey
Scott Frasard
Suzanne Dillon
Vance Hale
Wyndi Kadlacek

5K - Marathon (5)
Antonio Romero
Arturo Sanchez
Guadalupe Moreno
Joaquin Gonzalez
Will Telfer

5K - Ultra Marathon (6)
Allyson Bayer
Erik Archer
Jacob Cortez
Josh Berman
Shayleen Martin
Susan Dumas

Sources:  miraclematchmarathon.com, rrptiming.com

Methodist Mansfield Medical Center Run With Heart - Finishers Numbers (2013-2019)

Methodist Mansfield Medical Center Run With Heart Half Marathon
Mansfield, Texas

Half Marathon
2013 (September 14) - 298 (145 men / 153 women)
2014 (October 11) - 239 (107 men / 132 women)
2016 (January 30) - 212 (104 men / 108 women)
2017 (January 28) - 175 (92 men / 83 women)
2018 (January 27) - 129 (73 men / 56 women)
2019 (January 26) - 136 (75 men / 61 women)

5K
2014 (October 11) - 431 (173 men / 258 women)
2016 (January 30) - 498 (189 men / 309 women)
2017 (January 28) - 488 (190 men / 298 women)
2018 (January 27) - 363 (137 men / 226 women)
2019 (January 26) - 337 (147 men / 190 women)

2.45 Mile
2013 (September 14) - 515 (182 men / 333 women)

Sources:  mychiptime.com (2013-2017), coxracingservices.com (2018-2019)

Miracle Match Marathon 10K - The Lieutenant - Race Report

If you put a bib on, regardless of how fast you go, you've said to yourself, "I think I'm going to run this one for fun."

Yeah right.

Unless you're pacing somebody or running with another runner that might be doing their first race or one at a specific distance, it is hard to deny that part of your DNA.

After running a strong 10K in Lumberton on Saturday, that was my mentality going into today's 10K at the Miracle Match Marathon in Waco.

In fact, I was even going to reach out to Nancy Goodnight, the race director, to see if I could switch to the half marathon.  (There would not have been any Jacob's Ladder if I did as I would have tried to have raced it as much as I could have.)

Nevertheless, I remained at the 10K distance.

I had seen some pre-race messaging from about 10 days ago that the course was going to have to be re-routed because the Brazos River has been so high, but it turned out not to be needed.  More on that later.

After I arrived, I saw Hung Hoang from Houston, got my race packet and then a pre-race hug from the race director, I went back out to my car to warm-up for a little bit.

I watched Bill and Mindy Schroeder arrive and get out of their car.  Bill and Mindy were Houston Striders when I was first starting to run 15-16 years ago.

They lived in Kingwood at the time, but have called the Austin area home for many, many years.

We talked for a little bit and it is always good to see them both.

I finally decided to head back in the Waco Convention Center to await the start and stay warm.

I saw Iram Leon, his wife, Elaine, daughter Kiana and his parents.

They combined to win the marathon relay in 2:56:45 while his parents - Ascencion and Martha - both finished third in their age group in the 10K.

Pre-race, I was resting on a couch that had been brought in by an exhibitor that was hosting some type of honeymoon vacation expo.

I was rather relaxed and wishing I could have such a luxury at every race I participated in.

As I was waiting, I had a chance to see and visit with Andrew Wolfe with PhotoWolfe.com.

He and his wife, Megan, who call Round Rock home, shot a number of Run In Texas races for Bill Gardner and his wife, Karen.

We had a great conversation and he told me that he had recently taken up running and ran 3M last week.  (I just looked it up and he - and his wife - ran a nice time of 2:07:12.)

The weather wasn't terribly cold, but it was a little damp.

I decided to stay inside the Convention Center until I started to see runners move across the start line -- an even better perk than Houston!

It was 58 seconds after the gun went off before I was one of the last ones to cross the start line.  How did I know that it was 58?  Well, the official results display gun time, which differ from my watch which is "chip time".

The first mile is pancake flat.  We run east about half way to the Ferrell Center before we take a hard right and start to make our way through the Baylor University campus.

Mile 1 was 9:30.80.

I ran steady - through and around a lot of people - and I wasn't really racing, so I was pleased thinking that this was my new normal or baseline.

Just after crossing underneath I-35, I saw Breanna Waldrup and Andrew Olson.  They had run the Texas Marathon three weeks ago in Kingwood.

As mile two started, the racing adrenaline started to kick in a little.

It is always nice to run through the Baylor campus.

It made me think about the struggles that my good friends Richard and Amie James are having with the city of Beaumont in that the city should be doing everything possible to showcase their town for people that decide to come and run it.

I knew that I probably wasn't going to have everything that I had the day before, but by the time we made it to mile two - back out on University Parks Drive - I had posted a mile of 9:16.65.

Hmmm.

The water station was right in front of the Mayborn Museum Complex before we turned right and headed over a foot bridge that led over to McLane Stadium, which was ensconced in fog.

Wearing my Liberty running shirt (one of three of them, I should say), I was a little fired up, of course, still from the 48-45 win over Baylor from late August 2017.

Around the stadium we went, and then made a left just before the pedestrian bridge, and headed to the Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium.

At some point, we passed mile three and it was 10:39.09.

I was a little discouraged in that even though we came over the bridge, I didn't think that I trailed off that bad - including walking through the water station.

Remember, Jon, you said that you were going to run this for fun, right?

After passing the Track and Field Stadium with it on your left, we headed back toward the Pedestrian Bridge.

Was it right that I kept teasing the volunteers with, "Go Flames!  Beat Baylor!"?

Nonetheless, after coming off the bridge, I could see the mile four marker and I finished off that mile in 9:10.29.

Then it is where things get fun.

If Nancy Goodnight ever puts on a race that is completely devoid of any type of incline, hill, ramp or bridge, somebody have her head examined!

So you go down a short incline only to immediately bear to the left towards the Brazos up another one and then you begin to run along the Riverwalk, heading west back towards the start/finish area.

The degree of difficulty was a little greater than in two years ago when it was just clear, cold and sunny.

Since the Brazos River had receded enough to allow for all participants to run on the Riverwalk, there were sections that were muddy so much so that you had to focus on picking your feet up - as if you were avoiding the trail roots at Huntsville State Park.

The mile five marker was up closer than it probably should have been as that mile came through at 7:49.39.

Ah, no way.  Not from my legs.

Then after you get through all of the mud, well, you have to get back up to ground level.

Well, that's five back-to-back inclines up, then cross over the bridge, do a U-turn to the left to go back down to the river level, turn to the right for a short out and back and then head back east to the next bridge - the famous Suspension Bridge - that takes you into the finish.

When we passed the mile six marker, my watch said 11:11.23.

Post-race, looking at the course certification map, I think that the mile marker was set on the west side of bridge where the instructions on the map says, "Trail under Waco Suspension Bridge -- even with E edge of bridge support."

On the west side of the bridge, you do a little bit of an upside down "U" facing the river, cross under the bridge, and then run up a ramp before turning left on to the Bridge to head into the finish.

The last two tenths of a mile was 2:59.65 (even if I'm slow I don't take anymore than 2:20, let's say) -- for an overall finish time of 1:00:37.10.

I charged hard at the end hoping that Andrew would get a good shot of me finishing.

When I finished, I was actually blowing steam as it seemed to have gotten colder from when we started.

While my time wasn't the 56:30 that I had put down 24 hours sooner, it was a two-minute improvement over the 1:02:46.87 that I had run two years before.

A race then that came a day after running the Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers Bold In The Cold 15K in Grapevine.

I'll take that kind of improvement any day.

I ran the half here in 2015, the 10K in 2017 and I was all set to do the 10K last year but agreed late in the game to finish line announce the inaugural Hot Chocolate 15K and 5K in Houston.

I had asked Nancy to give that entry to maybe one of the first responders - or a volunteer - so they could run/race that day.

And if you're one to plan ahead, there are dates for the next three years of the Miracle Match Marathon.  They are as follows:

January 25 and 26, 2020

January 23 and 24, 2021

January 29 and 30, 2022

Might as well start building out the tabs on my spreadsheet.  You should too.

2nd annual Young Life Run With Endurance Race Report

Young Life Run With Endurance race director Dan Priest was surprised to see me this morning in Lumberton.

I was honest with him, though.

I told him that his race was my first choice east of I-35.

There were races west of I-35 in two different counties that I have not raced in that I had been spying, followed by a basketball game at Howard Payne University in Brownwood.

One was a trail 10K in Granbury and the other was a road 5K in Copperas Cove.

The reason that I was focused in that direction is because I'm running a race at the Miracle Match Marathon in Waco in the morning.

Without wanting to put a lot of extra miles on my car, my plan was to go to IAH and rent one a vehicle.  However, if I picked it up too early, I'd have been rushing to get back on Sunday to keep it a two-day rental.

Later on Friday, though, would have meant that I would have been staying overnight Friday - and getting in late.  And I didn't want to pay for a hotel that I was going to barely use.

Plus it gave me an opportunity to have dinner with Waverly after being on the road Monday through Thursday for work.

I had checked with the timer of the Granbury race to ensure they were going to have race day registration.

Race Day Event Services, out of Gustine, told me - as I've run many races they've timed - they would get me in if things changed.  (Always pays to make friends with timers.)

So I would have had to have left at 3:15 a.m. at the latest to make it to Granbury in time.

I went to bed around 8:30 p.m. and set the alarm for right at 3 a.m.

I was up, but my heart wasn't in making the four hour and 15 minute drive.

I really wanted to run two 10K's this weekend; however, I did consider parkrun in Terry Hershey Park - as it started at 9 a.m. - and the Seven Hills Running Club monthly club race in Huntsville.  Both were 5Ks, however.

And for the Huntsville race, unless I was just prepared to go on to Waco, construction coming back on I-45 at Rayford / Sawdust would have required a detour to come back to the house.

So it was off to Lumberton, going a different route than I normally have:  the Grand Parkway to Highway 59, north to 105 just south of Cleveland, east to 770 just west of Saratoga, and then further east to 287 in Kounze and about 15 miles south to Lumberton.

Entry fee was reasonable.  $45 cash on race day.  Plus the net proceeds were going to benefit the Lumberton Young Life program.

When I arrived, the start / finish location had changed a little bit so I was a little concerned about the course as I was looking to come over and race.

But knowing that Dan was the RD, I was confident that it would be spot on.  (Feel like it was.)

The 10K course would consist of three out-and-backs.  Normally, that would turn the stomach of many runners, but basically we did just one more than last year because of the change in locations.

I started mid-pack to force myself to go out a little slow as I wanted to see how my right knee was going to respond.  I took a rest this week after I've started to have some pain.

My chiropractor shared with me some strengthening exercises yesterday for the patella and I've done them both days since - and will continue to.

The temperatue was perfect.  40 degrees.  I had waited in my car until about 7:50 a.m., though.

I was going to run with a short sleeve tech shirt on top of a long sleeve tech shirt, but decided to go with a different long sleeve and gloves.

First mile was 8:59.45.  Not too fast, but definitely wanted to try and hold it.

The second mile had a turnaround in it and we came back before we made a left to go the next street over and start the two out-and-backs.

Came through the second mile in 9:01.06.

I bypassed the water station at the turnaround and grabbed water when we made the left-hand turn on the next street over.  There was a water station there to get people coming and going in both directions.

We saw mile 4 first (on the left), but mile 3 soon approached and that mile was 9:17.32

I did the math and realized that I was a little faster than Saturday - when I had done a 28:28 at the first parkrun 5K, but that was to be expected because the section of Terry Hershey Park that we ran at has some slight inclines.

Down to the second turnaround and back, I passed the mile four marker in 9:12.64.

Honestly, this excited me.

So I went from an 8-second count and worked on dropping to seven, then six.

The idea was try to turn my feet over a little faster.

I got water again before making it to the mile five marker in 9:15.07.

One more turnaround, then we came back through a quick "S" in the road, of which I ran the tangents through it, and then two left turns to put us back on the main road towards the finish.

About half way down to the right-hand turn to the finish, a guy passed me.  A sandbagger for sure!

As I saw him pass, I saw a little grey on the right side of his head underneath his hat and I thought to myself that he was probably in my age group.

I was just trying to hold on, though, because I thought as long as mile six was going to be a surprise that I'd have a shot at breaking 57.

We made the right-hand turn and I tried to go a little bit, but not enough.

I passed the mile six marker in 9:05.83 and I don't recall seeing the clock, but I did after going 47.27 seconds between the mile 6 and mile 3 marker.

It was then that I realized that I had a chance to make it in under 27 gun.  (I was 13 seconds going across the start line.)

I thought I had another gear, but I covered the last tenth of a mile in 52.11, which is sub-9.

Finishing time was 56:30.75.

There was a race back in the day that was held at Elkins High School in Fort Bend that might have been my PR.

I had a 58:30 on January 29, 2005 at the 6th annual Mardi Gras Beach 10K in Galveston.

I ran 59:50.59 at Lake Jackson Turkey Trot 10K on Thanksgiving Day 2016 and as recently as November, I covered the Waco Zoo Stampede 10K in 59:06.71, but it might have been 6.14 or 6.17 as the course had to be adjusted because of flooding along the Brazos River.

Here's the bigger shocker:  I had more than a six-minute improvement from last year at the same race!

I ran 1:02:38.02 last year and 56:30.75 today.

Wow.

For the second straight year, I ended up third in my 50-54 age group.

This is a definitely a race that you should do.  Flat as can be.  Well patrolled by three different law enforcement vehicles to slow down traffic on open roads that aren't heavily traveled as it is.

Great family atmosphere - for a great cause - that is not over the top (which for me is a turnoff).

I got a chance to visit for a little bit in the parking lot with Gusher Marathon co-race director Richard James about the article that ran in the Beaumont Enterprise.

He said that as a result of the article he has had some sponsor interest and he's doing everything he can to make the event a go for this year on Saturday, April 6.

Always great to see some familiar faces, including Mike Cabaniss, Jeremy Fermo and Mike Moss.  Didn't get a chance to visit with Mike Moss, but saw him on the course.

Plus there were a few folks that hollered at me on the course, but I didn't quickly recall a name.  If you're reading and that was you, my apologies.

It is always flattering to be recognized and in that area, it is from my announcing the Gusher Marathon for many years.

Pulsipher, Seeley and Yoder Among Nine to Finish 25th Houston Marathon Sunday

Nine runners finished their 25th Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday and another nine inched one finish closer to not having to pay for another Chevron Houston Marathon the rest of their life.

Twenty-four (24) more marathoners recorded their 26th, 27th or 28th Houston Marathon.

Dalton Pulsipher and John Yoder are the only two marathoners who have 25 or more finishes and are under the age of 50.

Oklahoma's Kathryn White, who served as a pacer for many years, last year completed her 25th Houston Marathon at the age of 50

With two more finishes, Michael Danke will be the youngest ever to make it to 30 Houston Marathon finishes, as he will be 52 in two years.

Rick McMahan, who was two minutes and two seconds over the six-hour limit in his quest for a 42nd consecutive Houston Marathon finish, was 53 when he finished his 30th Houston Marathon.

Suzy Seeley was the only one of the nine who ran to their 25th finish that was female.  She became the tenth woman in Chevron Houston Marathon history to cross the finish line 25 times.

The complete list, grouped by number of finishes and listed alphabetically by first name within that group, is as follows:

29 - James Thurmond (5:23:20), M, 72
29 - Joe Pierce (5:02:14), M, 62
29 - John McKenna (5:32:11), M, 62
29 - Leslie Hale (5:22:46), F, 66
29 - Lupe Gomez (5:06:37), M, 65
29 - Randall Keith (3:31:56), M, 60
29 - Rich Fredrich (4:01:28), M, 61
29 - Robert Hughes (5:09:36), M, 69
29 - William Schneider (4:49:07), M, 66

28 - Bob Kirkpatrick (5:54:53), M, 57
28 - Carlos Reyes (5:10:52), M, 55
28 - Jesus Pequeno (5:54:08), M, 51
28 - Michael Danke (5:23:48), M, 50
28 - R Don Ruggles (5:45:14), M, 74
28 - Ralph Rohena (5:19:28), M, 66
28 - Terry Green (5:20:03), M, 64

27 - Evelina Stenroos (4:39:44), F, 65
27 - Glenn Heumann (5:36:16), M, 64
27 - Gunnar Sanden (5:19:40), M, 78
27 - John Colico (5:32:01), M, 59
27 - Larry Lindeen (5:36:59), M, 78

26 - Anthony Mireles (4:37:23), M, 64
26 - Bruce Mansur (5:00:41), M, 69
26 - Darryl Anderson (5:23:31), M, 54
26 - Eddie Espinosa (4:18:41), M, 56
26 - Elva Lafuente (3:59:09), F, 53
26 - Irene Binash (4:25:01), F, 61
26 - Jeff Nash (4:03:53), M, 57
26 - Kathryn White (4:20:01), F, 51
26 - Ken Goode (4:57:39), M, 60
26 - Michael Holcomb (5:46:48), M, 64
26 - Roger Souders (3:46:36), M, 60
26 - Thomas Steets (5:53:12), M, 67

25 - Dalton Pulsipher (3:51:36), M, 41
25 - Grant Hodges (5:14:25), M, 62
25 - Jim Buchwalter (5:04:37), M, 61
25 - John Yoder (3:04:50), M, 47
25 - Philip Ballmann (4:19:32), M, 59
25 - R Joe Ybarra (5:54:45), M, 60
25 - Ronnie W Watkins (4:56:42), M, 63
25 - Steve Hasson (4:12:45), M, 52
25 - Suzy Seeley (3:47:06), F, 59

Sources:  chevronhoustonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com

Steves, Cooley join CHM 30+ Marathon Finishes Club; Hoekman fastest

With their finishes last Sunday at the Chevron Houston Marathon, Bayou City Road Runners’ Fred Steves and past HARRA board member and Houston Masters Sports Association member Paul Cooley became the 42nd and 43rd runners to post their 30th Chevron Houston Marathon finish.

Twenty-three (23) runners – including the latest duo – with 30 or more Houston Marathon finishes posted official (under six hours) times.

Three other members of the 30-Plus club finished the marathon, but did not finish under six hours.

One started, but did not finish and another 18 did not start in 2019 – including four who finished in 2018.

The youngest finisher of the 30-Plus club on Sunday was 58-year-old John McClung followed by 59-year-old Brian Jenison.

HARRA’s former Medical Director Dr. Bob Hoekman was the fastest finisher with his 75-79 age group winning time of 4:02:24.

Both females – Maria Camacho and Susan Rouse – added to their totals of 36 and 34 finishes, respectively, in times of 5:37:22 and 4:28:51.

The complete list of 23 finishers are listed below:

44 - Jack Lippincott (5:47:55), M, 72

37 - Stephen McNeil (5:03:31), M, 61

36 - Maria Camacho (5:37:22), F, 63

36 - Robert Eury (4:53:49), M, 70

35 - Manuel Gonzalez (4:44:42), M, 73

35 - Rudolph Rendon (5:29:55), M, 71

34 - J P Reed (5:05:30), M, 62

34 - John McClung (5:29:56), M, 58

34 - Susan Rouse (4:28:51), F, 60

33 - Brian Jenison (5:38:45), M, 59

33 - Charles Moore (4:51:64), M, 64

33 - Robert McDowell (4:44:50), M, 68

32 - Gene Wilson (5:28:32), M, 65

32 - Steve Boone (5:20:08), M, 69

31 - Charles Scheibe (5:32:30), M, 64

31 - James Simmons (5:50:49), M, 68

31 - Michael Johnston (4:58:15), M, 62

31 - Richard Evans (5:09:44), M, 62

31 - Robert Hoekman (4:02:24), M, 77

30 - Fred Steves (4:51:50), M, 77

30 - Paul Cooley (4:57:08), M, 68

Sources:  chevronhoustonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com

2019 3M Half Marathon Has Record Crowd, Including 191 Greater Houston Area Runners

On a day where the Chevron Houston Marathon and its companion half, the Aramco Houston Half Marathon, and the standalone 25th annual 3M Half Marathon shared the same calendar space, the Austin race – like Houston - also put more official finishers across its finish line than ever before – surpassing the 6,000-finisher threshold for the first time in its illustrious history.

3,292 women and 2,721 men made up the record 6,013 finishers, up 8.6 percent from last year’s record of 5,630 official finishers.

In its post-race press release, the event said “nearly 7,500 participants registered, the most in event history, for the standalone half marathon.”

Meaning that 19.8% of the 3M Half Marathon’s registered runners were not an official finisher – just under two percentage points less that both of Houston’s Sunday races.

Nearly 200 runners – 191, to be exact – in the 77xxx greater Houston area zip code range grabbed a finishing time as a result of their effort in Austin on Sunday.

Katy’s Evgeny Parkin, 34, and Houston’s Emily Kearney, 23, were the area’s fastest finishers in 1:27:05 and 1:31:25, respectively.

The top area master’s runners were Dickinson’s Leno Rios, 48, and Shenandoah’s Karen Ponette, 49, as they posted times of 1:29:42 and 1:34:05.

Both Kearney and Ponette were in the top two percent of female finishers.

Kearney was second in her 20-24 age group while Ponette was fourth in 45-49.

Houston’s Buddy Brown, 61, was sixth in his division in 1:38:50 while Joseph Norton, 67, also of Houston, was eighth in the 65-69 age group in 2:01:07.

Men’s Top 10 – Greater Houston Area
1:27:05 - Evgeny Pankin, 34, Katy
1:27:48 - Ryan Yang, 19, College Station
1:29:42 - Leno Rios, 48, Dickinson
1:30:48 - Richard Nicholls, 38, Katy
1:36:34 - Don Welling, 34, Houston
1:38:50 - Buddy Brown, 61, Houston
1:40:00 - Joseph Cervenka, 39, Sugar Land
1:42:16 - Cary Moorhead, 55, Houston
1:43:08 - Russell Abshire, 57, Houston
1:45:11 - Andrew Burns, 28, Houston

Women’s Top 10 – Greater Houston Area
1:31:25 - Emily Kearney, 23, Houston
1:34:05 - Karen Ponette, 49, Shenandoah
1:38:03 - Audrey Maness, 36, Spring
1:40:42 - Payton Burns, 25, Houston
1:42:27 - Briana Zamora, 23, Bryan
1:44:15 - Katherine Barron, 23, Houston
1:45:23 - Irene Papas, 30, Houston
1:45:45 - Michelle Atencio, 46, Houston
1:49:01 - Misha Reissig, 39, Conroe
1:53:11 - Anne Schuster, 35, Katy

Source:  mychiptime.com

2019 Aramco Houston Half Marathon Age-Group Winners

Aramco Houston Half Marathon, Houston, TX
Sunday, January 20, 2019

Overall Men's Winner - Shura Kitata, ETH, 1:00:11

7-11 - 1:49:23, Diego Carrasco (TX)
12-15 - 1:23:26, Ferdinand Hoven (NOR/TX) - Katy Tompkins
16-19 - 1:13:17, Dawson Schmidt (TX) - last year's AG winner; 5th fastest 16-19 time ever.
20-24 - 1:03:49, Macio Pacay (GTM)
25-29 - 1:01:47, James Ngandu (KEN)
30-34 - 1:02:30, Jose Mauricio Gonazalez (COL) - Tied for 10th best 30-34 time ever.
35-39 - 1:05:25, Christopher Sloane (MD) - 4th best 35-39 time ever.
40-44 - 1:07:03, Colin Fewer (CAN) - 4th best 40-44 time ever.
45-49 - 1:13:48, Jonathan Bishard (MO) - 9th best 45-49 time ever.
50-54 - 1:17:57, Myron Tetreault (CAN) - 5th best 50-54 time ever.
55-59 - 1:23:07, Jeff Kirk (TX) - 5th best 55-59 time ever.
60-64 - 1:26:11, Daniel Lillyman (IL) - 4th best 60-64 time ever; Peter Mullin has first three.
65-69 - 1:38:41, Jamal Jamalyaria (TX) - last year's AG winner; 10th best 65-69 time ever.
70-74 - 1:58:29, David Muller (TX)
75-79 - 2:14:08, John Moore (WA)
80+ - 3:08:29, Phillip Smith (TX) - 4th 80+ finish; first AG win

Overall Women's Winner - Brigid Kosgei, KEN, 1:05:50

7-11 - 2:08:51, Catherine Mart (TX)
12-15 - 1:24:39, Avery Clover (TX)- Humble Atascocita; 3rd best 12-15 time ever behind Lauren Smith Stroud and Nichole Jones.
16-19 - 1:35:18, Eileen Laverty (NY) - Emory University
20-24 - 1:14:15, Claire Sumner (CAN)
25-29 - 1:13:16, Robyn Mildren (CAN)
30-34 - 1:15:40, Laura Desjardins (CAN)
35-39 - 1:19:34, April Lund (ND)
40-44 - 1:13:58, Roberta Groner (NJ) - 3rd best 40-44 time ever.
45-49 - 1:26:30, Kirsten Stefan (TX) - 9th best 45-49 time ever.
50-54 - 1:26:26, Peggy Yetman (TX)- 3rd best 50-54 time ever.  First two belong to Colleen De Reuck.
55-59 - 1:35:55, Lynn Malloy (TX) - 5th best 55-59 time ever.
60-64 - 1:43:03, Jill Norris (TX) - 7th best 60-64 time ever.
65-69 - 1:49:14, Billie Melanson (TX) - 2nd best 65-69 time ever.
70-74 - 2:09:28, Sally King (TX) - 6th best 70-74 time ever.
75-79 - 3:15:50, Phyllis Thompson (TX) - Third in division last year.
80+ - 3:26:02, Kay Duplichan (TX) - 2nd 80+ AG win.  First time division had three finishers.

Sources:  chevronhoustonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com

2019 Chevron Houston Marathon Age-Group Winners

Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX
Sunday, January 20, 2019

Men
16-19 - 2:55:15, Will Lord (TX)
20-24 - 2:22:22, Kallin Khan (IA)
25-29 - 2:15:06, Benjamin Sathre (LUX)
30-34 - 2:15:54, Daniel Vargas (MEX)
35-39 - 2:26:21, Darryl Brown (PA)
40-44 - 2:24:55, Jorge Maravilla (CA)
45-49 - 2:34:21, Jason Butler (OK) - 11th best 45-49 ever
50-54 - 2:39:19, Tim Meigs (NC) - 3rd fastest 50-54 ever, drops Al Lawrence's 2:39:59 in '83 to 4th
55-59 - 3:09:58, Agapito Gaytan (TX)
60-64 - 3:03:14, Joe Standefer (NC) - 7th fastest 60-64 time ever
65-69 - 3:04:09, Martin Keibel (CT)
     New 65-69 AG record, eclipsing Charles Ogilvie's 3:04:32 from 1983
70-74 - 3:57:00, Ben Harvie (TX) - Was first in 70-74 in '16, second in '17.
75-79 - 4:02:24, Robert Hoekman (WA)
     Fifth best 75-79 time ever; Dr. Bob has 3-4-5.  Fifth straight AG win (two in 70-74).

Women
16-19 - 3:40:27, Katelynn Ashmore (TX)
20-24 - 2:54:11, Violetta Yazlovskaya (FL)
25-29 - 2:41:33, Lauren Kersjes (IL)
30-34 - 2:37:12, Angie Orjuela Soche (COL)
35-39 - 2:32:10, Malindi Elmore (CAN)
40-44 - 2:50:55, Jennifer Hughes (UT)
45-49 - 2:52:49, Valentyna Poltavska (UKR) - 4th fastest 45-49 ever
50-54 - 3:24:50, Janet Zhang (FL)
55-59 - 3:19:40, Barbara Stoll (TX)- 4th fastest 55-59 ever; Stoll 2nd in '17, Moreno 3rd in '18
60-64 - 3:34:47, Pam Butler (TX) - 5th fastest 60-64 ever, bettered last year's 3:42:02
65-69 - 4:15:33, Rosi Benitez (TX)- 10th fastest 65-69 ever
70-74 - 4:56:49, Marty Timpano (TX) - 3rd fastest 70-74 ever

Source:  chevronhoustonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com

2020 Olympic Trials Qualifying Times at Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half

MARATHON - MEN - "A" STANDARD
2:13:29 - Tyler Jermann (NM)*

MARATHON - MEN - "B" STANDARD
2:16:40 - Ryan Root (OK)
2:16:43 - Travis Morrison (UT)
2:18:27 - Danny Docherty (MN)
2:18:39 - Cole Atkins (SC)
2:18:40 - Carlos Trujillo (CO)
2:18:50 - Eduardo Garcia (SC)

HALF MARATHON - MEN - "B" STANDARD
1:02:06 - Reed Fischer (CO)*
1:02:09 - Abinet Adraro (NM)
1:02:11 - Parker Stinson (CO)*
1:02:14 - Jerrell Mock (CO)
1:02:26 - William Milam (CO)
1:02:46 - Colin Bennie (VA)
1:03:10 - Futsum Zienasellassie (AZ)
1:03:15 - Noah Droddy (CO)*
1:03:17 - Andrew Epperson (CO)*
1:03:55 - Kevin Lewis (MN)
1:03:58 - Chase Weaverling (VA)
1:04:00 - Jim Walmsley (AZ)+

MARATHON - WOMEN - "A" STANDARD
2:31:53 - Kelsey Bruce (TX)*
2:33:41 - Katy Jermann (NM)
2:33:52 - Rachel Baptista (TX)

MARATHON - WOMEN - "B" STANDARD
2:38:32 - Madeline Duhon (CA)*
2:38:33 - Polina Carlson (HI)*
2:39:34 - Devon Yanko (CA)
2:41:21 - Kir Selert Faraud (LA)*
2:41:33 - Lauren Kersjes (IL)
2:41:54 - Erica Weitz (FL)
2:42:01 - Sabrina Lopez (CA)*
2:42:05 - Jessica Monson (WI)
2:42:15 - Andrea Guerra (CA)
2:43:05 - Cali Roper (TX)
2:43:13 - Lauren Fog (CO)
2:43:39 - Siobhan O'Connor (PA)
2:43:51 - Elizabeth Northern (TX)
2:44:02 - Molly Bookmyer (OH)
2:44:15 - Brittany Perkins (NC)
2:44:26 - Maura Linde (MD)
2:44:32 - Stephanie Wilson (MN)
2:44:49 - Caroline Austin (WA)

HALF MARATHON - WOMEN - "B" STANDARD
1:07:30 - Emily Sisson (RI)
1:10:44 - Elaina Tabb (MA)
1:12:03 - Aliphine Tuliamuk (AZ)
1:12:12 - Sally Kipyego (TN)
1:12:35 - Becky Wade (CO)*
1:12:53 - Christina Vergara-Aleshire (NV)*

* Previously met the qualifying standard, according to lists maintained by marathonguide.com
+ Not sure if Walmsley's time makes it or not.
Sources:  chevronhoustonmarathon.com, marathonguide.com

19,000-Plus Official Finishers Cross CHM and Aramco Half Finish Lines For First Time Ever

An annual exercise to determine the human nature of runners who register for the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon is to look at the numbers of registrants and finishers, using what data is available through the marathon’s website.

Timing is always an issue as data is being refreshed and updated constantly as post-race issues are resolved before the results are declared final and official.

As of Monday afternoon, it appears that the half marathon had a record number of finishers with 12,530 while the marathon had its lowest number of finishers since 2013 with 6,660.

The previous half marathon record was 11,664, set in 2015.

It is the first time in the event’s history that the two totaled more than 19,000 with 19,190 exactly.

18,881 finished the two events combined three years ago in 2016.

And if the race day weather and the preceding forecast had been a bit friendlier, it is easy to believe that the bar would have been set high for future years.

In the marathon, as of Friday, 8:15 p.m., there were 9,080 entries in the marathon’s results search.

Today, there were 7,152 who showed in the same results search with 6,660 official finishers – 4,052 men and 2,600 women.

This would suggest that 1,928 packets didn’t start the race on Sunday – a no-show rate of 21.2%

Actually, that’s not too bad.

Almost seven percent – 6.8%, to be exact – either didn’t finish or finished over six hours.

For the half marathon, Friday’s data revealed 16,545 potential runners.

Just about 13,000 – 12,988 exactly – started the race with 12,530 finishing.

That’s 3,557 no shows in just a slightly higher percentage of 21.5%.

This could have been worse – and might have been if the 29 degrees forecast with double-digit wind totals had prevailed.

Slightly under four percent of the runners – 3.6% -- who crossed the start line didn’t finish or did so in more than four hours.

The initial post-race press release from the Houston Marathon Committee on Sunday indicated that more finished – “a total of 6,930 runners finished the marathon, while 12,986 completed the half marathon on a day that saw runners brave an unseasonable start temperature of 33 degrees with a 12 mph wind”, but that was before the data begins to get scrubbed.

Previous records were determined from viewing page 18 of this year's Chevron Houston Marathon media guide.

We Are Houston 5K Age-Group Winners - 2019

We Are Houston 5K presented by Aramco and Chevron
Saturday, January 19, 2019

Overall Men's Winner - Drew Bean, 15:16

07-11 - 22:07, Zachary Madsen*
12-15 - 17:55, Reese Vannerson
16-19 - 16:15, Jaime Caleb Carrion Herrera
20-24 - 17:42, Lucas Manoel Medeiros costa (BRA)
25-29 - 16:29, Joshua Jones
30-34 - 15:38, J.P. Machemel
35-39 - 17:28, Andrew Johnston (GBR)
40-44 - 18:40, Michael Azares
45-49 - 17:45, John Mayock (GBR)*
50-54 - 20:24, Anthony Peters
55-59 - 19:45, Franklin Bucheli Garcia (ECU)
60-64 - 18:57, Ed Bickley*
65-69 - 22:29, Scott Bassin*
70-74 - 27:14, Burk Foster*
75-79 - 29:29, John Moore
80 - 30:08, Max Royalty*

Mobility Impaired:  23:39, Josh Smith
Visually Impaired:  22:50, Harsh Bhasin
Wheelchair:  35:27, Doug Dillard
Handcycle:  16:27, Jeff Chaffin

Overall Women's Winner - Gabriela DeLeon (VEN), 17:53

07-11 - 21:52, Diana Ramirez
12-15 - 21:37, Callie Farrar
16-19 - 19:29, Katelyn Elliott
20-24 - 18:34, Virginia Wallace
25-29 - 18:18, Lindsey McDonald
30-34 - 18:27, Heidi Bock
35-39 - 18:10, Ashley Relf
40-44 - 21:29, Alexandra Paddon-Jones
45-49 - 22:20, Jennifer Fogarty
50-54 - 22:44, Irma Hammond
55-59 - 22:28, Kelly Dworak
60-64 - 26:15, Julie Wolf
65-69 - 21:16, Sabra Harvey
70-74 - 28:02, Dusty Burke
75-79 - 52:56, Consuelo Perez
80 - 43:34, Judy Mullins

Mobility Impaired:  31:27, Alma Faz
Wheelchair:  51:17, Carolyn Cipolla
Handcycle:  22:28, Keri Falk

Source:  chevronhoustonmarathon.com

Parkrun Houston 5K #1 Race Report

Today started my 17th year of running races – a welcome addition to the most recent one-third of my life here on Earth.

Sixteen years ago, I ran my first race – the 24-Hour Fitness 4 Miler - in conjunction with the then-hp Houston Marathon.

Earlier this morning, I ran my first parkrun 5K, which was held along the trails of Terry Hershey Park.

Parkrun got started on October 2, 2004 in Bushy Park, Teddington, UK and it took two years before the weekly, free and timed 5K ventured to another location.

Parkrun is now in 20 countries and came to the United States in June 2012 in Livonia, Michigan.

In the last six and a half years, there have been 2,413 races in 28 locations with 30,828 unique runners who have run a US-based parkrun 5K.

Even though I’ve run around 800 races in over 300 different north American cities, it is always good to see a familiar face and long-time Houston Strider John Yoder was there.

He said it was more for his two dogs as he will be pacing the 3:05 group at the Chevron Houston Marathon in the morning.

The Houston parkrun website is:  http://www.parkrun.us/terryhershey/

I was most curious how the personal bar code would be scanned, et. al. so I arrived early – 8:20 or so for a 9 a.m. start and volunteers began to make their way to the start area about 8:30 a.m.

In less than 30 minutes, there were about 50 runners gathered to run from near Eldridge Parkway all the way east to Dairy Ashford and back.

Paul, the lead volunteer, welcomed everyone in a very friendly manner and he was accompanied by a number of equally friendly and encouraging volunteers.

Knowing that parkrun got its started in the UK, I certainly wasn’t surprised to hear many British accents among the participants, but any good bloke that can put one foot in front of the other is equally welcome to participate.

The bar code.  What’s that all about?

Well, when you register at the parkrun website, you have a one-time registration and you are assigned a number which generates a personal bar code.

You print this bar code out and take it with you to the race site. 

I was wondering how you were going to keep a piece of paper from getting wet, etc. while you’re racing, but once I finished, I understood how things worked.

When you crossed the finish line, you’re given a “token”, but it is like your rewards card that fits on your key chain for CVS or Walgreen’s.  It indicates your place, which is married up to the time that is kept on another device.

Your place is scanned and then your barcode and that’s how you’ll be listed in the results.

No barcode, no time.  (Of course, if you’re like me, you have a watch that keeps your time – and if timing matches up, the timer’s had a great day!)

I was very pleased how everything went.

I spoke with Paul after the race and I pledged that if they certify the course, I will donate half of the funds to make that happen so people can come out – like Kelly Ramey’s Houston Wellness Project races – and know that they’re running an accurate distance every time they come out.

Regular for-profit, not-for-profit and charity races are great, but events like Run The Woodlands – Houston’s first 5K series that started in 2000, the Houston Wellness Project and now parkrun all fill a bill for runners when you want to go out and “race” – not just run – but don’t want to pay $35, $40 and $45 at the last minute for a 5K.

However, HWP and parkrun needs your financial support as there are permit fees, insurance, etc. so whenever you can donate either on a per race or ad hoc basis, you can help other people get out in a non-threatening environment – and help improve their quality of life.

That’s what Run The Woodlands did for me some almost 16 years ago.

And we have a responsibility to do that for others.

If you’re reading this and running the Chevron Houston Marathon or Aramco Houston Half Marathon, have a great race and I hope to see many of you running the marathon out on the course somewhere!

2019 Chevron Houston Marathon Handcycle, Wheelchair and Athletes with Disabilities Bib List

Using the Chevron Houston Marathon's runner tracking, which is already online, here is a list of competitors in the Handcycle, Wheelchair and Athlete with Disabilities divisions:

Marathon Handcycles

16004 - Jeff Chaffin, 38, TX
16005 - Tom Davis, 41, NY
16006 - Freddie De Los Santos, 49, NY
16007 - Doug Dillard, 40, TX
16008 - James Dubose, 46, TX
16011 - Robert Ferguson, 39, TX
16012 - Kyle Grant, 35, TX
16013 - Frederick Green, 41, TX
16016 - Romel Palis, 55, NY
16018 - William Sass, 60, CAN
16020 - David Villarreal, 57, TX
16021 - Rick Weisbrod, 69, TX
16022 - Travis Wood, 35, NY
16034 - Fred Samuelsen, 66, TX

Marathon Wheelchairs

16001 - Ramiro Bermudez, 59, TX
16017 - Bennie Jose Perez, 45, TX

Marathon Athletes with Disabilities

16026 - Corvin Bagzan, 44, TX (Visually Impaired)
16027 - Harsh Bhasin, 30, IND (Visually Impaired)
16028 - Melissa Blume, 37, NJ, F (Visually Impaired)
16030 - Charles Jones, 20, TX (Duo)
16031 - David Kuhn, 66, IL (Visually Impaired)
16033 - Tim Paul, 60, TX (Visually Impaired)
16035 - Josh Smith, 31, TX (Mobility Impaired)
16036 - Lisa Thompson, 51, TX, F (Visually Impaired)
16037 - Jeff Waldmuller, 34, TX (Mobility Impaired)
16038 - Anna Whitten, 16, TX (Duo)
16101 - Greer Barnes, 31, TX, F (Guide)
16103 - Michael Conway, 49, TX (Guide)
16104 - Steven Diaz, 29, TX (Guide)
16105 - Dean Digamon, 37, TX (Guide)
16108 - Karen Klucznik, 48, TX, F (Guide)
16112 - Dan Rodriguez, 37, TX (Guide)
16113 - David Shepard, 32, TX (Guide)

Half Marathon Wheelchairs

41003 - Saul Mendoza, 52, MEX
41004 - Matthew Pevoto, 24, LA

Half Marathon Athletes with Disabilities

41011 - Brandon Adame, 35, TX (Visually Impaired)
41012 - Holly Akers, 19, TX (Duo)
41013 - Elizabeth Baker, 44, TN (Visually Impaired)
41014 - Alma Balleza, 57, TX (Visually Impaired)
41015 - Mark Barr, 32, TX (Mobility Impaired)
41017 - Andy Burks, 36, TX (Duo)
41018 - Anthony Butler, 31, NY (Visually Impaired)
41019 - Jessica Callahan, 32, TX (Visually Impaired)
41020 - Karen Carr, 46, TX (Visually Impaired)
41021 - Jennifer Clark, 39, TX (Mobility Impaired)
41022 - David Cleveland, 48, TX (Visually Impaired)
41023 - Kellie Dewveall, 51, TX (Visually Impaired)
41024 - Ashley Eisenmenger, 22, IL (Visually Impaired)
41026 - Alma Faz, 40, TX (Mobility Impaired)
41027 - Gail Greenberg, 64, TX (Visually Impaired)
41028 - Francesca Greene, 44, TX (Duo)
41029 - Shannon Griffin, 20, TX (Duo)
41031 - Dana Jaros, 25, WI (Mobility Impaired)
41034 - Lori Longoria, 22, TX (Duo)
41035 - Gregory Lyon, 48, TX (Mobility Impaired)
41037 - Brett McNinch, 41, OH (Mobility Impaired)
41038 - Tracy Minish, 63, TX (Visually Impaired)
41039 - Chris Mitchell, 46, TX (Mobility Impaired)
41040 - Jasmine Murrell, 30, NJ (Visually Impaired)
41041 - Amo Musharraf, 48, NJ (Visually Impaired)
41042 - Ive Orcel, 28, FL (Visually Impaired)
41044 - Leticia Sandoval, 38, TX (Visually Impaired)
41045 - Nick Silver, 36, TX (Visually Impaired)
41046 - Randi Strunk, 36, TX (Visually Impaired)
41051 - Richard Zambrano, 43, TX (Visually Impaired)
41101 - Paul Barr, 36, CA (Guide)
41102 - Danielle Barrera, 48, TX (Guide)
41103 - Heidi Bock, 32, TX (Guide)
41104 - Claudio Bravo, 47, TX (Guide)
41107 - Ben Castillo, 46, TX (Guide)
41109 - Jacquelyn Cirko, 32, IL (Guide)
41110 - Danny Craven, 32, TX (Guide)
41111 - Ray Currid, 38, TX (Guide)
41112 - Alison Dunn, 38, TX (Guide)
41113 - Kyle Fredrickson, 26, NC (Guide)
41114 - Elise Garcia, 30, TX (Guide)
41115 - Roni Garrett, 36, TX (Guide)
41116 - Jeffrey Gill, 63, TX (Guide)
41117 - Kendall Gill, 40, TX (Guide)
41125 - Luke Kosa, 29, TX (Guide)
41128 - Michelle Leong, 40, TX (Guide)
41129 - Samuel Lopez, 50, TX (Guide)
41131 - Taryn Melgoza, 34, TX (Guide)
41133 - Cheyenne Meyer, 26, TX (Guide)
41134 - Lisa Michele, 52, TX (Guide)
41135 - Alejandra Mileo, 44, TX (Guide)
41136 - Sarah Morris, 31, TX (Guide)
41137 - Cathy Nguyen, 36, TX (Guide)
41138 - Kathleen Ochipa, 29, TX (Guide)
41139 - Greg Orphanides, 40, GBR (Guide)
41140 - Michelle Owens, 41, TX (Guide)
41141 - Jill Price, 44, TX (Guide)
41142 - Jessie Rix, 29, NY (Guide)
41143 - Sam Robles, 38, TX (Guide)
41144 - Victor Santos, 57, TX (Guide)
41147 - Eric Solberg, 53, TX (Guide)
41149 - Justin Sternberg, 43, TX (Guide)
41153 - Jesse Zavala, 30, TX (Guide)

5K Wheelchairs

55983 - Doug Dillard, 40, TX
55998 - Daniele Maurizio, 12, ITA

5K Handcycles

55963 - David Villarreal, 57, TX
55964 - Jeff Chaffin, 38, TX
55965 - Robert Ferguson, 39, TX
55966 - Rick Weisbrod, 69, TX

Sources:  houstonmarathon.com

117 On Target for 10th Aramco Houston Half Marathon Finish on Sunday

Using the houstonresults.com site and the Chevron Houston Marathon's runner tracking, which is already online, there are 117 runners - 60 women and 57 men - who are registered to run Sunday's Aramco Houston Half Marathon that will be aiming to finish their 10th Aramco Houston Half Marathon.

An additional 60 athletes have exactly nine (9) career Aramco Houston Half Marathon finishes, but are not registered.

They 117 below - separated by alpha, first name - are as follows (with their number of finishes to date and 2019 bib number):

9 - Adam Roth (21934), 35, M
9 - Ajay Vishwanath (34582), 44, M
9 - Alexander Thomas (28375), 55, M
9 - Allan Ring (39292), 71, M
9 - Ana Morales-Amaya (38619), 47, F

9 - Benjamin Cohen-Kurzrock (23979), 28, M
9 - Bernice Shaver (39597), 59, F
9 - Betsy Chapman (36642), 76, F
9 - Bobby Chan (23875), 43, M
9 - Brenda Jeffreys (37824), 60, F
9 - Brian Remark (21903), 41, M
9 - Brown Howard (31950), 57, M

9 - Carolyn Stone (28223), 45, F
9 - Carrie McIntyre (20382), 19, F
9 - Charles Robertson (21919), 46, M
9 - Cheryl Brand (30456), 62, F
9 - Chris Casey (23819), 47, M
9 - Chris Trent (28470), 51, M
9 - Christina Henderson (31819), 30, F
9 - Christopher Perez (33320), 46, M
9 - Christy Gonzales (24884), 45, F
9 - Crystal Lester (32420), 42, F
9 - Cuc Mai (38313), 55, F

9 - Dan Jaeger (32042), 73, M
9 - David Hoyer (37704), 62, M
9 - David Hunt (25434), 53, M
9 - David Piper (21861), 59, M
9 - David Trevino (28473), 44, M
9 - Dean Hunt (31976), 58, M
9 - Deyanira Loredo (38255), 41, F
9 - Dmitry Rachuk (20756), 41, M
9 - Dona Hinton (37645), 58, F

9 - Ellen Lumpkin (26155), 48, F
9 - Elva Saldivar (39439), 64, F
9 - Ese-Ray Inije (37765), 41, F
9 - Evanthe Collins (23998), 44, F

9 - Gail Ng (38728), 60, F
9 - George Villarreal (34568), 69, M
9 - Grace Hobby (37661), 60, F
9 - Gricelda Sanchez (33844), 41, F
9 - Gwendolyn Gallien (37235), 65, F

9 - Henry Posamentier (27299), 69, M
9 - Herman Vacca (40031), 80, M
9 - Hilda McDonnell (38448), 67, F

9 - Ismael Cavazos (30680), 67, M

9 - James Pierce (33391), 57, M
9 - Jana Wesson (40197), 44, F
9 - Jane Mielenz (38532), 65, F
9 - Jean Valka (28553), 56, F
9 - Jeffrey Burrell (23701), 50, M
9 - Jennifer Madsen (32563), 41, F
9 - Jesse Dean (35197), 48, M
9 - Jessica Grogan (25005), 37, F
9 - Jill Roth (21935), 33, F
9 - Joanna Gol (37345), 58, F
9 - John Novak (26926), 48, M
9 - Jorge Luna (21663), 49, M

9 - K George Wasaff (22164), 64, M
9 - Karen Robbins (39319), 58, F
9 - Kathleen Swinson (28290), 70, F
9 - Kathy Haeckler (25066), 63, F
9 - Katy Bate (23327), 40, F
9 - Kerry Rock (35264), 65, M
9 - Ketan Patel (27099), 56, M

9 - Larisa Ferguson (31269), 59, F
9 - Laurie Swaim (34246), 56, F
9 - Linda Riviera (39315), 64, F
9 - Lisa Deville (21268), 44, F
9 - Lisa Pitzer (39078), 44, F

9 - Maria Sobarzo (34131), 56, F
9 - Marie Wehrung (28749), 55, F
9 - Mario Guerrero (25018), 56, M
9 - Michael Mangan (21673), 50, M
9 - Mifta Redi (33575), 58, M
9 - Mohan Kudchadker (32294), 76, M
9 - Myra Davis (30989), 53, F

9 - Patricia Llanas (32469), 37, F
9 - Patrick Chih (30740), 50, M
9 - Paula Parshall (38915), 61, F
9 - Peter Vekilov (28605), 54, M
9 - Philip Lupo (26167), 46, M

9 - Ray Kerlick (32216), 48, M
9 - Rene Amaya (23117), 49, M
9 - Rene Enriquez (37088), 52, M
9 - Rob Scott (21981), 53, M
9 - Robert Garza (29183), 73, M
9 - Robert Meyer (32815), 63, M
9 - Robert Swanson (28275), 59, M
9 - Robin McConaughey (32707), 56, F
9 - Robin Smith (28034), 38, F
9 - Roger Church (23928), 46, M
9 - Rosa Bryant (36464), 70, F
9 - Rosa Gonzalez (37366), 59, F
9 - Ruberman Aldana (34905), 54, M
9 - Russ Montgomery (26679), 42, M
9 - Ryan Ahrabi (21008), 47, M
9 - Ryan Coleman (36733), 49, M

9 - Sai Sreerama (39738), 51, F
9 - Sally Munoz (26782), 58, F
9 - Scott Atlas (23222), 44, M
9 - Scott Lemaire (38134), 51, M
9 - Sharon Lee (32392), 52, F
9 - Shay Kuperman (21593), 41, M
9 - Shelley Steelman (39760), 47, F
9 - Stacey Berg (23402), 57, F
9 - Stephanie Bascon (36233), 51, F
9 - Susan Kohlmaier (32266), 50, F
9 - Susan Thomas (39883), 51, F
9 - Susan Winnitoy (28877), 46, F

9 - Tammy Garza (31464), 42, F
9 - Therese Lattal (32352), 63, F
9 - Tim Cordingley (21225), 51, M
9 - Timothy Toale (22097), 39, M

9 - Vivian Dunlop (24366), 57, F

9 - Walt Zenon (29014), 67, M
9 - Walter Sklenar (28013), 64, M
9 - Wendy Childers (30742), 48, F

Sources:  houstonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com

30 Set For 15th (Or More) Aramco Houston Half Marathon in 2019

Using the houstonresults.com site and the Chevron Houston Marathon's runner tracking, which is already online, I'm able to report that there are thirty (30) runners who will be aiming to finish their 15th Aramco Houston Half Marathon or better.

They are as follows (with their number of finishes to date and 2019 bib number):

17 - Nathaniel Collins (20601), 81, M
-
16 - Scott Zarley (20602), 58, M
-
15 - Alan Hopkins (20605), 50, M
15 - Ann Wacker (20604), 59, F
15 - Carol Madrid (20610), 60, F
15 - Charlotte Dudley (20609), 71, F
15 - Diane Bell (20608), 70, F
15 - Don Burney (20606), 71, M
15 - John Polisini (21867), 64, M
15 - Olivia Brown (36448), 72, F
15 - Sesh Bala (20607), 73, M
15 - Stephen Oneil (20603), 58, M
-
14 - Angela Hemmen (20617), 36, F
14 - Anne Court (20622), 61, F
14 - Catherine Usry (20626), 62, F
14 - Douglas Kelly (20613), 54, M
14 - Frederick Dwyer (20612), 57, M
14 - Julie Grissett (20624), 50, F
14 - Lisa Berman (20611), 53, F
14 - Mark Hemmen (20618), 72, M
14 - Mark Wege (20615), 55, M
14 - Pamela Holmes (31932), 59, F
14 - Paula Floeck (20623), 56, F
14 - Ray Bednar (34914), 65, M
14 - Sally King (25775), 69, F
14 - Sean Cochran (20621), 52, M
14 - Sheila Bahr (20620), 60, F
14 - Sonny Mims (20625), 62, M
14 - Susan Sternberg (20619), 64, F
14 - Suzanne Armour (20616), 59, F

Sources:  houstonmarathon.com, houstonresults.com

Choco Loco 10K / 5K Finishers Numbers and Overall Winners

10K
2016 - 161 (102 women / 59 men)
2017 - 242 (152 women / 90 men)
2018 - 202 (125 women / 77 men)
2019 - 137 (75 women / 62 men)

Open - Male
2016 - 36:48.8, Justin Arnosky, 27
2017 - 38:44.6, Steve Maliszewski, 44
2018 - 37:51.2, Eric Betts, 27, Los Angeles, CA
2019 - 37:39, Dylan Sequeira, 15, Magnolia

Open - Female
2016 - 43:06.5, Dawn King, 52
2017 - 45:27.1, Misha Luciano, 26
2018 - 45:17.4, Katherine Copper, 23, Houston
2019 - 44:14, Marissa Jacobs, 31, Flower Mound

Masters - Male
2016 - 41:16.7, Thomas Bradley Edwards, 45
2017 - 39:36.9, Steve Morrell, 53
2018 - 40:01.3, Ryan James, 43, Houston
2019 - 38:39, Masasi Hirano, 47, Houston (3rd overall)

Masters - Female
2016 - 45:32.9, Catherine Santamaria, 42
2017 - 46:58.2, Eileen Aubert, 51
2018 - 46:19.4, Gita Kulkarni, 42, Houston
2019 - 53:40, Lynda Hunkin, 51, Houston

5K
2013 - 478 (316 women / 162 men)
2014 - 431 (281 women / 150 men)
2015 - 431 (300 women / 131 men)
2016 - 444 (295 women / 149 men)
2017 - 506 (343 women / 163 men)
2018 - 417 (274 women / 143 men) - 81 walk (possibly untimed)
2019 - 596 (409 women / 187 men)

Open - Male
2013 - 14:50.8, Ben Zywicki, 24
2014 - 17:50.0, Rafael Romero, 29
2015 - 17:37.5, Adolfo Gomez, 32
2016 - 18:13.1, Luke Williams, 27
2017 - 18:34.4, John Robertson, 43
2018 - 17:36.3, David Blackman, 51, Eastleigh, GB
2019 - 19:15, Daniel Taylor, 39, Houston

Open - Female
2013 - 17:39.7, Allison Urvan, 36
2014 - 20:23.8, Victoria Webster, 29
2015 - 19:55.8, Victoria Webster, 30
2016 - 19:02.7, J Tobin, 36
2017 - 19:28.1, Laura Mathews, 23
2018 - 21:45.7, Heather Jorris, 49
2019 - 17:39, Lauren Stroud, 27, Lake Jackson

Masters - Male
2013 - 18:36.0, Cornelio Garibay, 44
2014 - 17:58.2, Peter Mullin, 63
2015 - 18:27.3, Steve Maliszewski, 42
2016 - 19:33.6, Brian Smyth, 61
2017 - 19:57.4, Manny Sanchez, 59
2018 - 19:37.8, Dax Routh, 40, Houston
2019 - 19:56, Larry Smith, 58, Freeport (3rd overall)

Masters - Female
2013 - 20:07.8, Martha Long, 44
2014 - 22:45.6, Ellen Roy, 41
2015 - 21:36.8, Melanie Bell, 46
2016 - 21:00.0, Rebecca Marvil, 57
2017 - 21:29.9, Melanie Bell, 48
2018 - 22:30.3, Keri Hanes, 40, League City
2019 - 19:17, Peggy Yetman, 50, Spring

Sources:  eztoregister.com (2013-2018), mychiptime.com (2019)

Run Houston! Sam Houston Race Park All-Time Winners (2015-2019)

Male - 5K

2015 - 17:33, Michael Gillis, 27
2016 - 17:46, Mack Broussard, 17, Hankamer
2017 - 16:54, Alex Esposito, 16, Houston
2018 - 18:30, Carlos Thorne, 41, Houston
2019 - 16:48, Reese Vannerson, 13, Sugar Land

Female - 5K

2015 - 19:59, Kaytlynn Welsch, 14, Alvin
2016 - 23:07, Chaunte Myers, 33, Spring
2017 - 19:36, Claire Barrie, 29, Houston
2018 - 20:01, Camille Napier, 14, Houston
2019 - 19:50, Reese Jay, 18, Kingwood

Male - 10K

2015 - 37:03, Mohamed Vazquez, 39
2016 - 30:40, Andrew Epperson, 25, Golden, CO
2017 - 35:54, Carson Slater, 14, Katy
2018 - 34:33, Julius Michael, 29, Houston
2019 - 33:42, Lars Finanger, 38, Spring

Female - 10K

2015 - 44:11, Teeny Keels, 30
2016 - 40:44, Stacy Holden, 39, Houston
2017 - 43:31, Erin AufderHeide, 36, Houston
2018 - 40:35, Amy Craft, 41, Houston
2019 - 42:54, Nikki Cannon, 37, Houston

Male - Kids 1K

2015 - 5:01, P. Blake, 12
2016 - 3:43, G. Welton, 8, Houston
2017 - 4:49, J. Walker, 12, Crosby
2018 - 3:28, E. Miguez, 7, Crosby
2019 - 2:46, Michael Guerrero, 10, Houston

Female - Kids 1K

2015 - 5:54, M. Ensley, 6
2016 - 3:52, A. Stone, 10, Missouri City
2017 - 5:09, C. Kalsi, 8, Houston
2018 - 3:22, T. Morgan, 8, Sugar Land
2019 - 2:43, Nia Phillips, 11, Katy

Source:  Houston Race Series, LLC, Negative Split Productions

Holiday Hustle 8K (Plano, TX) Race Report

When I started to run, I had a website, walksports.com, that I kept up with my times and then I started a blog.

It became pretty well followed and opened the door for me to eventually write for Texas Runner and Triathlete.

I’ve gotten away from the simple race (or event) report over the last couple of years; therefore, I’ll get back to my roots and discuss this morning’s race in Plano.

It was a race in my 153rd Texas city, town or census designated place and 328th community in north America.

It also became the 206th Texas city, town or CDP that I’ve put down a mile or more in.  I may chase some more today.  We’ll see when I’m done writing this, get cleaned up and checked out of my hotel here in Plano.

I had targeted the Holiday Hustle 8K, produced by the Plano Pacers Running Club and held in Bob Woodruff Park, as part of a holiday trip between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Wednesday, I ran a mile-plus in five new Texas counties, taking my count to 116, and spent the last two days covering Texas private and parochial high school basketball games in Tyler and Fort Worth for the Lone Star Christian Sports Network (lscsn.com).

If I don’t chase miles today, I’m probably going to head to Ruston, Louisiana to see Louisiana Tech host University of Southern Mississippi in men’s basketball to see a game in a new arena.

I could see two good games in Stephenville, Texas, but I’ve been to the arena at Tarleton State.

Again, we’ll see.

I’ve known about the Plano Pacers Running Club since I started running in 2003.  It is one of the largest clubs in the D-FW Metroplex along with the Dallas Running Club.

They produce a monthly club run that is open to non-club members, who are charged a $10 fee.

For that, you get a well laid-out and marked course, the race is timed and there are food goodies after you finish.  (There might be awards, but I didn’t stay this morning.)

In fact, one of Texas’ course measurers Ken Ashby sets out their course so I have it on good belief that it is/was accurate from a distance standpoint.  And I hope it is/was, because I ran well.

What happens when you commit to improving your health and you drop some weight.

It was cold and windy this morning and the only negative was that the race didn’t start at 8 a.m. (i.e. on-time), but the spirit provided by club members was excellent to mitigate most of it.

You do a loop in the parking lot and then it is almost a complete out and back on the trails and sidewalks that run through and along the park.

The 8K and the 3K start together and when you get a little way in and around the lake in the park, the 3K runners turn around and head back to the finish line while the 8K runners keep going.

One of the Dallas’ best all-time veterans runners, Linda Kelly, was at the 3K turn around.  She and Ken are both Texas running legends.

I tried to not go out too hard and fast and I passed the mile one marker in 9:25.

I’ve done that a lot over the years, regardless of my weight, but now I can hold it.

There weren’t a lot of curves in the first mile, but in the second there were and knowing that Ken laid the course out I ran as many of the tangents as I could. 

I might not be fast, but I know how best to run a legal course.

Mile two came in at 9:35 for a cumulative 19:00.38 – 9:30 per mile.

The third mile included a turnaround and a long, slight incline.  The turnaround was about two-thirds of a mile in according to the pre-race instruction. 

There was also a water stop in this mile – and the beginning of the fourth mile – that you could partake of twice.  I did going out.

I remember seeing 6:25 in mile three at that turnaround, but finished at 9:33.11 for the third mile (cumulative 28:33.49).

With 1.97 miles to go (remember an 8K is not five miles exactly), I would have been perfectly pleased with a 47:30.

However, I passed a young woman around Waverly’s age or a little older and a guy who had passed me at the water stop going out.

Then came a little downhill and I started to work some.

I really didn’t think I was going faster, but everything started to feel like I was running in quick sand towards the end.

There was no mile four marker for some reason – although I suspect it might have been on the 3K turnaround sign (and was picked up), but a guy passed me – who must have been sandbagging – coming back around the lake.

Nonetheless, I kept pushing through what I was feeling and when I could see the clock for the first time I was treated to a little bit of a surprise.

It turns out that the 1.97 miles came in at 18:01.48 for a total time of 46:34.97.  Call it 46:35.

Was it a PR today?  Possibly.

In 2013, I ran the Run Free Texas 80’s 8K in Cedar Park, which was a little hilly, in 48:02.

In 2017, I ran the Law Week 8K in 49:21.

On February 19, 2005, I did the Hermann Park Conservancy Park to Park Run 5-miler in 47:06.7.

So maybe it was a PR today.

Nonetheless, I’m most pleased that I ran well.  Sure, the conditions were in my favor:  cold (and I could have done without the wind, but it wasn’t that bad.)

I ran in shorts, had two tech shirts on (one of my old Space City 10-miler white shirts with the newest Waco Stampede 10K grey tech shirt on top from this year’s race) and my black gloves from last year’s Bismarck Marathon.

Hope you enjoyed the write-up.

Stay active, have fun, find a race that you enjoy and run it and when you can, please volunteer for one or more.  You’ll be glad that you did.

Happy New Year!

2018 Year In Review

100 events.

That's how many races that I either ran, announced or was in attendance for in 2018.

I ran 66 races this year.

It certainly could have been more, but various life decisions came in to play to overrule that notion.

I announced 23, which is down from the 37 in 2015.

It could have been a couple of more, but I stopped announcing Run In Texas races after the No Label Brewing First Street 5K in Katy the Saturday before Father's Day.

I will be dropping the Galveston Marathon and the Space City 10-Miler in 2019 as well as the Sylvan Beach Duathlon / Triathlon.

None of these race directors do I have any issue with other than paring back how much I'm doing.

I simply have gotten to the point that I'm either not having the same type of fun that I've had in the past or my interest level has waned.

I literally had discussions with three of the groups that I remain with about what the impacts would be of me not announcing and when I needed to let them know of my decision.

The bottom line is that if you're not having fun at something, it is probably time to stop completely or cut back.

I spectated at nine different races - four of those were of the TWRC Sunday Night 5K variety.

I worked Barry Blanton's aid station at Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas for the fourth consecutive year by announcing as many names as possible as they came in and out.

And finally, I legally paced Waverly 11.2 miles during the Chevron Houston Marathon, her first marathon finish.

As far as racing was concerned, I ran a race in 27 new cities -- 12 outside of Texas and 15 in.

Those 11 cities outside of Texas came in 9 different states.

I ran a race in my 50th state on Sunday, June 24 with a 5K in Rhode Island - one of three races that I ran with Waverly this year (other than the marathon).

The day before I checked off state #46 in half marathons with a finish at the 25th annual Westfield Half Marathon in Massachusetts.

State #47 came in early November when I returned to Rhode Island to run the Colt State Park Half Marathon in Bristol.

My last seven races that came over the last two months were the best six.

Four half marathons, two 5K's and a 10K.

Most of them came on cool or cooler days.

The last three came in Nike Air Zoom Vomeros that I was given for working the Nike Cross Regionals South for The Woodlands High in late November.

They produced a 28:24 5K, a 2:11:14 half marathon on a hilly course in Tyler and a 2:06:58 half marathon on a flat course in Galveston.

The number of short or long courses that I dealt with this year was frustrating.

Waverly and I ran three races together - other than the marathon - and I got to announce her finish of four races:  Green 6.2, Independence 8K, Ten For Texas and Run Thru The Woods.

We raced against each other three times and she came out on top twice with wins at the SAGU Half Marathon in Waxahachie Half Marathon in February and the Springwoods Village 5K in March while I picked up a solid win at the Memorial Park Conservancy Brunch Run 4M in between.

Toughest courses of 2018?

First place definitely went to Running The Rose 7K trail race in Tyler on Saturday, January 27.

Paint Palestine Pink 10.5-miler around the Loop that goes around Palesting on Saturday, October 6 was second with the Joplin Memorial Run Half Marathon in mid-May in third.

Both Tyler races - the Fresh 15K in March and the inaugural Tyler Half Marathon in December - were close behind.

Do run the Fresh 15K if you have the chance.  Do not run the Tyler Half Marathon.

And the Westfield Half Marathon in Massachusetts wasn't exactly a walk in the park either.

Running a bunch of races in a short period of time is fun -- and I do it fairly frequently.

These were the highlights, in those regards, from 2018:

1.  Four races in four days over Memorial Day weekend in Pennsylvania (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday).  The last one came in my hometown, the Joshua House Memorial Day 5K in Tyrone.

2.  Texas 10 Huntsville 5M and the Bearkat Bolt 5K in Huntsville on the same morning.  Less than 30 minutes between the finish of the 5-Miler and the start of the 5K.  (I had run the 2.77-mile 5K at Nike South the Friday night before these Sunday, September 30 races.)

3.  The Firemans 4 Race in Port O'Connor and the Stars and Stripes 5K in Eagle Pass in the same day -- with 287 miles between the two cities.

4.  Actually kicked off the racing season with a 373-mile jaunt from Galveston - after running the Friends of Galveston Island State Park New Year's 10K - to Arabi, Louisiana for the 111th Anniversary Jackson Day Race 9K the next morning.

5.  Three night / morning race combinations -- Eastland / Dublin, Frisco / Saint Jo and Sealy / Center.  The latter involved 223 miles of driving.

6.  Three times I did a Run For Wellness 5K on a Sunday morning and a TWRC Sunday Night 5K in the evening -- March, April and June.

7.  Finally, on Saturday, July 28, on what would have been my sister's 46th birthday, I ran the Mosquito Chase 5K in Clute pretty well in the morning in 30:19 and the Howl at the Moon 5K in Waco in the evening.  Time was 29:28, but I'm pretty certain it was short.  However, it was 254 miles from Clute to Waco.

I ran the last version of the Outrigger's 5K on the Bay in Seabrook in early August.

One of the most fun races to be a part of was the Moore War Run 5K in Moore, Oklahoma on Saturday, August 25.  It was centered around a high school football rivalry.  Wish we could see a lot of that here in Texas during football season.

I ran a lot of and announced a few 5Ks.

I announced a 6K, and 8K and a 12K while running a 7K, 9K and 10K this year.

The races that take the most out of me to work - but that I get the greatest personal fulfillment from - are the cross country meets that I do.

I do two for Sam Houston State University and two for The Woodlands High School.

On the former, I get to work with an NCAA Division I cross country and track and field program and receive a lot of credit from their head coach for keeping the meet humming on-time and running smooth.

The latter?  I have the opportunity to work with one of the top boys' cross country programs in the United States and get to announce one of the seven Nike Cross regionals (two regionals are held at the same location).

My announcing there at NXR is witnessed by a lot of people -- and to my surprise this year was all videod during the awards ceremony.

That doesn't necessarily make me nervous, but rather it drives me to do very well.

Of those 66 races that I ran this year, 42 of them were new races.  And that's not even my record!

Two years ago, 48 of the 65 were new to me and last year 38 of the 66 were first-time affairs.

So, that's 197 races in the last three years and 128 of them were new to me.

The four years prior, I raced 37 in 2012, 44 in 2013, 50 in 2014 and 63 in 2015.

391 races from 2012-2018.

Somewhere I have an estimate of what I've done from 2003-forward.

All good fun, I guess.

I hope that 2019 will be more of the same for me as well as for you if you're reading.

Thank you for your friendship.  I really appreciate it.

God bless you and your family in the coming year!

Ultra Expeditions Race History

Upcoming Events
1/26/19 - The Urban Ultra - Dallas, Dallas (5k, 10k, 13.1mi, 26.2mi, 50k)
2/16/19 - The Border to Badlands Ultra, Seminole Canyon State Park, Texas (5k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2, 50k, 50mi)
3/30/19 - The Southwest 100, Fort Davis (5k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2, 50mi, 100mi)
4/13/19 - The Wild Canyon Ultra, Quitaque (5k, 10k, 25k, 50k, 100k)
TBA - The Plano Half Marathon (per website on 10/16/18)
Past Events
10/20/18 - Oktoberfest Trail Run Festival, Farmersville (5k, 10k, 13.1mi, 26.2mi, 50k)
11/10/18 - Barrier Island Ultra, Port Aransas (5k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2, 50k, 50mi)

11/10/18 - Barrier Island Ultra, Port Aransas (5k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2, 50k, 50mi)

5K - 11 finishers (6 women / 5 men)
10K -16 finishers (12 women / 4 men)
Half - 26 finishers (17 women / 9 men)
26.2 - 6 finishers (4 women / 2 men)
50K - 5 finishers (1 woman / 4 men)
50M - 4 finishers (1 woman / 3 men)

10/20/18 - Oktoberfest Trail Run Festival, Farmersville (5k, 10k, 13.1mi, 26.2mi, 50k)
5K - 21 finishers (15 women / 6 men)
10K - 24 finishers (16 women / 8 men)
Half - 61 finishers (38 women / 23 men)
26.2 - 25 finishers (7 women / 18 men)
50K - 21 finishers (2 women / 19 men)

9/22/18 - The Piney Woods Ultra, Tyler (5k, 10k, 25k, 50k, 100k)
5K - 17 finishers (12 women / 5 men)
10K - 67 finishers (44 women / 23 men)
25K - 85 finishers (46 women / 39 men)
50K - 49 finishers (24 women / 23 men / 2 unknown)
100K - 6 finishers (1 women / 5 men)

4/21/18 - The Wild Canyon Ultra, Quitaque
5K - 32 finishers (18 women / 14 men)
10K - 45 finishers (32 women / 13 men)
25K - 100 finishers (47 women / 53 men)
50K - 24 finishers (7 women / 17 men)
100K - 5 finishers (5 men)

4/22/17 - The Wild Canyon Ultra, Quitague
10K - 16 finishers (9 women / 7 men)
25K - 27 finishers (15 women / 12 men)
50K - 22 finishers (6 women / 16 men)
100K - 4 finishers (2 women / 2 men)

Santa Hustle Galveston Finisher Numbers

Half Marathon
2012 - 639 (378 women / 261 men)
2013 - 956 (593 women / 363 men)
2014 - 1,350 (998 women / 441 men)
2015 - 1,182 (772 women / 410 men)
2016 - 933 (593 women / 343 men)
2017 - 725 (457 women / 268 men)
2018 - 746 (430 women / 285 men / 31 unknown)

5K
2012 - 1,566 (1,015 women / 551 men)
2013 - 1,959 (1,295 women / 664 men)
2014 - 2,853 (1,899 women / 950 men)
2015 - 2,959 (2,105 women / 854 men)
2016 - 2,369 (1,687 women / 682 men)
2017 - 2,420 (1,680 women / 739 men)
2018 - 2,446 (1,676 women / 736 men / 34 unknown)

Total
2012 - 2,205
2013 - 2,915
2014 - 4,203
2015 - 4,141
2016 - 3,301
2017 - 3,145
2018 - 3,192

Statement from HARRA Medical Adviser Dr. Bob Hoekman regarding HARRA's CPR/AED Program

“The time has come," the walrus said, "to talk of many things: Of shoes and ships - and sealing wax - of cabbages and kings” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

I will get right to the message. Effective the end of 2018 I am resigning from the HARRA CPR/AED program and, to the best of my knowledge, the program as we know it now will end at that time.

I have been attempting to reduce my involvement and find someone willing to take it over and run it for several years but that has been unsuccessful. In addition, costs have gone up and HARRA funding for the program has come into question. To add insult to injury three of our AED units are now unusable because of a recall related to parts defects which could lead to failure of the unit when it is needed. Replacement would run nearly $8,000.00.

Finally, volunteer participation has decreased and it has become nearly impossible to adequately cover the larger events. There has always been turnover in the team but we are just not seeing new people entering as in the past.

HARRA started the program the summer of 1999 with one AED when Chiquita Taylor was Board President and we worked our first events that fall.  I appreciate the training and support for 19 years by Barry and Cheryl Ponder who trained me in 1999 and supported our program. The fact that no other program like this has existed says something about how difficult it is to support and run. I do not regret starting it. It was a lot of work but also was a lot of fun.

For many reasons I have concluded that I can no longer run it and it is obvious to me that it is time for me to wrap it up and move on.

I am not totally leaving Houston at this time and will still be seeing many of you at the races between October and May. Because our family is all in WA there is a good chance more of our time will be there as time goes by.

The HARRA Board has not made a final decision/commitment about the future from their standpoint. If a program continues in a limited fashion they will communicate that decision. I will continue to send emails and schedule teams for the HARRA events only through year end 2018.

I will not be scheduling any training classes in the future. It is possible  HARRA may be doing some with Dean Sokolow and Debbie Coles Shilcock teaching. If so they will announce it.

I want to thank everyone who has participated. There have been 780 volunteers trained in CPR/AED over the 19+ years. I appreciate Debbie and Dena helping in recent years. We have has some super volunteers and those have been recognized each year in the VVIP awards. I firmly believe this program was one of HARRA’s greatest accomplishments.

Feel free to share this with past team members, race directors and your clubs as I do not have a comprehensive email list of them all.

HARRA Medical Adviser
Robert Hoekman, M.D.
19 Crestwood #9
Houston, TX 77007
713-863-9525   

Lake Houston 10K and 5K All-Time Winners (2010-2018)

10K
Men's - Overall
2010 - 38:14, Brandon Sager, 28
2011 - 31:58, Derek Yorek, 27
2012 - 31:58, Kipkrui Ruttoh, 27
2013 - 31:15, Kiya Dandena, 24
2014 - 31:10, Kiya Dandena, 25
2015 - 30:41, Henry Lelei, 26
2016 - 33:16, Ryan Miller, 24
2017 - 32:06, Ryan Miller, 25
2018 - 32:18, Joseph Whelan, 27

Men's Masters - Overall
2010 - 38:44, Manfred Roenz, 40
2011 - 35:38, Raul Sanchez, 53
2012 - 39:34, Rip Reynolds, 46
2013 - 39:05, Sherman Everett, 47
2014 - 35:11, Peter Lawrence, 42
2015 - 35:42, Peter Lawrence, 43
2016 - 39:54, Steve Morrell, 52
2017 - 39:24, Andres Ferro, 45
2018 - 43:02, Jason Grier, 41

Women's - Overall
2010 - 38:18, Debbie Arzola, 35
2011 - 38:22, Rachel Phillips, 22
2012 - 38:30, Virginia Jones, 31
2013 - 37:00, Lauren Smith, 22
2014 - 35:41, Samantha McClellan, 25
2015 - 35:34, Hillary Montgomery, 22
2016 - 35:39, Hillary Montgomery, 23
2017 - 35:49, Hillary Montgomery, 24
2018 - 41:55, Adrienne Langelier, 36

Women's Masters - Overall
2010 - 47:45, Norma Evans, 40
2011 - 46:19, Tammy Garton, 41
2012 - 46:41, Teresa Nichols, 40
2013 - 42:13, Cindy Taylor, 44
2014 - 47:19, Norma Evans, 44
2015 - 46:55, Melissa Hurta, 52
2016 - 49:33, Diana Carter, 47
2017 - ?
2018 - 49:52, Andrea Vidal, 42

5K
Men's - Overall
2010 - 17:09, William Blancett, 35
2011 - 18:48, Nathan Faulkenberry, 29
2012 - 16:02, Maximo Mendoza, 23
2013 - 15:37, Adam Saloom, 23
2014 - 15:13, Adam Saloom, 24
2015 - 15:11, Adam Godwin, 23
2016 - 15:00, Wilkerson Given, 25
2017 - 18:16, Andrew Pearson, 25
2018 - 17:47, Justin Brinkley, 24

Men's Masters - Overall
2010 - 19:08, Joel Johnston, 43
2011 - 20:13, Doug Bugner, 53
2012 - 16:55, Peter Lawrence, 40
2013 - 16:03, Luis Armenteros, 40
2014 - 20:14, Mark Sobus, 46
2015 - 20:09, Manuel Barrientez, 41
2016 - 19:21, Kevin Schneider, 40
2017 - 19:58, Vance Reyes, 41
2018 - 18:21, Tim Martin, 52

Women's - Overall
2010 - 22:19, Latisha Staten, 35
2011 - 20:23, Natalie Guerrero, 33
2012 - 18:15, Kimberly Mac Namee, 41
2013 - 18:16, Megan Saloom, 25
2014 - 17:42, Megan Saloom, 26
2015 - 17:27, Megan Saloom, 27
2016 - 17:27, Lauren Stroud, 25
2017 - 18:22, Lauren Stroud, 26
2018 - 19:37, Lauren Schultz, 27

Women's Masters - Overall
2010 - 23:18, Patti Bates, 45
2011 - 24:24, Maggie Grueskin, 43
2012 - 21:28, Lisa Korsten, 45
2013 - 18:44, Kimberly Mac Namee, 42
2014 - 21:30, Sabrina Tillson, 50
2015 - 22:12, Sabrina Tillson, 51
2016 - 23:31, Eugenia Carter, 51
2017 - 21:42, Marcia Cassels, 43
2018 - 23:05, Minerva Cervantes, 44

Source:  runhoustontiming.net

Lake Houston 10K and 5K Total Number of Finishers

10K
Overall Finishers
2010 - 246
2011 - 316
2012 - 335
2013 - 398
2014 - 360
2015 - 345
2016 - 301
2017 - 330
2018 - 212 (changed date to October 13 from August)

5K
Overall Finishers
2010 - 210
2011 - 239
2012 - 383
2013 - 450
2014 - 349
2015 - 363
2016 - 361
2017 - 389
2018 - 286 (changed date to October 13 from August)

Source:  runhoustontiming.net

Shiitake 5K Official Finisher Numbers

2018 -- 62 (21 male / 41 female)
2017 -- 84 (39 male / 45 female)
2016 -- 115 (46 male / 69 female)

Sources:  runhoustontiming.net (2017-2018), allsportstiming.com (2016)

Toughest 10K Kemah Finishers History

2018 - 1,790 (752 men / 1,038 women)
2017 - 1,881 (746 men / 1,135 women)
2016 - 1,962 (746 men / 1,216 women)
2015 - 1,886 (732 men / 1,154 women)
2014 - 1,807 (714 men / 1,093 women)
2013 - 1,670
2012 - 1,502 (705 men / 797 women)
2011 - 826 (405 men / 421 women)
2010 - 672 (302 men / 370 women)
2009 - 328 (150 men / 178 women)
2008 - 206 (101 men / 105 women)