Astros Race for the Pennant 5K

I neither expected a personal record time today, nor did I get one. I showed up and finished the Astros Race for the Pennant 5K for the fourth year in a row, and that in itself is an accomplishment to me:

2008 -- 28:51
2007 -- 29:13
2006 -- 32:43
2005 -- 46-something-minutes

When I began "this running thing" at the start of 2005, I weighed almost 250 pounds and couldn't even run 100 yards without being winded. There were so many points where I could have justified quitting, but I believe it was intense dislike for what I had let happen to my body over the first 32 years of my life that kept pushing me away from my old habits. I started eating better. I didn't know about the "Couch to 5K" program, but looking back, I realize that C25K is very similar to what I figured out on my own. In April 2005, I found out about the ARFTP 5K coming that May, and just like that, I had a goal that could pull me forward. I registered as a walker because I didn't feel worthy enough to wear a timing chip. Crossing the finish line of that event was one of the hardest things I've done in recent memory. But when I did, I knew that things would be different going forward.

I'm now three years older and 40 pounds lighter. For those that are struggling with weight and fitness issues, please be patient with yourself and don't give up! While we talk about running races as an activity measured in hours, minutes and seconds, living the healthier lifestyle that makes it possible is something that is measured in weeks, months, and years.

Thoughts on this year's ARFTP:

• I consider this one of the harshest 5K races I've done in the area. Sheltered by the buildings downtown I reached the first mile marker in 8:13. But miles two and three are on streets with strong exposure to the 8 a.m. sun and an out-and-back where runners tackle an underpass twice. It's early in the summer when I'm still not acclimated, and the heat and humidity wipe me out to the point where I need walk breaks on the return leg to the stadium.
• I am now determined to replace my three-year-old Forerunner 101. Twice, during miles 2 and 3, it shut itself off despite having fully-charged batteries, so I have no splits. (They were probably ones I didn't want to remember.) This race is making me consider a unit with a heart-rate monitor because I could definitely feel my breathing and pulse racing in the second and third miles.
• I finished my race shortly after Runner's World forumite "running_crazy" and I got to meet and chat with her during the post-race activity. She's genuinely excited about doing more races, and we might be saying hello at more than one future event in this calendar year.
• I think old age is taking its toll on Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo "the voice of the Houston Astros" Hamilton. I would swear that he inexplicably uttered a puppy bark into the microphone immediately before announcing a group of female AG winners. The people sitting behind us said they thought he barked too. Strange.
• The ChampionChips used at this year's race were "keepers" just like the ones we used in the Houston Marathon. I guess ChampionChip is responding aggressively to the challenge from its competitor that tried introducing those timing chips integrated into the race bib number. They do make interesting race souvenirs. If I collect enough of them, maybe I could create a necklace or something!
• To this day, I still think it would be awesome if this race didn't end in Minute Maid Park's right-field foul territory, but kept going for a trip around the bases. I promise I'll resist the temptation to slide....

Remembering Angel

I was born a native New Yorker, four days after Mary Ann, who everyone called "Angel." The friendship between our families has its roots that reach all the way back to those NYC days in the 1970s. As kids, our families moved us to the same part of the Houston area at virtually the same time. It's hilarious to think about now, but I could consider her "my first" -- the grade-school girlfriend. As we grew up we began hanging out in significantly different social circles, and our paths in life diverged completely after high school.

Two years ago, Angel's body was found in a minivan on the side of a highway. The vehicle had been set on fire and investigators needed dental records to make the identification. Progress in the case appeared to have stalled until this week. I found out that two men and one woman have been charged with arson and tampering with evidence . . . but not murder (yet).

I can hope this development helps her family, especially her three children, get nearer to a feeling of closure. But I can understand if it only makes their emotional wounds sorrowfully raw as they live through their loss once again.

The news goes down with a bittersweet taste for me personally. The prospect of having someone held responsible is heartening, but at the same time I'm reminded yet again that there are some things we can't undo and some things that can never be completely fixed. In particular, having someone in my peer group pass away in such a sudden and grisly manner really made me reflect upon what meaning my life -- or anyone's life -- has in the end. Perhaps, ultimately, could it be those that care the least that decide how much a human life is worth? It's hard to believe otherwise sometimes.

Here's to you, Angel. May you rest a little better tonight.

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P.S. After I first published this post, someone online pointed out that she believed that only God ultimately places value on life. I suppose I should have been more specific and said "could it be those that care the least that decide how much a human life is worth on earth." We, as individuals, as neighbors, and as a society have a responsibility to value the lives of others. It really, really bothers me to think that some choose not to.

Home(page) Improvement

For someone who makes his living in IT, I'm embarrassingly behind the times when it comes to tech implementation in my own life. I navigate the streets of America's Driving Capital in an eight-year-old car that is powered solely by gasoline. I happily communicate with a cell phone that was cutting edge material three years ago. Heck, to this day I still think the compact disc is amazing.

So my readers will probably be amused to know that this Memorial Day weekend, I ventured out and registered myself on the two big networking sites, MySpace and Facebook. When the web first began its awakening in the 1990s, the homepage sites of choice were Tripod, Angelfire, or GeoCities. But now those names are part of a fading memory of the last century, so this old man needs to catch up. These new homepage platforms offer us an ease to connect and communicate that we simply didn't have before. Fifteen years after getting my first glimpse of the Internet, it still shows me something new -- even if it's something old to the typical teen.

It's food, food, food on promotion. The way I think, it's a sham. . . .

The marketing folks at Minute Maid Park have cooked up an "All You Can Eat Thursdays" come-on this year. As someone who has experience with getting distressingly fat while watching others getting paid handsomely to stay in shape, I was curious.

Here's the deal: The AYCE deal is offered in a couple of specific sections in the outfield deck. These seats normally sell for $7, but for $35 you also get a wristband that gives you unlimited access to a stand giving out nachos, hot dogs, popcorn and sodas. Even with Aramark's inflated prices, you'd have to eat a quite a bit before you make up the $28 markup on nosebleed seats. Perhaps I could have really taken advantage of this during my twenties, but these days a couple of hot dogs will satisfy me now. No thanks, I'll pass.

Nevertheless, I hadn't been to a ballgame this year, so I decided on a whim to go downtown and check out the newly reformulated 2008 Houston Astros in person, as they opened a four-game series against the Phillies. I bought a ticket for an outfield deck seat on the third-base side. (I know better than to get seats on the first-base side for an evening game, unless I just happen to feel like staring directly at the setting sun for two hours.) As I looked across the stadium at the designated AYCE sections, I could see that they weren't even one-third full. I must not have been the only one who did the money arithmetic and come to the same conclusion.

It was great to watch baseball in person again. Too bad the team couldn't pull this one out. Thanks to plentiful hitting on both sides (Roy Oswalt was a sieve tonight) the game had only gotten to the bottom of the seventh inning tied at five before I decided to head home at 9:30. At least I stayed around long enough for the traditional choruses of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "Deep In The Heart of Texas." As I drove home, I listened to Milo Hamilton narrate the breakdown of the bullpen and Brad Lidge's return to Houston, closing the door on his former team.

Winging It at the Museum

First, I can't believe that I missed the "CSI: The Experience" exhibit when it stopped at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. I remember when they announced it, and I had every intention of going. Well I never did. Well, I decided to give my membership card some exercise today and pay a visit. I had already seen the "Lucy's Legacy" exhibit (a very, very good one) so I got a ticket for "Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Inventor, Genius."

To be honest, I wasn't highly impressed. It was basically Leonardo's inventor's notebook made into scale models. But when I entered I was told that it was an interactive exhibit, and I could only remember two machines that the public was invited to try. One was an Archimededs screw that was supposed to carry water up a slope, but the trough was drained dry. The second was a series of pulleys that was supposed to demonstrate the multiplication power of using multiple pulleys. But thanks to friction issues I could see in the model, it seemed like the single pulley was actually the easier one to work with.

It seemed as if Leonardo spent a lot of time thinking about flight, and if he wasn't doing that (or art), he was thinking about conducting war on land and sea:






After last year's extravagant stroll through the mind and life of Benjamin Franklin, I felt as if this exhibit didn't really capture the imagination of its subject as well. Admittedly, that was a tough act to follow.

After the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit, I saw Dinosaurs 3-D in the IMAX theatre. With lots of scenic images of the Patagonia area, an Argentinian paleontologist talked about his passion for the big lizards that once walked his country. The film ends with the suggestion that the dinosaurs didn't go completely extinct, but that we are left with their beauty and grace in the form of birds. (I'll think about that the next time I order at Popeye's Fried Chicken and Biscuits.) Personally, I think we can more easily see the dinosaur legacy more clearly in crocodiles than birds.

It's been a permanent part of the museum for years, but until today I had never been in the Cockrell Butterfly Center. So out of curiosity I bought a ticket and was pleasantly surprised. Basically, this is a three-story greenhouse with an tropical rainforest inside. Swarming everyone and everything are hundreds and hundreds of butterflies.







In the adjoining building there are some nifty interactive exhibits about insects in general. I'm sure kids really love it. But as I was ascending a staircase with a score of red and black butterflies circling my head in formation, all I could think about was how this would be a nice spot to start something romantic. I see why some people are choosing this spot for weddings.

The other big change I noticed is that the museum remodeled so that there's a direct path into the parking garage -- which goes right through the relocated gift shop. Obviously, someone with the museum got some retail smarts!

Another Walk in the Park

As I contemplate the life I have now, I've come to the realization that this summer will likely be an important one. Along the way of trying to "re-invent" my life, I've done a lot to improve my lot, but I'm not done. I have my full marathon goal behind me, and by this time next year, I'll have my graduate degree. So now with so much covered ground behind me, I'm finding myself wondering what the next big step should be, and it's got my eyes opened wide in both excitement and slight fright simultaneously.

Perhaps it will be like in my marathon experience, hitting mile 21 in Memorial Park -- rationally knowing I'm almost there, but being very hard to do take those next steps. It's sort of nice to know I've been "here" before. The one big difference is that I don't even know where the finish line is or what it will look like.

Pear Run 10K

In retrospect, maybe this race was probably not a good idea. My legs were still feeling the effects from the 28-mile binge I had in Cincinnati last weekend. But after the indigestion troubles in the Flying Pig 10K, I had a strong desire to find out how I would do at this distance if I avoided donuts beforehand. The 10K was my "project" all spring anyway and this is pretty much the last one of the season in the area.

What I love about the Pear Run course is that it's tree-shaded and pancake flat. I had a good thing going for the first three miles, covering them in about 27 minutes. I pretty much was on fumes the rest of the way, though -- and battling the warm and muggy conditions as well. One of the locals caught up to me at the start of mile 4 and started chatting about the Houston Marathon. That was nice, but in the back of my mind, I was a little frustrated because those low nine-minute mile splits were evaporating. So I ended up crossing the finish line with a chip time of 1:00:50.

Oh well. It's now summertime, which means no one (except the truly nuts) races over 5K here.

Cincinnati Flying Pig Half Marathon

As with many pre-race nights, I didn't sleep very well, being too excited and nervous about the half marathon, which would be my fifth. (So, when do those jitters stop?) When my alarm clock began to sound, I couldn't help but think that it was only 3:30 a.m. back home in Texas. This morning I played it safe and ate only a Peanut Butter Clif Bar and drank Gatorade.

As I walked the bridge out of Newport, I noticed how hushed it seemed over the Ohio River. Once I made it to the Cincinnati side I found myself alongside a mad convergence of car traffic -- a sure sign of Marathon Sunday in a city.

I found some other forumites and we had our group photo opportunity in front of Paul Brown Stadium. Then we went down to settle into the corrals. Then we found out about the fire-on-the-course delay, which meant I was stuck for another 15 minutes with my legs stiffening up a little from yesterday's race. I couldn't help but notice that the weather conditions were just about perfect. Very light breeze, clear skies, and starting temperature in the forties Fahrenheit.

Prior to the weekend, I had convinced myself that the half marathon would basically be a "bonus event" after racing the 10K as hard as I could. But as the cannon blast summoned runners forward, the race adrenaline began to flow again, and I started feeling really, really loose.

Mile 01 - 10:09
Mile 02 - 09:45
Mile 03 - 09:47
-- The blister that I got yesterday started bugging me. For much of the rest of the race, I would be shifting my toes inside my shoes trying to get some relief.
Mile 04 - 09:20
-- First GU taken. As I was leaving the fluid station, the sound system started playing "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns 'n' Roses. I was pumped!
Mile 05 - 10:00
Mile 06 - 09:32
-- Running through downtown with spectators close on the left and right was definitely energizing. The people here really seem excited about Flying Pig weekend!
Mile 07 - 09:42
Mile 08 - 10:29
-- Worst uphill on course. Second GU taken. At the top of a bluff, I was treated to a view of the Ohio River below. As I heard the men's choir singing behind me, I knew I had taken the course's best shot and it hadn't beaten me.
Mile 09 - 09:06
Mile 10 - 10:23
Mile 11 - 07:00
-- OMG OMG OMG what a downhill! Towards the end I was a little concerned that I would lose control and splatter myself on the pavement. At the bottom of the hill, I was surprised to see Airinpie, her DH and TN Tim standing there cheering me! That really meant a lot to me! What a lift!
Mile 12 - 09:35
Mile 13 - 10:09
-- My energy was fading. "Penguins, I need a push," I thought. And I know their good vibes found their mark with my final surge.

13.1-mile elapsed time: 2:08:16
(94th of 197 in the Clydesdale 200-219 division)

And so I had a new PR, besting my 2:13:35 from the San Antonio Half Marathon last November. As a resident of the Texas Gulf Coast I was very intimidated by the elevation profile before the race. As of now, while I have a healthy respect for hills, I won't necessarily fear them as much as I did.

After collecting my first-ever mylar blanket and my finisher's medal, I walked back across the bridge to my hotel. I stretched a bit, drank more Gatorade, then took my laptop across the street so I could post hellos on the forums.

I text-messaged IrishPenguin to check on her progress in the full marathon. The answer I got concerned me a little. Since she was nice enough to cheer for me yesterday, I wanted to return the favor today. I crossed the bridge back into the finish line area in Cincinnati and then back-tracked along the marathon course. It was here that I realized exactly where they had re-routed the full marathon course through a park. I finally found IP at the Mile 22 marker and began to run with her. For the next four miles I attempted to keep her entertained with some conversation. Right before the Mile 26 marker, I patted her on the back and said, "OK, it's all you now, Kelly. Go get your finish." and then jumped back off the course behind the finish corral barricade and watched her kick it in.

After getting showered and rested a little, I got my ride to the FE party. I really wasn't very hungry at the time, but I did my best to fill up on grilled hot dogs, beer and soda. I got another chance to chat with more forumites including Michelle (MickeyD). After winning the women's division of the full marathon, Michelle was looking very, very snazzy with the laurel wreath! If only we could all experience the chance to pick up something like that....

And that, folks, was the story of my weekend. In my three years of running, this has become THE highlight. It was oh-so-very-cool to finally meet so many of those I trade posts with on the RW forum.

Finally, I cannot thank Luis enough for being the driving force behind the FE activities. He and his stepdaughter Bailey basically saved me the cost of a rental car this weekend by shuttling me everywhere.

Cincinnati Flying Pig 10K

As soon as I woke up, my first order of business was to mindlessly break the rule that says that you shouldn't try anything new on race day. I went downstairs and fueled up with orange juice, bagels and powdered donuts from the hotel's continental breakfast. I think I was distracted by the sad news of my Rockets being eliminated from the NBA playoffs....

After gaging the conditions outside, I returned to my room and put on shoes, shorts, the finisher's T-shirt from the Angie's Half Crazy and my black runner's hat. Kelly (IrishPenguin/"IP") had told me Friday evening that she was planning to cheer at the 10K. So as I took my warmup jog on the bridge into Ohio, I sent a text message to let her know I was on my way to the starting line.

Mile 1 - 8:38
-- A light rain was falling, so by the time the race started, my clothes were quite damp. The course began with a nice downhill. To avoid running into people, I even had to use my trademark "Watch out -- Heavy man being acted upon by gravity!" yell.
Mile 2 - 9:27
-- There was a short, but steep uphill that seemed to suck a lot out of my early energy. I think it was in this mile that IP spotted me and yelled out a "Go Vince!" That was a lift!
Mile 3 - 9:35
-- Trouble began. I started feeling the failure of my breakfast to digest, and I had to walk a bit until the urge to hurl subsided.
Mile 4 - 9:44
-- We crossed a long bridge out of Cincinnati and into Covington. As the weight of the uphill portion began to pull me down, I heard a horn blare off to my right. I looked up at the freight cars on the railroad tracks adjacent to the bridge and I immediately thought of my Sole Train teammates imploring me to "Keep Chugging!" So I did, all the way into Kentucky.
Mile 5 - 9:53
-- Crossing from Covington into Newport, we hit a flat section here, and my mind really wanted to accelerate. But instead, my tummy troubles forced me to take yet another short walk break.
Mile 6 - 9:52
-- I was tiring. At the Mile 6 marker, one of the spectators yelled out that it was time to "open up a can of kick@ss." "Lend me one!" I retorted. Somehow, I think she did. As soon as I came off the bridge and turned the last corner, my eyes beheld the clock and the sprint jets came on.

6.2-mile elapsed time: 59:07
(8th of 22 in the Clydesdale 200-219 division)

Despite nearly losing my breakfast twice on the course, I had a new PR by 17 seconds over my time from the Shamrock Strut 10K in March! I was so excited that I leaped at the finish line and unintentionally slapped the clock. I didn't think race organizers would hang a clock that low; sorry Cincinnati!

I know the McMillan Race Calculator still thinks I'm capable of even better, so let's hope I eat smarter before my next 10K!

After I picked up my 10K finisher's goodies and an orange, I met IP in front of the Great American Ballpark and chatted a bit. As we searched for the starting line of the 5K event (she was doing this with her mother), we met Janet (soccermom15) and got a photo opportunity.

When we reached the 5K start area, we found Luis, Gloria, Karen M and Elizabeth (runningNYCfordad) who were there to cheer for Andi (firenicetrucker?). My jaw took a hit from Karen's shoulder when she threw a hug on me; I'm sure that was a Kodak moment! LOL! After sending the 5K runners on their way, we walked over to the finish line to cheer runners in.

After watching Andi crossed the finish line, I had been on my feet and soaking wet for three and a half hours and I had a blister forming one of my toes, so I figured it was time for a break. As the others went to collect Andi and head over to the expo, I walked "home" to Kentucky.

Thank goodness the Travelodge was cheap, because it was frankly lacking in amenities. However, in addition to being within easy walking distance of downtown Cincy, it was directly across the street from all the shops and restaurants at Newport on the Levee. So after returning to my hotel and cleaning myself up, I headed over and stuffed my face with a burger and fries at Johnny Rockets. I popped some nickels in the jukebox and started up "The Wanderer,"
"Runaround Sue," "Crazy" (Patsy Cline), and James Brown's "I Feel Good" I thought they were appropriate titles for my mood.

After lunch, I returned to the hotel for a nap. Then I got my ride to the FE dinner at Buca di Beppo. It was boisterous and crowded in that room, but at least we did get a chance to individually introduce ourselves to the assembled while we swapped pasta back and forth. We also got a chance to send some personal greetings to some special others.

Oink!

This weekend I've jetted out to the burg of Cincinnati to take part in the Flying Pig Marathon weekend. I had been reading good things about this event, and with numerous Runner's World online members taking part, I thought it would be a fun little adventure.

After my delayed flight finally made it into the Cincinnati airport, I still had a long trek on the ground to find our mighty FE leader Luis (HowardRoark), along with Johnathan (JonTosh) and Gloria (red is my signature color). After checking into my hotel in Newport, I went across the river to pick up my 10K and half marathon race packets at the convention center.

When I left the expo, I was feeling pretty hungry. I spotted a sign for a Chinese eatery across the street from the convention center. Some people like attentive service that makes them feel like the only customer. Well, I got that . . . because I WAS the only one in the place. When I talked to the manager, I mentioned that the restaurant seemed surprisingly empty for a Friday night, and he pitifully agreed. Even the name for the place -- "Wah Mee" -- seemed to fit the lamentable situation.