ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K

One of the PRs I picked up at Cincinnati Flying Pig last May was in the 10K race. I was satisfied with the way I ran, despite battling indigestion the whole way. (Tip: On race morning, just say "no" to the stale powdered donuts on your cheap hotel's breakfast bar.) But I knew that 59:07 was a soft time that I should be able to easily break if conditions lined up just right.

This morning, that line lay straight and true:

Mile 1: 8:50
Mile 2: 8:59
Mile 3: 8:55
Mile 4: 9:38
Mile 5: 9:24
Mile 6: 9:08
10K elapsed time (Garmin Forerunner): 56:46 (new PR)

I've found the 10K distance to be a special challenge. It begs to be run hard, and yet at the same the trap of flaming out early looms large. This is especially true with the Rodeo Run 10K course. The first half snakes through the flat city blocks of downtown, past thousands of spirited spectators who are watching the 10,000 of us run as the "opening act" before the rodeo parade starts. The second half is an out-and-back double-crossing of the Elysian viaduct -- a bridge with which I now have a familiar disgust.

The ascent portion of the first bridge crossing was particularly tough today because of a 20 mph headwind coming in from the north. On the other hand, the wind was here because of a front that came through earlier, clouding the sky and cooling the air into the low-sixties Fahrenheit. It was a much better alternative to the warm and humid conditions in recent days.

Part of the plan going into the race was to try to stick to nine-minute pace. According to my Garmin Forerunner, I got that exactly. (It logged the total distance as 6.3 miles.) The other part of the plan was to dedicate this as a "Paulette Remission" Run. Paulette is one of the nicest people on the Runner's World forums, and she has just started battling cancer, which she has so affectionately nicknamed "MFer"! So this run was both a PR and a PR. Sweet!

"Kayano," you're now another hour closer to beating that cancer.

Yippee-ki-yay, MFer!

Extra! Extra!

First, I've decided that the race calendar is dry clutter on what should be my personal blog. So I'm giving the list its own personal space:

Houston Running Calendar

I hope the convenience of breaking this ditty out on its own is worth the time it takes to keep up with an extra blog.

Second, I did the interview with Luciano, the reporter that commented on my Heart of Katy Fun Run report. The resulting story made it to the front page of last Wednesday's Katy Times, right next to stories about the flu and the HEB ground beef recall. I'm honored to know my running is closely associated with these topics!

Steps for Students 5K

Some days it's there; some days it's not.

Mile 1: 8:41
Mile 2: 8:47
Mile 3: 10:11

5K Elapsed Time: 28:36 (as recorded on Garmin)

I had a near-PR 5K last weekend and have been bumping up my mileage this past week, so I wasn't really expecting to run another near-PR race. But it still didn't feel good to have that out-of-energy demon throw his cloak around my neck a half-mile from the finish line. Ugh.

This is a nice event on the spring running calendar in Houston. There was no chip timing and the 2500 people that were there consisted mostly of the family walk crowd. But the registration fee was only $10, with proceeds raising money for the inner-city schools run by the Catholic archdiocese here. The 5K course around UH's Robertson Stadium was USATF certified, and had fruit,Girl Scout cookies and breakfast sausage waiting for me at the end. I can't complain!

It probably didn't help that I got there later than I originally intended. I hadn't even gotten in a full mile warmup before the gun went off -- a little early, at 8:27 a.m. according to my Forerunner. At that point, I saw that the starting corral was packed with walkers, so I decided to lay off for about seven more minutes before crossing the start line, to give the pack a chance to thin.

Next weekend is Rodeo Run. With about ten thousand expected, I'd make it very hard on myself if I show up late for that one.

As an aside, this race was dedicated to "kayano" on the RW forums, who has just started to battle cancer. She's highly supportive of everyone online, so here's a little voice of support for her.

Heart of Katy Fun Run

Dear Treadmill,

When I first moved into this neighborhood last fall and met you, it was pretty awkward. Living on the South Coast, I had been content to stride outside for the past three years. But the second half of 2008 found me struggling to stay in running shape, lowlighted by that stinker of a half at Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio. I knew I needed to change things up and look for some variety. Still, I doubted that you really could contribute much to my running life. I was wrong to do so.

This morning, I went to my first race since the Aramco Half Marathon. The nearby Christus St. Catherine hospital hosts this Heart of Katy Fun Run to help pay for healthcare for the financially needy. As I headed towards the start line, a volunteer handed me a red balloon. As it was my first time at this race, I was a bit confused, wondering if they expected me to run with it the whole way. I was relieved to find out that we would be doing a helium balloon release to remember those striken by heart disease; now that was something I was happy to do!

The field was small -- I'd guess seventy or fewer participants in the 5K -- so I aggressively lined up directly behind the line of teenagers that were toeing the line. The starter fired his gun and we embarked on our out-and-back on the boulevard next to the hospital. I reached the mile-one marker in 8:05 by keeping my stride short and my turnover rate up, just as we had practiced together over the course of many weeks. It's just too bad that you weren't there to catch me pressing "stop" on my Garmin instead of "lap."

I heard the volunteer at the mile-two marker call out a split of sixteen-something, and I knew I had not only a good race going, but a great race. I was doing all I could to keep my pace up, and my chest was frantically searching for a third lung in which to cram a little more oxygen. I remembered those nights we did intervals, where you would not permit me slack on the speed sections, nor allow me run the recoveries too fast. I was able to hold a strong pace all the way to the finish line.

26:18 isn't a personal record, but since I hadn't recorded a 3.1-mile run like that in nearly a year, it's a time I'll gladly accept. I hope you understand that I could never totally leave my love of running outside, but I would be willing to leave some room on my workout schedule for time with you.

Happy Valentine's Day,

CurrentlyVince

Houston Area Race Calendar -- February 2009

(P.S. 29 December 2011 -- For those people still finding these old posts: Please note that I have moved these listings out on their own blog site at http://www.houstonrunningcalendar.com. Thanks!)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

A refresh of the list from January. Official dates for nearly all spring 2009 races should be out now. (Refreshed again on Feb. 7 to reflect Onurleft's races moving to Sam Houston Race Park.)

YEAR-ROUNDRun The Woodlands 5K (The Woodlands, 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month)

JANUARYTexas Marathon (Kingwood, held on New Year's Day, next on 1 Jan 2010)
Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon, Ep5K (downtown and around town, next on 17 Jan 2010)
Mardi Gras Beach Run (Galveston, last on 26 Jan 2008 -- none in 2009 due to damage at Stewart Beach)
Rockets Run 5K (downtown, last on 31 Jan 2009)

FEBRUARY
Mardi Gras Marathon (New Orleans, last on 1 Feb 2009)
Bridge Fest 5K (Kingwood, next on 7 Feb 2009)
Christopher's Heart 5K Fun Run/Walk (downtown, next on 7 Feb 2009)
Buffalo Wallow Cross Country 6K (Buffalo Bayou Park, next on 7 Feb 2009)
Surfside Beach Marathon/Half Marathon (Surfside Beach, next on 14 Feb 2009)
Gimme Some Sugar 5K/10K (Sam Houston Race Park, next on 14 Feb 2009)
Heart of Katy Fun Run (Katy, next on 14 Feb 2009)
AT&T Austin Marathon (Austin, next on 15 Feb 2009)
Galloway Gallop Mardi Gras Fun Run (Kemah, next on 21 Feb 2009)
Mariner Mile and Fun Run (Missouri City, next on 21 Feb 2009)
Steps for Students 5K (Houston inner-Loop, next on 21 Feb 2009)
Park to Park Run (from downtown to Hermann Park, next on 21 Feb 2009)
RunWild Half Marathon (downtown, next on 22 Feb 2009)
Rodeo Run (downtown, held on same morning as rodeo parade, could also be in early March, next on 28 Feb 2009)

MARCH
Texas Independence Relay (Gonzales to Houston, ending at the San Jacinto Monument, next on 7-8 Mar 2009)
Methodist Health Stride4Stroke (Rice University, next on 7 Mar 2009)
Houston SPCA Mutt Strutt and Runway Race (Bush Intercontinental Airport, next on 7 Mar 2009)
Race Against Violence 5K (downtown, next on 7 Mar 2009)
Sienna Family Fit Fun Run (Missouri City, next on 7 Mar 2009)
Nottingham Forest Bunny Hop for Trees (west Houston, next on 7 Mar 2009)
Spring Fever 5K (The Woodlands, next on 7 Mar 2009)
Bayou City Classic 10K (downtown, next on 14 Mar 2009)
Flying Owls 5K (Rice University, next on 14 Mar 2009)
Top of the Morning 5K/10K (Sugar Land, next on 14 Mar 2009)
Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon Weekend (Seabrook, next on 14-15 Mar 2009)
"Lookin' Good" Shamrock Strut (Rice Village, next on 21 Mar 2009)
Resurrection Run (Nassau Bay, held Holy Saturday, could also be in April, last on 22 Mar 2008)
SCOPE Fun Run (Texas Medical Center, next on 28 Mar 2009)
Pope John XXIII Fun Run (Katy, next on 28 Mar 2008)
Eikenburg Law Week 8K (downtown, next on 28 Mar 2009)
Run for the Rose (Reliant Park, next on 29 Mar 2009)
Angie's Half Crazy Half Marathon (Clear Lake, next on 29 Mar 2009)

APRIL
Bellaire Trolley Run (Bellaire, next on 4 Apr 2009)
Muddy Trails 5K (The Woodlands, next on 4 Apr 2009)
Step by Step 5K (downtown, next on 19 Apr 2009)
Dulles Dash (Sugar Land, next on 25 Apr 2009)
Thoroughbred Half Marathon (Sam Houston Race Park, next on 19 Apr 2009)

MAYRunning for the Arts (Memorial City Mall, next on 2 May 2009)
Houston Young Lawyers Foundation Fun Run, next on 7 May 2009)
Texas Exes Lone Star Stampede (Texas Medical Center, next on 2 May 2009)
Sprint for Life 5K (Texas Medical Center, next on 9 May 2009)
Pearland Pear Run (Pearland, last on 10 May 2008)
US Vets 5K (Bear Creek, next on 16 May 2009)
American Lung Association Houston Stair Climb (Galleria area, next on 16 May 2009)
Astros Race for the Pennant 5K (downtown, last on 31 May 2008)

JUNE
Impact a Hero 5K (Sugar Land, held Saturday following Memorial Day, last on 31 May 2008)
Houston Heights Fun Run (Houston Heights, last on 7 Jun 2008)
Dad's Day 5K Greater Houston Prostate Cancer Run/Walk (downtown, last on 14 Jun 2008)
Run By The Bay (Texas City, last on 21 June 2008)


JULY
Run Wild 5K (Galleria area, held Independence Day, next on 4 Jul 2009)
Freedom 5K (Sugar Land, held Independence Day, next on 4 Jul 2009)
Lunar Rendezvous Fun Run (Clear Lake, last on 19 Jul 2008)

AUGUSTMaribelles 5K on the Bay (Seabrook, last on 2 Aug 2008)
Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer 5K (downtown, last on 9 Aug 2008)
Beneezy Purple Monkey Fun Run (Alvin, last on 30 Aug 2008)
SEPTEMBER
Fired Up 5K (Sugar Land, held Labor Day, last on 1 Sep 2008)
Watermill Express 5K (downtown, last on 18 Sep 2008)
Bellaire Fall Fever 5K (Bellaire, last on 27 Sep 2008)

OCTOBER
Komen Houston Race for the Cure (downtown, next on 3 Oct 2009)
USA 10 Miler (Clear Lake, last on 12 Oct 2008)
D'Feet Breast Cancer Run/Walk (Galveston, last on 18 Oct 2008)
Energy Capital Run (west Houston, last on 18 Oct 2008)
Run To Cure HD (Sugar Land, last on 18 Oct 2008)
Koala Wellness/Luke's Locker Houston Half Marathon (downtown, last on 26 Oct 2008)
Monster Mash 5K/10K (Sam Houston Race Park, next on 31 Oct 2008)

NOVEMBER
Monster Dash (Pearland, last on 1 Nov 2008)
Tour de Donut (Katy, last on 2 Nov 2008 -- cycling event, but I'm including it on my calendar just because I feel like it!)
HMSA Classical 25K (downtown, last on 9 Nov 2008)
Rock 'N Roll San Antonio (San Antonio, last on 16 Nov 2008)
Katy YMCA Turkey Dash (Katy, held Thanksgiving Day, last on 27 Nov 2008)
TXU Energy Turkey Trot (Galleria area, held Thanksgiving Day, last on 27 Nov 2008)
Sugar Land Surgical Hospital Turkey Trot (Sugar Land, held Thanksgiving, last on 27 Nov 2008)

DECEMBERPearland Jingle Jog (Pearland, last on 6 Dec 2008)
YMCA Houston Jingle Bell Run and Walk (downtown, last on 14 Dec 2008)
Dallas White Rock Marathon (Dallas, last on 14 Dec 2008)Sugar Land 30K (Sugar Land, last on 14 Dec 2008)

I typically find out about races online by checking the Active, EZToRegister, HARRA, Luke's Locker, City of Houston Mayor's Office of Special Events (check the parade and street closure listings) Sugar Land Finish Line Sports, On The Run, and Signmeup sites. Simple, right?

While this compilation is an honest effort, I make no warranty as to its accuracy. Use at your own risk and with the proper protective gear!

Do you know of an event that would be of high interest to Houston area runners? Do I have a mistake in a listing? Leave a comment....