Marathon drought busting

Going dry for two months in the spring simply just doesn't happen on the Texas coast. Thus, when a storm finally showed up, my Twitter timeline was as full of weather-related updates on Thursday as if it had snowed. So on the heels of a freezing February, there's little hope left for the wildflower season. After the Indian Paintbrush bloomed in March, there's basically been no color in the neighborhood parklands -- a paucity of primrose, an absence of bluebonnets, a scarcity of cactus blooms.

This week I've also been thinking about drought-busting -- a distance-running one. I've used my deferral eligibility to register for the Chevron Houston Marathon for the fourth time. Knowing it's the fourth time is humbling, as I've only actually made it through the 26.2-miler once. Circumstances have thwarted me in previous training seasons to the point where I will truly appreciate that second full marathon finisher medal if it comes my way in 2012. As Los Lonely Boys -- who rocked a great show right after the squall rocked our town -- might say: Tu sabes muy bien que te quiero!

So my head swims with questions about what changes I want to stir into the running recipe of my past experiences. Stuff like....

• Could simply more time spent standing at my office day job make me more fit?
• Do I really want to dabble in the "minimalist shoe" fad?
• Could I hydrate more efficiently with a Fuelbelt-type appliance versus the Amphipod handheld I've relied upon so long?
• I think I'm ready for something other than GU gel for long-run pick-me-up. So what will I try next?
• Should I be packing more country music into my long-run playlists? (The girlfriend might be tickled to know that this morning's footfalls were Chesney-fueled.)

Have you found yourself running in a groove with a new idea after years of training in a rut? Comment away....

I'll finish this post by mentioning that the Bayou City Road Runners debuted a new event last night at Bear Creek Park. Dubbed Alex's 5K, they're fundraising on behalf of the organization Autism Speaks. I arrived too late for the run, but I did make it in time to buy a plate of postrace brisket and sausage. Turnout surpassed the organizers' expectations as they had rented out the park's big pavilion, but the crowd and their cars spilled out on the grass. Good luck with future editions, BCRR!