Aramco Houston Half Marathon

On the "heels" of the ordeal at RNR San Antonio, the new year found me ill with a sickness bug that seems to be still making the rounds. So my run confidence coming into Marathon Weekend here in Houston was sagging. But as I had deferred last year's registration, skipping this year's race would mean swallowing a DNS for a half marathon that has cost me in total more than $200 in registration. So I found myself holding out hope that maybe things would come together somehow on race morning.

If nothing else, I was scoring myself a PR in the number of visits made to the George R. Brown Convention Center in one week thanks to my involvement with Saturday's Olympic Trials.When my alarm jolted me awake at 3:30 a.m. yesterday it felt like my serendipitous perfect storm was gathering.

I was breathing freely.

I downed some cold medication anyway just in case and managed to tick off my entire checklist, including finding a downtown parking space by 5:00 a.m. For the type of person I am, this is miraculous.

So it only felt appropriate to praise the Lord at the pre-race Mass in the GRB at 5:30 a.m. This is the only time of the year you'll see me show up this early for church services. After being dismissed with a "blessing of the feet" I put on one more application of BodyGlide, then headed out to the starting corral under perfect running conditions -- 40F, humid, no wind. This is shorts/short-sleeve weather for me, if not for the thousands of others I saw bundled up as if they were preparing to board The Polar Express.

Before gun time, I had made a decision to go ultra-conservative -- NO RUNNING. This would be a nearly 100% walk strategy where I would make a point of keeping one foot on the ground at all times. I was not going to risk pounding pavement like I did in San Antonio. Not now, when my feet have grown accustomed to the crushed surface trails along the neighborhood forest.

And the strategy paid off. As I type this now, I have the usual postrace quad soreness. But I have no pain in my feet -- none. My best memories of this race are from the last three miles. I got the best-tasting cup of Gatorade ever from my girlfriend working the aid station on Allen Parkway. Shortly after that, I came upon a random stranger handing out American flags right before I entered downtown.

I had watched the tape-delayed Trials broadcast on Saturday afternoon and remembered the joyful footage of Meb Keflezighi being handed a flag on the homestretch as he claimed victory. So naturally I decided to recreate my own "Meb Moment," turning the corner at Discovery Green, grinning at the people in the viewing stands and waving the Stars and Stripes above my head as I crossed the same finish line on Avenida de las Americas.

The splits:
(GPS readings at the end are likely inaccurate because I was in the midst of all the skyscrapers.)
Mile 01 - 12:37
Mile 02 - 12:02
Mile 03 - 11:50
Mile 04 - 12:39
Mile 05 - 11:49
Mile 06 - 12:44
Mile 07 - 12:18
Mile 08 - 13:34
Mile 09 - 12:38
Mile 10 - 15:24
Mile 11 - 15:30
Mile 12 - 15:20
Mile 13 - 17:03
Last .04 mi - :26
13.04 mile elapsed time: 2:56:01 per Garmin Forerunner 205
Chip Time reported by race: 2:55:54
Gun Time reported by race website: 3:11:40