2017 Houston Double

On the Thursday before race weekend, I decided to register for the ABB 5K. Saturday came and I loped the out-and-back course from Discovery Green through Midtown to almost the HCC campus and back in a chip time of 38:01. Basically, I just wanted to finish without risking injury or expending a lot of effort. It was kind of cool to claim the Houston Double medal once, but I can't say that I'd choose on my own to run this 5K again. For those not ready to take on a 13.1- or 26.2-miler, however, I think this is a nice way to participate in the marathon weekend experience with the finish line party in Discovery Green, the pumped-up start line music, and the race announcer hyping the finishers crossing the line.

Saturday night I put myself to bed early enough to miss what I understand was a very disappointing second half by the Texans in their playoff loss to New England. Impressively, my body stirred itself awake before what I thought was an aggressively early alarm setting on Sunday morning. For the second year in a row, I was taking advantage of Metro's offer of free rides for bib-number-wearing participants. As my bus rumbled through the darkness closer to downtown, a couple more runners boarded. After taking care of pre-race tasks, I walked out to the E Corral, which didn't depart the start line for more than a half hour after the initial gun.

I've blogged about the race day experience before, and everything I've said about it remained true this time -- excellent support from race volunteers and police officers on the course, entertainment and encouragement from spectators, and what I think of as the best of humanity with me on the streets. We ran under a "yellow flag" condition which basically meant that runners were encouraged to slow down due to high humidity and moderately warm temps that hung in the 60s thanks to overcast skies. My plan was to consume GU gel before gun time and then at the 3-, 6-, and 9-mile points. In addition, I took Gatorade from most of the aid stops in the early part of the course. I was mostly fine until I reached Montrose Boulevard. It seems to be always those miles from 8 to 10 where the length of the race finally tries to take my legs away, and then somehow I have to regain control of them before the finish line.

I finished in a chip time of 2:36:44, and had my second breakfast before returning home with my finisher medal and the Double medal. Thus this year's performance becomes my fifth fastest of 10 Aramco Houston Half Marathons. If I understand correctly, that tenth finish grants me "Legacy" status. I'm not that great of a runner, but now I guess I'm officially a non-quitter too.