Aramco Houston Half Marathon

I woke up this morning with two goals. First, set a new personal course record for myself (2006 - 2:42, 2007 - 2:27). Second, put my performance at the Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio half (2:25) away as a bad dream. After my horrid experience with the traffic at RNRSA, I made a point of getting up at 4 a.m., taking in a decent breakfast of a bell-pepper omelet and Nutella-flavored oatmeal, and driving downtown early. While attending the 5:45 a.m. Mass we could clearly hear the praise being sung at the Protestant service across the convention center floor, and I pondered the diversity in our race.

Would you believe I almost forgot my timing chip? I returned to my car, strapped on the chip with my Road ID ankle strap and then met my sister and some of her friends at the nearby Hilton. She needed to make a bathroom stop of her own immediately before gun time, so I bid her well and joined my corral just as the first wave was starting. I was right behind a young guy who was wearing a Sully (Monsters Inc.) costume and I laughed.

A few minutes later, a second cannon blast beckoned us forward. The thick crowd was definitely retarding me during mile 1 (11:19) but I suppose I should be grateful that I wasn't allowed to start too fast. After the pack loosened up I settled into a solid ten-minute-mile groove for the next eight miles.

It was during this time that I remembered why I love this day in Houston. The city comes out for the spectacle and I feed voraciously off the crowds:

• The cluster of Elvii waiting for us on the Elysian Viaduct
• The family on their Woodland Heights porch chanting "Vaminos!"
• The little kids competing with each other in collecting the most runner high-fives: "174! . . .175! . . . 176! "
• The high school band playing a march while I jog by, miming a cornet with my Amphipod handstrap bottle.
• Yelling "Do I smell donuts? Who has the donuts" and hearing a man on the sidewalk answering "Tom (pointing at the bib on the runner next to me) over there is hiding them from you."
• Running by the crowd at the campus of my alma mater and calling out, "St. Thomas, show your alumni some love!"
• More, more, and more cowbell!
• The guy on Milam Street holding up a boombox and treating us to "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky in our final mile.

By mile 11, I was on the sun-drenched concrete of Allen Parkway and my pace fell off to the point where I knew for sure an all-time PR wasn't in the making. But as I ran under the finishing arch with the Romanian woman who took second female in the full marathon race, I was satisfied with my run. I had clocked a 2:15, my third-fastest half marathon and my new best time on this course -- pretty much right where I thought I would be.

After entering the convention center and grasping my finisher medal, the very next volunteer put a package of Girl Scout cookies in my free hand. Then I made a beeline for the HEB Creamy Creations booth and took down some truly-refreshing chocolate ice cream. Next I got some breakfast chow from the main food line and sat down to eat. It was then that I got a surprising text message from my sister announcing she was on the final mile.

I finished my plate and wandered back across the convention center floor. A few minutes later I spotted a finisher medal around my sister's neck. I picked her up, twirled her around and congratulated her. It turned out that she had mistakenly thought the start time was 7:30, and when she did get out there, she was lost for the first mile. But she too had fed off the crowd energy and ran much of the course, finishing in 2:54. As we stood in line for our finisher shirts, I told her how proud I was of her. Her knees were aching a lot and she'll likely be very sore tomorrow, but we were all rookies once, right?

This is now my fourth January in a row to run the city, and now I really feel as if I would miss out if I'm not involved in it in some way while I live here. Taking part in the 5K, half, full, or volunteering, I will definitely be back in some capacity in 2010.

Planning For A Not-So-Planned Half Marathon

I suppose I haven't had enough motivation to blog about much recently in the past three weeks. Well, with Marathon Sunday in Houston coming in just two days, it would be sad to let this time go by without a post....

Originally, I wasn't planning to run Houston at all this year. Shortly after catching the "running bug" I had completed the half course in '06 and '07, and then there was the epic struggle to stay sane through 26.2 miles last year. I felt like I didn't have anything more to prove here in the immediate future and started thinking about traveling and doing more races elsewhere.

Then last summer, my sister mentioned that she was thinking of doing the Aramco Half this year. I told her that if she registered, I would too -- and I'd run it with her. To my amazement, she actually registered. (The Houston event is proving to be ridiculously popular, so folks are now pressured to decide in the summer before the cap fills.) I registered myself shortly after. To my knowledge she had never gone beyond 5K in a race, but unlike where I started, she's a trim lightweight, so I figured that perhaps she'd round into long-distance shape in half a year's time. I had even lent her my prized copy of Marathoning for Mortals and told her she could check in with me at any time for support.

We all lead fairly busy lives, so I suppose it shouldn't have come as a total surprise hear from her that her training didn't go really well, and she doesn't feel ready to run. She thinks she'll walk the course and wants me to run my own race.

So here I sit pondering what I should expect from this one. After the rough run in San Antonio in November, I've been covering consistent mileage, so the base is there. But since time wasn't really an original goal, I haven't been concerned with speedwork. I certainly think I can make the Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio time of 2:25 a fading memory. And unlike San Antonio, Houston is much more of a truly flat course.

At a minimum, I should be able to set a new course PR -- my 2007 time was 2:27. And if there's a special run time-wise in store for me, that's great. But I would have rather run this one in with sis....

Houston Area Race Calendar -- January 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!)


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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Instead of endlessly going back and editing my old calendar post over and over again, I decided to create new and updated posts a few times a year instead. Keep in mind that some recurring races haven't formally announced their next date.

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 2009)
Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon, Ep5K (downtown, next on 18 Jan 2009)
Mardi Gras Beach Run (Galveston, last on 26 Jan 2008)
Rockets Run 5K (downtown, next on 31 Jan 2009)

FEBRUARY
Mardi Gras Marathon (New Orleans, next on 1 Feb 2009)
Bridge Fest 5K (Kingwood, next on 7 Feb 2009)
Christopher's 5K (downtown, next on 7 Feb 2009)
Surfside Beach Marathon/Half Marathon (Surfside Beach, next on 14 Feb 2009)
Gimme Some Sugar 5K/10K (Sugar Land, next on 14 Feb 2009)
AT&T Austin Marathon (Austin, next on 15 Feb 2009)
Steps for Students 5K (Houston inner-Loop, next on 21 Feb 2008
Park to Park Run (Houston inner-Loop, 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)
Bayou City Classic 10K (downtown, 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 (Clear Lake, held Holy Saturday, could also be in April, last on 22 Mar 2008)
SCOPE Fun Run (Texas Medical Center, 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 April 2009)
Pope John XXIII Fun Run (Katy, last on 12 Apr 2008)
Dulles Dash (Sugar Land, last on 19 Apr 2008)

MAYRunning for the Arts (Spring Branch, 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, last on 4 Oct 2008)
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)

NOVEMBER
Monster Mash Road and Trail 5K/10K (Sugar Land, last on 1 Nov 2008)
Monster Dash (Pearland, last on 1 Nov 2008)
Tour de Donut (Katy, cycling-plus-donut-eating race, last on 2 Nov 2008)
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 9 Dec 2007)
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 mistaken listing? Leave a comment....

Yes, I let a headline infuriate me.

In an attempt to wriggle out of the Senate-seat-for-sale scandal hanging over Rod Blagojevich, the Illinois governor's supporters have sunk to a new low by attempting to frame his appointment in racial terms. Blagojevich's announcement of Roland Burris as his appointee while the governor is being investigated for related corruption is enough of an affront to common decency. But for congressman Bobby Rush to suggest that the Burris' appointment should not be blocked because Burris is black is appalling to me:

"I will ask you to not hang and lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer."

"Let me just remind you that there presently is no African-American in the U.S. Senate. I don't think that anyone — any U.S. senator who's sitting in the Senate right now — wants to go on record to deny one African-American for being seated in the U.S. Senate."

If I was a U.S. Senator, I would consider it to be my privilege and duty to block such a seating. I would be proud to have this on my record, not because of the color of Burris' skin, but because it simply is the right thing to do. When news of scandal first broke around Blagojevich, it was generally agreed that anyone that he appointed would have a cloud of suspicion over him or her. Mister Rush, the pigment possessed by that nominee should not change this.

I know nothing of Burris and his record, nor whether he would actually make a good Senator. But if he had a sense of decency, he would have turned down the offer and made himself available as a candidate to be appointed in a manner separated from the scandal.

In the year 2008, I reject the idea that certain political offices should be reserved for an individual because of race. Misters Blagojevich and Rush, you ought to be ashamed for attempting to "play the race card" as a smokescreen to distract us from the governor's own integrity issues. Finally, attempting to paint opponents as a lynch mob is misleading and profoundly disrespectful to those who actually lost their lives in real lynchings.

I'd prefer for my blog posts not to stray too often into politics, but this just seems like an egregious case of "not getting it." It made me mad enough to stay up this late and vent. . . .

Merry Christmas!

I think I've found a great use for my budding medal collection!

CurrentlyVince wishes everyone a Merry Christmas. May we be blessed with the gift of redemption from those things that weigh heavily on our hearts.

10 megapixels, 4 miles, one finger on the shutter button

I logged four miles during the muggy midday. To help make the time seem to pass quicker, I decided to bring my digital camera along and take snapshots of some of the reasons I moved here.








"Inconvenient" cannot be a reason for me to not exercise anymore.

Is that cinnamon in my polvoron?

I do like my polveron, but I had never considered them really as a holiday-season treat -- until I found this recipe for a Spanish version that adds cinnamon to the dough.

Yum!

Tech Thursday Tidbits

• Remember the bruhaha that Microsoft stirred up when they introduced Product Activation with Windows XP? And how it would make life difficult for people that liked to upgrade PC components? Well, more than six years after installation (and plenty of hardware swaps), I swapped in a new network adapter into my trusty Shuttle XPC SS51G, and that finally awakened the "activation police" in the the OS. After failing to connnect online to the activation server a couple of times, I finally figured out that I needed to disable my third-party software firewall long enough to let the system check in and affirm that I am not a pirate.
• There's something peculiar about my new Philips LCD television: When exposed to the LCD screen of a Lenovo ThinkPad T60, the TV powers on. There must be some pattern glowing on the laptop display that the TV is interpreting as an "on" signal. I discovered this by accident when I placed the laptop on a counter, powered it up, and suddenly heard the theme song for That's So Raven unexpectedly start playing behind my back.
  
• I have only performed 14 out of the 50 Skills Every Geek Should Have according to Maximum PC. It sucks to be obsolete.
  

Have we met before?

<---- These adjacent Facebook ads are proof that women are pretty much all alike.

Watts in your wallet?

During the fall political campaign, energy policy was on the lips of just about every candidate for national office. Everyone seems to agree that we need a better one in the United States. While the politicians hammer out the details, I thought I'd share some of my recent activities on a personal level. I'd like to think these will make a positive contribution by reducing the energy I consume on a day-to-day basis:

• The biggest change I've made was making the decision about where to move (within the Houston area). Proximity to workplace was at the top of my must-have list. Frankly, I don't really enjoy commuting around Houston. Saving money is a nice bonus and the results here are already quite tangible. My formerly twice-weekly visits to the gas pump have been cut in half and I've hardly used my EZ TAG. That's about a hundred fewer dollars per month that isn't going to the pockets of the oil companies or the Harris County Toll Road Authority.
• The "competition" in electric providers in Houston has been an utter failure in bringing lower costs to consumers. When I established electric service here last month, though, I did attempt to vote with my wallet by choosing a plan with a provider that would pledge to use the money to generate power with "clean" sources like wind. The price-per-kilowatt is somewhat higher than the lowest rates available, and the benefits aren't directly tangible, so I think this might be more of a hopeful decision than anything.
• I have LCD televisions, which consume less electricity while operating than old-school CRTs. But I couldn't help but notice that they feel warm even when "off." This is due to the fact that they aren't really off but in standby, waiting for a remote signal to light up. Many devices consume electricity even when they're in standby and not performing a useful function. I needed a couple of new surge protectors anyway, so I went with Belkin "Conserve" which makes it really easy to truly switch off power from a distance.
• I needed a clothes washer, and opted for a more efficient front-loader. Moneywise this is an iffy proposition, as the price delta over the more familiar top-loader is pretty big and won't be narrowed for years.
• I installed compact fluorescent bulbs. When I moved in, the "Hollywood" fixture in the bathroom was loaded with 60-watt incandescent bulbs. A four-pack of 9-watt bulbs -- which have equivalent output to 40-watt incandescents -- are about six dollars at The Home Depot. My rough math suggests that these will pay for themselves in about a year.

Happy holidays to all and I'll close this post by mentioning that my Christmas tree is illuminated with LEDs. Once again, this is probably a decision that won't see a "payback" for years, but at least the investment has been made.

Now I'd like to see the adjustments in my energy demand get met on the other side with adjustments in the energy supply. We've been waiting for fundamental changes in this area since the first crisis with OPEC in the 1970s, however, so I'm certainly not holding my breath on this.