General Discussion Race Reports! » Houston Half Marathon Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
 
 
of 2
 
 

Houston Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Houston, Texas
United States
Houston Marathon Committee
45F / 7C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 56m 13s
Overall Rank = 1567/9984
Age Group = M3539
Age Group Rank = 181/662
Pre-race routine:

Breakfast the day before w/ a bunch of good folks. Then packet p/u. Not much else.

Sunday morning small cup of coffee. Two bananas. Cereal bar. Was weird not having to pack the wetsuit and load the bike. I can't wait for triathlon season to get here!!!!

Met the fellas at Specs (beer store ;-)) and drove on in. Met the others inside the convention center and hung out for a while. Checked the bags and went to warm up.

Event warmup:

~1/4 mile easy run.

Was a bit warmer than planned.

I had old flannel shirt and a pair of old socks for hand and arm warmers that I planned to start in and ditch. Never wore the socks. With about a minute to go I took the flannel off and ditched both on the fence in the corral. The fence looked like a Sal's Boutique. All the clothes get donated to the homeless shelters here in town which is pretty cool.


Run
  • 1h 56m 13s
  • 13.25 miles
  • 08m 46s  min/mile
Comments:

Overall I'm really happy with my performance. PR by 17:15.

While I struggled with where I wanted to be pace wise I absolutely knew I wanted to a > 9:00 for the first 2 miles then decide what to do based on how I felt. I go out to fast and it kills me. I'm really happy that I nailed this. Mile one was even a little to slow but that's just fine.

Another thing that really helped was I had a good idea Betsy (Betsy0706) was going to be running right around where I needed to be. So we went out together and I just kept her close.

I have no idea what happened at mile three. The mile 4 sign showed up and I got confused. Mile 1 and 2 had half and full mile markers in different locations, I assume because of the .1 mile difference. I had to ask if that was for us to. Pretty dumb although not as bad as asking the head ref at Clearlake where run in was. ha.

Miles 4-6 were good. Decided to hang out around 9:00. Took a leak at mile 6.

The crowds were deeper from pretty much here on in with one exception along mile 11. But really they didn't have much of an impact on my pace. Very supportive for sure but I tried to tune them out so I wouldn't get too ramped up. The bands were real cool.

Aprox. 250 yards from the turnaround Justin (Houstonrider) passed me on the other side of the street heading in. This guy never runs longer than 8, got a bib yesterday and was kicking my ass. AWESOME!

I hit the turnaround on Montrose, mile 8 or so, and decided to hold on until for a little while longer. Mile 11 I hit it and it felt good. I passed a lot of people and only got passed by one or two. I think i was running in the high 7's low 8's for most of the way in.

Around mile 12 I notice Justin's bald head bopping up and down and knew I had him. I caught him told him he was looking good and kept going, laughing to myself knowing that I might cross the line a few seconds ahead of him but what a performance from a guy who never ran this far let alone didn't train for it. You rock Justin!

Jarrett and the kiddos were there at the finish line. AWESOME!!!!


What would you do differently?:

I probably swim straighter than I run. I'm always looking for some hole in the people to run through or if I see people having a conversation I'll run over to them and bud in. I just need to focus more. But damn that's a long time to be out there and not talk shit to someone.




Post race
Warm down:

what this warm down thing you speak of?

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Nothing. I had a great race.

Event comments:

The volunteers rocked! Thank you!!!

This is a really crowded race. I knew it would be but didn't think it would be the entire course including the chute.

Having the convention center available is great.




Last updated: 2009-11-14 12:00 AM
Running
01:56:13 | 13.25 miles | 08m 46s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/662
Overall: 0/9984
Performance: Good
Course: Pretty flat course. A few highway overpasses and underpasses. A little undulation along mile 11.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

{postbutton}
2010-01-17 3:48 PM

User image

Champion
6973
500010005001001001001002525
marietta
Subject: Houston Half Marathon


2010-01-17 4:15 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Champion
9060
5000200020002525
Charlottesville, Virginia
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
Great job John.  congrats on the PR.

Could have been faster if you just peed in your pants...
2010-01-17 5:16 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Veteran
281
100100252525
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
AWESOME!  Your ready for a trail run now!  I love how they donate the clothes-great cause! 
2010-01-17 5:22 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Extreme Veteran
362
1001001002525
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
Great race to start the year off. Way to go!
2010-01-17 5:22 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Elite
4108
20002000100
Calgary,AB,Canada
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
Only a 17 min PR eh? nice work crazy man. I'm with Tony..Pee your pants for the extra 2 minutes it cost you!
2010-01-17 5:29 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Master
2501
2000500
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! That is awesome and you sound like you nailed your pacing. Great job holding back going out... It helps so much at the end!

Oh, and less talking + more running = faster time. But might not be as fun.

That is a huge PR so you should be super-duper proud of yourself! Way to go!!


2010-01-17 5:37 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Champion
5522
5000500
Frisco, TX
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon

Great job fattyfatfat!  You seriously killed it out there!  Nothing like seeing the family at the finish is there?

2010-01-17 5:59 PM
in reply to: #2618715

User image

Master
1675
1000500100252525
Suwanee, Ga.
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
You nailed the pacing today and look what it got yu....a 17 minute PR....

Or maybe it was just that you started the day at a beer store. 

It had to one or the other. 


Great job.



Steve



2010-01-17 6:25 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Extreme Veteran
310
100100100
Colorado Springs
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
GREAT RUN!  Congratulations on your new PR!
2010-01-17 6:34 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Member
85
252525
Keller, Tx
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
Nice job John!  17 min PR is awesome.
2010-01-17 7:04 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Extreme Veteran
599
500252525
Houston, TX
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
So you stopped to pee...that's how you got behind me!  Great running with ya!


2010-01-17 7:21 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Champion
7163
500020001002525
Verona WI--Ironman Bike Country!
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon

Great report...I would expect nothing less.  Pretty soon you will need to change your handle to speedyspeedspeed!
Suzy

2010-01-17 8:17 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Master
1478
1000100100100100252525
Horseheads, NY
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon

Awesome job!  Congrats on the huge PR!

2010-01-17 8:37 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Expert
1797
1000500100100252525
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
OOOOOHHHHH so close - less than a min.  That must have killed you.  LOL  ;-)  Seriously, great job and excellent PR!
2010-01-17 9:25 PM
in reply to: #2618958

User image

Extreme Veteran
567
5002525
Kingwood, TX
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
Congrats on a great race!
2010-01-17 9:42 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Expert
762
5001001002525
San Antonio, TX
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon

AWESOME job John.  Congrats!



2010-01-17 10:41 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Elite
3072
200010002525
san francisco
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
Great job, John!  You nailed it, even with a pee stop!  You've been working so hard, and it really has paid off.  Speed demon. 
2010-01-17 10:45 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Pro
4100
20002000100
Wherever the trail takes me, WA.
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
Oh man.... Why did you stop and pee??? I said 1:54.... I would have had it!  SERIOUSLY THOUGH!!!!! GREAT JOB!!! You have come a long way big boy! STUD!
2010-01-18 8:09 AM
in reply to: #2619095

User image

Master
1318
1000100100100
Houston
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
Great race and a huge PR, doesn't get much better than that! Bathroom break in a 1/2 mary?!?! Might need to add some peeing on bike drills for Lonestar coming up  
2010-01-18 9:42 AM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Extreme Veteran
689
500100252525
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
great job! cutting down your pr by 17 min is huge. very impressive, especially when you count the pee break!
2010-01-18 12:56 PM
in reply to: #2618579

Master
1292
1000100100252525
Houston
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon

Great job!!



2010-01-18 1:16 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Expert
790
500100100252525
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
John,

Great race man and congrats on the PR!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was cool seeing you twice on the course (at the turn around and when you passed me).  I was glad to be your "rabbit" and give you the little bit of extra incentive to get that PR. But you would have done it either way. Once again great race, and it was great running with you.

Justin
2010-01-18 1:51 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Master
1539
100050025
Sin City
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon

WAY TO GO DUDE!!!!


But sorry, the Princess is in another castle!


Edited by CyborgQueen 2010-01-18 1:52 PM
2010-01-18 7:06 PM
in reply to: #2618579

Master
1468
10001001001001002525
Montgomery, Tx
Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
P er-

Great job and I guess your leg is better
2010-01-18 11:10 PM
in reply to: #2618579

User image

Subject: RE: Houston Half Marathon
Awesome job out there.  I'll bet it killed you not chit-chatting with someone poor soul
Serioulsy, nice job! 
  
General Discussion-> Race Reports!
{postbutton}
General Discussion Race Reports! » Houston Half Marathon Rss Feed  
 
 
of 2