There are few weekends of the year that I truly look forward to. The Houston Marathon Weekend is one of those weekends for me. There's just so much excitement leading up to it. This year was unique in that bad weather was looming in the forecast for days. Race day morning brought the worst of it with cold freezing rain, but it cleared up by the second half of the race. The rain and numerous puddles had my shoes and socks soaked. I decided to exercise my option of changing into some dry gear, thanks to a drop bag my wife kept with her near mile 17. It took me 3 or 4 minutes to get changed thanks to numb fingers, but I immediately felt more comfortable in shoes that didn't have 8 ounces of water sloshing around in them. I was hitting my mile splits on the money up until mile 16 or so. I didn't think I'd PR given the weather, but my first half of the race was strong enough to make me think I might get a shot. I really debated whether or not I should change shoes at all. I concluded that I didn't want to risk blistering in the last 6 miles so I would take the time for the pit stop. I don't really know if I would have done better without it, but at least my feet were a little more comfortable. My pace was still pretty decent through mile 19 or so, but I knew I was slowing. I managed to push on until the turn at Shepherd when sore feet and some IT pain on my right side convinced me to do some walking. I tried to stay steady down the Allen Parkway stretch to have enough for a strong push in the last mile and half into downtown.
Now for some race analysis for my running journal. As you can tell from my splits, I need to work on improving my pace for the late miles beyond the 25K mark. Contrast that with last years PR run where I was much stronger through the 35K mark.
2013 Results - 04:16:23
Splits Pace
5K 09:13
10K 09:11
15K 09:10
20K 09:12
HALF 09:13
25K 09:16
30K 09:31
35K 09:38
40K 09:48
Finish 09:47
2012 Results - 04:10:27
Splits Pace
5K -
10K 09:03
15K 09:02
20K 09:00
HALF 09:00
25K 09:03
30K 09:09
35K 09:20
40K 09:31
Finish 09:34
Now for a special thanks to all my friends and family. Running has grown to become such an integral part of me that I could not be doing this without your support. Thanks to all my friends I saw during the race. I got to run with so many of you this weekend. Running is often thought to be an individual endeavor, but running buddies like you all really prove that notion to be wrong. A very very very special thanks to my lovely wife who is the absolute best supporter in the world. She also exceeded her expectation in her first ABB 5K this weekend and I am so proud of her. It was awesome to play the role of supporter cheering from the sidelines.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Monday, November 12, 2012
Summer/Fall Race Reviews
It's been a good long while since Hog's Hunt. Alright, let's do a quick rundown of the races since then.
Dad's Day 5K (00:22:42 @ 7:17 min/mile) - It was hot, but I was curious what I could do at race pace. The sun and heat were definitely an issue, but I kept a strong pace, mostly in the low 7's. In the second half, I could feel my concentration slipping and my pace slowing, but some encouragement from fellow runners help pushed me over. The camaraderie between runners, even on short runs like this, is awesome. This one runner's words really stuck in my head on this run. As I slowly passed by her, she said "good job. keep going. keep passing people. you got this."
Montreal Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon (01:51:06) - Great weather in a beautiful and charming city. I had planned to run it based on how I felt that day. I wasn't sure if I was going to really race hard or just shoot for a solid run. With the cool weather that morning, I was really starting to feel like a PR was in the works, but I caught myself really slowing down on the hills in the last 3 miles leading back into downtown Montreal. I didn't finish as a strong as I would have liked either, but it was still in the neighborhood as far as time goes. As a side note, this is where I decided that the NB Minimus shoes weren't ideal for racing. They were fine for most of the race when I was keeping a shortened stride, but they didn't offer enough support on my finish where I like to extend my stride and kick harder. My feet really felt the effects.
Rocky Raccoon 50K (07:04:42 @ 13:39 min/mile) - This was going to be a low expectation fun run ultra marathon with friends. It was totally that, although I did hit a rough patch in the last miles. Even so, it's tough to beat running in the woods with your friends.
San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon (01:49:25 @ 8:21 min/mile) - Unseasonably warm, but I wanted to really race hard in this race. Instead of starting in the 1:50 pace group, I decided to start with the 1:45 pace group this time. I was hoping that would carry me along far enough to put myself in a good position at the end of the race. The strategy paid off for the most part. The only time I noticed my pace slowing was between miles 8 and 10 when I was really feeling the sun on my face. I was most happy about how I finished this race, I wanted to get myself within striking distance of a PR. And I accomplished that, but I fell just shy of beating it. I knew with the warm weather I had to dial back my expectations so this was clearly a win. Maybe in favorable conditions, I'd be writing about a new best, but I'm definitely proud of this run.
Splits Pace
5K 08:10
10K 08:22
10M 08:37
Finish 08:12
Avg Pace 08:21
As usual, my wife has been a rock star supporter through all of this. :)
Dad's Day 5K (00:22:42 @ 7:17 min/mile) - It was hot, but I was curious what I could do at race pace. The sun and heat were definitely an issue, but I kept a strong pace, mostly in the low 7's. In the second half, I could feel my concentration slipping and my pace slowing, but some encouragement from fellow runners help pushed me over. The camaraderie between runners, even on short runs like this, is awesome. This one runner's words really stuck in my head on this run. As I slowly passed by her, she said "good job. keep going. keep passing people. you got this."
Montreal Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon (01:51:06) - Great weather in a beautiful and charming city. I had planned to run it based on how I felt that day. I wasn't sure if I was going to really race hard or just shoot for a solid run. With the cool weather that morning, I was really starting to feel like a PR was in the works, but I caught myself really slowing down on the hills in the last 3 miles leading back into downtown Montreal. I didn't finish as a strong as I would have liked either, but it was still in the neighborhood as far as time goes. As a side note, this is where I decided that the NB Minimus shoes weren't ideal for racing. They were fine for most of the race when I was keeping a shortened stride, but they didn't offer enough support on my finish where I like to extend my stride and kick harder. My feet really felt the effects.
Rocky Raccoon 50K (07:04:42 @ 13:39 min/mile) - This was going to be a low expectation fun run ultra marathon with friends. It was totally that, although I did hit a rough patch in the last miles. Even so, it's tough to beat running in the woods with your friends.
San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon (01:49:25 @ 8:21 min/mile) - Unseasonably warm, but I wanted to really race hard in this race. Instead of starting in the 1:50 pace group, I decided to start with the 1:45 pace group this time. I was hoping that would carry me along far enough to put myself in a good position at the end of the race. The strategy paid off for the most part. The only time I noticed my pace slowing was between miles 8 and 10 when I was really feeling the sun on my face. I was most happy about how I finished this race, I wanted to get myself within striking distance of a PR. And I accomplished that, but I fell just shy of beating it. I knew with the warm weather I had to dial back my expectations so this was clearly a win. Maybe in favorable conditions, I'd be writing about a new best, but I'm definitely proud of this run.
Splits Pace
5K 08:10
10K 08:22
10M 08:37
Finish 08:12
Avg Pace 08:21
As usual, my wife has been a rock star supporter through all of this. :)
Monday, May 07, 2012
2012 Hog's Hunt 50K (My First Ultra Marathon!)
Running the Hog's Hunt 50K (31 miles for those of you who hate the metric system) was nothing short of enlightening. I think this may be the closest to "zen running" I have ever been. It wasn't exactly easy. Those last 3 miles were pretty tough and I tripped several times, but I was floored by how beautiful it was just to run in bare nature. I've done very little trail running up until this point, but I can easily see myself falling in love with it. I've long heard of the unique sub-culture that exists among trail runners. I saw that first hand at this race. There were about 100 runners in total doing the 50k. About 15 of them were friends from the running club I'm in. I think runners tend to be really nice people in general, but trail runners are on a whole other level of nice. I loved how home-grown and organic the event felt. There weren't a bunch of corporate logos adorning my bib. Instead, my bib was a white sheet of paper with a red "35" painted on it. There wasn't a loud band at every mile or raucous spectators at every turn, but there is something definitely special about this race. I finished my first ultra distance marathon in 6:39:52, but who really cares. It's about "zen running".
2012 Texas Independence Relay
This was our fifth year running the relay and like every year we welcomed a few new faces to the team. Due to planning issues with the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce, the first several legs of the TIR were changed. This meant we all started in Bastrop, which turned out to be a great thing. The first several legs ran us through Buescher State Park, which despite being severely damaged by the recent wildfires, was still awesome to run through. The event was also held nearly a month later than usual, so it was much hotter than we were accustom to. Nevertheless, the team ran incredibly finishing in 30 hours and 9 minutes.
Monday, March 26, 2012
2012 Sugar Land Half Marathon
I had one real goal for this race and that was to help my brother get a fast enough time to qualify for the 2013 Chevron Marathon. In that effort, the race was a resounding success. Not only did he smash the qualifying time goal, he bested my PR by a whole 18 seconds.
I think the most memorable moment for me was right in the middle of the race around mile 7. We were running side by side the entire way. He must have noticed that I was losing speed even though I did not realize it myself. He asked if I was alright to which I replied shortly "yeah". I knew that I was starting to feel some fatigue. The weeks of only light training was making me feel rusty. He then tells me to increase my turnover and to stop dragging my feet. I responded by straightening out my form and speeding up. Now this wouldn't have been very significant if it wasn't for the fact that he had never given me any coaching advice before. Up until this point, it had always been me coaching him. I guess I just felt proud of him in that moment because I knew he had finally caught up to me.
(Also, I tied my PR again finishing at an official chip time of 1:49:12.)
I think the most memorable moment for me was right in the middle of the race around mile 7. We were running side by side the entire way. He must have noticed that I was losing speed even though I did not realize it myself. He asked if I was alright to which I replied shortly "yeah". I knew that I was starting to feel some fatigue. The weeks of only light training was making me feel rusty. He then tells me to increase my turnover and to stop dragging my feet. I responded by straightening out my form and speeding up. Now this wouldn't have been very significant if it wasn't for the fact that he had never given me any coaching advice before. Up until this point, it had always been me coaching him. I guess I just felt proud of him in that moment because I knew he had finally caught up to me.
(Also, I tied my PR again finishing at an official chip time of 1:49:12.)
2012 Surfside Half Marathon Recap
Ever wonder what it might be like to run through a hurricane? That pretty much sums it up.
Monday, January 23, 2012
2012 Chevron Houston Marathon Recap - PR!
Let me start of by saying last weekend was an amazing weekend for running. Not only did I get to watch and cheer on the elite athletes in the Olympic Trials, but I managed to finally break my old marathon personal record by nearly 10 minutes. All the long hours spent in training had finally paid off. I keep saying this season has been the most enjoyable season of training I have ever gone through. A huge part of that is the fact that I've been training with a running club for the first time ever. I love it so much, I can't fathom ever going back to training solo. I've met an entire new circle of awesome people who love the sport. The experience helped finally push me passed the running plateau that I thought I had reached. I feel faster than ever before and I can say with supreme confidence that my best is yet to come. That alone is a great feeling.
Official chip time: 4:10:27
Glorious.
As always, a very special thanks to my beautiful wife whose limitless support and patience allows me the luxury of running.
Official chip time: 4:10:27
Glorious.
As always, a very special thanks to my beautiful wife whose limitless support and patience allows me the luxury of running.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
2011 San Antonio Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon
After the whole Union Pacific train incident during last year's race, I had told me wife that I would never race in San Antonio again. Well, exactly one year later and I'm back in San Antonio for the race. The main reason I signed up again this year was because one of my best friends wanted to run it and I agreed to join him. And I'm so happy I did. It was easily the most enjoyable trip to the river city I have ever had. We stayed at the lovely Drury Plaza Hotel in downtown San Antonio. The place was formerly home to the Alamo Bank and was built in 1929, so the building had a ton of impressive art deco character. We loaded up at dinner at Zocca on the Riverwalk, just minutes away from the hotel. Carb loading before a race is always fun. To top that off, we had dessert a fancy place called Biga on the Banks. Everything was superb.
The weather was unseasonably warm, but the race itself was awesome. The course had been modified for the better. It was easily the most scenic route in the four year history of the race. The crowd was great and I was feeling fast. I ended up with a time that I had thought was a PR, but as it turns out I was just two seconds shy. (Coincidentally tying my San Antonio PR set back in 2008!) I was still very happy with the race because I haven't been this fast in years.
Chip Time: 1:49:14
I think what made the trip so successful was the great company. Thanks buddy. And of course, no trip would ever even happen without the superhuman support of my incredible wife. You are my truest inspiration.
The weather was unseasonably warm, but the race itself was awesome. The course had been modified for the better. It was easily the most scenic route in the four year history of the race. The crowd was great and I was feeling fast. I ended up with a time that I had thought was a PR, but as it turns out I was just two seconds shy. (Coincidentally tying my San Antonio PR set back in 2008!) I was still very happy with the race because I haven't been this fast in years.
Chip Time: 1:49:14
I think what made the trip so successful was the great company. Thanks buddy. And of course, no trip would ever even happen without the superhuman support of my incredible wife. You are my truest inspiration.
Friday, April 22, 2011
2011 BP MS150
Over 150 miles of riding from Houston to Austin. With over 13,000 participants, the MS150 is the biggest two day fundraising cycling event in North America. Pretty awesome, right? This was my very first cycling event and one that I've always wanted to try.
I rode with my brother-in-law's company team who did a great job with support and accommodations. We stayed at a private house in La Grange which was about 4 miles away from the fairgrounds. That allowed us to really just relax after the first day of riding. The ride started off well. The pace was easy and the air was crisp. The only mistake on day 1 we made was riding for extended stretches while skipping most of the breakpoints. After about 40 miles, the hard bike seat really does a number on you. That and my lower back also felt a bit stiff. Keep in mind, I probably would have been used to it had I really trained for the event. I actually never exceeded 25 miles in training. I wasn't really too concerned though because I had a sense that this ride was a pretty laid back affair. That's kind of a half-truth. There are a number of hard charging riders that take it very seriously. For me it was just another challenge I wanted to check off my list. Sure it's a physically taxing event, but it's nothing compared to running a full marathon. Would I do the MS150 again? Hmmm. Probably not unless I had other friends or family wanting to do it for their first time. It's very much a social event and there are some boring stretches. Don't get me wrong, there are also really beautiful stretches too. The section through the state park on day 2 was easily my favorite. Plus going down hill at almost 50 mph on your bike is pretty rad.
The really great thing about this event is the good it does with the funds it raises.
One of the signs on the course really summed it up for me. "Two days of pain is nothing compared to what people with MS have to live with. We're the lucky ones."
I rode with my brother-in-law's company team who did a great job with support and accommodations. We stayed at a private house in La Grange which was about 4 miles away from the fairgrounds. That allowed us to really just relax after the first day of riding. The ride started off well. The pace was easy and the air was crisp. The only mistake on day 1 we made was riding for extended stretches while skipping most of the breakpoints. After about 40 miles, the hard bike seat really does a number on you. That and my lower back also felt a bit stiff. Keep in mind, I probably would have been used to it had I really trained for the event. I actually never exceeded 25 miles in training. I wasn't really too concerned though because I had a sense that this ride was a pretty laid back affair. That's kind of a half-truth. There are a number of hard charging riders that take it very seriously. For me it was just another challenge I wanted to check off my list. Sure it's a physically taxing event, but it's nothing compared to running a full marathon. Would I do the MS150 again? Hmmm. Probably not unless I had other friends or family wanting to do it for their first time. It's very much a social event and there are some boring stretches. Don't get me wrong, there are also really beautiful stretches too. The section through the state park on day 2 was easily my favorite. Plus going down hill at almost 50 mph on your bike is pretty rad.
The really great thing about this event is the good it does with the funds it raises.
One of the signs on the course really summed it up for me. "Two days of pain is nothing compared to what people with MS have to live with. We're the lucky ones."
2011 Warrior Dash (Conroe)
So the next event on my calendar was the Warrior Dash. It's not a distance race but it was an event I've been wanting to do. It's basically a 5k mud run sprinkled with various obstacles. Hills, mud, barbed wire, cargo nets, a fire pit, and more. It made me feel like a kid again for some reason. The whole thing really is over pretty quickly.
And I know these things aren't really about the time but...
32:06:55
I'm saving that just so I have something to reference in the future.
And I know these things aren't really about the time but...
32:06:55
I'm saving that just so I have something to reference in the future.
2011 Texas Independence Relay
This post is about a month and a half overdue. I've finally got a little bit of time on my hands so I'll use it to do some catching up.
This is what the 2011 TIR Team 1 roster looked like:
Runners:
Phi (Team Captain)
Ashley
Bob
Heather
Julio
Long
Luis
Lyndsey
Parker
Quan (Peter)
Shaundae
Tim
Supporters:
Thuy (Team Mom)
Andre
Garo
Jackie
Zhahan
Nearly ever person on the team was a returning TIR veteran. The exception being Luis who was actually supposed to be on the 2009 team. Now the TIR is a unique event for me because it is one that I don't put any emphasis on speed. That being said, I know it's impossible for us runners to not want to improve on previous performances. This was especially the case this year since the team was virtually the same. And man, was everyone fast. At under 30 hours this was easily our fastest year ever and everyone was running strong. I'm talking about course legs run in low 8's and 7's. Simply blazing. It's always great to see everyone do so well. The real magic about the relay is how team-centric the atmosphere is. There's really nothing like it on my running calendar.
This is what the 2011 TIR Team 1 roster looked like:
Runners:
Phi (Team Captain)
Ashley
Bob
Heather
Julio
Long
Luis
Lyndsey
Parker
Quan (Peter)
Shaundae
Tim
Supporters:
Thuy (Team Mom)
Andre
Garo
Jackie
Zhahan
Nearly ever person on the team was a returning TIR veteran. The exception being Luis who was actually supposed to be on the 2009 team. Now the TIR is a unique event for me because it is one that I don't put any emphasis on speed. That being said, I know it's impossible for us runners to not want to improve on previous performances. This was especially the case this year since the team was virtually the same. And man, was everyone fast. At under 30 hours this was easily our fastest year ever and everyone was running strong. I'm talking about course legs run in low 8's and 7's. Simply blazing. It's always great to see everyone do so well. The real magic about the relay is how team-centric the atmosphere is. There's really nothing like it on my running calendar.
Monday, February 21, 2011
2011 Austin Half Marathon - Me vs the Flu
Our entire weekend in Austin was in jeopardy. I was expecting to run in my 4th Austin Half Marathon on Sunday. A sudden bout with the stomach flu put those plans on hold. Friday night, I didn't feel strong enough to walk, much less run. And with the run less than a day and half away, I wasn't sure what state I'd be in.
I went to bed late Thursday night with a stomachache. When I woke up about four hours later to go to the gym I noticed my body feeling particularly weak and achey. I assumed it was just from lack of sleep. This wasn't an uncommon thing for me. Usually, I'd snap right out of it once my body got moving. The feeling continued throughout the morning as I played basketball and worked out. It was only after I got into the office that I started feeling the chills and the aches throughout my body begain feeling amplified. This is when I started getting a little concerned. But I had a tough day of work ahead and major deadlines that Friday and I didn't want to ditch my team. I skipped lunch because I didn't think I could hold anything down. The feeling of nausea was strong. I stuck it out until 4 pm before I decided I needed to cut my losses and get home. The aches had become unbearable and I wasn't sure how much longer I could stay upright. So I got home about 40 minutes later and I felt like a mess. I put down my things and went straight to the couch and curled up under a blanket. I didn't get off that couch until 17 hours later. The pain was all over. It hurt to move, but also hurt to stay still. I couldn't find a comfortable position to even rest. It turns out I had a fever of 101. I tossed and turned for hours. I fell asleep for a few hours at a time. Through this entire ordeal, my loving wife was by my side taking care of me as I struggled to stay lucid. All I had in my system was a banana and a few liters of gatorade, so she insisted I have some congee. I managed to get a few spoonfuls down before I fell asleep again. According to my wife, I had slept for about 12 hours. When I woke up the next morning, I was happy to see that my fever was gone. My body still ached but not nearly as much. I was starting to feel like myself again.
We got into Austin around 3:30 and I was actually feeling my appetite returning. I wondered how this would all play into the next morning's race. This would typically be the time to start carb loading, but I had eaten so little. I hoped a good dinner would be enough.
Long story short, I finished in 1:57:46. A little slower than expected but I was happy I showed up at all. In your face, flu.
I went to bed late Thursday night with a stomachache. When I woke up about four hours later to go to the gym I noticed my body feeling particularly weak and achey. I assumed it was just from lack of sleep. This wasn't an uncommon thing for me. Usually, I'd snap right out of it once my body got moving. The feeling continued throughout the morning as I played basketball and worked out. It was only after I got into the office that I started feeling the chills and the aches throughout my body begain feeling amplified. This is when I started getting a little concerned. But I had a tough day of work ahead and major deadlines that Friday and I didn't want to ditch my team. I skipped lunch because I didn't think I could hold anything down. The feeling of nausea was strong. I stuck it out until 4 pm before I decided I needed to cut my losses and get home. The aches had become unbearable and I wasn't sure how much longer I could stay upright. So I got home about 40 minutes later and I felt like a mess. I put down my things and went straight to the couch and curled up under a blanket. I didn't get off that couch until 17 hours later. The pain was all over. It hurt to move, but also hurt to stay still. I couldn't find a comfortable position to even rest. It turns out I had a fever of 101. I tossed and turned for hours. I fell asleep for a few hours at a time. Through this entire ordeal, my loving wife was by my side taking care of me as I struggled to stay lucid. All I had in my system was a banana and a few liters of gatorade, so she insisted I have some congee. I managed to get a few spoonfuls down before I fell asleep again. According to my wife, I had slept for about 12 hours. When I woke up the next morning, I was happy to see that my fever was gone. My body still ached but not nearly as much. I was starting to feel like myself again.
We got into Austin around 3:30 and I was actually feeling my appetite returning. I wondered how this would all play into the next morning's race. This would typically be the time to start carb loading, but I had eaten so little. I hoped a good dinner would be enough.
Long story short, I finished in 1:57:46. A little slower than expected but I was happy I showed up at all. In your face, flu.
Friday, February 04, 2011
2011 Chevron Houston Marathon + Rain = Fun!
This post is well over due.
The race was just six days ago, but my legs wouldn't have been able to tell you that. I was back to full strength by Wednesday so that's always good. Honestly, I was feeling withdrawals from the marathon as soon as I got home on Sunday. I was already craving the next big run, the next big fix. It took me 4 hours 32 minutes and 34 seconds. Not a personal best, but that's not a problem. I loved every second of it. The more of these I do the more that core belief is underscored. You have to love it.
The marathon inevitably hurts at some point for everyone, but you have to make a choice. Do you quit or do you fight on? I know it's cliche, but of all sporting events, marathon running is simply the most perfect metaphor for life. Such as in life, there are always moments in the race that you just feel like quitting. Your mind starts telling you funny things. It tries to reason with you. "It would be so much easier if you just stopped and walked the rest of the way." "You can just blame the weather if you don't finish fast." "Way try so hard? No one else cares." The voice in my head grew louder and louder with each mile. The mind is a funny and powerful thing. When the voice grew from a whisper to a shout in my head I did something I really have never done before. I answered them. Out loud. For the last 4 miles, which always are the toughest, I kept answering "I have the strength. I have the courage. I will not quit." Over and over and over and over. Sure, I got plenty of looks from other runners, but I didn't care. This was for me. I was answering the voice in my head telling me to take the easy way out. And so it went, all the way to the finish line.
The key point isn't that you should care how long it takes for you to finish, but rather how you've run the race. Do you want to be someone who only runs when you think someone else is watching? Or do you want to be able to proudly say you never quit?
The race was just six days ago, but my legs wouldn't have been able to tell you that. I was back to full strength by Wednesday so that's always good. Honestly, I was feeling withdrawals from the marathon as soon as I got home on Sunday. I was already craving the next big run, the next big fix. It took me 4 hours 32 minutes and 34 seconds. Not a personal best, but that's not a problem. I loved every second of it. The more of these I do the more that core belief is underscored. You have to love it.
The marathon inevitably hurts at some point for everyone, but you have to make a choice. Do you quit or do you fight on? I know it's cliche, but of all sporting events, marathon running is simply the most perfect metaphor for life. Such as in life, there are always moments in the race that you just feel like quitting. Your mind starts telling you funny things. It tries to reason with you. "It would be so much easier if you just stopped and walked the rest of the way." "You can just blame the weather if you don't finish fast." "Way try so hard? No one else cares." The voice in my head grew louder and louder with each mile. The mind is a funny and powerful thing. When the voice grew from a whisper to a shout in my head I did something I really have never done before. I answered them. Out loud. For the last 4 miles, which always are the toughest, I kept answering "I have the strength. I have the courage. I will not quit." Over and over and over and over. Sure, I got plenty of looks from other runners, but I didn't care. This was for me. I was answering the voice in my head telling me to take the easy way out. And so it went, all the way to the finish line.
The key point isn't that you should care how long it takes for you to finish, but rather how you've run the race. Do you want to be someone who only runs when you think someone else is watching? Or do you want to be able to proudly say you never quit?
Saturday, November 20, 2010
San Antonio Rock n Roll 2010 - Turning 30 and my 16th Race
This past Sunday marked a few notable milestone for me. Not only was it my 16th racing event, but it was my first race in the 30-34 age division. I keep telling myself that the next 4 years could be my fastest, so I have plenty of time to prove it. Unfortunately for me, my pie in the sky dreams of getting a PR in San Antonio were derailed, quite literally. Before we had finished the first mile of the race, we were stopped by a train crossing. A train crossing! I first noticed it when I heard some booing just ahead of me. I looked up and noticed the train crossing arms lowering, blocking an already large crowd of log jammed runners. And with more runners coming up from behind us, the crowd was only going to grow larger.. I exclaimed my utter disbelief aloud. I simply couldn't believe that the organizers hadn't planned for this. We were delayed anywere from betwen 3 to 6 minutes as we waited for the entire train to pass. Considering the large group that had been jammed up there, I knew that the delay had completely erased the wave start and that we would have to start up a dense crowd all over again. I turned to my cousin Peter and told him that we could forget about PR'ing. But you know what, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing after all.
One of my side goals for the weekend was to help get my cousin over the finish line in under 2 hours, a feat he has never accomplished in his many years of racing. Six weeks prior, I had told hiim that if he commits to training with me in the weeks leading up to the race, that I would personally guarantee him a PR time for him. To my pleasant surprise, he stuck with the training. Our confidence was boosted even more after we had a great training run the week prior to the race. Things seemed to have just clicked in my cousin. He has unlocked the technique that I used to call "the magic stride!" (It's basically the well known running technique that a lot of veteran runners use that maximizes distance running efficiency in your running gait.) I had discovered this technique several years back and I had been hyping up all this time. So it seemed as though Peter had finally discovered the power of it to help him run faster. It worked so well for him that we agreed to rename the technique "Texas Boots" as an homage to one of the greatest side scrolling brawling games of all time, River City Ransom. Also, it just seemed appropriate. Anyway, so back to the weekend of the race. At dinner the night before the race, I start telling Peter that I felt that a 1:45 finish was in the cards. I could tell he was nervous about that idea. A 1:45 finish was much faster than even my current PR of 1:49. The 4 minute difference may seem minimal but the difference in pace to achieve that is pretty significant. So in my excitement I had set some pretty insane expectations for both of us. I could have potentially set us up for a big letdown really. You see, my original goal was to post a solid run under two hours. Now all of the sudden, I wasn't just talking about beating my old PR, I was talking about completely annihilating it. All that talk about speed records might have unnerved Peter. Mind games can really ruin a runner's pysche. So maybe the train delay was kind of a blessing in disguised. I told him he could relax now, because the pressure is off. It must have worked because he put in a great run and finished well under 2 hours for a new personal best. I was really excited for him because I knew how big of a milestone for him that was. You see, although he had been running for many years before me (despite being just 26), he had told me that he hasn't ever had a race that he was really proud of. I was determined to help him change that and I was thrilled when I saw that he did. Congratulations Peter!
As for me, I posted a solid 1:56:30. (That's before the time adjustment for the train delay, which I still need to officially calculate and submit to the organizers...)
Also, I have to once again thank my amazing wife, who is my biggest supporter and my greatest inspiration.
One of my side goals for the weekend was to help get my cousin over the finish line in under 2 hours, a feat he has never accomplished in his many years of racing. Six weeks prior, I had told hiim that if he commits to training with me in the weeks leading up to the race, that I would personally guarantee him a PR time for him. To my pleasant surprise, he stuck with the training. Our confidence was boosted even more after we had a great training run the week prior to the race. Things seemed to have just clicked in my cousin. He has unlocked the technique that I used to call "the magic stride!" (It's basically the well known running technique that a lot of veteran runners use that maximizes distance running efficiency in your running gait.) I had discovered this technique several years back and I had been hyping up all this time. So it seemed as though Peter had finally discovered the power of it to help him run faster. It worked so well for him that we agreed to rename the technique "Texas Boots" as an homage to one of the greatest side scrolling brawling games of all time, River City Ransom. Also, it just seemed appropriate. Anyway, so back to the weekend of the race. At dinner the night before the race, I start telling Peter that I felt that a 1:45 finish was in the cards. I could tell he was nervous about that idea. A 1:45 finish was much faster than even my current PR of 1:49. The 4 minute difference may seem minimal but the difference in pace to achieve that is pretty significant. So in my excitement I had set some pretty insane expectations for both of us. I could have potentially set us up for a big letdown really. You see, my original goal was to post a solid run under two hours. Now all of the sudden, I wasn't just talking about beating my old PR, I was talking about completely annihilating it. All that talk about speed records might have unnerved Peter. Mind games can really ruin a runner's pysche. So maybe the train delay was kind of a blessing in disguised. I told him he could relax now, because the pressure is off. It must have worked because he put in a great run and finished well under 2 hours for a new personal best. I was really excited for him because I knew how big of a milestone for him that was. You see, although he had been running for many years before me (despite being just 26), he had told me that he hasn't ever had a race that he was really proud of. I was determined to help him change that and I was thrilled when I saw that he did. Congratulations Peter!
As for me, I posted a solid 1:56:30. (That's before the time adjustment for the train delay, which I still need to officially calculate and submit to the organizers...)
Also, I have to once again thank my amazing wife, who is my biggest supporter and my greatest inspiration.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Busy Signal
The last couple of months have been the busiest in recent memory. My work load has at least doubled. The pressure to grow professionally seems to be greater than ever. Duties at home are a constant. I'm being pulled in a million different directions. I suppose it's not a terrible thing to be busy. My work days fly by. I'm learning new things. The downside is the feeling like you're constantly treading water. It's both overwhelming and rewarding. The real surprising thing is that I don't feel completely burnt out (yet). Maybe it's that there's just enough exciting things on the horizon that keeps me motivated. Or maybe it's that I've started to find that elusive balance in life. I haven't figured out which it is, but for now I'll continue to attack each day with everything I have got.
Friday, March 12, 2010
2010 Texas Independence Relay
Team 1 does it again! Robot style!!
[ details to be filled in later ]
Finishing in just under 31 hours, we had the strongest running team we've ever had. Everyone on the team did an outstanding job. The runners were great and the supporters were equally amazing. My wife did an incredible job organizing the team this year. She has gotten it down to a science, I tell ya! A huge thanks to all!
[ details to be filled in later ]
Finishing in just under 31 hours, we had the strongest running team we've ever had. Everyone on the team did an outstanding job. The runners were great and the supporters were equally amazing. My wife did an incredible job organizing the team this year. She has gotten it down to a science, I tell ya! A huge thanks to all!
Monday, February 15, 2010
2010 Austin Half Marathon
1:51:48
No PR, but I feel good about it. I knew topping my best half marathon time from a year ago would be tough, so coming in just 2 minutes shy of it is more than enough for me. I always look forward to the run in Austin. Aside from the enjoyable course and great crowd, I just really enjoy the Austin vibe. We stayed at the Radisson, which is situated right at the start line. It's impossible to beat that sort of the convenience. The only minor hiccup in our plans was that we had forgotten to pack bread for my pre-race breakfast. We ended up paying 5 dollars for two slices of toast! Oh well, it did the job. The weather was nice and crisp. The hills were nice and fast. I was moving along and a great pace until my first walking stop, which I took at mile 7. The next 3 miles were were just a hair slower than the first 7. Then at mile 10, I started feeling the cramps coming on. I slowed down and stretched it out a few times. I knew I had given myself some padding with the fast start, so I was just hoping to have a steady finish. It took some fighting through it, but I got there. The cramps came on pretty strong towards end though. I even took a full stop at the capitol building (less than .25 miles from the finish line) just to stretch out both calves.
The highlight of the event really came after I had finished. I hadn't done this in my last couple of races. I took some time to cheer on the runners approaching the finish. I find it so inspirational. You can so clearly see it in the faces of the runners fighting in that last quarter mile. Some look as though they're in complete agony. You see runners limping and hobbling. You see them grimace in pain with each step. And then you see the the look of determination. You see them fight for the last hundred yards as the crowd cheers them on. And then you see them finish victoriously. And that's exactly why I love the race.
P.S. A special thanks to my patient wife who is always by my side to support me!! That was my 14th race! Number 15 is next month. It's almost time for the TIR!
No PR, but I feel good about it. I knew topping my best half marathon time from a year ago would be tough, so coming in just 2 minutes shy of it is more than enough for me. I always look forward to the run in Austin. Aside from the enjoyable course and great crowd, I just really enjoy the Austin vibe. We stayed at the Radisson, which is situated right at the start line. It's impossible to beat that sort of the convenience. The only minor hiccup in our plans was that we had forgotten to pack bread for my pre-race breakfast. We ended up paying 5 dollars for two slices of toast! Oh well, it did the job. The weather was nice and crisp. The hills were nice and fast. I was moving along and a great pace until my first walking stop, which I took at mile 7. The next 3 miles were were just a hair slower than the first 7. Then at mile 10, I started feeling the cramps coming on. I slowed down and stretched it out a few times. I knew I had given myself some padding with the fast start, so I was just hoping to have a steady finish. It took some fighting through it, but I got there. The cramps came on pretty strong towards end though. I even took a full stop at the capitol building (less than .25 miles from the finish line) just to stretch out both calves.
The highlight of the event really came after I had finished. I hadn't done this in my last couple of races. I took some time to cheer on the runners approaching the finish. I find it so inspirational. You can so clearly see it in the faces of the runners fighting in that last quarter mile. Some look as though they're in complete agony. You see runners limping and hobbling. You see them grimace in pain with each step. And then you see the the look of determination. You see them fight for the last hundred yards as the crowd cheers them on. And then you see them finish victoriously. And that's exactly why I love the race.
P.S. A special thanks to my patient wife who is always by my side to support me!! That was my 14th race! Number 15 is next month. It's almost time for the TIR!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Chevron Houston Marathon 2010
Another one in the books! I came into this year's marathon with tempered expectations. My training was not nearly as consistent as I would have liked. I had only run one training run over 20 miles, instead of the three I had planned on. I didn't adhere to proper tapering schedules, I crammed a lot of long runs just weeks before. I felt so behind. I managed to string some solid runs together while training with my brother. I finished a 23 mile run the week prior just to give me some confidence (I know. I was supposed to be tapering!). We stayed downtown again, for the ease of getting to the starting line with a little extra sleep. The strategy paid off once again. I felt rested and ready to go. Less than a mile into the run, I noticed that my Garmin stopped tracking me. I fiddled with it trying to get it started again and lost about .60 miles of tracking. The malfunction threw my usual strategy for a loop. I couldn't rely on the pace slip as a reference and my readings weren't reliable. Then it dawned on me, this might be a blessing in disguise. Maybe it will be liberating to run without relying on the watch for once. It was. For the first 13 miles I kept between an 8:45 - 9:15 min/mile pace. I was with the 4:00 hr pace group for much of the race. Around mile 16 or so, I started losing them after some water breaks. I expected this so I wasn't worried. I was just happy that I felt as good as I did. My goal was to stay ahead of the 4:30 hr pace group which would bring me in around the same time as I did a year ago. After mile 19 I could feel my pace slowing. As I walked through a water station, a man with a Jamaican accent wearing an orange Hawaiian lei pats me on the back and says "c'mon, let's keep going. each step takes us closer." I smile and start kicking again. I say to him "alright. I'm with you, brother." I run with him for about a mile at an 8:00 min/mile pace, all the while knowing this could very well hurt my finish. I didn't care because I was having fun. After a mile, I decided I should conserve my energy for the remaining miles. I slowed back down to a conservative 9:20 pace. Around mile 21, I felt a hint of a cramp coming on in my right quad. I took a few breaks just to stretch it out. I hoped that it would buy me enough time to finish strong. Instead of stopping at only the water stations like I had been, I started stopping at each mile marker. I stretched each time I stopped. At mile 23, the cramps became more prevalent. My pace slowed considerably to a 10:30 min/mile. This is when the 4:15 pace group caught up to me. I ran with them for about a half mile before I had to stop again to stretch. With less than 3 miles left, I knew a PR was within reach. I just needed to hold it together for the final stretch. I pushed forward. At mile 25, I said a prayer as I usually do. I asked for strength and fortitude. I received it. At mile 26 I see my family. As always, it's the best feeling in the world. Their cheers give me what I need for the last .2 miles. I kicked hard to the end. My legs were like concrete at this point, but I kicked. In the end, I narrowly beat my best time by 11 seconds.
4 hours 19 minutes 41 seconds
Another one in the books. :)
P.S. I forgot to blog about my San Antonio run back in November. I finished the Half in 1:53. A few minutes slower than my Half PR.
P.S.S. A special thank you for my awesome family and wonderful wife for supporting me! I love you all!
4 hours 19 minutes 41 seconds
Another one in the books. :)
P.S. I forgot to blog about my San Antonio run back in November. I finished the Half in 1:53. A few minutes slower than my Half PR.
P.S.S. A special thank you for my awesome family and wonderful wife for supporting me! I love you all!
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Quick Update: Happy New Year Edition
My resolution is to stop making empty promises on my blog...
Here are the highlights since September:
- Asics DS Trainer 14 impressions - Pretty solid so far. I've probably run 200-300 miles in them so far and haven't had any problems. They feel a lot like the DS 13 with a little more polish. We'll see how they do in the next marathon (two weeks from today!).
- Batman: Arkham Asylum Review - Awesome all-around! The game exudes smart design and polish. It's rare that I play a game that is paced so well that I feel compelled to keep playing it to finish the story. This is how adventure games should be made. Ironically, it wasn't a game that was on my radar until the near it's release, but I'm sure glad I picked it up. I'm looking forward to finishing it on Hard.
- Scribblenauts - Clever game filled with charm and replay value. It has not disappointed, though I admit I haven't picked it up much since (mainly due to a blitz of huge releases though the holiday season).
- DJ Hero - Easily my favorite rhythm/music game now. The playlist is packed with great mixes that totally suite my music sensibilities. The gameplay is familiar but the interface breathes new life into the flooded genre. Unfortunately, it hasn't sold very well at all. Get out there and support this game!
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii - What a welcome entry into the Mario Bros. lineup. Classic 2D platforming at it's best. The cooperative mode is a great new twist although be warned if you're planning to play with your significant other. I can't tell you how many times my wife and I got mad at each other for causing the other person to fall to their death. And every time, we're just sooo certain it was done on purpose. (I swear, honey! I don't care how it looked, it's always accidental!)
- Left 4 Dead 2 - I had no intentions of getting the game, but then the trailer got me really hyped. I've played the first campaign twice and they're definitely not kidding when they say the difficulty has been amped up from "tough" to "ridiculous". I'd be playing this a whole lot more right now if it weren't for the next thing on this list...
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Ahh, here's the where all my gaming time has been spent. Man, Modern Warfare 1 blew me away and I wasn't completely sold on all the new locales that was to be featured in this game, but now that I've experienced it I can honestly say it's the best CoD yet. The campaign is nearly as thrilling and twisted as the first Modern Warfare, though I'd probably give the edge to the first one because it impressed me so much. The campaign is equally short, but that's not where the game truly earns its keep. The multiplayer is fantastic! The new gameplay elements and tweaks have totally rebalanced things, particularly the addition of the Death Streak perk. I've logged about 30 hours in multiplayer so far and I can see no reason why this game won't dominate my 2010.
- Ireland - My wife and I went on a wonderful vacation to Ireland in December. We had an amazing time filled with castles, waterfalls, Guiness, blood pudding, and ghosts!! (more on that later) It truly is a gorgeous country and a place I'd highly recommend visiting.
- Other new game purchases - Lego Batman, Pure, Stranglehold, Quake Territories, Frontline, Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: Van Halen.
Here are the highlights since September:
- Asics DS Trainer 14 impressions - Pretty solid so far. I've probably run 200-300 miles in them so far and haven't had any problems. They feel a lot like the DS 13 with a little more polish. We'll see how they do in the next marathon (two weeks from today!).
- Batman: Arkham Asylum Review - Awesome all-around! The game exudes smart design and polish. It's rare that I play a game that is paced so well that I feel compelled to keep playing it to finish the story. This is how adventure games should be made. Ironically, it wasn't a game that was on my radar until the near it's release, but I'm sure glad I picked it up. I'm looking forward to finishing it on Hard.
- Scribblenauts - Clever game filled with charm and replay value. It has not disappointed, though I admit I haven't picked it up much since (mainly due to a blitz of huge releases though the holiday season).
- DJ Hero - Easily my favorite rhythm/music game now. The playlist is packed with great mixes that totally suite my music sensibilities. The gameplay is familiar but the interface breathes new life into the flooded genre. Unfortunately, it hasn't sold very well at all. Get out there and support this game!
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii - What a welcome entry into the Mario Bros. lineup. Classic 2D platforming at it's best. The cooperative mode is a great new twist although be warned if you're planning to play with your significant other. I can't tell you how many times my wife and I got mad at each other for causing the other person to fall to their death. And every time, we're just sooo certain it was done on purpose. (I swear, honey! I don't care how it looked, it's always accidental!)
- Left 4 Dead 2 - I had no intentions of getting the game, but then the trailer got me really hyped. I've played the first campaign twice and they're definitely not kidding when they say the difficulty has been amped up from "tough" to "ridiculous". I'd be playing this a whole lot more right now if it weren't for the next thing on this list...
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Ahh, here's the where all my gaming time has been spent. Man, Modern Warfare 1 blew me away and I wasn't completely sold on all the new locales that was to be featured in this game, but now that I've experienced it I can honestly say it's the best CoD yet. The campaign is nearly as thrilling and twisted as the first Modern Warfare, though I'd probably give the edge to the first one because it impressed me so much. The campaign is equally short, but that's not where the game truly earns its keep. The multiplayer is fantastic! The new gameplay elements and tweaks have totally rebalanced things, particularly the addition of the Death Streak perk. I've logged about 30 hours in multiplayer so far and I can see no reason why this game won't dominate my 2010.
- Ireland - My wife and I went on a wonderful vacation to Ireland in December. We had an amazing time filled with castles, waterfalls, Guiness, blood pudding, and ghosts!! (more on that later) It truly is a gorgeous country and a place I'd highly recommend visiting.
- Other new game purchases - Lego Batman, Pure, Stranglehold, Quake Territories, Frontline, Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: Van Halen.
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