Letter to my future self

To my future self,

I hope this note finds you well. I want to share with you the lessons learned this past year and offer a few things for you to think about as you prepare to embark on whatever journey lies ahead.

On January 15, 2017, you ran the best marathon you have ever run as you wrapped up what felt like a breakthrough training season. For the first time, you ran with ease and comfortably finished without issue.

In March, you proved to yourself that your strong marathon was not a fluke, despite the snafu that left you short of the full distance. Sometimes, things happen and you can't fault anyone for an honest mistake.

In April, you showed Thuy that you could handle an entire weekend alone with June as a single parent. You learned that sometimes, mama needs a break too.

In May, you learned the fun in camping under the stars before a trail race. You can choose your campsite, but you can't choose your rowdy neighbors.

In July, you enjoyed a memorable family trip to Colorado Springs where you reconnected with your parents. You learned that they deserve way more credit than you have given them. They were once in your shoes and they are a lot more understanding than you previously thought. Mom and Dad saw you cross a finish line for the first time in over a decade of running and reminded you of how special it is to have loved ones at the end.

In late August, Hurricane Harvey brought flood waters into our home. You were reminded that there are things in life that you just can't protect. You learned that June has got strength and resilience beyond her years. Don't ever sell her short. You learned that you can carry Sadie on your shoulders when you have to. You learned the kindness and generosity of complete strangers who rescued you out of your flooded home in a boat.

In September, your family and friends gave you a place to stay and helped you pick up the pieces. You learned that rebuilding was going to take time.

In October, your heart grew full when you were introduced to baby Ellis, who was growing in Thuy's womb. In late November, your heart broke into pieces when we had to say goodbye. You learned that even in loss there are gifts for which to be thankful.

Remember that among the many gifts that running provides, healing and community are chief among them. Remember the friends who shared their stories, their time, their pain, and offered a shoulder for your tears. Remember that all of your accomplishments weren't earned in a vacuum. You did this with the help, support, and love of so many others. Appreciate them always. Remember to never pass on an opportunity to look them in the eye and tell them that you love them and that you are grateful for them.

-your past self

2018 Chevron Houston Marathon

What can I say? I'm still on cloud nine. I spent 10 years trying to finish a marathon in under four hours. In the last two since I achieved that goal, my time has quickly improved from 3:54 > 3:44 > 3:26. To put it into perspective, my marathon pace today is about the same as my 5K pace was from ten years ago. With my eyes set on my first 100 miler in a couple of weeks, I'm thankful that I am also recovering better than ever before. This was supposed to be a training run, but I decided I wanted to give it a full race effort. Fortunately, there aren't any lingering aches or nagging pains. I remember when finishing a marathon had me laid out for nearly a week. I've gotten so much stronger and faster that it feels like I've discovered a superpower.

Though it feels like all this has happened virtually over night, I recognize that this was years in the making. I've learned that you've got to love the process. Each day, getting out there patiently laying one brick at a time. Finding the beauty of each moment, whether that's in the company of great friends or in the solace and quiet of a cold and rainy night.

As I was pondering my list of goals last night, I dared to dream a new dream. Something I thought unthinkable until now. To my list I added "Earn a BQ." Perhaps, this is something to look forward to in my 40's when the BQ standard looks slightly more achievable at 3:15. Perhaps, it will come sooner. Who knows. Maybe the lesson for me now is to never say never - to remember that the unthinkable is still possible.

Finally, there's so much for which I am grateful, but most of all I am thankful for the support of my wife. It is with her support and patience that I am able to get out there six days a week. And though I run most of these miles solo, I am never alone. I carry with me thoughts of her and my daughter in my mind and on my heart. They inspire me. They keep me going.


Official chip time: 3:26:10

2017 Chevron Houston Marathon

Going back and reading these old entries really reminds me of how far I've come as a runner. I've now been a runner for a decade and a half and I can say with all my heart that I LOVE running. This was my tenth Chevron Houston Marathon, but it was a first in many respects. This was my first Chevron as a father. The first being away from my wife and daughter overnight. The first with zero walking, zero pain, zero issues. This was as perfect a marathon I have ever run. The day was made more perfect as I got to see my family at the 26 mile marker - my wife and daughter together cheering me on from the sideline. It was the sort of moment I had dreamed of for so many years. This one was special.

This race was a culmination of a great training season where I more than doubled my training volume and focused heavily on preparing for a strong 50 miler (BB50). I can honestly say that I have never felt stronger as a runner. This has been a dream training season for me. I've had PRs in every distance from 1 mile to 50. It feels like I have finally figured it out and I'm so excited for what's to come.

Here are the technical details.

2015 Rodeo Run 10K Recap

It was a cold morning and I felt a little underdressed in a singlet and arm warmers, but I was planning to give the best race effort I could give on this day. I arrived at the start line just a few minutes before the start gun. I studied my splits from last year to see how I could improve them. I decided my race strategy would be to stay under a 7:30 minute/mile to save enough for a strong second half. The strategy worked out perfectly:

Split Pace
1 - 6:44
2 - 7:28
3 - 7:10
4 - 7:20
5 - 7:12
6 - 7:11
7 - 6:29

Finish: 00:45:20

Despite having breathing problems due to congestion and forgetting to take the single energy gel that I carried, I beat my former PR by over two minutes!

2015 R&B Half Marathon Recap

It felt like I had to work harder than I did in the race just two weeks ago, but I ended up within a minute of that finish time. I stayed with a fellow RHC runner for more than half the race and it was thanks to him that I stayed on my target pace. It's amazing to feel like this is the "new normal" for my half marathon times. I took a look back at all of my race journal entries and it reminded me of how far I've come. It's hard to believe that I've been running for a decade now, but I feel as strong as ever.

2015 Fort Bend Kia Half Marathon Recap

It had been less than 24 hours since getting back from our trip to San Francisco. I hadn't run much in the last two weeks and the lingering soreness in my right calf reminded me that I was still recovering from the Houston marathon. I was determined to take what the day gave me and despite the slightly warmer weather and I walked away with a new half marathon PR.

It's a small enough race where I didn't have to deal with much congestion at the start. I was at race pace immediately, posting sub-8 splits for the first 4 miles. I had a few miles in the middle in the low 8s before picking back up for a strong negative split. I felt strong throughout and wanted to leave enough in the tank to push hard to the finish. With 2 miles left to go, I decided it was time to drop the hammer and go for it. I finished 7th in my age group with a time of 1:43:59, almost 3 minutes faster than my previous best a couple of years ago.

It's not all about the time, but it sure is nice to celebrate a little milestone. It's like having icing on an already delicious cake.

2015 Chevron Houston Marathon Recap

This could have been the year. At least that's how I felt all season. I felt good about my training. I had done the miles. I had done the speed work. All that was left was to stay healthy and rested. Even taper week went well. I made sure I got plenty of sleep. I did everything I could do to set myself up for a good race. I know this is starting to sound like I had a miserable race, but it was far from that.

Here's what didn't go so well for me:

- Race Strategy. This was more of a mixed bag than a total negative, but until it totally works I'll have to continue tweaking this. The plan was to hit the first mile split with a 9:30, then speed up until I was within my target range of 8:45-8:55. I was nailing my target splits for the first 15 miles or so, but then I started noticing my splits slipping after that. I would work my way back into range, but the legs started feeling progressively heavier as I went on.

- Leg Cramps. I'm not sure if the salt capsules really helped me this year. I was right on schedule every hour, but I still ended up with cramps at the end. I'm not sure if the salt delayed the cramps or not, but I did feel confident enough to continue running as the threat of the cramps loomed heavy in my muscles. I began to feel the start of the cramps after mile 20. I didn't go into full on muscle lock until after I gassed the last mile and sprinted through the finish line. The research on muscle cramps have been so conflicting of late. I can't attribute all of it to nutrition. Maybe I just need more mileage in my training.

And here's everything that went well for me:

+ Nutrition Reference. This was the first time I made notes on where to expect the fluid stations and when to take my energy gels and salt capsules. I found it extremely useful to take the guess work out of the nutrition mid-race.

+ NO chafing! I managed to discover the perfect amount of Aquaphor to apply on my feet and other "sensitive" areas.

+ NO blisters! I guess this goes with the one above, but my feet really felt great all day. The combination of shoes (Saucony Hurricane) + socks (Balega) + lube (Aquaphor) was perfect.

+ NO injuries! No major issues with my joints. I was very concerned with my hips (mostly my right) which have been bothering me this season.

+ NO quitting! I was very happy with the effort I gave. I kept pushing when my legs were at the verge of cramping. I was determined to push and finish with everything I had and I regret nothing.


Another successful race in the books and with so much more to look forward to.

2014 Quick Race Recap

2014 Brazos Bend 50 Miler (12:04:22) - This race was full of rough patches. The last ten felt like a brutal death march in the dark, but at least I wasn't alone.

2014 Texas Trails Endurance Run 50K (06:55:59) - In full pursuit of the mythical hoodie, I had a great time running the Huntsville trails with a running friend.

2014 HMSA 25K (02:20:58) - I approached this race with the same strategy. I wanted to really dial in the marathon pace. It was also a back to back run after the club's 16 miler.

2014 Alaina Dixon 5 Miler (00:42:27) - This was a fun club sponsored race for a very good cause. I tried to run this close to my marathon pace instead of giving a race effort.

2014 Cap'n Karl's Colorado Bend 30K (04:51:58) - This was a super fun night trail race north of Austin in the middle of the summer. It was a beautiful and challenging trail and I would totally do it again.

2014 Freedom 5K (00:21:09) - This may have been the surprise running highlight of the year. Not only did I achieve a new 5K PR, but I won my age group prize (presented by Bart Yasso himself!). All this while on vacation in the Portland area. I ran in all the wrong gear and ate all the wrong things, but I was flying out there.

2014 Brazos Bend 50K (05:49:47) - Course PR and distance PR thanks to a flat course. That heat though...

2014 Texas Independence Relay (26:44:26) - Another stellar year with the best relay team around.

2014 ROC Race - This was a fun obstacle race with a lot of soap and not much running.

2014 Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Half Marathon (01:49:33) - I don't remember much.

2014 Rodeo Run 10K (00:47:35) - This was my second time running this fun 10K. I bested last year's PR by a whopping 24 seconds!

Rocky Raccoon 50 Recap

Two days ago I completed my second 50 mile ultra trail run. An ultra is defined as any distance beyond the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles. Most of these types of races are run on unpaved trails through the woods. I have been a distance runner since 2006, but running ultras is something that's relatively new to me. 

They say everyone experiences these races​ in four phases.

1. The Physical - Your body is cranking like a well-oiled machine and you feel unstoppable.
2. The Mental - You're fighting physical discomfort and perhaps even pain, but your mind is keeping you moving.
3. The Emotional - You're physically and mentally exhausted, but the fire in your belly gives you strength to push onward.
4. The Spiritual - You're praying for the strength and fortitude to get to the finish line in one piece.

I experienced all of the above this past weekend. My run was going well and I was feeling on top of the world. That is, until a gnarly root caught my foot on a downhill causing me to sprain my left ankle at mile 20. I knew it wasn't just a slight tweak because putting any weight on it caused instant pain. I had to stop to brace myself against a tree. I hobbled gingerly on it just to move forward, taking extra care as a navigated over the roots and rocks. I slowly managed to make it to the next aid station where I asked for ibuprofen from a friend. I thought I could manage the pain so I pushed on. The pain subsided enough for me to run as long as I didn't bend my ankle too much. That worked until another misstep turned that same ankle again, flooding my leg with pain signals. I was back to hobbling. At mile 33, my friends grabbed the medic and rushed to my aid. The race doctor taped up my ankle and berated me for taking ibuprofen, explaining that my kidneys were already under too much duress from the race as it is. I thanked her for all her care and promised to take her advice.

I had paced well for the first two loops, but since I was about five hours from sunset and running on a gimpy ankle, I expected the last loop to be completed well after dark. A friend volunteered to run with me for the final 17 miles in case things got bad. I greatly appreciated the company.

With his encouragement, I finished the race in 10:55:26. I had bested my time from last year by an hour and a half. I couldn't believe it. I know it would not have been possible without all the support and care I received from so many that day. I was overwhelmed with such gratitude and joy.

When I tell people about this hobby of mine, they always ask "why?" Why go out and torture myself for so many miles? Why don't I just relax at home and watch TV?

I tell them this. I do it because I want to challenge myself. I do it because I get to see the good in people. I do it because I want to move with purpose.

2014 Chevron Houston Marathon Recap

This was my seventh Chevron Houston Marathon and I had some high expectations. Having come off a solid season of training and an early season marathon PR of 4:03, I thought this was the perfect year for me to crack that 4:00 barrier. Conditions were looking ripe for a great race and there wasn't a drop of rain in the forecast. My race strategy was to pace for a 3:50 marathon finish with the expectation that I would eat up some of that buffer in the late miles. I had hoped that the 10 minute padding would give me enough wiggle room if things got a little shaky. Temperatures were nearly ideal with a starting temperate in the upper 40s. It was cold but not cold enough where I felt I had to wear multiple layers. I even decided to wear a running singlet. I figured as the day warmed up, I didn't want to be caught with too much on.

In the weeks and days leading up to marathon weekend, my biggest concerns where about my left foot, which had started giving me some problems in the last month of training. That was around the same time I had tried a few training runs with a new pair of Brooks Pure series shoes. I can't say for certain if that's what started the issues, but I've decided that the Pure series just doesn't work for me. So my options for a race day shoe was between my trusty Asics HyperSpeed racing flats or the Saucony Hurricanes which I had some success earlier this season with. I was worried about foot fatigue in the racing flats in the later miles so I opted to race in the premium cushioning of the Hurricanes. I don't regret my decision because for the entirety of the race, my feet were never a problem. Cramps, however, were. I started feeling some early twinges in my calves quite early in the race, which I was shocked and very concerned with. I felt the first one around the 14 mile mark. I made a point to focus on staying on schedule with my nutrition hoping that would address the cramps. What I learned was that it wasn't enough. I was completely on top of my energy gels and I didn't feel overly dehydrated, but the cramps started to get the best of me after mile 22. I was feeling it in my quads, hamstrings and calves. In some ways it was reminiscent of my first marathon in 2008. I wasn't sure what had gone wrong this time. Was my first half pace too aggressive? Was something off in my nutrition? Was it the ever so slightly warmer weather? I kept running the numbers in my head and kept watching as my time padding steadily shrank as I slogged through my last few miles. This is where I had to adjust from my plan A to my plan B then eventually to my plan C. Plan A was to break the 4:00 mark. Plan B was to break my PR of 4:03. Plan C was to break my course PR of 4:10. I just barely manage to meet my plan C with a finish of 4:08:50, but a relatively healthy finish is a good finish in my opinion. I didn't meet my initial goal, but I came away with some new lessons learned. I'm thinking I should integrate electrolyte capsules into my training and race days. I've got to solve the late mile cramps. I'm getting stronger, but I know there is still room for growth and improvement.

As a side note, the new course was beautiful. I loved going down Congress which kept us in downtown longer through the start. The stretches through Kirby and into Rice University were picturesque. Well done, Houston.

Also, my wife achieved a new 5K PR the day before having to support me during my race!!

2013 Fall Race Recap Notes

2013 Dad's Day 5K  (0:21:49 @ 7:01 min/mile) - Hot, humid, and a new PR. 

2013 Alaina Dixon 5 Miler - This was the inaugural race named after a fellow RHC club member who collapsed during the Chevron Marathon a few years ago. The race benefited the medical team that saved her life. The club had a large presence for this one. 

2013 Chosen Marathon (4:03:18 @ 9:09 min/mile) - This was a beautiful hilly run in central Texas. It has special significance for me because its mission is to raise funds and awareness for the 165 million orphans worldwide. I would be lying if I said I didn't get emotional during this race. I was choked up and teary eyed in the final stretch as thoughts of my adoptive daughter in waiting on my mind.

I hadn't planned to shoot for any time goals this time. The course had plenty of elevation and it was early in the race season, but with the help of new friend I was pacing for a PR.

 ---- 1st Half ----                   ---- 2nd Half ----                  Chip 
Rnk     Time         Pace        Rnk Time  Pace        Time             Pace   
57 1:59:51 9:09/M 38 2:03:27  9:25/M 4:03:18.872   9:17/M

2013 Houston Half Marathon - The day after running the Chosen Marathon, I had committed to running this half marathon with a friend, who was running her very first half marathon. It's always great fun and a real privilege to be there with someone as they discover the beauty of the sport for the first time.

2013 HMSA 25K (2:13:51 @ 8:36 min/mile) - The second race of the Warm-Up series, I felt strong throughout this looped course along the Allen Parkway and Memorial. Running on tired legs didn't bother me either.

2013 FLS 30K (2:41:16 @ 8:39 min/mile) - This was the final race of the Warm-Up series. The weather was ideal if not a bit nippy if you weren't running. My final two miles weren't quite as strong as I had hoped. I need to improve my late race speed. 

2013 Big Sur Marathon

(This post is about a month late. I've had it sitting as a draft far too long.)

I had this race circled on my running calendar. It marked the last distance race of my running season. I first discovered it after reading about it last year in a Runner's World article. Once I saw a few pictures, I was completely sold. It is often advertised as the most beautiful road race in the US. You'd think with all that hype being letdown was a real risk, but I can assure you that I was not. It's actually hard to picture a more scenic place to run. Majestic mountain views, clear blue water and lush green fields and towering trees. This course had it all. I didn't want to miss out on all the natural beauty so I brought my phone along so I could snap a few pictures. I wanted to allow myself to really soak it in so I decided not to push for a time. I also had the opportunity to run with several friends on the course which is always a great thing. I even made a couple of new ones on the ascent up to Hurricane Point, where gale force winds were waiting for us.

Before the race on Sunday, we got a chance to do a lot of hiking in the state parks. I have to say, I was so proud of my wife for all the hiking she did. She was a total trooper. Maybe it was all the natural beauty around us that inspired her, but she was an unstoppable hiking machine!

It was a great weekend all around. Great outdoors. Great friends. Great race. Life is great.

Chip Time: 4:38:52

2013 Texas Independence Relay Recap

Not only was this years team the fastest we've ever had, it was definitely one of the most fun. We finished 37th out of 145 teams with a time of 27:50:39. That's an incredible average team pace of 8:22! We also had three brand new team mates to the Team 1 family this year and all were perfect additions. We have been so fortunate with team chemistry from year to year and it really is what makes the experience so fun. Sure we all like to run faster each year, but the point of the weekend is to be a team. That's something we always excel at. With all that time spent together, you quickly bond with your team mates. You forge lasting friendships over weekends like this. This is what makes the TIR special.

Prior to this weekend, I had resigned myself to thinking that this would likely be the last Team 1. With major life altering events on the horizon for us, I seriously did not think we could continue to be a part of it every year. A teammate said something that really changed my mind. He said would be good to keep it going for tradition and continuity. It made me realize that the tradition was important to others and not just me.

2013 Sugar Land Half Marathon Recap

Beautiful clear skies, a crisp 33 degrees and only a slight wind. You could not ask for more perfect running weather. This was my shot at a new PR and I did not want to let it go to waste. I felt so great in the 10K last week before that I felt I could be a little more aggressive with my pace. My strategy was to steadily hit 8 minute/mile splits and see how I felt in the last three miles. After finding some room to run, I was right on it. I didn't stop at any aid station and only an untimely shoe lace malfunction at mile 8 forced me to break my rhythm. I found myself running with an ad hoc running buddy which surely helped me stay on pace for much of the second half. I know I was under 8 for much of that back half. I was certainly in the mid to low 7s in the last 2 miles. I ended up with and 8:21 pace first half and a 8:00 second half, which was awesome. I had never felt so strong during any of my previous half marathons. I finally broke my long-standing half marathon PR by almost three minutes. Strong start, stronger finish.

Here's the line.

             Overall         ---- 1st Half ----                  ---- 2nd Half ----              Chip
Place Place Rnk   Time         Pace        Rnk Time  Pace       Time
9           110 11 54:14.9 8:21/M 8 52:25.5 8:00/M 1:46:40.4

As amazing as the personal achievement was, the best part was being able to cheer on so many of my family and friends who were out there, some of whom were running their very first half marathons! Congratulations to all!

I am so thankful have an amazing support system, lead by my incredible wife who is always there to cheer me on. :)

NBA Fit 5K and Rodeo Run 10K Recap

NBA Fit 5K - This experience was really special for the simple fact that I would have a chance to cross the finish line with my amazing wife. This was her second 5K and she was determined to better her time. She accomplished her goal and I was lucky enough to be holding her hand as she did it.

Rodeo Run 10K - I have never done a 10K race before. The main reason I signed up for this one was because I had friends at work who wanted to form a team. Plus, the entry was really cheap and I figured it would be a great tune-up for next week's Sugar Land Half. Overall, I did better than I expected! With a huge crowd, I was just hoping to break 50 minutes. On top of that, I haven't really been doing much speed work lately either. The site was slow to get the official results up, but according to my Garmin I had finished 6.38 miles in 48 minutes and 2 seconds with an average pace of 7:32 min/miles. I was stoked. The entire event was really great. I'll definitely do this one again.

Chip Time:  00:47:59
1st 5K: 00:24:23
2nd 5K: 00:23:36
Pace: 00:07:43

Rocky Raccoon 50 Mile Trail Race Recap

Fifty miles. My biggest worry was that I had no idea how my body would feel after that many miles. Would old injuries flare up? Would completely new injuries develop? Would my body just break down? This was completely new territory for me.

A friend told me that the Rocky Raccoon Trail Race was the "Superbowl of trail races" down here. That description turned out to be totally spot on. The park was jammed pack full of cars. We had to walk over a quarter mile just to get to the starting line. It is really a neat sight seeing hundreds of runners dashing into to the dark woods just before dawn breaks. The 50 mile route consisted of three 16.67 mile loops. The first loop felt great. My legs were felt fresh and I had limited the amount of stumbles. I was a little concerned that I had taken it a bit too fast. I was on pace to finish in under eleven hours, well below my conservative expectation of a fourteen hour finish. I knew that I couldn't keep this up if I were to have anything left in the tank at the end. By the middle of the second loop, I started to feel it set in. I was feeling the fatigue and was having a harder time on the climbs. I probably fell behind on hydration and salt because I felt both hamstrings threatening to cramp. I ended up walking a lot in the back half of that second loop. This is when I started to feel discouraged. I couldn't run very far without feeling the discomfort and that frustrated me. Between miles 23 through 33, I felt so beat up. The self-doubt started to set in. I hadn't felt this frustrated and angry during a race since my very first marathon. I had serious thoughts of throwing in the towel as soon as I finished up that second loop. I just didn't think I had another seventeen miles in me. Lucky for me, a friend of mine caught up to me and kept me moving. After eight miles with him, I was renewed. My outlook changed entirely and I was back in this thing. I found a second wind and had that moment. The moment you realize you're okay and that you have the fortitude to keep moving. The best way I can describe it is that is is like receiving running grace. You feel that you can't fail because something greater is in your corner. That's what I felt all the way through to the finish. I had been on my feet from sunrise to sunset and I was finally done.

It wasn't that long ago that I thought doing anything over a marathon's distance was completely inconceivable or at the very least reserved for the most extreme distance running elites. Certainly, it couldn't be for someone like me, a slightly above middle-of-the-pack marathoner. And still, in the last ten months I have completed three ultra marathons. All on trails, all ultras distances. I remember when I thought the natural progression for me as a runner was to learn how to swim and get into triathlons. Forget triathlons, I think I'm an ultra marathoner now.

12:24:36

2013 Chevron Houston Marathon Recap

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.

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. :)

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.