The Houston Marathon

Some Pacers Run, Others Walk,
Houston HP Marathon

I’ve tried every way I know how to avoid having to write a race report after the weekend I just had, but I can’t figure one out. What had promised to be a great holiday weekend in Texas turned into a personal “q and a” barrage from my traveling companions on the ride home, including one who ended up laughing out loud as he again thought about how long it took me to finish the HP Houston Marathon the day before.

“Dang, four hours and forty-minutes? You gotta be kidding me… Ha, Ha, Ha…”

By the end of the weekend, I felt like Peyton Manning, hanging out in the hot tub at the hotel, feeling sorry for myself, and trying to get someone to notice my Ironman necklace to get my mind off the day’s events… Here’s what happened.

Nine Pacers left Hattiesburg for Houston in a rented van to participate in the various events surrounding marathon weekend. Each of us had good weeks of training leading up to the marathon, half marathon and 5K, and was excited to make the trip. A good, safe ride over on Saturday morning ended with us at the expo/packet pick-up in downtown Houston. Vicki Copeland, Robin and Kim Ryder, Keith and Deborah Barrett, Dawn Smith, Jim and Dierdra Coll, and I then hung out and met Becky and Hollie Ryder for dinner on Saturday night.

Race day began with a clear, cold morning, and after the national anthem and an F-16 flyover, the runners were off. It was a beautiful day for sure. At times, some of us ran into one another along the route. Vicki, Kim and I ran for a mile or so together around #8 before Vicki pealed off to follow the ½ marathon route. Way out ahead, Robin, Jim and Keith ran away with the faster runners as Becky, Dierdra and Deborah hit the 5K route around Minute Maid Park.

By the ½ marathon point, things deteriorated quickly for me. If I’ve ever felt that badly on a run before, I don’t remember it. Looking back, a combination of a lack of training due to sickness and an “off” day were too much to overcome. (It didn’t help that Kim and the rest had made it known that they were “gunning” for me).

I finished the last ten miles of the race mostly walking, visiting the medical tents, and talking to myself. Let’s just say that no matter how many races you run, never underestimate the difficulty of a marathon.

The Pine Belt Pacers were proudly represented by Robin Ryder, who along with Jim Coll qualified for the Boston Marathon. Kim Ryder ran a sub-4 hour marathon and Keith Barrett slipped in under 3:30:00. Vicki narrowly missed an age group award for her performance in the Half but was pleased with her time nevertheless. The biggest news was Becky Ryder, who reportedly finished 1^st in her age group in the 5K.

As for me, I have been advised by Keith that in order to qualify for Boston and go with Jim and Robin there next year that I will have to “focus”. (Keep in mind that this is coming from someone who can’t push away from the supper table, is still 15 lbs. overweight, and has never been to Boston…). Instead of focusing though, I am thinking of joining Steve Ulery’s training camp down at the Sunbeam factory. I hear that he makes people faster by training them on obstacle courses and counseling them in their daily habits. I intend to start by dying my hair platinum blonde and growing a mustache and visiting and hanging out at his new running store in front of the WalMart. Maybe then I’ll be “lightening fast” and my son will be proud of me.

One thing is for sure though, it’ll be at least a month before I run another marathon.

See complete and much less whiny coverage on the Houston Marathon web site.