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| Finishing up my race and my beer |
Race:
Houston Half Marathon
Location:
Houston, TX
Goal Time:
1:38:30
Actual Time:
1:43:30
Right after
Mile 11, the Saint Arnold Brewery had set up a tent on the left side of the
road and were handing out Dixie cups of their clean and slightly hoppy Five O’ClockPils. Two things went through my head as I passed them: 1) when I went to the brewery
on Friday, I had not tried the Pils, and 2) It’s not like I’m going to win or
even PR this race. To quote AlanJackson: “At a moment like this I can't
help but wonder, / What would Jimmy Buffett do?”
I had
already adjusted any plan away from running “fast.” Instead, I planned to run at goal marathon
pace (~7:30/mile) which would calculate out to around a 3:17 marathon (1:38:30
for the half). Of course, Burns pointed
out plans go “aft agley.”
The sun is not hot, that clock is moving
fast,
But my speed climbs.
This race passes like molasses in July
But it’s wintertime.
7 months ago
when I registered for the Houston Half Marathon, it seemed like a great
idea. I was recovered from the MaltaMarathon and knew that training could be replicated. By the time of Houston, I would be 2 months
past the NYC Marathon, and 5 or 6 weeks into Boston training.
Then life
happened. One medical issue, one bad
training cycle, two minor injuries later and one terrible NYC Marathon later
and I was in heap of crap. 2017
thankfully ended. I woke up January 1,
2018 with 15 weeks until the Boston Marathon and ready to go. Unfortunately, I also woke up late – sleeping
thru my first planned workout of the year.
Also I woke up 15 pounds heavier than my Marathon PR and 25 pounds
heavier than my Boston Marathon PR. I
also woke up with virtually no running miles for the previous three weeks. 15 weeks til Boston could be worked out; 13
days til Houston could not.
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| Mile 8 Photo by Rod Azadan |
The race
actually started fine. Easy first mile
followed by building speed every 5k (as I would at a Marathon) worked
well. At mile 8, the full/half split
where Emma and Rod were cheering, I was feeling good. I hit the 15k mark just under 69 minutes. (Two
minutes earlier, Molly Huddle had already finished and set the American Record.)
As far as
marathon test/ early season evaluation, things were going great. While I was probably behind where I had been
preparing for Malta, I was ahead of where I thought I was for today.
It’s only half past eight but I don’t care.
It’s five o’clock somewhere.
The vague
gameplan had been to drop the pace at 5k, 10k, 15k and then try my best to
break 7 min/miles after 20k. If I
continued the rest of my plan, I would probably have gotten in under the
1:38:30 (3:17:00) goal. But, right after
mile 11, I ran past the St Arnold’s tent.
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| Running back downtown - 5 O'Clock Pils, in hand |
I first just
took the Dixie cup size beer. Then,
after finishing that, they offered me a can for the road. I took it and ran the last two miles drinking
a clean refreshing (if not thirst-quenching) pilsner. It’s only 8:30 and I’m only at mile 11, but
it’s five o’clock somewhere.
What time zone am I on? What mile am I at?
It doesn’t matter, it’s five o’clock somewhere.
EnU
Shoutouts –
Robbie broke
3:05 in the full
Girl Jesse
ran a 1:47 half
Lauren ran a
1:26 half
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| Medals: Half Marathon, 5k (Saturday), Houston Double |
We also
enjoyed the rest of our weekend in Houston,
Lynn, from the Mars rover 2020 team, gave us a private tour of the Johnson Space Center on Friday:
Lynn, from the Mars rover 2020 team, gave us a private tour of the Johnson Space Center on Friday:
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| Apollo Mission Control |
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| Engines on the Saturn V rocket |
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| Replica Shuttle with real Boeing 747 |
We went to
three different local breweries:
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| 8th Wonder: Including actual Astrodome seats and AstroTurf on the walls |
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| Saloon Door: Operating the Crowler machine |
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| St Arnold: Collection of faux-Gothic paintings |
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| Watching kids feed the giraffes |
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| Playing a ball |
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| Don't move Urvi, there's an elephant on your shoulder |
