Bayou City Classic

Still having a slow running week because of the cold weather. Thankfully it has finally past and I had the Bayou City Classic to get me back in a runner's mind. The race is put on by HARRA which is the umbrella group for the Houston running community. This is the only race 100% put on by HARRA so there is a really good turn out. I like to think of it as Houston's answer to SF's Bay to Breakers only there is no Bay or Breakers and I have yet to see a naked runner but it still has that groovy vibe to it. It is really more of a traditional kind of race, packets consist of bibs and sponsor flyers, nothing more. Sadly for you bling whore's there are no medals, but you do get a tech finisher shirt (and one year maybe they'll have them made more true to size but they do run small).

You also get a really tough race. After the first mile around some buildings downtown you head out down Allen Parkway which is rolling up and down to Sheppard and then more up and down and up to the finish. Water stops are plentiful but if you require more than water for a 10k I would advise you to bring your own. The 5k starts after the 10k and then merges into the 10k about the 8k mark and about 1/4 to the finish they separate the road so each had it's own finish line. Spectators are pretty nonexistent but they do have dj's along the route, this year Other Brother was blasting some of my 80's favorites in 2 places. My goal for this race was to finish before the slowest centipede. As they all past me I figured my goal would have to be just to finish but after the turn around I saw that there was still one behind me and then I came across a lady who was part of another that it seems left her behind and then when I came to the last two turns I found the rest of her centipede and booked my butt past them. I finished in a new 10k PR time of 1:10:24.  Tips for next time, parking - the garage @ Bagdy and Rusk yellow section, just a short walk up the stairs and you are within a block of the start and finish lines. For the finish stay in the street and walk to the next enterance into the park, this allows you to get past the running club tents which are now crowded and puts you right next to the tents for your finisher shirts. Food is plentiful but the lines are long however the band makes it an easy wait.

Up next Seabrook Lucky Trails weekend. Wish me luck.