Biggest Loser Run/Walk Beaumont

I ran the Biggest Loser Half Marathon 5-3-14. First off Beaumont is in Southeast Texas and the weather this time of year is a complete crap shoot, normally landing on hot. Most of the week leading up to the race were beautifully unseasonably cool and humid free. It was looking like this trend was going to hold into the weekend and even tho the temp crept up a few ticks the humidity didn't. Start line temp was beautiful.  Finish line temp not so much. I admire what this race series is doing. Getting people to take accountability for their weight and encouraging weight loss thru diet changes and good old fashion exercise is fantastic. Not to say that weight loss surgery is wrong, it is necessary for many but most of us really just need the encouragement to get out there and get moving.  

I thought the crowd would be bigger, but this is in Beaumont and although I did see some of the regular Houston runners out on the course and I am sure folks came in from Louisiana (the border isn't far from here) there just isn't much of a local population to pull from. I had thought 5-7000 would be there but in reality maybe 1-2000, for both races. Had it been larger I could have understood the wave start but really for this small of a crowd it wasn't much needed UNLESS they were taking in account for the constant turns on the course and were hoping to keep any bottle necks to a minimum. So yeah let's talk about the race course for a minute. I saw on the map that it was a very turning course but it was really ridiculous. Down 3 blocks make a right down another block make another right and repeat for darn near the rest of the race. Also thanks to this layout it made it real easy for runners to cut the course. There was no one preventing someone from skipping one of the many switchbacks. I am also guessing the way the course was laid out was the reason why the mile markers were off by so much. By mile 2 the marker was 1/4 mile short, at mile 8 it was 1/2 mile short and by the time I reached the marker at "mile 12" it was 3/4 mile short of the actual distance making it 1.6 miles to the finish. Over all the course ended up being about 1/4 mile short, which is within reason for any half.

As for the rest, the downtown area was a ghost town, either because all streets leading to it were close or that it just how Beaumont is on a Saturday. The only spectators on the course were the few who were there to cheer on their favorite runner and the people manning the aid-stations. There were a few who cut the course to cheer on runners from many locations and there was one lady I must have passed 8 times. Talk about being a dedicated spectator, she should have gotten a medal for being out there too and after the finish I gave her a hug and thanked her. The aid-stations were well stocked but not very well manned. Some only had 1 person there but that did not stop that person from making sure things were taken care of and cups were filled.

The half medal is mine,
my daughter earned the other walking the 5k.

So how did I do? I did GREAT! I ran the first mile to warm up and then settled into 3:1 r/w intervals and maintained that to the finish of the race. I crossed the finish in 2:31:01, a PR by 5:41. AMAZING!!!

Overall it was a good race. The finish line was lacking in any real food, something with protein would be nice after 12.9 miles. There was your usual bananas, water and stale bagels, oh and cuties, can't forget the cuties. Would I do one of their races again, YES! Would I do it in Beaumont, No.

Coming up, not a damn thing until the end of May when I run the Texas City Dyke 10k. Easy miles until then.