Tax Return Blow Out

I got my tax return and just blew out my bank account buying races and hotels for races. Added to my list so far is the entire Bridge Series and the FLS Sugarland 30k. I have also put money aside for registration for the my winter marathon, still deciding between Houston and Baton Rouge. I am so excited about the fall/winter season and winter 2014 isn't even over yet. I am also getting really excited for the Run the Line Half this coming weekend in Texarakana. The weather is looking to be pretty perfect for it. Fingers and toes crossed!

January recap - February begins

Finished off January running the Houston Wellness Project's free 5k. It was my second time running it and I think I am going to try to make it to all 12 of them this year. For February I signed up my youngest daughter to run with me. Since they are run on part of an open trail that allows for multiple ins and outs I have parked at one of the other ends of the park and ran 2.5 miles to it and then the 2.5 back to round the complete run at 8 miles. I am very happy with this route and think I might use it as a back up 8 mile route for when summer hits. Most of the trail is shady which it the real bonus here. Ended January with 84.31 miles. My legs are tired. Also earned myself a spot in the Half Fanatics Asylum. #6208 - that's me!

MRTT medal and swag

On to February. Started the month with back to back races. First up was the MRTT winter virtual. About 20 or so from my local chapter meet up and ran various routes thru town. I was going to run early but ended up going out with the 7:30 group and ran 6.45 miles. I really felt good since the weather has kept me inside during my mid-week runs and finally it was just perfect to enjoy a run. Even earned a little swag and a cool medal for our social paced efforts. I can't stress enough if you need a good running partner, this group is the way to go. So much support and dedication to the run, it's just amazing. SO that was Saturday.



On Sunday I ran the Brazos Bend Keep On Truckin' Half Marathon. This one was a little more complex for me. First off other than running in the bayou I haven't done much trail running, so that itself was a challenge. Then the weather, which hasn't been real stable lately, played havoc on me. When the races started it was 64 with 99% humidity and by the time I finished it was 44, windy, and rainy. I at least did myself right and set my expected finish time for 3 hours. Mentally I really would have set myself up for failure out there if I had set it any sooner. For the first few miles there was no doubt that 3 hours was happening but then on the way down the hill when the weather changed it really became an issue of if 3 was really going to happen. The course was a little long but it was beautiful. And even with soaked and blistered toes I did happily finish with a bit of whining at 3:02:57. The race itself was freeish, you have to pay to get into the park, $7 an adult, and then there is a mandatory $10 donation that goes back to the park but provides you with a meal after the race, and that is it. All this grandeur and on trail support for $17. Best buy I have come across in a long time. They do a second one in October and I think I might find a way to add it into my training schedule.


So far for February, 19.86 miles and it's only the 3rd. Up next is the Run The Line half in Texarakna.

Aramco Houston Half Marathon

High point of the race, that the half portion of Allen Pkwy was after the dreaded under passes. No I'm kidding there were many high points. The spectators out there cheering people on was first rate. Houston really has the southern hospitality thing down.

Aramco Half Marathon Bib

Low part of the race. Not sure what mile(s) it happened but I either skipped a walk or shortened a run interval and lost my tempo for a few miles to come. I made it back in time to finish the last 2 miles mainly up hill which made me feel strong about how I finished.

Came in at 2:41:08 not my fastest, far from my slowest, but it was a good time.

ABB 5k Bib and Medal

What marathon weekend would be complete with out a challenge.The Houston series also has the ABB 5k the day before the big races. This year I ran it with my oldest daughter.
Below is the bonus medal I earned from doing both races along with my medal from the Aramco Half. 

Half and Double Medals. 

Coming up is the Brazos Bend Keep on Truckin' Trail Half Marathon on Feb 2nd. I have not done much true trail running but I did pick up some trail shoes and for my recovery run on Monday I did 4 in the bayou with them. Looking forward to a slower more peaceful race. 66.21 miles so far in January.

The need to run them ALL

I think in the beginning I had this overwhelming need to run all the races I could. My first race was a small museum funding raiser in October of 2011. I remember training for it as hard as I have been training for this series of half marathons I have been working on. It just so happened that Energizer was trying to get people to sign up for their 11-11-11 11k and they were giving away entries for free. All of a sudden I went from 3 miles to just under 7 and haven't looked back. Since then I have run 50 or so races and who knows how many more if you include virtuals. I am finally thinking this has got to stop. How many races are too many races? And it doesn't look like 2014 is going to be any slower, so far this is my schedule for the year:

Jan 18, ABB 5k - Downtown H-town (1st in double) w/ Clairissa
Jan 19, Aramco Half - Downtown H-town (2nd in double)

Feb 1, MRTT 10k
Feb 2, Brazos Bend Keep on Truckin' Trail Race, Half Marathon, Needville Tx
Feb 16, Run the Line Half marathon Texarakana TX and AR
Feb 22, Buffalo Wallow 6k, Spotts Park Houston

Mar 8, Bayou City Classic, Downtown Houston
Mar 15 & 16 Seabrook Marathon Weekend Pelican Challenge
Mar 29, Bellaire Trolley Run 5k, Bellaire City Hall

April 12 Blue Bell 10k, Brenham TX

May 31, Texas City Run Fest 10k, Texas City Dyke

July 4, Baytown Heatwave 5 miler, Baytown Tx


and that's just the first half of the year. 

New Year Running Goals

Here they are in black and white so you all can help me keep accountable.

1. Be more of a social runner. This is going to be a hard one for me since it is always easier to roll out of bed and do my miles before I get a chance to think about what I am doing. To achieve this goal I plan on running either with one of the free weekly runs throughout Houston or to join the MRTT group on the weekend for a long run. Plan is to step out of the route box and break open my runners shell to let the runner in me out for a bit. Races will not count towards this goal. No double dipping. Goal is set at the very least once per month, 12 times in 2014.

2. I am going to get my family involved more. Whether it's just getting them out in the evening for a mile or two, it's time I stop riding this train on my own. My husband has already voiced that he would be willing to volunteer at races that I run so I think I am going to take him up on that. I am also going to try and get my oldest daughter to run a 5k with me each quarter, starting in January I have already signed her up to run the ABB 5k with me.

3. In the off season I am going to work towards an 8 mile base. I did pretty well this year keeping a good six base during the slower, hotter season, time to step that up a notch. 

4. THE MARATHON - just have to pick one and a training plan and a group to train with. I am torn between 3 races, BCS, Houston and the Louisiana Marathon. I might need to find my big girl panites to get this one done.

5. Quality of races vs. quantity of races. There are a few races I enjoy and will run again but this whole 2 races a month come hell or high water shit is going to stop. If there is no race of value in the month I need to learn that is ok.

6. Starting a race fund to fund 2015 and then sticking to only using those dollars to race with.

December Recap

The holidays have had me a bit behind, so here goes. As of last up date  I had run the BCS Half and was on to Houston's 12k of Christmas. I took a slight week off only running 6 miles and then hit the 12k. I made myself a tutu for the race and even added some jingle bells to the ends for an added "wanting to punch myself in the face" effect.

See all that glitter? I think it all ended up in my car after the race. 

I am thankful that these types of holiday races there are plenty of other people dressed up as assholes  (myself included) that after a few minutes you really do feel that if you  hadn't dressed up you would be the stand out. It was a 2 loop course and the weather was a bit unexpected, 70 and on the verge of a major rain storm, but all in all a good race. I even hugged Santa after I finished. I went out with no time expectation and after telling myself to settle down and slow down I was run up upon by a fellow mother runner and she and I ran the rest at a pretty steady 12m/m pace so I finished in 1:29:09 and just in time as on my way home the sky opened and the predicted rainstorm let loose. What the race did for me was put me back on track, my next big race is Jan 19th and this was the first step to bring my miles back up to where they need to be.

Free 5k. 

I managed to keep momentum going thru Christmas week and compromised out a little afternoon tempo run at Memorial Park. I logged 16.4 miles for the week. I also signed up for the Wellness Project's free 5k.  Which for a free race is timed and even had a manned (ok boyed) water stop. I ended up pacing behind an older gentleman and ran it in 33:40 which is the fastest 5k I have run this winter season, never-mind it is also the first 5k I have run since August. So I made before and after the race count towards my LSD for the week.


Now it's December 30th and I have racked up 97.34 miles for the month and a good 5 miler scheduled for the morning, my first 100 mile month.

Up next ABB 5k and Aramco Half Marathon or Houston's Marathon Weekend as they are trying to get it called in town.

BCS Half Marathon Recap

I ran the BCS Half marathon on 12-8-13. What a GREAT race for so many reasons. First off ya'll need to follow this race on the Book of Face. I have come across no other race that has such great communication with its runner as this one does. Daily, weekly, monthly, they can't be beat. First off on their end, the Dallas Marathon was cancelled because of this freak winter storm that hit northern Texas, the freeze line came down just below Bryan/College Station so things were dicey in the area so what do they decide to do, they offer deferrals on the Friday before the race so those not comfortable with traveling don't have to and then turn around and offer up those spots as well as 200 additional spots (no medal or t-shirt and just generic bibs) to runners who had just found out they were raceless 48 hours before Dallas was set to run. Why is this huge, other than the logistical reasons, there had been a no compete pack between the 2 races and last year Dallas decided to break it and move to BCS's weekend. Karma being what it is gave us beautiful weather the first weekend in December and forced Dallas to shut down on marathon weekend. For this race to do so much to accommodate these runners so that their training wasn't for nothing is AMAZING in my eyes. Even if that had not happened I still know of no other race that would be standing fast watching the weather and posting at 1:30 am or 4 am about the conditions. By the time I got to the race site at 5:30 am EVERYTHING was ready to go. Not many races even have the start arch up at that time. Parking was a dream, starting line port-a-potties were all over the place, no lines. Started right at the dot of 7am. All things that are important to me as a runner.  Did I mention it was 30 degrees out, below freezing, ice on the roads type of shit and they never faltered. The race support was first rate. From the water stops to the aid stations, the neighbors on the route who came out of their house to cheer runners on in the freezing cold, many even playing music or holding up signs of encouragement. Running thru the campus was really cool, I had never been to Texas A&M so it was beautiful seeing the buildings and the clock tower. Almost makes me want to go back and have that college experience I never had. Best part, hands down best part was running up to one of my fellow mother runners. I am usually alone and now twice during races I have come across one of these amazing woman and with this race it went from good to better. I think she felt she was keeping me from my race but honestly it was so nice to not be alone it brought a whole new meaning to running for me. She kept telling me to go on ahead but I knew she was struggling with that last mile and I am proud that I didn't leave her until we hit 13 only once we came into sight of the finish line did I go. I got my medal and then waited to give her a big hug at the end. She really made my race. Race time was good too, 2:40:39.

BCS Marathon +Half Marathon Starting balloon

So now here I am thinking about what's next. Marathon? Yes that will happen in 2015. But for 2014 I think I am going to try to become more of a social runner, I think maybe I will work on that. Month to date 42.19 miles. Coming up 12k of Christmas 12-21-13.