The Trials and Celebrations of Houston 2012

The Houston Marathon Committee put on an awesome event this year. It was my most enjoyable marathon experience to date, bar none (this was my 20th official marathon). Now I don't give out praise lightly. But the Houston Marathon Committee scored 10 out of 10 for their attention to detail in hosting the Olympic trials on Saturday and the 5K, half and full marathons on Sunday.

TRIALS
It was easy to volunteer for the US Olympic Marathon Team trials held on Saturday. I worked security during the trials, just up-course from Oz & M i c h e l e. It was an honor and a privilege to serve as part of the race crew during the event that would determine the US Marathon Team in London. And here they are!



In addition to ensuring that spectators would not get too close to the athletes, I was (privately) rooting for Ed Moran from VA and Clara Grandt from WV (who just turned 24). Ed dropped. Sometimes it's just not your day. Clara was putting in a strong showing throughout and ultimately finished 7th, just edged out by Deena. But she's young and a rising talent to watch. [Of note: Michael Wardian proved his ultra credentials once again by putting in a strong performance in the trials on Saturday and then running the marathon on Sunday in 2:31:17 (14th male). What a machine!] Conditions were nearly ideal for the trials: calm or light breezes throughout with 34° at the 8:00am start, rising to 55° at 10am and 60° at 11am. Perfect.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON
After the event, Oz gave M i c h e l e and I a lift back into town where we met with Joel, his son Matthew, Sara Jane, Tim & Wendy for lunch at Mia Bella Trattoria. Matthew was a superb stand-in for Michael. He answered all my detailed queries about library science, indoor running and meteorological minutia with panache and verve. But he wouldn't finish his chicken fingers ... so Oz & I helped him out. After a fully satisfying carbo-load -- MB Trattoria was a great pick Oz! -- we all trooped over to the well-appointed expo.

While discussing my sub-3:15 time goal with the 3:10 pace team leader, I stated that I've had to step back several times recently due to sub-chondral edema in my ankle. At that remark, another volunteer (roughly my age) said he had the same thing in his knee and would not be running due to it. His condition is slightly more advanced than mine as he has some arthritic indications. But for the first time ever, I met another runner who is, like me, dealing with swelling in the marrow on both sides of a major weight-bearing joint. He knew immediately that this is not an injury that can heal, but rather a long-term condition that must be managed. I took some comfort in learning that I'm not the only runner that has gone through months of physical therapy and must continually manage a structural impediment (literally).

I made it back to my hotel in time to watch the last 30 minutes of the 2 hour trials coverage on NBC. I got plenty of sleep on Saturday night, while the Patriots trounced the Broncos -- it's about time somebody did it!

MARATHON SUNDAY
Rising early, I merged into the throng -- and it was a throng -- of runners flowing into the GRB Convention Center. I attended mass and got my feet blessed by the priest. A real character he was. He would show up again in mile 12 blessing us once again with holy water as we passed. This was a nice touch. Another nice touch was getting weighed. Before the start, I weighed 143.5#. After finishing, I weighed 138.5#. I don't routinely weigh myself. So a 5.0# loss (which is apparently par for the course) was a real eye-opener. I made it into the A corral about 20 minutes before the start and had no difficulty visiting a porta-john (the start corrals were lined with them).

Conditions at the 7:00am (pre-dawn) start were nearly perfect: a calm 40° with 37° dewpoint. Temperatures remained flat through 8:00am then rose steadily (along with SE winds) to peak at 69° by 11:30am. But it was still a comfortable 59° when I finished at 10:15am. The course is run entirely on city streets that are mostly flat but with just enough relief from flyovers and underpasses to make it interesting. [Take note Chicago types. You ought to seriously consider decamping to Houston next year.]

It's true. I came to Houston the give Dubbya a thrubbing. Beating Dubbya's best (3:44:52) by 30 minutes on the same course would constitute a thrubbing. Moreover, a sub-3:15 marathon performance is the Good For Age standard that would allow me to bypass the ballot for the London Marathon [if I were a UK resident]. But I had serious doubts about my ability to do so. I had stepped back several times in 2011 to rehab my ankle. As a consequence, it was a sub-par running year for me. I didn't even qualify to be a ranked runner in the Washington Running Report (something that should be well within my ability). Moreover, I wasn't confident that I had fully recovered from an (albeit easy) New York City marathon nine weeks earlier. Finally, I'm never sure if I'm going to show up on race day. ...The first few miles put all that uncertainty to rest. I showed up. But then, every one of us who gathered for lunch on Saturday and who was running put in impressive performances -- and Oz and M i c h e l e knocked it out of the park. Here are my splits for the day.

Yeah, I started a little fast. But I have an excuse. In mile 3, I looked to my right and saw a familiar face. It was Joanie! The same Joanie we had cheered for wildly in the Olympic trials in Boston four years ago. She was running the half marathon and I was running with her. How cool was that? I was pumped. I would pass her as she slowed to run with a friend from Maine. She would pass me to catch other friends. This happened several times through mile 8. She was obviously enjoying herself and it was cool just to be sharing the same piece of concrete with her. In mile 9, I gave Tim (running the half) a shout-out as he headed back into town looking strong. Shortly after the priest blessed us again in mile 12, the 3:10 pace group slowly caught me. Had a nice chat with the pace team leader from Michigan. They pulled me along at that clip through mile 17. It wasn't as dreadful as I thought it would be to run with a large group, particularly as the race had thinned out considerably. But to have held that pace longer would have required a higher effort and flirtation with a later crash. So I kept my effort where it was, modestly hard, and let them slowly pull away. I slowed uniformly from a 7:20 mile 17 to a 7:50 mile 21 and held in the 7:50s for the rest of the race. Turns out that this was a good choice. In mile 23, as I approached the Shepherd Drive bridge, and without any warning whatsoever, an electric pain shot through my right ankle as though a knife point had pierced it at multiple locations deep within. I cursed and slowed. Then it happened again on the bridge. This time I stopped in my tracks for a few seconds. But hey, no big deal. I've been here before. And I'll be here again. This is what we call pain management. Back on the horse -- only 3.2 miles to go -- I eased it in over the same road that I jogged out on with M i c h e l e to get to our crew stations on Saturday morning. It took some focus, but it was worth it. As I turned the corner to see the finish line, I saw the clock was still 3:14:xx. So I was very pleased to cross the line before the clock rolled over to 3:15:00 [3:14:59 gun, 3:14:31 net].


. . . . . Running in pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the finish

Mission accomplished. Dubbya vanquished.

But it's not over! After the race, I weighed in again [five pounds lighter] and was treated to a very welcome hot breakfast: eggs, sausages (or what H.E.B. called sausages anyway!), biscuits and gravy. With my happy meal, I took a double dose of naproxen and ibuprofen to treat the swelling of the marrow inside the bones of my right ankle. I met M i c h e l e, Tim and Wendy in the convention center, collected my [very nice] finisher's shirt and glass beer mug and we all proceeded across the street to the Hilton for a celebratory drink. I learned that each of them had done very well, including Joel who could not stay behind. Sara Jane joined us and filled us in on the celebratory goings on the night before when the newly minted Olympic teams and other elite athletes gathered in that same venue. When Oz crossed the finish line well before six hours tolled on the clock (at 1:00pm), that completed the perfect weekend -- all had done well and Houston had been done proud.

DAYS AFTER
I was back in DC by midnight. I expected to be sore on Monday. Not so. Then at least some aches on Tuesday? Nope. Perhaps my fueling during the race [Gatorade at every stop and 3 Clif Shot energy gels] was effective prophylaxis against muscle fatigue. Perhaps my slowing over the last 10 miles to baby my ankle impediment protected me. Perhaps it was the double dose of NSAIDs immediately after the race that did the trick. Could it be that a hot meal right away hastened recovery? Maybe it was simply getting my feet blessed by a Catholic priest ... twice! Whatever the reason(s), I don't have any of the aches and pains that almost always follow a hard-run marathon. None.

Thank you Houston. This was a very good start to a year of running dangerously! Ain't that the truth?

Congrats, Kevin! You beat W handsomely.

Awesome race Kevin doesn't look like father time has anything on you. Now just keep it going and how about a nice big PR later this year in that easy race in Maryland? I know I will there searching for a new PR.

Congrats on Houston!

I'm so pleased you had a great race and gave Dubya a good thumpin'. Hanging around with you and Michele was a real hoot, then the conversation at Mia Bella really made Saturday special.

I think the people, here, should know a little story while at Mia Bella, since Kevin didn't mention it.

We were all ordering our meals and Kevin wanted to be last because he couldn't make up his mind. When it came his turn to order, he turns to the waiter and says, "Surprise me! Pick something out and surprise me." The waiter was taken aback, but did as asked. Kevin enjoyed it so much that he took a slice of sourdough bread and sopped up the remaining sauce.

Come back and see us.

Congrats on a successful weekend. Yes the pain is evident in your expression, been there. Ten seconds faster than my Chicago time this year. Maybe have to pace each other someday. You going to Boston this year?

Are you sure that the "good race performance and good recovery" are really due to nsaids and Gatorade? I think it is due to running with Joanie and helping me find $5 on our way back from Mia Bella to our hotels - don't you? That's my story anyway. (What Kevin doesn't mention is that I was right behind him until the half marathon turn around when I caught Joanie and Mary Wittenberg (NY Marathon Race Director) and I ran with her on/off until mile 12. Also the day before, I really did find a $5 on the sidewalk.

Congrats again Kevin! I'll see you soon in DC at Cherry Blossom and remember we cannot get together without at least inviting Sara Jane (or can we????? )

Congrats on a solid, well executed race Kevin. It was really nice to meet you this weekend and I hope to see you again real soon. By the way, Michael (er.....I mean Matthew) says hello. He had a great time at lunch, as did I.

Well done, Kevin! Sorry I didn't get you my bib pick up info in time so you could get me a shirt. Sounds like a fun weekend. Let's get a training run on the schedule soon. We need to target you getting a WRR ranked time this Spring. Are you doing National? The St. Paddy's 8k? Coming off your fine marathon fitness and quick pain-free recovery, you should be well poised to do some good WRR-worthy road races!

Michele "1L" Keane wrote: I'll see you soon in DC at Cherry Blossom and remember we cannot get together without at least inviting Sara Jane (or can we????? )

Blah, blah, blah. Who needs you people anyway when I can party with all the rock stars?

Kevin, lovely to see you as always - and congrats on getting your goal and such a great result! Though not out there cheering, I was TOTALLY tracking you in my curled-up, hungover state in the Hilton!

See you soon! And yes, please invite me to any Cherry Blossom gathering. This time I will once again join you for the beers, a la our escapades in NYC.

I could feel your pain in the photos, Kevin. So you deserve even more congratulations for so throughly dustin' dubya.

You need to do another race out west one of these days.

Lunch without Kevin is like a day without

Congratulations! Great race and it sounds like just an awesome weekend experience all around!

Schuey wrote:Awesome race Kevin doesn't look like father time has anything on you. Congrats on Houston!

+1

Great job Kevin - very impressive!

Mark B wrote:

Lunch without Kevin is like a day without

This is the truth!

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:

Mark B wrote:

Lunch without Kevin is like a day without

This is the truth!

Aw, now y'all leave the boy alone. You're going to make him respond in his own thread.

Congrats on the race. Seemed like a great weekend overall.

Fantastic job Kevin! Fighting through the ankle pain the later miles....loving it!!! (your effort, not the pain!).
As always, you gave us a great report. Looks like it was a fantastic weekend, from the volunteering at the trials, meeting up with friends, and capping it off with hitting your goal of drubbing Dubya.
Well done!

What a great race - congrats, and awesome that you could work the Trials.

Well done and nice report, Kevin!!! I only hope to be as fast as you when my next marathon arrives.

But I bet you were Tebowed as you were blessed.

Oh my, we've got several conversations going on on in here... Thanks all... more explicitly:

Jerry wrote:Congrats, Kevin! You beat W handsomely.

ounce wrote:I'm so pleased you had a great race and gave Dubya a good thumpin'.

Mark B wrote:I could feel your pain in the photos, Kevin. So you deserve even more congratulations for so throughly dustin' dubya.

Seth Harrison wrote:Fantastic job Kevin! ... from the volunteering at the trials, meeting up with friends, and capping it off with hitting your goal of drubbing Dubya. Well done!

Yeah, givin' Dubbya a good thumpin' was well worth the pain.

Julie wrote:Congratulations! Great race and it sounds like just an awesome weekend experience all around!

Alex Kubacki wrote:Congrats on the race. Seemed like a great weekend overall.

Jack_Scaff wrote:What a great race - congrats, and awesome that you could work the Trials.

Yes, indeed! The entire weekend was highly enjoyable and eminently memorable.

Diego wrote:But I bet you were Tebowed as you were blessed.

Pushin' those hot buttons again, eh Diego?

Schuey wrote:Now just keep it going and how about a nice big PR later this year in that easy race in Maryland?

You betcha boy! I'll be gunning for your 2011 JFK50 time ... I shudder at the thought.

fostever wrote:Maybe have to pace each other someday. You going to Boston this year?

I won't be running Boston this year or next, but I may be there.

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:...the "good race performance and good recovery" are due to running with Joanie and helping me find $5 on our way back from Mia Bella to our hotels.

Let's stick to this story ... it's amazing how you spotted that figh dollah bill!

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Congrats again Kevin! I'll see you soon in DC at Cherry Blossom.

Sara Jane wrote:[For] Cherry Blossom ... I will once again join you for the beers, a la our escapades in NYC.

Yer on kiddo! It will be our pleasure.

Joel H wrote:Congrats on a solid, well executed race Kevin. It was really nice to meet you this weekend and I hope to see you again real soon. By the way, Michael (er.....I mean Matthew) says hello. He had a great time at lunch, as did I.

My pleasure entirely Joel. Low Five to Matthew. He's a great kid - a real sparkler!

Chris M wrote:Well done, Kevin! ... Let's get a training run on the schedule soon. Are you doing National? The St. Paddy's 8k?

Thanks Chris. I've got a good feeling about 2012. But National is out as it has been acquired by Competitor.com, a firm with which I have severed any future relationship. I will be running the B&A Trail Half Marathon in Annapolis on March 4. [I registered this morning and the race is now closed!!!] So I may not be able to run well in the St. Patrick's Day 8K one week later. But, since I'm nuts and I took it easy on the same course in December, I'll consider it. What I really need is a short race in February. Let me know if and when you and Scott or Jason are doing a training run at Great Falls and I'll see if I can make it out.

Okay, that's the several conversations that were going.

Thank you all for your comments. Keep on running!

Kevin,

The 3 McKees are doing this 5K in Arlington (Pentagon CityMetro) February 12. I wasn't planning on busting it there but if you are there, that always spurs me on to run more swiftly so you don't drop me. We'll go get good grub afterwards somewhere:

http://pacersevents.com/lovetherun/index.html

Yes on a Difficult Run trail run and I'll let you know the schedule. We've been doing the long ones on the paved W&OD instead recently and of course you are welcome to train out here for any of those and I'll zip you back into town post-run. I think Dave has a 20 on the schedule for me next weekend if you are game.

Chris M wrote:The 3 McKees are doing this 5K in Arlington February 12.

Thanks for this Chris. Just about perfect. I'm in and will see all you McKees there.