Houston Marathon LSD

The 5 day forecast was 41 degrees with a high of 60. The 1 day forecast was 68 degrees, 80% humidity with a high of 85. I wish my job allowed me to TOTALLY miss my forecast projections!

Houston Marathon is in two weeks, I missed my 20 and 22 mile training runs. My last long run, 18 miles, was 6 weeks ago. Today’s goal was to get 23 miles on my legs pre-marathon. It wasn’t pretty - 9 miles running then 14 miles walking…. Why did we park the car 7 miles from the lake? So we couldn’t quit!

Will I run Houston Marathon? I don’t know. If I survive the long work hours for the next two weeks and the forecast is weather perfect, I will probably run. If I don’t run my ego will remain fully intact. This is marathon #17. I haven’t run a marathon in 3+ years. I didn’t want to run another marathon unless I raised the bar and trained to break 5 hours. I trained perfectly from August until I got what I thought was a routine cold the first week of November. The doctor was quite surprised I was able to run 16, 12 and 18 miles, but said “NO” when I asked about my upcoming 20 miler. Was it because my x-rays revealed bronchitis and pre-pneumonia and I had just finished a breathing treatment? I didn’t run a step for 2 weeks then ran the DWRM half marathon. Thankfully my finish time confirmed my training was still on target. Then I caught another cold resulting in more meds and 2 weeks of no running.

Why would I run Houston Marathon? The same reason I stared down the Texas heat all summer to run 4 miles, hit the wall, walk 5 miles. My health has declined in both 2007 and 2008. Running and completing races literally keeps my foot in the game and is the only way I know I am continuing to win my battle against MS.

Thank you, Peggy, Frances and Ken. Without each of you, a sub 5 marathon may have remained only a dream. If it isn’t Houston, I know I will achieve this goal.

Total Miles: 23.84
Total Time 5:37:23
Avg Pace 14:46

M1 11:15
M2 11:18
M3 11:13
M4 11:18
M5 11:23
M6 11:16
M7 16:32
M8 11:21
M9 11:34
M10 13:08
M11 14:52
M12 17:00
M13 17:14
M14 17:27
M15 18:01
M16 16:52
M17 16:26
M18 16:46
M19 16:33
M20 16:47
M21 16:55
M22 17:20
M23 14:45