Part of my training for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon was to learn about the sport of horse racing, so when Leno sent out a timely invitation to watch quarter horse races at the Sam Houston Horse Race Track in northwest Houston, I joined him,

Churchill Downs

Francisco and David to experience the sights and sounds of the horses thundering down the track. Aside from horsing around, I added an ultra marathon to my training schedule. Two weeks prior to the marathon I camped out in Huntsville State Park with the Runners High Club to run the Hog’s Hunt 50k. I held on to 2nd place, crossing the finish line in 4:33. That following week, I primed my legs with a couple of short distance races in HARRA’s Tour de Bayou series and the LP Track Race. In the last 37 years the city has added the marathon, a hot air balloon race and a steamboat race. Within the first mile we ran past the venues on Museum Row; Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville Science Center, 21c Museum Hotel, Frazier History Museum, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Glass Works, Kentucky Show! It was an amazing experience to be running where so many great races have taken place. After mile 9 the marathon turned south onto Southern Pkwy, while the mini turned north. By mile 11 we caught up to the 3rd place female and encouraged her as we passed.

On the ascent, we saw the lead runners leaving the park, passing their 15 mile mark. By the 21st mile I had reeled in my reference runner and continued running ahead. I was in

Celebrating with a flight of Bourbon

line with Julius, who just finished his cool down after placing 3rd overall in the marathon. Melissa stayed tough throughout the marathon and finished with a PR of 5:24:43. Melissa enjoyed a blended treat of coffee with cookies and cream. It was a tasty reward after running 26.2 miles through the streets of Louisville. We walked past a couple memorials of horses that won people’s hearts. Melissa crushed me at the trivia game and racing game we played. I continued the Kentucky Derby Festivities the following weekend at my running club’s Cinco de Mayo 5k run then watched the race with Dullahan finished for show.

Read the full report at this link

2012 Kentucky Derby