Just 4 weeks after running the New York City Marathon I sought redemption and drove east with Jonathan Bennett to run in the Baton Rouge Beach Marathon. We wouldn’t arrive until late Friday evening and the race was on Saturday morning. I was really happy with the Baton Rouge race packet, a medium sized bright green tech shirt, a pair of equally loud socks and a pair of gloves. Jeff took along his bike so Jonathan could try and find me on the course after he finished the half to offer me support and encouragement. About 1,500 runners were registered in the half and 200 runners in the full. I wished Jonathan good luck, crossed over to my side and literally toed the line. Within the first couple miles I found myself running with a group of triathletes, sharing our stories and goals. Our little group didn’t last too long as we settled into the pace we wanted to hold for the race. My strategy was to run comfortable the first half, and by mile 5 I was running alone at 6:40/mile pace, on pace to break 2:55. After getting water from the mile 18 aid station, I heard a murmur of cheers and applause. I knew I’d be crushed if I should fail to stay ahead, so we ran together for a couple miles. The late miles and weather finally got to me when I pulled to the side shortly into the 25th mile due to leg cramps. I saw the clock tick past Boston Qualifying time. I crossed the timing mat in a time of 3:11:28. Not the most impressive time, but a finish nonetheless. Jonathan saw me cross the finish and came up to congratulate me. I don’t remember having as much fun at the New York finish, which was all hustle and bustle, typical of the New York lifestyle. We killed some time lounging and walking around listening to music while waiting for the awards to be handed out.
I returned in 2013 with Suzy Sealy, her son, Ryan and his fiance to finish in 2:58:09, good for another 1st place age group.
My effort earned a 1st place age group award and the sweet victory and good times washed away the sour taste of New York.
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The marathon is a race of endurance that tests your physical and mental strength. First, I drove with Steve on Friday to Dripping Springs, TX to attend Blake and Meredith’s wedding.
Blake’s gettin married
The Tornado entourage had already arrived in NYC the day before – Leno Rios, Jennifer Brown, Anne Nguyen, Stacy Holden, Anna Helm and Amabely Lopez. A Tornado cheer squad also followed them from Houston to New York. Anne Finke, my friend from the 2008 Ironman Brazil, had her family join her in New York as well, for her marathon debut. We were set to run another big racing event together, but I was still in TX. Early Saturday morning Steve kindly dropped Trey and me off at ATX for our flight to NYC. It was a great relief meeting Anne N. at the expo, which by the time we arrived was beginning to break down. I sought shelter from the chilly wind under a tent and waited for the rest of the group to arrive later on the ferry. runner’s village, so I continued to wait under the welcoming tent wasting energy trying to keep myself warm on the frozen ground.
I called Anne N. to get an update on when they’d be arriving. There were able to retrieve Anne N’s phone number, who sent Anna and Leno to meet me with food and warm clothes.
Part of the contingent in New York.
After waiting for what felt like a marathon, it was time to do what I came here to do – run a marathon through the streets of New York. The crowd of runners started to thin out and by chance I ran up alongside Leno on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. The Queensboro Bridge stretched across the East River for a mile and dropped us into Manhattan at mile 16. The course quickly turned direction as I crossed the Madison Avenue Bridge back into Manhattan at mile 21.
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The stars were aligning just in time for my Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge in Orlando, FL. bags with one goal in mind: to run a qualifying time for guaranteed entry into the 2010 New York City Marathon on Nov. 7. This time I felt that it was destiny. I wanted to test the reality of that dream, so a week before the race I ran 9 miles at the pace I needed to earn a qualifying time. I thumbed through the race booklet to make sure our race day morning plans would work to drop our bags off by 4:30. In the end I decided to just leave my bag with Morgan and have her meet me after I finish. At midnight I called Anthony to verify the race day logistics, because he ran the marathon a few years ago.
On our way to Epcot that morning, traffic was being funneled from a 3 lane road to 1 lane for a ½ mile section, and saw a participate walking. I asked Morgan if she felt comfortable letting him jump into our warm car and a ride over the last 2 miles. It was windy, freezing cold and sleeting. Morgan walked with me to the bag drop. I was running and before you know it I was at mile 5. I paid little attention to my surroundings as I ran through the park. I approached a group of 5 male runners at mile 10. I still felt strong and around mile 11. Crossing the finish I realized my dream of qualifying time for New York.
Qualified!
Morgan guided me through the parking lot to the car as I tucked my head into my towel. We returned to Disney later to meet Anthony for chatting, shopping and snapping fun pictures. Morgan and I wanted to throw in the towel a little early to prepare for the marathon. This was Morgan’s first marathon. marathon. Starting the program she never imagined being able to run 20 miles in training, but her hard training got her to the starting line to prove otherwise. BANG, the marathon got underway. Morgan was in the 3rd wave, so she had a little more time to wait in the cold.
Glad to be in goofy company with these friends!
It was freezing cold out there, so it was nice running with the pace group clipping away 7:10s. Steve dropped the pace around mile 16 and shortly thereafter another guy from our group followed. I let another Goofy runner lead through the Animal Kingdom to mile 20. Those last couple miles were extremely cold as I couldn’t keep myself warm with the slower pace. I glad to be greeted by Emily and to put on warm and dry clothes after the finish. We waited in the finish line bleachers to watch Morgan finish. Morgan and I were very excited about the car’s butt warmers the entire trip! Morgan drove us back to the apartment for a little rest before going out to Medieval Times.
Anne visited Texas in February to qualify for New York at the Austin Half Marathon. looking forward to another big time race together.
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“Lateness” reared its ugly little head to try and spoil our plans. Anne worked late Friday night. There were unprecedented long lines at Southwest check-in and airport security. cancel 60 flights on Friday, because with the slightest bit of snow, Houston enters into a state of chaos. We had a connecting flight in Las Vegas and it so happened that the Las Vegas Marathon was the same weekend!
We jogged a bit around downtown Sacramento and rehearsed our finish poses at the finish line: Anne, the Heisman; Sheldon, the survivor; and I the NYC Rockette. After eating pasta with Leno, Jennifer and Francisco, we stopped by a Safeway to pick up a little something for Sunday pre-race fuel.
My race day morning meal that has proven worthy to withstand the perils of a marathon has been a hardboiled egg, toast, a little ham, an orange, and a banana. I bought a couple bread rolls, 6 eggs, Gatorade, and water. Meyer and Anne would find us a bit later. Wayne, Steve, Leno, Francisco, Jeff, Meyer, Anne, and Sheldon. My strategy for this course was to run a negative split second-half to finish under 2:55. guaranteed entry into the 2010 New York City Marathon. The rolling hills combined with a nippy cold head wind made it hard to judge my pace. marathon in which you want to PR. shorten my stride up the hills letting my pace drop a bit and to allow myself to relax but stay controlled
There were definitely some distractions along the race course. runner fully clad in a ninja outfit with the works: numchucks, sword, and daggers. Anne caught sight of loose chickens. 1:30:58 was my time crossing under the half marathon mark. I could run a 1:24 second half; that’s about a 6:25 min/mile pace. I caught up to the 3 hour pace group around the 19-mile mark. I ran with them for a couple minutes to feed off them. My official finish time was 2:55:57. It was another marathon in another state but not a New York qualifier.
Anne, Sheldon, and I toured the wine country in style with the great hook ups Anne arranged through her boss at WineStyles and a Wine representative. The first winery we visited was Revana. The owner and founder practices medicine in Houston. practices medicine. Burt Reynolds is the kitty cat at the winery, guardian of all wine secrets.
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The Schwiet Life 