January 17 2010. Ok, this makes my third marathon. The first one was here in Houston last year. I wasn't completely prepared for it, I was anxious as hell and it hurt. I mean my feet hurt A LOT but I finished it and checked that box off of some list and was never going to do it again.

N olled around. I had decided I needed to do another one because with a little preparation I thought it would go much better and I would enjoy it or at least it wouldn't hurt so much. Anyone that was in San Antonio knows just how warm a day that was. I was well trained and confident. Too confident it turned out as I decided I could do a nice easy 5k Saturday before I headed to San Antonio. And that was fun, a nice cool morning a small group (something like 30-35 runners for a 5k) and a new PR. So much for an easy 5k right? Anyway another 6 miles walking around San Antonio that night and warmer than expected temperature in the morning made it an all together miserable event.

After getting home from San Antonio I started thinking ahead to Houston and trying to learn from my mistakes. Re-evaluated my training program to include more speed work and drop from 45 miles a week to 35 and I'm all set. In fact I went to Dallas for the White Rock and did the half there setting another pr. Things are looking great until I pull an Achilles tendon a week later. So fast forward to Sunday morning. I'm nervous again because I haven't done the long runs I wanted, in

fact I haven't done more than 13 miles since November 15th. I know my ankle and Achilles are a bit iffy. By the way that KT tape they sell at the expo does seem to work miracles. And generally I'm concerned about my poor performance in San Antonio. So I line up near the 5:00 pace group (thinking I might be fooling myself but you have to line up somewhere). I meet a first timer named Scott who is really nervous and start chatting. Finally the gun goes off for wave 2 and we take off nice and easy. I pace him for the first 3 miles just going along easily so as not to screw up his plan and to see how I feel. We are clicking along about 10:45-11:30 pace and surprise, surprise, I'm enjoying myself. Well Scott's plan calls for lots of walking so I leave him to his plan and

carry on at what feels like a nice easy pace.

We are clicking along about 10:45-11:30 pace and surprise, surprise, I'm enjoying myself. Well Scott's plan calls for lots of walking so I leave him to his plan and carry on at what feels like a nice easy pace. I even manage to spot my wife near the finish line cheering me in. And that is that. I finished at 4:49:34, well above my expected pace and thrilled to death. I set a PR and more importantly I'm still smiling!!!