Go here to sign-up: http://www.bayoucityclassic.org/

• 2012 RRCA 10K Texas State Championship Race
• 5K distance added this year
• Proceeds go to HARRA’s Houston Parks Improvement Fund
• Centipede competition – How about a few Strider centipedes?
• Individual costume competition
• HARRA Spring Series race
• HARRA members receive $2 discount on registration

Hope to see each of you at the Bayou City Classic on March 10, 2012.  Remember everyone who participates scores points for their club in the HARRA Spring Club competition (provided they are a HARRA member).

When I arrived at the Park a few minutes after 7am, our new President, Chris Cornell, had already set up the Strider tent under the shelter for the basketball court.  That was a good thing; otherwise we would have been wading in a few inches of water.  As the 8am start time approached for the Masters race, we had five wet and cold Strider Masters Men raring to get the race started.  They included Chris Cornell, Chris Adams, John DiMarco, John Emmons, and yours truly.  One generally associates graying hair/beard with wisdom.  As I looked around at the individuals at the start line I must admit that I had second thoughts about that association.  To make matters worse the race start was delayed 15 minutes.  I am sure there must have been a good reason for this.

With the rain from the previous evening and the continuing rain on Saturday morning, the Houston Harriers had hurriedly revised the course to follow the higher ground around the perimeter of the Park to avoid most of the standing water (recall the definition of Buffalo wallow as a topographic depression that holds rain water).  The race consisted of 5 loops around the Park perimeter.  We were told that the distance was “approximately” 5K instead of the previously advertised 6K.  In spite of the Harriers’ best efforts, there were several places where the course went through ankle deep water.  This was not entirely bad as it presented the opportunity to shed some of the mud from one’s running shoes.  There were also a couple of wet, muddy slopes where it was difficult to remain in an upright position while navigating the course.  And it is still debatable whether the fastest way to the bottom of the slope was on your feet or on your rear end.  The course conditions became more treacherous with each loop.  I am thankful that the Harriers scheduled the Masters race first.

I think everyone completed their 5 loops with no major mishaps.  Our Striders Masters Men (that’s correct; our Strider Masters Women were a no-show) gathered at the tent to exchange experiences and to greet our Strider Open runners as they arrived for their race at 9am.  We waited until the start of the Open race.  When we determined that the race was being run without any Strider participation, we decided to do the wise thing and head for the barn.

Race results are as follows:

John Emmons                                    23:04   1^st AG

Chris Adams                           24:12   2^nd AG

John DiMarco                         27:57

Chris Cornell                           32:20

Barry Chambers                     29:04

Next up in the HARRA Spring Series is the Bayou City Classic 10K on March 10^th.  Hope to see many of you there.  And no excuses for this one.  If the weather is bad you can always dress accordingly and enter the costume competition.

I twisted our new president’s arm and he agreed to let me do the Weekly Announcements one last time.  I want to take advantage of this opportunity to thank each of you for your support over my three years of serving on the Strider Board (2 years as vice president and 1 year as president).  I offer special thanks to my fellow board members who served with me this past year.  It has been a good three years, but I am not getting any younger, and I still have a few things to check off my bucket list.  (I am not planning on disappearing but will be more “behind the scenes”).  So with that I am happy to pass the reins to our new Strider President, Chris Cornell, and the 2012 Board.  They are as follows:

• President – Chris Cornell
• Vice President – Mark Coleman
• Secretary – Michelle Chang
• Treasurer – Keith Willhelm
• Director – Virginia Moherek
• Director – Bob Pattan
• Director – Miriam Terc
• Director – Matt Wright
• Director – Abby Maxa (serving 2^nd year of 2-year term)
• Director – Janet Beck (serving 2^nd year of 2-year term)
• Director – Terry Roberson (serving 2^nd year of 2-year term)

I am looking forward to this next year with our new Leadership Team.  I know that we are in good hands.  One final note: Regardless of the strength of our leadership, our progress as a club is dependent upon its members.  I challenge each member to commit to a more active involvement in the Club in 2012.  We have a number of committees who require a chairperson or committee members.  The Board will be making contacts shortly to fill these positions.  If you are contacted I hope that your answer is “yes”.  Better still, why don’t you contact the President and let him know that you are available to serve.

In addition to our regular training opportunities, I would like to make note of the following:

• Power In Motion Training Group – Online registration closes February 28^th; Spring Session starts February 29^th.  Check out www.powerinmotion.org
• Texas Senior Games – San Antonio – March 22 – April 1, 2012 – Early Registration ends February 25^th; Registration for all events closes March 16^th.  Check out www.tsga.org

See You on the Roads,

Barry

Following are the training opportunities for this week:

Tuesday:

• Inside the Loop – Track Tuesdays – Rice University Track.  (Greenbriar and University Blvd).  6:30pm for Foam Roller Session Led by Abby Maxa.   Track workout at 7pm.

• Westside –   Terry Hershey Park @ 7pm.  Meet at the THP north parking lot at the gazebo; north side of Memorial Drive (between Eldridge Pkwy and Hwy 6). Workout – Tempo Run (10-25-10 min).  Led by Lee Greb.

Wednesday:

• Inside the Loop – Steve & Matt’s Mystery Run @ 7:15pm @ Memorial Park.  Meet at the Memorial Park Aquatic Center (parking lot next to the swimming pool).  Led by Steve Reddy and Matt Wright.

Thursday:

• Inside the Loop – Hilly Thursday’s @ 7pm.   Meet in the parking lot across the street from the United Way Building at 100 Feagan.   Led by Steve Reddy.
• Westside  –  Terry Hershey Park @ 7pm.  Meet at the THP north parking lot at the gazebo; north side of Memorial Drive (between Eldridge Pkwy and Hwy 6).  Workout – 12 x 1 min. hard with 2 minute recovery jog.  Led by Jay Sonnenburg.

Saturday:

• Open Long Run (members and non-members welcome) – J & Z’s Long Run @ Memorial Park (across from Memorial Park Pool parking lot) @ 6:30 am.  Led by John and Azita Dimarco.

2-Week Look Ahead:

• Feb 25^th – Bunny Hop 5K Run/Walk – Sugar Land, TX
• Feb 25^th – ConocoPhillips 10K/5K Rodeo Run – Houston, TX
• Feb 26^th – Darling Dash 5k – Sugar Land, TX
• Feb 26^th – Run For Wellness 5K – George Bush Park, TX
• Feb 27^th – February Pub Run
• Mar 03^rd – Race Against Violence 5K – Houston, TX
• Mar 03^rd – Stride 4 Stroke 5K – Houston, TX
• Mar 03^rd – Woodlands Marathon/Half/5K – The Woodlands, TX
• Mar 03^rd – New Orleans Rock & Roll Marathon/Half – New Orleans, LA
• Mar 04^th – Armadillo Dash Half Marathon/5K

The tent (obtained from Chris) must be set up on Friday, March 2 from 8am-7pm and removed no later than 4pm on Saturday March 3

Must have a volunteer before February 22 or no tent will be set up.

Former Board Members Chip Maxa and Andrew Keller count the vote for the 2012 Strider Board of Directors.

The 2012 Board for the Houston Striders

President………………….Chris Cornell

Vice President…………..Mark Coleman

Secretary………………….Michelle Chang

Treasurer………………….Keith Willhelm

Director…………………….Virginia Moherek

Director…………………….Bob Pattan

Director…………………….Miriam Terc

Director…………………….Matt Wright

I hope to see many of you at our Strider Quarterly Meeting.  The meeting will be held on Monday, February 13^th (7-9pm), at the Saint Arnold Brewery, 2000 Lyons Ave, just east of Downtown.  We will meet in the Investors Pub.  The highlight of this meeting will be our annual election for officers/board members for 2012.  Please come out and support your new leadership team. 

The first race in the HARRA Spring Series is the Buffalo Wallow 6K Cross Country race which will be held on Saturday, February 18^th at Spotts Park.  It is always lots of fun with some good competition (wear your old shoes as the course is sometimes muddy).  We would like to see a good turnout of Striders to help us get off to a good start in the HARRA club competition.  As always for the HARRA club competition, you will score points for the Club just by participating (provided you are a HARRA member and have designated Houston Striders as your club).

The Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon are now history.  Congratulations to all who finished these races.  I know that some of you have other marathons/half marathons in your plans over the next several months.  However, there also are others who turn their sights to the shorter distances and the multitude of spring 5K’s and 10K’s.  If you are looking to put a little speed into your training why not join us in our Tuesday and Thursday training groups.  If you have had a little vacation from running over the fall/winter months and are looking to get back into it, I highly recommend the Power In Motion program sponsored by HARRA.  The program will take you from the couch to running a 5K in just 10 short weeks.  You will be placed in a group with others who run your pace.  The more advanced runners will focus on running a 5K PR in the target race.  The Spring 2012 session starts on Wednesday, February 29^th.  Check it out at:  http://www.powerinmotion.org/

See You on the Roads,

Barry

Following are the training opportunities for this week:   

Tuesday:

• ·         Inside the Loop – Track Tuesdays - Rice University Track.  (Greenbriar and University Blvd).  6:30pm for Foam Roller Session Led by Abby Maxa.  Track workout at 7pm. 

• ·         Westside –   Terry Hershey Park @ 7pm.  Meet at the THP north parking lot at the gazebo; north side of Memorial Drive (between Eldridge Pkwy and Hwy 6). Workout – Tempo Run (10-25-10 min).  Led by Lee Greb.

Wednesday:

• ·         Inside the Loop – Steve & Matt’s Mystery Run @ 7:15pm @ Memorial Park.  Meet at the Memorial Park Aquatic Center (parking lot next to the swimming pool).  Led by Steve Reddy and Matt Wright.

Thursday:

• ·         Inside the Loop – Hilly Thursday’s @ 7pm.   Meet in the parking lot across the street from the United Way Building at 100 Feagan.   Led by Steve Reddy.
• ·         Westside  –  Terry Hershey Park @ 7pm.  Meet at the THP north parking lot at the gazebo; north side of Memorial Drive (between Eldridge Pkwy and Hwy 6).  Workout – 4 or 5 Sets x (400m at 5K pace plus 1600m at 10K pace) 3 min recovery after each set. Led by Jay Sonnenburg.

Saturday:

• ·         Open Long Run (members and non-members welcome) - J & Z’s Long Run @ Memorial Park (across from Memorial Park Pool parking lot) @ 6:30 am.  Led by John and Azita Dimarco.

Sunday:

• ·         Open Long Run (members and non-members welcome) - J & Z’s Long Run @ Memorial Park (across from Memorial Park Pool parking lot) @ 6:30 am.  Led by John and Azita Dimarco.

2-Week Look Ahead:

• ·         Feb 18^th - Buffalo Wallow 6K Cross Country    - Houston, TX (HARRA Spring Series Race)
• ·         Feb 18^th - Steps for Students 5K - Houston, TX
• ·         Feb 18^th - Surfside Beach Marathon - Lake Jackson, TX
• ·         Feb 18^th - Bayou Adventure Race -Terry Hershey Park, TX
• ·         Feb 19^th - Austin Marathon & Half Marathon - Austin, TX
• ·         Feb 19^th - Rhythm & Blues alf Marathon / 5K -Houston, TX
• ·         Feb 25^th - Bunny Hop 5K Run/Walk – Sugar Land, TX
• ·         Feb 25^th - ConocoPhillips 10K/5K Rodeo Run – Houston, TX
• ·         Feb 25^th - Darling Dash 5k – Sugar Land, TX

ANNUAL ELECTIONS PARTY

The next Strider Membership Meeting

will be held on

Monday, February 13^th, 7-9 pm

Saint Arnold Brewing Co.

In the Investors Pub

2000 Lyons Avenue

 (713) 686-9494

Free Food!

Fun, Frivolity, and Trash Talking

Join the Houston Striders for a refreshing beverage and pizza.  Please note the meeting will be in the Investors Pub. We will also be holding our annual elections. If you cannot make it there on Monday you should be on the lookout in your email for the opportunity to vote absentee for our 2012 leadership team.

Bylaws_Oct 2009

Bylaws_Jan 2012

Proposed Revisions-Jan 2012

I normally run 3 marathons a year, one in the spring, one in the fall, and Houston. In my younger days I’ve been able to recover sufficiently to race all 3 but the last several years I’ve raced in the spring and fall and run Houston as the 3:00 pacer.  This year, I skipped the abusive nature of a fall marathon and concentrated all my efforts for each of the 4 fall series races in an effort to qualify.  As luck would have it, I qualified on my first race at the USA 10 Miler in October.  Qualifying as a local invited elite is a huge honor for me and something I’ve tried to do for a very long time.  It was nice to get it secured so that I could relax a little during the remaining races last fall.

My training leading up to the marathon was as good as anyone could ask, no injuries, no aches or  pains, and plenty of high mileage weeks.  My only concern was volunteering as a captain of a water stop the day before at the Olympic Trials.  Being on my feet for almost 7 hours straight and probably walking close to 6 miles surely couldn’t be good for my body the day before a marathon.

Race morning was fantastic and being an elite and the treatment that goes along with it, well, it can really spoil you in a hurry.  First off, you are upstairs, on a quiet carpeted floor, with plenty of chairs, flush toilets, and bag check a mere 30 feet away.  Not only that, but we receive an escort to the starting corral, with porta potties in the front corral that have no line, and yet another bag drop to shed last minute clothing.  Being an elite has its privileges!

I had 3 goals going into the race.  Goal A was to finish at 2:39:59, a 6:06 pace.  Goal B was to finish at 2:42:53, a 6:13 pace.  And goal C was to finish in 2:44:59, a 6:17 pace.  I knew that goal C was completely do-able.  Goal B was what I trained for and did my marathon pace miles at.  I knew this was what I would ultimately end up at.  Goal A was wishful thinking but who knows, I could have an awesome day like the weather we were having.

In training I did many miles at marathon pace and in my opinion the first mile is a critical mile during a marathon.  So when the first mile marker produced a split of 6:13 I couldn’t have been happier.  It is so easy to start too fast which fatigues the body too fast, much better to start slow and warm up.

In the subsequent miles I ran faster settling in on a 6:05 to 6:09 pace from mile 2 to mile 17.  I wish I could remember these miles but unfortunately they all seem like a blur.  I know I was there running, but when you feel great, it just goes by entirely too fast.  I do remember passing the spot along Montrose where the half marathoners turn around.  I remember running past the television camera and saw the little red light on top.  This means it is filming.  I was thinking to myself that for sure I made it on Channel 13’s coverage of the marathon.  Well, wishful thinking I suppose, because when I got home they switched to commercial seconds before I should have appeared.

I also remember the Westpark overpass.  It’s kind of hard not to forget the tallest point along the marathon course.  For about the last 6 miles from that point I had a guy who drafted off me.  How anyone could draft off John Yoder is beyond me, I’m not that big of a guy!  Anyway, I’m a lousy uphill runner so he had no choice but to pass me or risk stepping on my heels.  This finally gave me a good look at him.  His singlet said he was from New York.  Crazy Yankee!

At mile 17 things began to change.  I wouldn’t call it “the wall” but more of a gradual decline in pace.  My 6:05 to 6:09’s would become a distant memory as I began producing 6:15 to 6:22’s.  I knew I would fade, it was just a matter of when.  Mile 17 was a couple miles earlier than I had expected.

One of the perks of being an elite is having the opportunity to check in your own fluid bottles. I took advantage of this by checking in several bottles.  I have nothing against Gatorade, but always train with HEB’s version of Gatorade called Quench.  It was so great having my familiar drink, and even in my favorite flavor, fruit punch.

My slowest mile came at the 24^th mile when I ran a 6:32.  I think the hills of Allen Parkway took a toll on my body, as well of the fatigue of having run 24 miles.  I was fading fast but thought my goal of a 2:42:53 was still possible.  I had 3 ways of looking at my race.  View one was to run a steady 6:13 the entire way and hope I didn’t get tired ever, view two was to run a 6:10 and then allow for a little fade after mile 22 resulting in a 6:13 overall pace, and view number three was to run aggressively at 6:07 and hold on for as long as possible.  I chose to run this marathon with the aggressive option.  And I have no regrets.

It was nice having the finish line changed from the last several years to the current version of the 90* turn in front of the GRB.  This is the way it was when I first started running the Houston Marathon in 1995 and I like it better than the long straightaway.  There’s nothing like making that turn and knowing you only have less than 200 meters to sprint to the finish.  And sprint I did as I crossed the finish line in 2:42:57.  Only 4 seconds over my goal B.  I’m very satisfied with my race, and glad to have my 18^th consecutive Houston Marathon under my belt.  Guess it’s time to start making plans for next year’s race, but first I need to qualify as a local elite again, because I think I’m spoiled for life!