2024 Houston Marathon Recap

So, if you’re interested, here’s a bit of a play-by-play of my 2024 Chevron Houston Marathon: 

• Start line
  • Billy and I walked to the start from our hotel. I was nervous so we left with lots of extra time. 
  • It was chilly out, so we sat in a hotel lobby near the start and I forced some graham crackers down. Pre-race fuel is super important but never goes down easy with the nerves. IYKYK.
  • With about 5 min until corral A closed, I parted ways with Billy and entered.
  • I definitely felt a bit intimidated being in the first starting corral and seeing so many “fast looking” runners around.
  • When the announcements began I tossed my jacket and hoped I didn’t regret losing it before the race began- I was wearing shorts and it was about 38 degrees at the start. 
  • I couldn’t find the 3:30 pacers, so I positioned myself a bit back from the 3:25 pacers.
  • I’d never seen such a large field or such an organized start.
  • The gun went off and it was go time.
• Miles 1 – 13
  • I felt amazing through the entire first half of the race, and couldn’t wipe the stupid smile off my face.
  • Since I couldn’t find the 3:30 pace group and I felt so good, I ended up tucking in with the 3:25 pace group.
  • This was the first race I’ve run that I didn’t have to think about strategy, pace or math. Also the first marathon I didn’t wear headphones. The two pacers were awesome, giving fueling cues and keeping us running the tangents. 
  • It felt so easy, just clicking away the miles…
• Mile 13 
  • …Until it didn’t. 
  • We hit the first, slight uphill of the course going over a bridge and I started to lose the pace group.
  • I began worrying – I was only at the halfway mark. I couldn’t start feeling bad this early. How could I be losing the group I had so effortlessly been running with? 
  • But then I reminded myself it was never my plan to run that fast. 
  • Kept telling myself the same phrase I had written on my arm in sharpie that morning, “7:53 believe” (the pace I needed to keep to safely come in under 3:30).
• Mile 15ish 
  • I was still struggling a bit and my pace per mile slowed slightly, but my average pace was still on track. I was trying to calm myself down and not sit in a pity party.
  • I saw another runner who was formerly in the 3:25 pace group with me walking a bit ahead.
  • When I passed him, I told him to come with me.
  • We ran together for about a mile or so, and helping him really distracted me from how I was feeling.
  • Unfortunately, after that mile he stopped and told me to keep going. I really hope he was able to finish the race injury free.
• Mile 18ish 
  • I felt like I had officially lost the sub 3:30 dream. I was feeling more and more gassed. I was feeling sorry for myself which wasn’t helping me stay in the right headspace. I wanted to be done.
• Mile 20 
  • Then all of a sudden in the park around mile 20, the 3:30 pacers came up from behind me.
  • I immediately felt a surge of energy and hope. Maybe I could still reach my goal!
  • I asked the pacers if they were running even splits (they were) and if they planned to come in a bit under 3:30 (again yes, they were about 1 min 20 sec ahead of pace).
  • I told them my goal of BQing (sub 3:30 for females of my age) and that I was going to do my best to stay with them. They assured me if I did they would get me there.
  • But I couldn’t do it. Physically, I was so gassed. Mentally I started questioning if they began in my corral or the one behind me (which would be the difference in BQing, even if I stuck with them).
  • Less than a mile went by and I watched them run away. It was crushing.
• Mile 22ish +
  • The last few miles of the race are a blur. I feel like I blacked out. I remember snippets, but mostly that everything hurt so badly and I just wanted it to be over.
  • My stomach was in knots, and I couldn’t get my last gel down. I keep thinking about if I had, would I have been able to pull out one final surge for the sub 3:30 finish. It doesn’t matter, I couldn’t take the fuel. 
  • I was in such a bad mental space and kept trying desperately to pull myself out of it.
• Mile 26 exactly 
  • Nearing the finish line chute I heard Billy cheering “FINISH IT.”
  • It gave me so much energy and I felt so lucky to have his support. I gave a fist pump to the air and surged towards the finish.
• Crossing the line 
  • Immediate tears. I’m always emotional at a race finish, amazed at what my body just accomplished. Even when I’ve felt my eyes prickle with the beginning of happy tears, I’ve never been able to get anything out. I just assumed I was always too dehydrated at that point. 
  • Clearly I was wrong, because the disappointed, tired, delirious tears came fast and furious at the end of the Houston Marathon.
  • While people celebrated in what was the slowest exit/longest finish line chute of my life, I just cried through it openly- tired, cold, sore and in pain.
  • All I wanted was something warm and to get to Billy ASAP.
• The finish line party on the lawn
  • I finally made it to Billy and cried immediately upon hugging him. 
  • I didn’t have to say anything. He already knew. I wanted it so badly and I fell short. I was so proud, so amazed with what my body accomplished, yet so disappointed.
  • But when I was finally able to release those emotions with him, we shared laughs and happy and proud moments. Emotions are weird.
  • And then I left the sad feelings behind and had so much fun at the post race party. We celebrated with beer and mimosas, talked with lovely people, took photos, and ate food. I got to ring the PR bell. 
• After the party is the afterparty
  • The walk back to the hotel (about 1 mile) was TORTURE for the hip flexors, but we made it. 
  • And then we packed our bags and continued the celebration at a local brewery, a post-race tradition. 
  • After two flights and many delays getting home due to the wind and winter storm moving in, we landed back in Knoxville in a winter wonderland at 2:30 a.m. Tired was an understatement.