2009 Year In Review

This year was a very busy year for me and I made some key strides in my improvement as a runner. So let us review.

15 Total Races

1st Place	2nd Place	3rd Place	4th Place
5	5	1	1

January..

2008 was the first time I trained seriously for a marathon. I mean, I ran a marathon before, but my training was very foolish. Maybe downright harmful. In 2008 I trained with Sean and the Kenyan Way. I improved a great deal as a runner by training for the marathon. I ended up running a 2:51 at the Houston Marathon to start off 2009. The marathon was a piece of cake save for miles 22 to the end.

The general saying is that it takes a month for the body to recover after a marathon. Well that wasn't the case for me. About a week out from the marathon I'm feeling stronger than ever. So I register for the Rocket's Run 5k and end up winning it, running a 16:01. This ended up being my coming out party. I was so close to breaking 16 minutes...oh so close!

February...

In February I had the opportunity to race my first 5 mile race. I say 5 mile race, but in actuality the course was probably slightly longer. The race was the Park to Park 5 Miler which always attracts plenty of Houston's top runners. It was my first real opportunity to prove my mettle against some of Houston's finest. I end up doing pretty well and place 4th, surprising myself. I'm starting to build a little bit of confidence. Just a little.

March...

I ran the Bunny Hop For Trees 1 mile road race. It was a smaller event but gave me my 2nd opportunity to break the 5 minute mile barrier, finishing in 4:40. I break my previous course record the year before by 27 seconds!

Bayou City Classic 10k - This was the most competitive field I had ever raced in up until this point. There were many college level runners from out of state and quite a few ran in the 30-31 minute range. I ended up getting top 10 in an ultra competitive field. I'm starting to see possibilities now.

I run the Husky Hustle 5k hoping to crack the 16 minute barrier. Sean thinks I can do it, but I end up finishing 1st with a disappointing 16:23. I find out later that the course was long. I am chomping at the bit at another chance to break 16.

April...

Bellaire Trolley 5k - I break 16 minutes! I shatter it in 15:43!

May-June...

I run for the "On The Run" team at the Beach To Bay Marathon Relay. We finish 2nd overall out of almost 2000 teams.

I end up running 3 more 5k races, finishing between 15:40 (Heights) and 15:46. I place 2nd in all 3 to either Sean or Luis, my training partners. I solidify my place behind these guys.

July...

I visit my relatives in Atlanta and what do you know there is a small race called the Peachtree Road Race. Some of the best runners in the world are there and my sister and I run as elites together. Sean gets me into the race as an elite and I break 33 minutes on a very hilly course with a 32:48. I get to meet and run with the best this country has to offer. It reinvigorates me and gets me pumped up to train even harder except that my legs are trashed and it is 3 months before I race again.

August...

I have a breakthrough track session with Sean and Luis that indicate really good things for me only to sideline me for a while with an injury. I injure my adductor muscle and it will end up nagging me for months.

October...

Because of my adductor injury I end up not running the USA Space Alliance 10 miler. This causes me to have doubts about running the marathon. I start looking to scale my goals down a little.

Sean starts the Kenyan Way Elite Racing Team and I am his first recruit!

Sean starts a runner ranking system called RankTheRunner.

It is around 3 months since my last race, Peachtree. I look to regain the mojo that I had  over the summer only to finish 2nd and run a disappointing 16:03 at the Komen Race For The Cure. This breaks my string of 4 sub 16 5ks in a row. I quickly look for a race to redeem myself.

I find that race. It is the Energy Capital Run. I break 16, but only barely with a 15:55. I reevaluate my goals for the Pumpkin Run and only hope to run 15:50 or better

Pumpkin Run - I shockingly run a 15:34 out of nowhere and PR again. I am reinvigorated.

November...

We end up having a baby!!!

I finish 1st at the Sheltering Arms Turkey Trot with a 14:59 for about 3 miles. The course was a little difficult but I had a few breakthroughs in the race including a 4:46 first mile. I'm in the best shape of my life. I am now confident about running the marathon.

December...

It's been nothing but training for me. I started my marathon training in earnest with 4 20+ milers. I've started hill work and have even added tempo runs. I'm in the best shape of my life and I plan to be even better in 2010.