Once you cross that finish line you know it was worth it. You’re happy. You celebrate with fellow runners. And you know that Houstonians were cheering for you every step of the way.
I’m very much a runner and have been for most of my life. I’ve always run to keep in shape and I ran track in high school.
I’ve always wanted to do a full marathon, especially after I ran the 5k at the Austin Marathon in February of last year. I then decided to try the half-marathon in San Antonio last month and ended up finishing in the top 50%.
So I thought it was time to do a full marathon and I wanted to run it in my hometown, Houston, Texas. It was important to me to run there, not only because it’s my birthplace, but because I would be able to run in neighborhoods with which I’m familiar–going way back to when I was a child.
It’s also great to have fellow Houstonians cheer you on. That gives you a little extra boost! I’ve also had a good number of those supporters wish me luck. Some ask me why I want to run 26.2 miles.
I tell them that it’s “the athlete in me.” I’m a competitor. I enjoy running. I know it will be fun. And it’s an accomplishment, too.
The weekend of the race is always fun and it was no different this time. I checked in at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, took pictures at different booths promoting the race at the Fitness Expo, and then checked into my hotel in Downtown Houston when I could see the starting line a block over from the hotel.
I could have stayed with family and hung out with them a little that weekend, but I really wanted to be alone–to think about the race and to get prepared mentally. That’s the same strategy I took when running the San Antonio half-marathon.
The strategy is to start out nice, slow, and easy. I would speed up a bit every mile. And I needed to keep telling myself: “Don’t wear yourself out!”
The race started at 7 a.m. It was a little cold, but not too cold. But the big news wasn’t the weather. It was my plan. It went out the window soon after the race started.
I started out strong, getting in front of the pack for a good 14 miles. But once we headed through the neighborhoods and made that turn onto Memorial Drive (to head back into downtown) I started to feel it. From Mile 17 to the Finish Line my legs were getting heavier and I started to cramp up.
With strategy gone, it was now a matter of mental power. I kept saying to myself, “Keep moving!”
And once you cross that finish line you know it was all worth it. You’re happy. You celebrate with fellow runners. And you know that Houstonians who were there to cheer you all the way.
I did it!
Congratulations Matthew! That’s an impressive feat. I also ran track and cross country in High school. However, I never got a chance to run a marathon. But, always wanted to. Though days are gone now. But, I enjoyed it when I did it. I did a lot of benefit runs in California which is where I grew up. Thanks for that little piece of info about you! Great article, sir!