Monday, December 6, 2010

Laporte by the Bay Half Marathon Race Report (and videos)


Laporte by the Bay Half Marathon - December 5, 2010

Yesterday Annie and I along with our friends Ruth Ann and Patrick ran in the inaugural Laporte Half Marathon.   Now the draw to this race is that it runs over and back on the Fred Hartman Bridge (pictured).

I had never driven over this bridge (Houston is a big place, leave me alone) but was told that it was pretty steep.  This was not false bravado as this bridge was indeed, steep.

My plan for the race was to take it easy and just enjoy the run since Ironman training begins this week.  Annie wanted me to run with her as she was using this race as her weekend long run in her training for the upcoming Houston Marathon.  This sounded like a fun idea so I was game and spent the entire race running next to my wife. Since this was just a fun run and I was supposed to not care about time I left the Garmin 310 at home and the only piece of technology geek boy had on him was our point and shoot digital camera.

Annie and I in the car keeping warm
So since I was carrying the digital camera I thought it would be cool to video some of the run as we were running.  I was wrong because it is not very cool.  But since it is a slow news day here at the Carrot I will post up the videos anyway.  Be warned:  If you suffer from motion sickness or get nauseous easily these will probably make you puke (I am running afterall!).  Also, I realized after watching these that running, is indeed, boring to watch.  

Video #1:  Race Start


Video #2:  Annie Demonstrates Proper Jacket Removal While Running


Video #3:  Pee Break


Video #4:  Starting up the Fred Hartman Bridge (Listen to the wind 25-30mph)


Video #5:  Getting to Top of Bridge

 


Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the camera ran out of juice and I could not carry on with the video documentary of the Laporte Half.  I really need to get one of those Flips for future video endeavors.

We had a really good time and the race was extremely well run and supported.  The post race spread included pizza and SAUSAGE ON A STICK.  This was freaking awesome.  I had two sausages on a stick and should of had like three more.  They were glorious.  This was a unique race with the bridge and the cool ramp leading up to the bridge and we will do this one again.  And if you are the RD and read this report please include SAUSAGE ON A STICK at every race you direct and you will have a groupie/stalker from this point on!

Annie and I finished the race with identical times of  2:04:35,  which was a pace of 9:30/mi.  This was a little slow for Annie as she did San Antonio about 10 minutes faster but the bridge added quite the degree of difficulty and she was using this as a training run.  

Some of you may wonder how a couple could run together for 2 hours without an argument ensuing and the answer is simple:  Annie used an iPod!  I tend to be quite chatty when running and even more so when running at an easy pace like this - I actually toned it down for the video!  At about Mile 12 I was rambling on aimlessly and Annie looked at me with a stern look and said, "Could you please just be quite for the last mile?"  So I shut up and we ran it in - Good times!

Ruth Ann and Patrick both finished under there goal times and a special congrats goes out to Patrick for finishing his first half marathon!

Post Race with our cool Finisher Medals:  The bottoms are bottle openers!!!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff


20 comments:

  1. Number 1 - Yee-Haa!!!!!

    Let me say that it might just be a man woman thing b/c I love to talk on the run and Karen puts her iPod in and just ignores me.

    Secondly - I have now pee'd myself and thrown up on my monitor b/c of the bouncing video. Although I will say that is a really cool idea.

    Thirdly - great header. Love the Star.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good job with the race! That bridge looks so cool! I can't believe you start Ironman training next week! That's so crazy!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congrats... I love that you ran together and didn't fight - that's a huge accomplishment in itself if you are anything like my husband and I! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sausage on a stick? Who knew? Now I have to try that sometime but looks like I may need to head to Houston for that since that is the only race I've ever heard of having that. Pizza? Not as special anymore. Pretty cool that the medals are bottle openers too. The RD's are getting fancier by the year with the designing of their medals. I guess when marathons are a dime a dozen now, you gotta have something unique to draw runners to your marathon...like sausage on a stick! You so need to get a flip. You will LOVE it. I love mine. Well actually, Joel loves it more b/c he is my videographer. By the way, Joel and I ran several full marathons together but we just didn't talk b/c we would argue about the pace. The finishing together photo is totally worth it though. He asked me what I wanted for C-mas, as if the wheels he bought me weren't enough, and I said, i wanted him to start running with me again (insert big aaawwww here).

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Pee break video is hilarious!!!

    Sausage on a stick, eh? If I ever RD a race I will make sure that is included.

    Glad you guys had a good run!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sausage on a stick... intriguing.

    Love the fact that Annie told you shut up, albeit nicely :)

    Is that Smirnoff Ice in the last picture? My wife might actually run for that! haha

    ReplyDelete
  7. Let me just clear this up. Jeff, just wasn't being chatty. Right at mile 12, his quote to me was, "How does it feel to be married to such a badass?" Now, he may be a badass, but really, not something I need to discuss during the last mile of my run. Just saying.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, and yes, that was Smirnoff. I think all races need to offer that from now on!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great job to you and the wife! Sausage on a stick! That totally rocks but not something you would find in "granola-eating" Colorado!

    I guess I need to race more in Texas!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great race recap!! Awesome that you guys ran together and had such a fun time. I've never seen post-race sausage on a stick and am now completely jealous!

    ReplyDelete
  11. "How does it feel to be married to such a badass?" HHAAHAHAHAHA no wonder Annie told you to shut your trap.

    Actually, I am a chatty runner too. I usually run alone, but when I get someone to run with me I am so happy I just can't stop talking. So there goes Jason's man/woman thing right out the window. ha ha

    It is so cool you guys ran together, and what an awesome recap.

    I want sausage on a stick now, thanks. They don't do that in Caratunk.

    ReplyDelete
  12. the only thing better than sausage on a stick? bacon-wrapped sausage on a stick!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love the on the spot reporting. I wanted to do this for an IM race, but I fear they would ban me from future races.

    On the "never been over the bridge before"...I will be you never went through the Washburn tunnel, either...

    ReplyDelete
  14. SO
    FREAKING
    Awesome.

    I'm with Caratunk Girl - hilarious.

    Who's the dude in the back seat?! Did I miss something in the write up?! ;) Annie is beautiful. Ehhh, you are ok. ;)

    Loved the videos.

    Awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  15. ummm or "dude-ette"?!

    Don't want to offend anyone.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Haha, I love that people take cameras during races. You get more of a "i was there feeling"!!!

    Congrats to both of you for completing the race and getting good times too!

    and I quote, "and that is why I advocate not hydrating" CLASSIC! hahaha!

    I also love that you don't have the texas accent haha. WOOHOO MIDWEST!

    Keep these race reports coming!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Awesome finishers medals!

    And that was hilarious about you rambling and her asking you to shut up for the last mile! Sounds familiar :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Looks like a fun (and windy) run!
    Did I hear you say "its still pretty cold out here" in the second vid?

    ahem--- 2 degree F this morn here!


    D

    ReplyDelete
  19. You should have titled this "THe Blair Witch Project - Runners Edition"

    Congrats to the both of you

    ReplyDelete
  20. "Could you please just be quite for the last mile"....LOL...I love it.

    ReplyDelete