Blast from the Past

Twenty-eight years ago today, (Feb. 16, 1980) I ran my first marathon. It was The Woodlands Marathon sponsored by The Woodlands Inn and Country Club. Even back then I wrote down in my log book a brief "race report" of the day.

Here is my entry from 1980
My first attempt at this distance. I was not properly trained having only a few solid weeks of training behind me. It was a very cold day in the 30's, snow flurries at the start and intermittent rain throughout the run. I surprised myself finishing in 3:44:36. I ran well up to the 18 mile point where I ran out of gas. From 23 on it was terrible. I couldn't feel my legs at all.

To clarify
I was in great shape having been running 40 miles a week for a year. "Only a few solid weeks of training" meant that I ran a few more miles for about six weeks going into this event. I was 23 years old, weighed 146 pounds, and had no clue what I was doing. I had seen someone wearing a marathon t-shirt and decided I would like to try and run one.

The Event
The entry fee was $7.00. We parked at The Woodlands Inn and Country Club and were bused to the start line at McCullough H.S now JR High.(I walk accross that start line each weekend now walking from the McCullough parking lot to WoodsEdge Church.) I remember being on an 8 minute per mile pace most of the way before the slowdown beginning at 18 miles. The driveway into the country cub was the longest 2/10ths of a mile I had ever run. I swore I would never run another marathon after I finished. (have run 54 more since)


My Goals
Not be depressed when I look back at my former fast times, try to be ready for San Antonio in November, & beat Jon Walk's TIR team in two weeks.