The Race Calendar Update

OK, so originally, I had posted a list of races I recommended you run during your training. I kind of want to revise and revisit that.

Mandy and I are still waffling (I think? I think we're waffling on waffling...) on running the Distance Challenge, which consists of these races:

1. Oct. 21 - IBM Uptown Classic K (sort of...)
2. Nov. 11 - EAS 10 Miler Run For the Water
3. Dec. 2 - Decker Challenge 20K
4. Jan. 6 - ARA 30 K Run of Death (OK, I edited the name - check out the course)
5. Jan. 27 - 3M Half Marathon
6. Feb. 18 - AT&T Marathon

Some of you ran the 10K, so, if you're willing to pay for your own chip (about $35), you can still run the whole series, if you're running the full marathon in February. You just have to get your chip and register by November 11, the day of the 10 miler.

Cost is one consideration - the 10 miler is $50, though RunTex has extended us a $5 discount (email me for the discount code). The money goes to an excellent cause - to help bring money to Gilbert Tuhabonye's village in Burundi.

The Decker Challenge is only $30 through October 31, then it goes up to $40. I'm checking on a similar discount there.

The 30K should be interesting, from the looks of the course. The 20 milers in the past couple of years have been epic, toughening experiences themselves. They seem to really strengthen bonds in running groups, and make for good stories. If you can get through this race, you're looking good for the marathon. I'd recommend it.

The 3M and Austin Marathon, are, of course, no-brainers.

For me, I may choose to run the White Rock full or half instead of the Decker Challenge, extending my half-unintentional Decker-avoiding streak. And, honestly, I'm still waiting to see what the Distance Challenge finisher's premium will be. I've heard rumors, and they have me less than excited. The cachet of running the series of races isn't quite enough of a pull for me, personally. Throw the jacket or even the goody-laden backpack from past years into the mix, and we'll talk.

For half marathoners, you're not going to want to run any of the races until 3M, because the mileage isn't really right for you. Many of you could run the 10 miler, but it would be a jump in mileage I'm not entirely comfortable with, and you certainly wouldn't be ready to push the pace for that distance, so you'd really just be running a route we run anyway, but paying to do it... But, you could say you finished a 10-mile race. Up to you.

Still, you should definitely try to pick some races up along the way. RunTex has a good calendar of upcoming events. If you want to know how to fit them into your schedule, talk to me. I do strongly recommend running both the 3M and the Austin Half Marathon, but you need to choose one of them to be your true goal race. Racing both of them all-out, with only three weeks in between, is tough.

Choosing which to make your goal is also a tough choice, because while 3M is faster, for many of you, it will be your first half marathon. It's pretty common for people to run the Austin Half, which is a more difficult course, faster than they ran the 3M, just because they have that first one under their belt. We can talk about all that later, though.

Again, running races is good experience - it gets you used to the logistics of a race, from what you eat the night before, to creating and solidifying you pre-race routine. And whether you think you're competitive or not, you need to be put into that race-day situation, to get a feel for the excitement and stress of running a race, and pushing yourself. For all the work you put into training, it would be silly to go into your goal race cold. Finally, it helps break up this long training period.

So, figure out what you want to do, talk to me about it, and start taking advantage of those early-bird discounts...