Saturday was our 2nd ZOOMA Austin group training run. We met at a local coffee shot and then hit the trails.
Wowza, let me tell you that trail just about kicked our butts. It was rough! We crossed water a few times and at one point we had to pull ourselves up a hill using tree roots. Hardcore for sure. Somehow we survived, got a laugh out of it, and agreed that's probably not the best route for us to be taking newbie runners on.
Sunday morning was the Austin Marathon. I have to tell you, I've been feeling a bit left out as friends and the city prepared for the big day. But I know skipping this year was best, I just didn't have enough of a running base after my injury. Thankfully, my buddy Shelley let me tag along with her group of spectators. We parked ourselves at about mile 15.5.
The male winner, Keith Pierce, came by first with a comfortable lead.(he won in 2:29:25)
Shelley's husband Frank (of The Frankenthon Marathon<--go there,put it on your race calender) was running the full. Austin was his 119th marathon. Oh yes, you read that right: 119 marathons. He ran a 3:13, which made me wonder why I surround myself with such speedy people (actually, as blazin' fast as that sounds to me... I think his PR is like 2:50ish. Sheesh!) Oh yes, I remember why: I'm hoping some of that speed rubs off on me. Congrats Frank!
That picture makes me chuckle. He is tossing his shirt to his wife, without even looking in her direction. Such focus, such drive, such determination! Wonder what would happen if I spent a little less time taking in the race scenery and more time looking ahead.
We hung around, checked out all the crazy things people ran in. Here we have a cone head. When I zoomed in on the pic I realized the cone says "Caution: Designated Drunk"
It wouldn't be Texas without a couple of cowboys. YeeHaw!
And then we spotted this beauty:
That is our Twitter friend, Steph. She just started blogging, check it out here. This was her second marathon in 3 weeks. She took a moment to catch her breath and slather on Vaseline and then we sent her on her way.
Congrats Steph!(and please forgive me, I did a terrible job as a photog)
I had a lot of fun as a spectator, but I have to say. I won't be watching it next year.
I'll be RUNNING it, in 3:13!!in my dreamsif Frank will pace me
Do you get out to spectate local races?
Who wants to run Austin next year?