2025 Haunted Marathon

The Background

After a DNF at Canal Corridor 100, I wanted to race again and find some redemption. So I signed up for the Haunted Marathon in Temple, Texas the next weekend.  This company US Road Running had been putting on a lot of small, no-frills races with short loops in Temple and other places and had now expanded to marathon distance there.  Temple is slightly farther than I like to drive for such a race, but not too bad. 

I had been ultra training, so I had little time to switch to road marathon training.  After recovering, I ran 5-mile runs at 9ish-minute pace on Thursday and Friday, with the race Saturday.  My legs had been strong in the last 2 races, so I thought there was a chance I could run the whole thing.

The Race

The course was a 1.64 mile out and 1.64 mile back on a sidewalk at a park, with 8 loops total for the marathon. The race had no electrolyte drinks.

I started out with a couple of 9-minute miles, then held steady at 10-minute miles.  My right calf and shoulder were hurting, signs I later figured out meant I was cramping from lack of electrolytes. By 11 miles, I was dead.  I switched to hiking 14-minute miles, with bits of running thrown in.

I felt bad and wanted to quit. The loop went right past the parking lot with my car, so that was a temptation. But I said, "I have never DNFed a road marathon, and I am not starting now."

There were 4 runners in the marathon. One guy was running at a 4-hour pace, so he had me beat.  There was a guy in a white shirt who had been behind me when I was running, then passed me when I was hiking. I worried that I would be the only one left for an hour or so, and the workers/volunteers would be waiting for me.  That was ridiculous, as I paid my entry fee and the cutoff was six hours. Still, I knew I would be cutting it close and hiked hard.  I calculated at 15-minute pace I would make it with 20 minutes to spare. 

A good thing about the course was you could see where the other runners were a lot of the time. At some point with under 10 miles to go, I saw the guy in the white shirt walking over a mile ahead of me. This gave me extra motivation to push, as maybe I could catch him. 

At this point, it was hot.  I finished all the gels I had brought, and was drinking as many cups of water I could and eating fruit snacks the race provided.

As I approached the end of the 6th loop, the guy in the white shirt passed me headed out the other way.  I calculated he was about 12 minutes ahead of me at this point. As we reached the turn around, I had cut that distance considerably. 

At the end of the 7th loop, I could see him up ahead, and he stopped for a bit and stretched at the finish line, which allowed me to catch up further. We passed by each other on the sidewalk toward the finish line.

I got some water and a fruit snack.  A worker/volunteer thought I had finished due to a glitch in the timing, and it took a few seconds to explain to her that I still needed to go out on another loop.  

The runner with the white shirt was now further ahead but in sight.  I slowly cut the distance between us until at the final turnaround it was a few yards.  On the way back, I ran for a short burst to get ahead of him, then hiked hard to keep him behind me.  I finished in 5:40, with the other runner a minute and a half behind me. 

I finished 2nd place out of 4 finishers.

After finishing, I lied down for a minute in the shade next to the restrooms.  My left leg cramped up, and I was not sure I could stand.  Finally, I could stand up, prepared to take an ultrarunner's shower by pouring jugs of water on myself.  I poured about half a jug, but felt like I was about to faint.  I staggered to my car, and threw myself on the car seat still sweaty. I cranked up the air and tried to sip a coke.  Then, I thought I would be better off drinking water, and I honked my horn until I got the attention of a worker/volunteer, who got another guy to bring me water. Before he could bring it, I threw up out my car door on the parking lot. After drinking the water and then the coke, I was in better shape and went back to wash myself off and get changed.

Reflections

This race showed me how sometimes a race does not go well, but you can work for a good effort. I paced poorly and crashed.  But I still worked very hard to finish.  

Also, this year at Great Springs Trail Race - Austin, I trudged to a finish without competing as hard as I should have.  That too was a small race, and I would have won an award if I had worked hard to beat a guy who was in front of me.  This time, I raced against the guy in front of me and earned 2nd place overall.  I had told myself that if I was 3rd place out of 3 finishers, I would not care that much about the award, but if I worked hard to beat someone I would. 

Objectively, a 5:40 road marathon is not a great performance for me at this time.  But the effort I put in to earn the 2nd place made it a great race for me.

Obviously, I should had brought my own Gatorade.

I am heading into road marathon season, so I need to work on my pacing in training and races.

Thanks to the God, Terri, friends and family, and the workers and volunteers for the support! 

2011 USA Fit Marathon

Retrospective Race Report

I started running in January of 2010.  I had a slight background in running, as I had done cross country in 7th grade.  But I had pretty much been physically inactive for 18 years.  When I was a teacher, I was on my feet a lot.  But then I got a job in the central office.  I sat at my desk and had fast food for lunch.  My weight ballooned to 203 pounds.

Deciding to do something, I started running on the treadmill, one song run, one song walk.  Then I read Jim Fixx's Complete Book of Running and started running outside. 

I signed up for 5ks and started chipping away at my time as I dieted and lost weight.

2010 Rise and Shine 5k

2010 Dad's Day 5k

2010 Monster Dash

I won first place in my age group.

Marathon Training

I decided to run a marathon.  I loved the idea of earning a medal for the marathon. I followed Hal Higdon's marathon training plan.

I remember my first longer run was at Austin's Town Lake:

For 2011, Houston Marathon had a lottery, and I did not get in.  So I signed up for the 2011 USA Fit Marathon.

I decided to complete a series of races designed to build up to the Houston Marathon, which would still work for USA Fit.  

The first was the 2010 Space City 10 Miler.  I finished in 1:16, 7:38 place, 171th out of 830 finishers.  This was the first time I thought I might be good at running.

Then I ran the 2010 Houston Half.  I finished in 1:48 I think.  Incidentally, I used this result to bypass the Houston Marathon lottery the next year and get in.

Then I ran the HMSA 25k:

Finally, I ran the Sugarland 30k. I had run a 20-mile training run before that, then one more 20-mile training run after.

2011 USA Fit Marathon

I went out too fast, and crashed. Somewhere in the last few miles, I looked across a field at businesses and wondered if I should ask for a ride back.  Reduced to a walk in the last 3 miles or so, I trudged along as people passed me. But I completed the marathon in 4:57.

At the time, I thought the race was a disaster.  While I paced very poorly, the overall time was decent. Years later, I would celebrate a sub-5-hour marathon.  Regardless, I had finished my first marathon.  

2011 Gusher Marathon

Retrospective Race Report

After crashing at my first marathon at USA Fit, I wanted to give it another try. At the Gusher, I went out slower, and it paid off.  I ran the whole thing. I remember running past an oil derrick and running on some brick areas.

I remember running towards the end slowly with a couple of guys, one who was wearing what I think was a red bandana and maybe a cowboy hat saying, "We got us a pack going!" I felt like I had been hit with a ton of bricks, but I kept running.

At the time, I thought it was just a okay performance.  As of 2025, it is still my 3rd fastest marathon time. 

I was 3rd place in my age group.  I lost the award in my divorce, which is a great regret.

Post Race

2011 Frankenthon Marathon

Retrospective Race Report

After I had improved my performance at the Gusher Marathon, I remember waiting for what seemed like forever to race again.  I was not tuned into trail running at this point, and the Frankenthon may have been the next road marathon in Texas. Regardless, I remember thinking the Frankenstein theme was really cool.  I wanted the race-themed socks.

I remember at some point walking a bit in an area like a park or sidewalk.  But overall I ran most of it.  I was 14 minutes slower than at the Gusher.  I think there was a bit of smooth trail, but the terrain was not excuse.  I was not in as good of shape as at the Gusher.  

Still, I was 54th out 133 finishers, so not too bad.

Results

2012 Texas Trails Endurance Run 50 Mile

Retrospective Race Report

I was feeling strong after my finish at Cactus Rose 50 Mile.  I think I signed up for the Texas Trails  Endurance Run 50 Mile after that one, as this season had not been fully planned out. This was at Huntsville State Park.

I think the cutoff was 12 hours or so, and runner at the start said that was fast.

I headed out a a fast pace, trying to compete.  I remember at an aid station asking if there were folks ahead of me, and someone said that a bunch had come through. 

At some point a crashed, but I do not think I walked that much. The pace was 12:06, which shows I pretty much ran most of it.  In 2025, it was still my 2nd fastest 50 miler.

I remember my ex-wife went to a family party after dropping me off, and I had to wait a long time in the dark to be picked back up. 

 

2012 Cactus Rose 50 Mile

Retrospective Race Report

I am pretty sure I scouted out Hill Country State Natural area prior to Cactus Rose and was wearing Hokas for this race.  I do not remember too much other than climbing a hill and turning a corner to head back down and then sitting at the finish in a chair looking at the medal that said 50 miles.  Definitely a good performance for me for my first 50 miler. The pace was 13:55, compared to 13:49 at Bandera early next year. 

2013 Capt'N Karl's Colorado Bend

Retrospective Race Report

I really don't remember anything about this race.  So I will focus on the results.  My pace was 15:35 at Muleshoe compared to 13:55 at Cactus Rose on somewhat harder terrain. So I was really slowing down.  I had not figured out compression shorts and Desetin yet, so I think my chafing issues had begin by this point.