2025 Seabrook Lucky Trails Marathon

The Background

I had been wanting to run the Seabrook Lucky Trails Marathon for years but had never gotten around to it.  Sometimes I called the season by Spring Break, and I remember 1 year I had surgery which prevented it.  I was looking forward to finally getting to run it.

Meanwhile, after starting the season strong, I had had a 2 challenging races the past 2 weekends.  It is logical that running the volume of races I was doing this year, 7 in 2 months, that I would not be at peak performance on some of them.  Especially since I threw in an extra race, Great Springs Trail Race Austin Marathon, last weekend.  

I drove to Seabrook and parked at a school designated for parking down the street from the start.  A bagpipe player played, which I thought was great.  

I was wearing my hat and shirt from Woodlands Marathon 2 weeks ago, which a lot of people commented on. I chatted with some 50-state marathoners, 1 who had run like 160 marathons, and 1 who had run 2,000!

The Race

It was a bit warm, humid, and muggy, though from time to time a breeze would help things.  I started off at high-10-minute miles. The course was 4 loops, running on smooth gravel trails by the bay.

As I was about 17.5 miles in, I felt beat, mentally and physically, right about the spot I ran out of steam at Woodlands Marathon.  I hiked a couple of miles in to finish the 3rd loop. But I put effort into it, maintaining a 15-minute pace even though I was hurting.

I remembered how I felt kind of disappointed in myself for not fighting as hard as I could have at Great Springs Trail Race Austin Marathon.  Obviously, I was not having a great race and hopes of finishing under 5 hours were out the window. But I could fight as hard as I could.  I made a goal of running .25 mile each mile, then hiking hard for the rest of it. I maintained this to the finish, finishing in 5:34.

Reflections

Well, I think it is clear that right now the volume I am racing is effecting individual performances. Or I  could just be in a mini slump. But I love racing, and I would rather have more adventures with some challenges.  Besides, I already had a couple fine performances for my abilities at Houston Marathon and Jackalope Jam 6 Hour this year.

I am glad I decided to fight.  I need to remember that sometimes the finishing time really doesn't matter as much as the effort I put in.

Thanks to God, Terri, James, Paloma, all my friends and family, the race organization, and volunteers for the support!