Past Marathons
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2000 Austin Motorola Finish
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2001 (February) Motorola Austin Marathon, #5203, 3:16:52
My best marathon to date.  I finally had the time and discipline to do the long runs (at least 6-7 over 16 miles), and to push the pace continuously during some of the 15 or 16 milers.  I also got a lot of strength work done while training for 5K's and 10K's in the fall of 2000, including a great 10 mile race in Phoenix Arizona over Thanksgiving.  I opened the first half of the race on pace for 3:12, but I could not quite hold it for the last ~6 miles.  Even so, I entered a whole new world below 3:20, and felt like I could do even better with a little more time and training.  It was the second year of perfect Austin weather, with low temperatures no humidity.  Austin was becoming sacred territory for me - two consecutive personal records! A few images from the day:
 
Sprinting at the finish
Mid-race...I don't look very happy
Post-race group picture
Post-race with medal and emergency blanket
2000 (February) Motorola Austin Marathon, #5056, 3:26:30
Until Austin 2000, I feared that I would never be able to run much below 3:40.  I had done the long training runs, and I had exceeded an average of 40 miles per week for several consecutive months.  But, I realized during the months before the race that one or two long runs is not sufficient, and that running 7 miles everyday does not make up for cutting oneself short on the Sunday long run.  Andy and I did at least five training runs longer than 17 miles, including at least on 21-miler, and we ran at a pace that was almost identical to desired race pace (not slower as recommended previously).   I learned that total weekly mileage is not the #1 objective.  When Cecilia, Andy, and I arrived in Austin the day before the race, I was fairly confident that I could break 3:30, because I had almost done it already during training.  The weather was perfect on race day - dry and cool.  Andy and I paced ourselves perfectly, and had minimal drop-off in the last few miles.  I certainly felt bad at the end, but clocked in below my target for the day.  We drove two and a half hours back to Houston after the race, and enjoyed an afternoon of BBQing by the pool.  Images from the day:
 
Aaron sprinting for the finish
Andy at the finish line (note time is 30 sec slow)
1998 (January) Methodist Health Care Houston Marathon, #3805, 4:08:36
Disaster race....the temperature at the start was a balmy 70 degrees, with very high humidity.  I ran with Andy Zeiner, a friend from Houston.  Andy and I had done many long preparation runs together at Memorial Park, but not enough to prepare us for what was to come.  The mid-race temperature exceeded 80 degrees.  By mile 13 I was already behind on drinking, and by mile 16 I began to cramp.   I stopped and walked numerous times between mile 16 and mile 24, and had terrible cramps in various parts of my body.  I was so dehydrated that I even cramped in my head muscles!  I recovered a bit by mile 24, and was able to run the last 2 miles to the finish.  I saw many other runners with similar heat problems.  Andy does not generally sweat much when he runs, and did not dehydrate as badly during the race.  Andy definitely suffered during the last 5 miles, but managed to finish in a very respectable 3:45.  This was the first and last time (to date) that I ran the Houston marathon.
1998 (October) LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon, #21419, 3:40:50
I returned to Chicago in 1998 for my third Chicago marathon.  My goal was to beat 3:40 in the race, and in particular to beat Justin Guinney's time of 3:39 that he had run during our marathon together in Zion (when Dave and I dehydrated and walked).  I had gone with a group of friends to climb Mount Rainier in early September, which had interrupted my training schedule during the last few weeks before starting the taper.  But, I had still done a number of long preparation runs, and felt ready to break the 3:40 barrier that had eluded me thusfar.  I had a good pasta dinner at Papa Romano's with Aida and the Langilles on Saturday night, and went to bed shortly thereafter.

I opened up the first half of the race on pace to run 3:35, but I again had problems maintaining an 8:30 pace during the second half, in particular during the final six miles.  I finished at 3:40:50, just short of my target.  It was a new personal record, so I was still very happy.  I now attribute my late-race troubles to lack of long runs at actual or faster-than-actual race pace.  The weather was perfect again, and the Chicago crowds were fantastic.

After the race I went with my parents and Aida for a big meal in nearby Chinatown, and then met up with Alison at Buddy Guy's blues bar for a few drinks at the end of a very long day.  I was proud that I even lasted beyond dinner.  The following day I headed off to Michigan for a recruiting visit - I was certainly sore while standing during the presentation.

1997 (October) LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon, #17849, 3:45:40
After a horrible Zion marathon in April 1995, I took some time off to regroup and figure out what was missing from my training program.  I also went through several transitions and moves following my graduation from Michigan in August 1995, and I generally slacked on my running schedule.  I started working in Chicago in the fall of 1995, and spent a busy year consulting as an engineer during the day and going to graduate school at Northwestern University at night.  I did not like the position, and decided to move to Houston Texas in September 1996, just after completion of the Northwestern degree.

I began running again in Houston, and started serious training in the hot summer and fall of 1997.  It was during this time that I realized the benefit of the long preparation runs, which I had never done previously.  I returned to my home turf (downtown Chicago) in October of 1997 hoping for a new personal record.  I was joined by Vic Bolze and Chris Hysinger, two new friends from Houston, and by Aida.  We spent Saturday touring the city, and loading up on carbohydrates as usual.  I even had a beer at Barleycorn's.

The weather was dry and perfect on the morning of the race - a big change from the heat and humidity of my training environment in Houston.  Vic went to visit a cousin at Northwestern University, while Chris and Aida followed the marathon via subway and foot.  They were even able to stop for a quick lunch in Greektown during the middle stages of the race.  I finished in 3:45:40, a personal record, and a significant recovery from my previous performance in Zion.  I was very happy.

1995 (April) Zion Illinois Jenny Spangler Trustmark Marathon, #4385, 4:10:18
Dave Montes de Oca and I had run our first marathon in Chicago in October 1994, but we had not prepared sufficiently during the winter of 1994-1995 (no real long runs).  My college friend Greg Baker had also trained to run the Zion with us, but he came down with a bad case of strep throat only one week before the race.  Justin Guinney, another friend from college joined us for the race, and he used Greg's preregistered number.  Dave and I went out way too fast during the first half of the race.  We dehydrated, burned out, and had to walk on and off during the last 8 miles.  It was a big reality check after our first marathon success only six month earlier.  Justin ran with us until we started walking on the 17th mile, when he left us to finish in  very respectable 3:39 - his first and only marathon to date.  Some images from the day:
 
Aaron, Justin, and Dave before the start
Feeling good at mile 10 (but not for much longer)
1994 (October) LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon, #6485, 3:54:16
My first marathon.  The whole idea of running a marathon was conceived during a month-long camping trip following graduation, in June of the same year (1994).  Carl Huttenlocher, Greg Baker, and I were on a 4-day hike in Yosemite National Park.  On the second day we decided that pizza was more important than the backcountry, and we hiked at least 26 miles back into town.  It was a grueling 12-hour day of continuous hiking.  Baker did not walk for the next few days, because his feet were so bruised.  We concluded that running a marathon could not be much worse, and the idea was conceived.  I ran throughout the summer in Chicago, and started graduate school that September at the University of Michigan.  I met Dave Montes de Oca, who was also interested in the prospect of running a marathon, and he was already in decent shape.  We trained together during September.   Despite the fact that we never ran over 12 miles at any time during our training, Dave and I managed to maintain close to a 9 minute/mile pace, and break our 4:00 target during the race.  It was both a horrible and wonderful experience.  Image from the day:
 
Stretching with Dad before the race
First mile along the Chicago skyline
Mile 18 in Chinatown
Dave after the race

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