The Houston Marathon is my favorite marathon to run. Not only is it a great course but the crowd support for this race is incredible. It could be raining and cold, like it was in 2013, and people will still be out there cheering their hearts out for you. I've run the Houston Marathon 3 times in 2010, 2012, and 2013. While I'm not a veteran of the race I do have some tips for before and after the Houston Marathon.
1. Get to the GRB convention center EARLY!!!!
- If you do this you can avoid the traffic and find yourself some free street parking
- You can also claim a spot in the GRB convention center for you and your friends to stretch and get ready in.
- If you want to get your church on before hand, there's usually a Baptist and Catholic mass held inside the convention center. (Don't forget to get your feet blessed with Holy water.
2. Use the restroom FREQUENTLY!
- They will have plenty of port-o-potties on site so make sure you use them a lot! You should be well hydrated and because of this you'll be visiting these things frequently.
3. Get to the start line on time.
- It'll be hectic and the walk to the start line will be a long one this year so make sure to use the restroom and then head to the start line.
- The Houston Marathon has had some great weather in the past but it usually means that in the morning its pretty cold so you'll want something warm to put on until its GO TIME!
- After the race you don't want to be stuck in your sweaty salt stained clothes so after picking up your check-in bag you can find a changing room/bathroom to change in.
5. Bring some cash for a Pedicab.
- If this is your first marathon you might not be able to make that trek to your car before sundown. So you'll want to have some cash on hand for the plentiful of pedicab drivers willing to take you to your car. How much is it? Well they work off of tips so it's up to you.
6. Plan out a meeting place for your friends and family.
- If you decide to not bring your cell phone with you or if the battery goes dead on you, it'll be a good idea to figure out a meeting place.
- They will have a marked alphabetized meeting areas, so going by your last name as a meeting area would probably be best.
- Like I said this is probably my favorite marathon and if this is your 1st or your 50th marathon go out there and enjoy yourself. Houston will welcome and cheer you on with all its heart.
Are you running the Houston Marathon this year? Leave a comment below telling me what your goal is for it?
A couple I always throw in for Houston with relation to support: Always tell your support person (group) what side of the street to be on. Some spots are so crowded if you are on the wrong side of the street, you could miss them (happened to me). Also, if the weather cooperates, your support person may consider getting around on a bike. It's much easier to get around the course on a bike (because of the street closures) and they are able to get to more locations. Have a great race, I'll be cheering out there somewhere!
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ReplyDeleteGood advice, Jeremy.
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