This year marked Sarah’s twelfth Aramco Half Marathon, and it was a special one—it was Chloe’s first half marathon!
Since Chloe qualified for Corral A, we all got to start together, which made the whole experience even better. We had a blast the night before, laying out all our race gear and making sure we were ready for the big day.
With an incoming Enzo cold front, we knew race day would be chilly—temps feeling like the 20s and plenty of wind to keep things interesting.
Race Morning – The Early Grind
Alarms went off at 4 AM, and we were up and fueling for the long run ahead. Once we took care of the essentials (yes, emptying the bladders is a must), we headed downtown, following our usual race-day routine.
A quick walk from the Toyota Center garage to the GRB Convention Center landed us in the middle of thousands of nervous and excited runners. This was the moment it hit Chloe—this was a BIG deal.
The night before, over our traditional pre-race dinner at Ciro’s, we came up with a race plan: start at an 8:40-ish pace and gradually speed up every four miles, depending on how everyone felt. After plenty of time to stretch and loosen up, we dropped off a gear bag filled with recovery drinks and warm clothes for after the race.
Then, it was time to head to Corral A. We did a slow jog to warm up and found a quiet alley to run some strides before lining up. The excitement was building—elite runners took off, the crowd was buzzing, and we got to see so many familiar faces getting ready to race.
The Race – Cold, Steady, and Strong
The start was freezing, and we all kept our layers on for the first few miles. Sarah and Chloe shed theirs around mile 3 or 4, while I stayed bundled up for the entire race.
Our splits were dialed in—both Sarah and Chloe found a solid groove right around 8:30 pace, so we held steady.
For anyone who’s run the Houston Half, you know that miles 10-12 are brutal—headwinds, a quieter course, and a real mental battle. But once we hit Allen Parkway, it was smooth sailing home. Chloe even had a little kick in the last half-mile, pulling ahead just a bit—congrats to her!
Post-Race – The Celebration
As always, Houston’s volunteers and spectators were incredible. Their energy makes this race one of the best every year.
And the best part? Chloe is already in for next year!
We couldn’t have asked for a better first family race together—same time next year? Absolutely.
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