2 Weeks to Houston

By Zika Rea

Here we are—just two weeks away from the big day. Honestly, I’m a little impressed with myself. A year ago, I set a goal to run the Houston Marathon, and here I am, still sticking with it. In 2023 I probably ran about 300 miles and in 2024 I’ve run over 1600. As I reflect on the past few months, I realize the journey itself has been more rewarding than I imagine the finish line will be. Maybe that’s not the ideal mindset, but having a purpose to lace up my shoes and run most days has been genuinely enjoyable. That said, there’s been no shortage of whining and complaining along the way—just ask my running friends or family! 

I won’t lie—there have been moments when I questioned my decision to commit to the marathon distance. Training has been tough! Some workouts felt great, others nearly crushed me. I’ve had long runs that left me on a high and others that just flat-out sucked. Still, every time I finish a run, whether it was awesome or awful, I feel both proud of what I’ve accomplished and a little overwhelmed knowing it’s just one small part of the larger process of preparing for race day.

Recovery and mindset have played a huge role in this experience. After a tough workout, I often feel lousy on every run until it’s time to push myself again. That part? Definitely not so fun. But over time, I’ve learned to be okay with really slow recovery runs—and sometimes even taking an extra day off when my body needs it. I’ve also discovered something about myself: my competitive nature can easily drain the joy out of running.

As my fitness improved this fall and I started hitting some great workouts, my expectations for race day grew. What started as excitement turned into mounting pressure. Suddenly, I found myself dreading workouts and long runs, wondering, What if I can’t do this? What if I fail? Balancing the challenge of pushing myself with the need to actually enjoy the process has been tricky. I’ve had to pause many times and remind myself why I started this whole journey in the first place. My goal wasn’t just to complete a marathon—it was to get back in shape and rediscover my love for running. And in that sense, I think I’ve succeeded. More importantly, the best part of this experience has been the friendships: making new ones, reconnecting with old ones, and sharing laughs during our workouts.

Along the way, I even ended up running a couple of races I hadn’t originally planned on: a local 10K and the Mistletoe Half Marathon in Winston-Salem. Funny enough, the reason I signed up was pretty straightforward—I wanted to qualify for the A Corral in Houston. No offense, but I wasn’t keen on starting at the back. I initially signed up for the half marathon to get a qualifying time, only to realize afterward that it was too late to submit it. So, with only two days’ notice, I registered for the Spooky Duke 10K in Boone, hoping to get my time there.

It wasn’t exactly ideal timing. The race was after a tought 10 day training block- 12×1200, a 20 miler and a solid fartlek- I was still struggling to recover. I can honestly say I’ve never felt worse in a race. Even during the warm-up, running a 9:00 pace felt like a battle, and I kept telling myself I’d feel better once the race started. Spoiler: I didn’t. The race was cold, windy, and somehow managed to feel uphill the entire way—even on the downhills. Still, I pushed through, finishing in 46:58 and securing my time for Houston. It was all grit, no flow. Every muscle in my body hurt afterward—abs, shoulders, back, legs—you name it. I fought hard to finish 3rd overall, but the experience was a harsh reminder of something I’ve come to terms with: in my current life as a runner, I don’t really enjoy hurting like that anymore.

About three weeks after the 10K, I ran the half marathon. Even though I got sick over Thanksgiving, this race went much better. It was still freezing—22 degrees—and incredibly hilly, but I felt so much stronger. I finished in 1:41:47 with a killer negative split. Heading into the race, I didn’t know what to expect and honestly thought I’d run quite a bit slower, so hitting that time was a pleasant surprise.

Unfortunately, the weeks that followed weren’t as smooth. That Thanksgiving cold never really went away—it lingered and eventually turned into a sinus infection. (Yes, I finally went to the doctor and got some medicine.) Combine that with Christmas, travel, and all the holiday festivities, and my expectations for Houston have dipped a little. Still, I’m excited to head down there—not just to run the race, but to soak in the experience of being back in the running world. More than anything, I’m looking forward to reconnecting with the many friends who’ve come into our lives through running.