SWEAT AND SHIVERS
As runners warmed up, spectators tried not to get too cold
As the runners broke a sweat, the fans began to shiver.
About 27,000 marathoners and half-marathoners warmed up quickly as they raced through Houston on Sunday morning, shedding clothing along the routes despite the near-freezing temperature. Spectators, meanwhile, raided their closets at dawn, scrambling for littleused hats and scarves to shield against the lingering cold front.
The annual Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon were the coldest they’ve been in years, a far cry from the summer-like temperatures that scorched runners last year. The thermometer read 34 degrees at 7 a.m., and it was scarcely warmer by the time the frontrunners crossed the finish line.
It wasn’t frigid enough to cause injuries. Marathon spokeswoman Muffy King said none of the athletes had weather-related health issues, though race crews doled out heat blankets at the finish line for when sweat turned cold.
Fans, meanwhile, lugged their own blankets downtown in the early hours. Hardly anyone who gathered early at the finish line
went without thick layers.
Sebastián Nunez arrived to the finish line at 6 a.m. and pulled a heavy gray hat over his ears. He had two-and-a-half hours until his girlfriend and her mother completed the half marathon.
By 8:15 a.m., the bright morning sun had risen high enough to move the mercury a degree or two, but Nunez could still see his breath as he waited. Just a few more minutes, he hoped.
“When I first got here, it was freezing,” he said.
Spectators cheered the early finishers with the muffled clap of gloved hands. As the wait wore on, the line for hot drinks grew steadily longer.
Richard Peiffer checked the time: 8:45 a.m. He had about an hour before his wife and oldest daughter finished the half marathon, so he joined 15 others in line for hot chocolate.
He bought two cups for his young daughters, ages 6 and 12. Their cheeks flushed pink as they played nearby in hats and furry boots.
“This will get them warmed up,” he said.
Denise Click, shivering even in a fur-lined jacket, rooted through a wagon filled with bags of headbands, scarves and gloves. She and her friend had a miserable time watching the marathon on a cold and rainy day years ago, so this time, they pooled their gear.
“It was horrible,” she said “We came prepared.”
Deborah Brock layered up too, starting with thermal underwear. She added several shirts and scarves and wrapped her hands around a hot mug.
“The coffee helps,” she said.
Other spectators reminded their friend that in Houston, cold is a relative term. John DeFayne, who moved from Pennsylvania to Texas 15 years ago, shrugged at having to don a hat and windbreaker.
“It’s mild for what I’m used to,” he said.
To Pablo Quiroga, however, the chill felt especially acute. He trained for the marathon in the warmth of Mexico City and arrived to Houston on Friday as the temperature dropped well below average.
The start of the run was cold, he said, but adrenaline kicked in quickly. He finished the race, his first in Houston, in 3 hours and 8 seconds.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “But the weather was definitely a surprise.”
katherine.blunt@chron.com twitter.com/katherineblunt