TWO YEARS WISER, ERIKA KEMP TO TAKE A SECOND TRY AT THE MARATHON IN HOUSTON ON SUNDAY
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2025 Race Outcomes Weekly all rights reserved, used with permission.
HOUSTON (17-Jan) — When Erika Kemp got here into the 2023 Boston Marathon as a two-time nationwide street operating champion at 15 and 20 kilometers, who boasted a half-marathon private better of 1:10:14, she thought that the transition to the marathon distance could be a clean one. However after rolling by way of the primary 10-Okay in 35:26, on tempo for a 2:29:30 end, she slowed within the second half of the race and completed in a slower-than-hoped-for 2:33:57. She didn’t get the end result she had wished, however it was a precious –and generally painful– studying expertise.
“I realized simply how brutal a marathon was,” Kemp advised reporters at a press convention right here this morning. The 29 year-old former NC State star might be operating the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday, and is hoping to channel some good vitality from the 2 personal-best half-marathons she has run on this sprawling southeastern Texas metropolis, 1:10:14 in 2023 and 1:09:10 in 2024.
“I made a decision to run the total (marathon) this 12 months as a result of I constructed up some good course karma with coming to Houston and having a very good expertise, and operating a quick PB,” Kemp stated. The Brooks-sponsored athlete continued: “I hope to run one other huge PB.”
That will surely be an inexpensive objective. Utilizing the time-tested Riegel Method, her half-marathon private greatest converts to a 2:25:13 marathon, whereas her 10,000m private better of 31:28.69 converts to a 2:26:56. She was clearly feeling constructive as we speak as she mirrored on her previous two races right here.
“It’s been such a very good expertise since I’ve come to Houston,” Kemp stated. “Even as we speak, it was sunny and I didn’t want a puffer jacket. We’re deep into winter in New England proper now, so coming all the way down to Houston in mid-January is all the time such a super-nice break, and the operating is all the time incredible.”
However Kemp –who is predicated in Windfall, Rhode Island– might have introduced a few of that chilly New England climate along with her. A chilly snap is anticipated to reach right here starting on Saturday night time and ship uncommon, sub-freezing temperatures to this metropolis of two.3 million folks. That has triggered particular security protocols by each the race organizers and the native authorities.
“We now have actually executed every thing to organize for this signature occasion,” Mayor John Whitmire advised the media this morning at a press convention. “We’re doing every thing that the town can do to organize for this climate transferring in. We’ll have ten warming facilities arrange for any Houstonian who must get out of the climate.”
Kemp didn’t appear too involved in regards to the prospect of low temperatures. In Windfall –the place she trains below Canadian coach Kurt Benninger, the husband of 28-time USATF champion Molly Huddle– she’s been getting in loads of cold-weather miles and feels ready for the race right here. Throughout her final two appearances in Houston, she was operating so properly that she didn’t even discover a lot in regards to the course. She stated that’s a very good factor.
“I don’t bear in mind a single factor about it,” Kemp stated, prompting laughs from the gallery. “Which is nice, as a result of if you’re operating longer distances the very best races are if you zone out, and be in that circulation state, and simply run to the very best of your capability. I’ve had that have at any time when I ran in Houston.”
Houston’s very early begin time (6:55 for the marathon) does give Kemp one issue of concern: operating at nighttime. She stated that may be disorienting, making it onerous to really feel your true tempo.
“I believe the most important problem might be virtually the identical problem as operating within the half (which begins at 6:45 for the elites) which isn’t going out too quick,” Kemp defined. “You’re so excited. You understand it’s going to be a very good day, and it’s so, so onerous to tempo your self early within the first few miles as a result of it’s not super-hot right here and it’s additionally darkish, which throws me off somewhat bit.” She continued: “You sort of don’t know what to do, and that little little bit of concern of the darkish makes you sort of, like, need to run somewhat sooner. I believe simply staying calm these first few miles would be the greatest problem.”
A quartet of Ethiopians –Tsige Haileslase, Sifan Demise, Anna Dibaba, and Kumeshi Sichala– must be battling it out for the general title and the $50,000 first prize, and may chase Keira D’Amato’s occasion file of two:19:12, which might set off a $35,000 bonus. Guided by Coach Benninger, Kemp might be chasing her personal targets.
“I really feel so, so good with the half-marathon and the 20-Okay, and we simply spent the final couple of years actually attempting to determine learn how to be robust sufficient to double it and actually compete on the finish,” she stated. “I believe we’ve nearly figured it out.”
