Ficker, Tuhabonye Lead the Way as Runners Train Through RunTex 20-Miler

An Arctic blast lowered the temperature in Central Texas to the teens this weekend, as runners lined up for the RunTex 20 Miler.

With the temperature hovering around 18 degrees at the race’s start in front of Georgetown High School, most runners were dressed in full winter gear.

But the sun came out, and the fact that there was no wind made for pretty good running weather. That, plus the fact that the rolling country side east of Georgetown is great for running.

“I loved the course. It was beautiful,” said women’s winner Desiree Ficker.  “Big open farmland. Once the sun came out, I really started to enjoy it.”

Local hero Gilbert Tuhabonye has never been a big fan of the cold. But like most runners in the 20-Miler, he wanted to get in a good 20-miler as he rounded out his training for the Austin Marathon.

Running solo, he opened up easy with a six-minute per mile pace, passing through the first ten miles right at 60 minutes before picking it up to around 5:50 or so..

“The cold bothered me somewhat,” said Tuhabonye.”First, I probably overdressed. And second, it was so cold that it was hard for me to drink at the water stops. I’d say anything over 35 degrees would be ideal for me.”

Tuhabonye, who placed second in the Austin Marathon last year in 2:31:58. is entered again this year, and like many others, used the 20 miler as one of his final long runs leading up to the marathon on February 14.

“The goal for me today was to see how I’ll feel running the marathon and to get in a long run,” he said after breaking the tape Navigating in 1:59:01, a 5:57 pace. Joining Tuhabonye for the Austin Marathon will be aces Keith Pierce and Derick Williamson on marathon day, and he plans on racing hard.

Williamson, who leads the Distance Challenge series, finished second in 2:01:45, with Ficker finishing third overall (2:06:01), topping the women’s field. Adam Reiser took fourth (2:06:02) and Todd Withycombe rounded out the top five in 2:08:23.

“The goal for me was just to get in a good training run,” said Williamson. “This week and next week are pretty big training weeks for me, and I plan on racing 3M, so the last thing I want to do right now is trash my legs.”

Dominating the women’s race Ficker settled in to a comfortable 6:18 pace, running with Reiser much of the way.

“It was pretty cold out there. The first mile was really slow,” she said. “I think I was still frozen. But then the sun came out, and I started running around 6:15 pace, clipping out the miles and enjoying it.

Ficker is planning on running 3M and then the Austin Marathon as she gets in shape for the triathlon season next spring and summer, but may throw in a marathon along the way.

“I’m thinking about doing London,” said Ficker, who finished tenth in the New York marathon last fall, second among American women.

Jennifer Harney took second in 2:20:47, with Ivi Kerrigan pulling up third in 2:26:22.

 “Today was my longest run,” she said. “I’m only running about 35 miles a week,” said Harney who hopes to run around 3:10 for the marathon. I ran the Austin Marathon last year with two stress fractures, so I’m keeping my mileage low and trying not to get injured.”

In the 20-Miler, Michael Budde (2:10:09) and Marlene Hicks (2:32:51) were the top masters of the day

Runners have just two weeks before the 3M Half-Marathon. Set for January 24, it’s the final race in the Distance Challenge before the full marathon.