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 highway working 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 easy one. However after rolling by 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 consequence she had needed, however it was a worthwhile –and typically painful– studying expertise.
“I discovered simply how brutal a marathon was,” Kemp informed reporters at a press convention right here this morning. The 29 year-old former NC State star will likely be working the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday, and is hoping to channel some good power 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 superb expertise, and working a quick PB,” Kemp mentioned. The Brooks-sponsored athlete continued: “I hope to run one other huge PB.”
That would definitely be an affordable aim. Utilizing the time-tested Riegel Formulation, her half-marathon private finest 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 optimistic at the moment as she mirrored on her previous two races right here.
“It’s been such a superb expertise since I’ve come to Houston,” Kemp mentioned. “Even at the moment, 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 at all times such a super-nice break, and the working is at all times implausible.”
However Kemp –who relies in Windfall, Rhode Island– might have introduced a few of that chilly New England climate together with her. A chilly snap is predicted to reach right here starting on Saturday evening 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 finished all the pieces to organize for this signature occasion,” Mayor John Whitmire informed the media this morning at a press convention. “We’re doing all the pieces that the town can do to organize for this climate shifting in. We’ll have ten warming facilities arrange for any Houstonian who must get out of the climate.”
Kemp didn’t appear too involved concerning 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 working so nicely that she didn’t even discover a lot concerning the course. She mentioned that’s a superb factor.
“I don’t bear in mind a single factor about it,” Kemp mentioned, prompting laughs from the gallery. “Which is nice, as a result of while you’re working longer distances the most effective races are while you zone out, and be in that movement state, and simply run to the most effective of your capacity. 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: working in the dead of night. She mentioned that may be disorienting, making it exhausting to really feel your true tempo.
“I believe the largest problem will likely be nearly the identical problem as working 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 recognize it’s going to be a superb day, and it’s so, so exhausting 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 a little bit bit.” She continued: “You form of don’t know what to do, and that little little bit of worry of the darkish makes you form of, like, wish to run a little bit quicker. I believe simply staying calm these first few miles would be the largest problem.”
A quartet of Ethiopians –Tsige Haileslase, Sifan Demise, Anna Dibaba, and Kumeshi Sichala– ought to be battling it out for the general title and the $50,000 first prize, and would possibly chase Keira D’Amato’s occasion file of two:19:12, which might set off a $35,000 bonus. Guided by Coach Benninger, Kemp will likely 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 the best way to be sturdy sufficient to double it and actually compete on the finish,” she mentioned. “I believe we’ve nearly figured it out.”
