"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle—when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."
Source unknown.



Christoph F. Eick's Running Homepage

Brief Running History

I ran my first race in 1994 and got more serious about training and running races in 1998; I jogged, enjoyed downhill skiing, hiked, played volleyball and tennis before I picked up running. I am a member of the Bayou City Road Runners and HARRA. I am living near the Allen Park Way Loop (near the 3.25 mile marker) which definitely helps fitting my runs into my somewhat busy schedule. I am mostly self-coached although I train sometimes with Jon Warren's & Sean Wade's Kenyan Way group.

Running Mile 17 of the cold, wet and windy Houston Marathon on January 13, 2013 (Photo taken by Arie Moghaddam).

I completed 31 marathons (2 New York'95+'02, 6 Houston'96+'97+'03+'11+'13+'15, Califonia International'96, 4 Dallas White Rock'97+'01+'06+'09, 4 Austin '99+'02+'04+'14 (1999 Race Photo), 2 Boston'99+04, Shamrock'00, Madison'00, 2 Cleveland'01+'08, Steamboat Springs'04, New Orleans'05, Big Sur'06, Vermont City'07, Fargo'10, Orange County'13, San Francisco'14 and San Antonio'15; DNF: Houston'01, Buffalo'05, GreenBay'09; all finish times), running a 3:05:37 placing 125th in the 2003 Houston Marathon, and a 3:03:47 in the 2002 Austin Motorola Marathon. I won age group awards in the 2000 Madison Marathon, the 2002 Austin Marathon, and the 2004 Steamboat Springs Marathon. I also won top 500 finisher posters in the 1998 Crescent City Classic (placing 445th) and in the 2000 Crecent City Classic (placing 261st). I also ran a 5:16.7 in the Dec. 2001 Congress Avenue Mile, a 2:08:30 (6:54-pace) in Sugarland's First Colony 30K-race in December 2000, a 18:42 (6:02 pace) in the 2000 Bellaire Trolley Run, and a 1:27:17 (6:39-pace) in Houston's El Paso Energy Half Marathon ('Leader of the Compaq Marathon First Mile Hill' Photo taken by Jerry Robinson) in Jan. 2002.

I also ran 4 mountain races: Pikes Peak Ascent (almost 1.5 vertical miles!) in 1998, the Mount Washington (7.5M; elevation gain more than 600 feet per mile) in 1997, and Mount Evans Ascent (finish line at 14250 feet) in 2001, and the Eldora Mountain Trail 10K (Nederland, Colorado) in 2009. I enjoyed the scenery in all races; however, I have to report that I was not very fast going up those mountains. I also completed the Prickly Pear 50K (San Antonio, TX) in March 2010, the Skyline 50K (Castrovalley, CA) in August 2003 and the Bighorn Trail 53K (Dayton, WY) in June 2002 (Photos: 'Bighorn National Forrest Adventure Club', 'How the Tail Looks').

"The gun goes off and everything changes...the world changes...and nothing else really matters."
Patti Sue Plummer, Olympian.
2015/2016 Season Races
  • Second Third of 2015 Training Log
  • Su., October 11: Space City 10 Miler, Clearlake, Texas
  • Su., November 1: 3rd Annual Texas10, Katy, Texas
  • Su., November 22: HMSA Classical 25K Race, Houston, Texas
  • Su., December 6: San Antonio Marathon
  • Last Third of 2015 Training Log
  • Sa., February 20: Surfside Beach Half Marathon
  • Sa., March 26: Memorial Park 4 Mile Brunch Run, Houston, Texas.
  • First Third of 2016 Training Log
  • Sa., April 30: Unlikely, 38th Texas Exes Lone Star Stampede 10K Run, Houston, Texas.
  • Second Third of 2016 Training Log
    "Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never touched at all because we never push through the obstruction."
    ---William James, philosopher

    Interesting Links

    Christoph Eick's Running Training Advice Interesting Running Topics Non-Running Links Christoph F. Eick
    "Everyone who has run knows that its most important value is in removing tension and allowing a release from whatever other cares the day may bring."
    Jimmy Carter, US President

    Running the 2001 Congress Avenue Mile, Austin, Texas.

    "I cried twice out there. It was beautiful. The people along the way, standing there, cheering, yelling at you. I could't help myself. I cried twice."
    Walt Ganty, running at Boston.

    Running the San Franciso Marathon July 27, 2014.


    Last updated: April 28, 2016