Phillip Paris Leaves Colin Hamilton Hanging: The 4AM Houston Marathon Text
What do you get when you mix a guy who got hit by a car at 14, another who abandoned his marathon buddy via 4AM text, and enough curry paste to feed a small army? This episode of DFW Running Talk.
Join Chris as he sits down with Colin Hamilton and Philip Paris, two runners whose friendship was forged through shared miles, questionable life choices, and an inexplicable love of Indian food. Colin's journey starts with getting literally run over by his brother's girlfriend (yes, really) and somehow leads to a brief but legendary ice cream empire that had people offering him business deals while he just wanted to make frozen treats for fellow runners.
Philip's story is slightly less dramatic but equally relatable – from soccer player to cycling enthusiast to the guy who did Couch to 5K, immediately detrained, then somehow convinced himself a 4-mile Turkey Trot was achievable. Spoiler alert: it was.
The conversation takes some serious turns as Colin opens up about mental health, panic attacks, and learning when to say no to opportunities that look good on Instagram but feel terrible in real life. Meanwhile, Philip navigates the beautiful chaos of new parenthood while trying to maintain his sub-3 marathon dreams and wondering if he'll ever sleep through the night again.
From terrible marathon training advice (running every workout at race pace, anyone?) to the wind-battered disaster that was Houston 2025, these two prove that running journeys are rarely linear – and that's exactly what makes them worth sharing.
Topics covered: Injury recovery, marathon training disasters, mental health in running, entrepreneurship burnout, parenting while training, finding your running community, and why your watch doesn't actually tell you how fast to run.
Perfect for runners who've ever questioned their life choices at mile 20.
Creators and Guests
Host
Chris Detzel
As a seasoned technology leader with over 20 years of experience, I specialize in building and nurturing thriving communities both running and technical
Guest
Colin Hamiltion
Colin Hamilton's running story begins with what might be the most memorable origin tale in the sport: getting run over by a car at age 14. Missing his spine by just two millimeters, Colin broke his pelvis and spent the next six years convinced he'd never run past two miles without pain. It turns out the biggest obstacle wasn't his injury – it was his own mind. A college challenge to "just try running three miles" unlocked something Colin didn't know he had. What started as casual stress relief from his high school teaching job evolved into a full marathon obsession, though his training approach for that first race can only be described as "enthusiastically misguided." Armed with Hal Higdon's beginner plan and the brilliant strategy of running every single workout at race pace, Colin somehow survived his debut marathon – even if it was technically 0.3 miles short due to a wayward lead cyclist. Eleven marathons later, Colin has learned a thing or two about training smarter, not just harder. His journey hasn't been linear: along the way he built a brief but legendary ice cream empire during COVID, experienced panic attacks that forced him to step back and reevaluate everything, and discovered that sometimes the most important runs are the ones where you ignore your watch completely. A Dallas-area high school teacher who believes your watch tells you how fast you ran, not how fast to run, Colin has become an advocate for mental health in running and the importance of saying no to opportunities that look good on social media but feel terrible in real life. When he's not teaching teenagers or plotting his next 5K PR attempt, you'll find him trading curry recipes with best friend Philip Paris or making small-batch ice cream for fellow runners. Colin's current mission: prove that 31 isn't too old for more PRs, qualify for Boston on his own terms, and help other runners remember that the best pace is the one that lets you show up tomorrow. Philosophy: "If you're helping someone else, it's probably going to benefit you in some way too."
Guest
Phillip Paris
Philip Paris is a Dallas-area runner who proves that the scenic route to marathon success is often the most interesting one. After a brief soccer career in high school (where he was "fast but not very good"), Philip discovered endurance sports through cycling, conquering the metric century at Hotter Than Hell before realizing that Texas summers and bike seats don't mix well. His running journey began in earnest in 2013 with wife Rebecca, starting with Couch to 5K and immediately detraining because apparently one 5K was enough cardio for two years. A family Turkey Trot threat in 2015 reignited their running passion, leading them to sign up for a Run Project race package and eventually discover the Dallas Running Club. Philip went from struggling with the concept of running past 3.1 miles to posting a marathon PR of 3:16 – though he'll be the first to tell you that journey included plenty of detours, including getting placed in DRC's 2:25 half marathon group and surprising everyone (including himself) by actually running 2:22. These days, Philip balances sub-3 marathon dreams with the realities of being a new dad to son Owen. When he's not chasing toddlers or trying to squeeze in track workouts before bedtime routines, you can find him trading curry recipes with running buddy Colin Hamilton or calculating whether he has enough energy left for Houston 2026. His running philosophy has evolved from "how fast can I go?" to "how do I fit this around nap schedules?" – a transition every parent-runner will recognize. Philip believes that sometimes the best training plan is simply showing up, and that running with people faster than you is the quickest way to discover you're capable of more than you thought. Current goals: Sub-3 marathon, consistent sleep, and mastering the art of one-handed stroller pushing.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.