Houston Running: Chronicle Letter to the Editor on Saturday

Houston Running

One of the leading sources for the discussion of Houston-area (and Texas as well) road racing. Focus and attention will be given to Houston-area runners, specifically HARRA members, that compete in outside-of-the-area events as well as those who do interesting things that aren't captured in the various media outlets, such as Inside Texas Running, Runner Triathlete News and Roberta MacInnis' Running Notebook in the Houston Chronicle (all fine publications and columns but with limitations too).

About Me

Name: WalkSports.com

Location: Spring, Texas, United States

I'm a mid-to-the back of the pack runner who probably enjoys promoting runners more than I do running myself ... I've completed 21 marathons (with a 4:47:32 PR! in Austin) and 52 half marathons (with a 2:09:58 PR! in Oregon) since November 2003 ... I've done a marathon in 12 states, half marathon in 23 and an event in 30 states and one Canadian province ... I have a 13-year-old daughter, Waverly Nicole, who completed her first half marathon in January 2006, made only two B's each of the last two years, was the only sixth grader to sing a solo (Carrie Underwood's Don't Forget To Remember Me) in their choir program (adding Taylor Swift's Tim McGraw in '08) and scored a 19 on the ACT in December 2007 as a seventh grader ... Waverly and I are members of the following clubs -- the Seven Hills Running Club, HARRA and The Woodlands Running Club ... I'm Marathon Maniac #308 ... I edit HARRA's Footprints in Inside Texas Running and write a column for Runner Triathlete News called, "Talking the Talk" ... I'm also the running columnist for the Courier of Montgomery County ... I'm a three-time winner of TAPPS' Sportswriter of the Year Award as well as TABC's Golden Hoops Award.

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Chronicle Letter to the Editor on Saturday

Dear Chevron: Despite gas prices being a bit high, thanks for choosing to sponsor our hometown marathon for the next three years!

Too bad the announcement of your involvement in the largest sporting event in Houston only merits four paragraphs buried on page 2 of our city's sports section. (The Texas Thunder women's pro softball team gets the same coverage after one of their games. OK, maybe they only get 3 paragraphs.)

Road racing has never been more vibrant in our community as the Mayor, Bill White (a runner in his own right), is extremely committed to getting our city off of the list as the nation's fattest city, we have the largest marathon warm-up series anywhere in the country and that the Road Runner Clubs of America (RRCA) is bringing its national convention to town next March.

The 15,000 runners who will run either the half or full marathon on January 15, 2006 will spend more money to run on Houston's roads for up to 6 hours than a Texans fan will for a ticket to drive 26.2 miles (or less) to Reliant Stadium.

Jon Walk
http://houstonrunning.blogspot.com/

3 Comments:

Sarah said...: Well said Jon!; 11:43 AM
Unknown said...: Ditto, Jon!!!; 1:48 PM
Jessica, a Austin Runner AND triathlete said...: Again, my comment stands:

Maybe we will get gas vouchers in our packets this year!
-jessica; 11:58 AM