Houston Running: RRCA National Convention Speaking Engagement

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.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

RRCA National Convention Speaking Engagement

I had the opportunity - thanks to Steve Shepard and the Houston Striders as well as the RRCA - to be a presenter on the "Blogs/Discussion Groups/Web Sites" program at yesterday's 49th annual RRCA National Convention here in Houston at the downtown Hyatt Regency.

Myself, Heather Marcellis, the president of the New York Flyers, and John Elliott, the president of marathonguide.com -- their bios can be found here -- shared the agenda.

Despite only having communicated via e-mail leading up to the program and not having met in person until shortly before the presentation, this session went very well -- if you call going over your allotted time a success!

Lance Phegley of Runner Triathlete News had some personal obligations and was unable to be a part of the panel.

We had approximately 35 attendees, almost filling the room, and had lots of lively discussion the entire session. I was honored to be chosen and certainly hope that I met the expectations of the organizers as well as the participants. I thought that Heather and John were both able to share with them some of the trends in content and web site management and that I was able to share a little bit of the growing world of blogging.

2 Comments:

Jessica, a Austin Runner AND triathlete said...: Wish I could have heard you, Jon. I am sure you had a wonderful presentation!; 7:04 PM
Steve Bezner said...: Yeah I agree with Jessica. Any chance of giving a review of the talk.

Of course a transcript would be awesome, but I'm sure that's not available. :)

Wish I could have been there!; 10:54 AM