Seven Hills Challenges The Woodlands Running Club

Last August 12 at Run The Woodlands 5K, the Seven Hills Running Club of Huntsville soundly defeated the Houston Running Bloggers in friendly, head-to-head competition that was part of a day that saw a then-record 175 finishers complete the bi-monthly event.

Earlier this evening, president Ken Johnson's work just got a little bit more challenging as The Woodlands Running Club, through its president, Scott Campbell, accepted Seven Hills' challenge and the two clubs will engage in the same competition at Run The Woodlands 5K on Saturday, June 9.

Johnson's report on last year's race was as follows:

The SHRC dominated the Houston Running Bloggers in inter-club competition at the Run the Woodlands 5K on August 12, 2006. Team scoring was based on speed and the number of participants. The SHRC won on both counts.

The SHRC team consisted of 43 runners and walkers (not including Jon and Waverly Walk, who are members of both clubs); the bloggers had 15 (including
Jon and Waverly).

Robert Duncan, 46, lead the way for the SHRC, with a time of 19:07. He was followed by James Spencer, Josh Spencer and Ben Harvie. The first SHRC female was Kelli Kallus with a time of 21:04. She was followed by Lindsey Miller and Lindsey Boeller.

There were six SHRC runners who had already crossed the finish line when the first blogger came in with a time of 21:30.

The Run the Woodlands 5K is held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Congratulations to all SHRC and Houston Running Blogger runners who
participated in this race.

I had originally proposed this year's June 9 date as a rematch date after HRB had lost.

Ken made the pitch to The Woodlands Running Club on Thursday:

How about the Woodlands Running Club? Would ya'll like to take us on? If so, would June 9 be okay?

The scoring system would be based on the number of participants and speed. Jon Walk worked out a scoring system, which is okay with us.

And by this evening, TWRC had responded:

I poled TWRC board and various committees with this idea in the hope that
we could come back and accept in a most refined manner your gracious challenge.

However, typical of the (printable) responses were . . .
> EAT OUR DUST!
> BRING 'EM ON !!!!
> THEY WILL NEED TO SEE THE DUST CLOUD TO EAT IT!

. . . and such similar unsportsman like responses.

So, I guess this means. "yes."

Looking forward to a great time on 9 June! And the "Jon Walk Rules" it is.

Rumor from Huntsville that vice president and Sam Houston State University soccer team member Nikki Swearingen is talking to the school's men's and women's track teams about joining the club to take on TWRC, which is pushing towards the 200-member mark. :)

This should be fun!