Running News Daily

Four Canadian runners to chase Olympic dreams at Houston Marathon

As the 2024 Houston Marathon Weekend approaches, the spotlight is not only on the highly anticipated half-marathon debut of Canada’s Moh Ahmed, but also on the intense competition among four Canadian marathoners aiming to earn the Olympic qualifying standard for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Wodak eyes Olympic standard

Canadian marathon record holder Natasha Wodak leads a strong Canadian contingent in Houston, all chasing the Olympic A standard of 2:26:50. Former national team athletes Leslie Sexton and Lanni Marchant will also be vying for the two available spots on the women’s marathon team.

Wodak holds the fastest Canadian women’s time in the last two years, but her Canadian record of 2:23:12 from the 2022 Berlin Marathon was outside the Olympic qualifying window. Wodak took another shot at achieving the time at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, but warm conditions and a tactical race prevented her from earning a spot in Paris (she finished in the top 15, in  2:30:09).

Sexton returns to the marathon after a break from the distance of a year and a half. Sexton ran 2:28 twice in a 10-month period, winning the 2021 Philadelphia Marathon and finishing as the top Canadian at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Ore. ((she finished 13th). With a best of 2:28:35, she would need to shake off almost two minutes to solidify her spot in Paris. But the fast Houston course (which she has raced before) could provide what she needs.

Also returning to the marathon after a long hiatus is 2016 Olympian Lanni Marchant. The London, Ont., native holds a personal best of 2:28:00 from Toronto in 2013, but there are a lot of questions around her fitness, after racing only twice in 2023. Marchant would need a career-best performance to earn her a spot on the Canadian Olympic team for 2024.

Malindi Elmore of Kelowna, B.C., is the only Canadian woman to have achieved the Olympic standard of 2:26:50 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon. Elmore was also the top North American female finisher in 2:23:30, achieving an 80-second personal best.

Ontario’s Tristan Woodfine takes another shot

After thinking he had a spot on the Canadian Olympic team for Tokyo, then having it taken from him in the final week of qualifying by Cam Levins and Athletics Canada, Tristan Woodfine is heading to Houston for another shot at his dream of being on Team Canada for the Olympics. Woodfine’s personal best came on a cold and wet day at the 2020 London Marathon, clocking 2:10:51. Since 2020, he has had his struggles with the marathon distance and beating that mark.

After tough luck with the heat and his stomach at the 2022 Ottawa Marathon, Woodfine switched coaches and spent most of the 2023 season building his speed on the roads. He recorded personal bests of 14:05 for 5K and 29:06 for 10K. Only two Canadian men have ever broken 2:10 in the marathon: Trevor Hofbauer and Levins.

Levins cemented his spot on the Canadian Olympic team for Paris at his record-setting run at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon. To this day, he is the only Canadian marathoner to have run under the men’s Olympic A standard of 2:08:10. (He also did so at the 2022 World Championships.)

How to follow

The 2024 Chevron Houston Marathon is scheduled for Jan. 14. It is one of the fastest marathon courses in North America; in 2020, Elmore set the previous Canadian marathon record of 2:24:50 there. The last Canadian marathoner to win the Houston Marathon was Mississauga’s Peter Fonseca, who ran 2:11:52 for the win in 1995.

(01/09/2024) Views: 284 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson

Vicoty Chepngeno eager to make full marathon debut at Chevron Houston Marathon

After failing to make her full marathon debut at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon, Vicoty Chepngeno will finally do it at the Chevron Houston Marathon.

Philadelphia Half Marathon champion Vicoty Chepngeno will open her season with a full marathon debut at the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday, January 14.

Chepngeno set the course record with her 2022 Aramco Houston Half Marathon victory, winning in a time of 1:05:03, which is still the fastest half marathon time ever run in North America to date.

“I am very excited to make my marathon debut in Houston. It is a race I know well. This makes me feel at ease as I focus on what I need to do to achieve my goal of winning,” Chepngeno said as per Endurance Sports Wire.

The race will also feature the return of three-time champion Bruktayit Degefa of Ethiopia. These three wins leave Degefa tied on the most victories ever secured by one runner, all of which are among the six fastest times in race history.

Chepngeno and Degefa will compete with top contenders including Canadian national record holder Natasha Wodak and three-time Rome Marathon champion Rahma Tusa of Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, last year’s men’s race came down to a sprint finish with Kenya’s Dominic Ondoro beating Ethiopia’s Tsedat Ayana and both will make a grand return this year. Ayana will take the opportunity for revenge, while Ondoro will look for his third Houston victory.

“I love the course, the city, and the friendly cheering crowds. To come to the start line, run a good race, and get a win will be wonderful,” said Ondoro, the two-time Houston Marathon champion.

Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta will also be in the starting line, coming into the race with a personal best of 2:05:51. He has a chance to break the tape on what will be his 28th birthday.

In 2023, he was runner-up at the Dubai Marathon in February and won the Beijing Marathon in October. Also expected to be up front, are 2022 Chevron Houston Marathon winner James Ngandu of Kenya and Morocco’s Zouhair Talbi who was fifth in the 2023 Boston Marathon.

“You can always count on exciting storylines and dramatic finishes at the Chevron Houston Marathon.

“Fans will want to make sure they are in front of their TV or lined up on Lamar Street when the runners make that final turn toward the finish line,” said Carly Caulfield, Race Director and General Manager of the Houston Marathon Committee.

The races will be aired live on ABC13 in Houston and streamed around the world on ABC13's official portal featuring commentary from two-time Olympian and Boston Marathon champion Desiree “Des” Linden.

(01/08/2024) Views: 306 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula

2023 Houston Marathon was one exciting race right up to the finish

Thanks to record-breaking runs and heart-stopping finishes, this year’s races were memorably exiciting.

The Houston Marathon and Half Marathon are two of the fastest races in the U.S., and both occur on one exciting day. The competitive event delivered once again with a record-setting run and several memorable performances on Sunday, January 15.In the closest Houston finish since 1996, the men’s marathon was won by Dominic Ondoro. The Kenyan out-leaned Tsedat Ayana of Ethiopia to claim the victory in 2:10:36. 

The women’s race saw another impressive run with Hitomi Niiya of Japan winning in 2:19:24, more than six minutes ahead of the runner-up. 

What else might you have missed from the Houston Marathon and Half Marathon? Check out the full list of highlights below.

Another Close Call in the Men's Marathon

In the men’s race, Ondoro became a two-time Houston champion six months after winning the 2022 Grandma’s Marathon in June. 

The race also saw Americans achieve three top five finishes. After transferring his allegiance from Ethiopia to the United States last year, Teshome Mekonen has emerged as a rising star among the American ranks. On Sunday, he placed third in 2:11:05. Behind him, Parker Stinson finished fourth in 2:12:11, and Tyler Pennel placed fifth in 2:12:16.

Hitomi Niiya Almost Breaks the Japanese Record

In the women’s marathon, Niiya showed expert tactics by building up her speed through halfway to overtake early leader Muliye Dekeb Haylemariyam of Ethiopia. She continued to hold her position in the second half of the race and extend her lead in the later miles. Niiya was on pace to break the Japanese national record (2:19:12) but fell short by 12 seconds.Haylemariyam finished second in 2:25:35, and fellow Ethiopian competitor Sintayehu Lewetegn placed third in 2:26:33. American Tristin van Ord finished fourth in 2:27:07. Behind her, Maegan Krifchin continued her impressive marathon streak. After running three marathons in one month late last year, the pro runner finished sixth in 2:30:16.

 

(01/15/2023) Views: 758 ⚡AMP
by Runners World

The 2023 Houston Marathon is set to take place this weekend: Here’s what you need to know

The weather is expected to be a bit warmer this year, reaching the mid 60s on Saturday and the 70s on Sunday.

Tens of thousands of runners are set to participate in the 2023 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston half marathon this weekend.

On Saturday morning, the We Are Houston 5K will began at McKinney & Crawford:

6:30 a.m. — 5K race day packet pick-up opens

7:50 a.m. — Wheelchair start

8 a.m. — Race start

On Sunday, the Chevron Houston Marathon & Aramco Houston Half Marathon will start at Congress & Fannin:

6:50 a.m. — Marathon and half marathon wheelchair start

7:01 a.m. — Marathon and half marathon start

During a press conference on Friday, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said hundreds of law enforcement will be present during the race.

“Please, if you see something, say something,” Finner said.

The weather is expected to be a bit warmer this year, reaching the mid 60s on Saturday and the 70s on Sunday, according to Space City Weather.

Dr. Lars Thestrup, the medical director of the Houston Marathon Committee urged runners to use their best judgement during the race and to take it slow, if needed.

“This is may not be the year to attempt for a personal best on your half or your full marathon. You may want to take it a little slower,” Thestrup said. “The key is respect your limits and listen to your body.”

Thestrup said a total of 22 aid stations will be set up along the course, along with 20 medical bike teams in case of emergencies. He added that several METRO buses will be located along the route to serve as cooling stations for runners.

(01/14/2023) Views: 790 ⚡AMP
by Lucio Vazuez

New women American Marathon and Half Marathon records set in Houston

Keira D'Amato just broke the American marathon record after running 2:19:12 at the Houston Marathon today.

Keira D’Amato, a 37-year-old who quit running competitively soon after college, then returned eight years later as a mother of two, broke the American record in the women’s marathon on Sunday.

D’Amato won the Houston Marathon in 2:19:12, taking 24 seconds off Deena Kastor‘s record from the 2006 London Marathon.

D’Amato competed collegiately for American University, then gave up middle-distance running in 2009.

She worked in real estate, got married and had two kids. She started running again to lose baby weight, setting a goal to sign up for a marathon.

D’Amato made it to the 2017 Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach, hoping to break three hours, and clocked 3:14:54 in sleet, wind and hail. She kept running and lowered her best time over the next three years.

She was 15th at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials, then on Dec. 20, 2020, ran 2:22:56 at the Marathon Project in Arizona to become the eighth-fastest American woman in history.

Now she’s tied as the 22nd-fastest woman in history counting all courses, according to World Athletics.

Also in Houston on Sunday, Sara Hall, a 38-year-old mom, broke the American record in the half marathon, clocking 1:07:15, taking 10 seconds off Molly Huddle‘s record from four years ago.

Additionally, Outstanding marathon debut by @LukeACaldwell today with his 2:11:33 run for 7th place at #houstonmarathon - the fastest marathon debut by a Scot, bettering @callhawk 2:12:17 at Frankfurt in 2015. 

(01/16/2022) Views: 1,207 ⚡AMP

Ethiopia’s Askale Merachi and Kelkile Gezahegn will defend their titles at the 50th Chevron Houston Marathon, while Kenya’s Vicoty Chepngeno and Shadrack Korir lead the entries for the Aramco Half

Merachi won in Houston in 2020 in 2:23:29, finishing more than a minute ahead of the rest of the field. She went on to win the Taipei Marathon later that year in 2:28:31, but hasn’t raced since then, so her form going into this weekend’s race is relatively untested.

She will face stiff competition from compatriot Biruktayit Eshetu Degefa, a three-time winner in Houston who is aiming to become the race’s first four-time winner. She finished runner-up to Merachi in 2020, clocking 2:24:47. Her PB stands at 2:22:40, set in Toronto in 2019, while her fastest time in Houston is the 2:23:28 she ran to win three years ago.

Two-time Chicago Marathon winner Atsede Baysa has the fastest PB of the field with 2:22:03. A sub-2:25 time may be required to make the podium on Sunday, but the last time the 34-year-old Ethiopian bettered that barrier was back in 2012.

Ethiopian women have won the past 14 editions of the Houston Marathon, but that streak could be under threat on Sunday as Keira D’Amato aims to become the first US woman to win the Houston Marathon since 2005.

The 37-year-old, who took a complete break from running between 2009 and 2016, has been racking up impressive performances on the roads in recent years. She set a marathon best of 2:22:56 and a North American 10-mile record of 51:23 in 2020, finished fourth at last year’s Chicago Marathon, and clocked a half marathon PB of 1:07:55 last month. If conditions are good, the course record of 2:23:14 – set by Alemitu Abera in 2012 – could be under threat.

Ethiopian marathon debutante Tsige Haileslase and USA’s Robert Groner, who finished sixth at the 2019 World Championships, are among the other contenders.

Gezahegn, the defending men’s champion, won with 2:08:36 two years ago and finished two minutes clear of his nearest rivals. His only race since then was the 2021 Boston Marathon, where he finished 15th in 2:12:37. A 2:05:56 runner at his best, the 25-year-old will be keen to use this weekend’s race as an opportunity for redemption.

If John Langat can reproduce his form from 2019, when he won in Eindhoven in a PB of 2:07:11, he could contend for the victory on Sunday. Japan’s Kenta Uchida will also be a formidable opponent. He has a lifetime best of 2:08:12 and will be keen to earn his first marathon victory.

Bahrain’s Abdi Abdo, Ethiopia’s 2008 world indoor 3000m champion Tariku Bekele and US marathon debutant Frank Lara are others to watch out for.

Vicoty Chepngeno will start as the favourite for the Houston Half Marathon, held concurrently with the marathon. The 28-year-old Kenyan has an impressive record in US road races; she has won nine of her past 10 half marathons on US roads, and her lifetime best of 1:07:22 was set in her most recent outing over the distance, in Philadelphia two months ago. Despite her extensive racing experience, though, this will be Chepngeno’s first Houston Half Marathon.

Compatriot Monicah Ngige, meanwhile, will be making her third Houston Half Marathon appearance. The 28-year-old set her PB of 1:07:29 there in 2019. More recently, she finished fourth at the Boston Marathon in October on her debut over the distance, clocking 2:25:32.

Sara Hall leads the US entrants. The 38-year-old has focused more on the marathon in recent years, achieving podium places at the 2020 London Marathon and the 2021 Chicago Marathon, also clocking a PB of 2:20:32 in between those outings. But she has also won her two most recent half marathons, setting a PB of 1:08:18 in 2020.

Shadrack Kimining Korir returns to Houston after finishing third in 2020 in a personal best of 59:27, just two seconds shy of the winner. His most recent outing was at the Lisbon Half Marathon in October, where he finished fifth in 1:02:42.

Wilfred Kimitei also competed in Lisbon towards the end of last year, albeit in a different event to the one where Korir raced, and finished 11th in 1:00:03 – just 23 seconds shy of the PB he set in Ras Al Khaimah in 2018.

Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha also heads to Houston in good form. The 2019 world U20 cross-country champion, still only 21, finished ahead of Kimitei in Lisbon in November, clocking a PB of 59:48 in what was just his second half marathon to date. Earlier in 2021 he set a 5000m PB of 12:58.28 and finished 10th in the Olympic final at that distance.

Kenya’s Raymond Magut, who clocked a PB of 1:00:00 in Herzogenaurach in September, should also be a strong contender, along with Ethiopia’s Bayelign Teshager and Eritrea’s Tsegay Tuemay.

Elite fields

WOMEN Half marathon

Vicoty Chepngeno (KEN) 1:07:22

Monicah Ngige (KEN) 1:07:29

Sara Hall (USA) 1:08:58

Caren Maiyo (KEN) 1:09:20

Sarah Pagano (USA) 1:09:41

Emily Durgin (USA) 1:09:47

Maegan Krifchin (USA) 1:09:51

Andrea Ramirez Limon (MEX) 1:10:20

Dominique Scott (ZAF) 1:10:42

Elaina Tabb (USA) 1:10:44

Nell Rojas (USA) 1:10:45

Julia Griffey (USA) 1:11:04

Emily Setlack (CAN) 1:11:41

Dakotah Lindwurm (USA) 1:11:43

Maor Tiyouri (ISR) 1:11:50

Paige Stoner (USA) 1:11:53

Jessica Judd (GBR) debut

Fiona O’Keeffe (USA) debut

Maddie Alm (USA) debut

Marathon

Atsede Baysa (ETH) 2:22:03

Biruktayit Eshetu Degefa (ETH) 2:22:40

Keira D’Amato (USA) 2:22:56

Askale Merachi (ETH) 2:23:29

Roberta Groner (USA) 2:29:09

Kathya Mirell Garcia Barrios (MEX) 2:34:46

Militsa Mircheva (BGR) 2:35:03

Tsige Haileslase (ETH) debut

Maggie Montoya (USA) debut

Emily Kearney (GBR) debut

Alice Wright (GBR) debut

MEN Half marathon

Shadrack Kimining Korir (KEN) 59:27

Wilfred Kimitei (KEN) 59:40

Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) 59:48

Raymond Magut (KEN) 1:00:00

Bayelign Teshager (ETH) 1:00:31

Tsegay Tuemay (ERI) 1:00:50

Patrick Tiernan (AUS) 1:01:22

Reed Fischer (USA) 1:01:37

Rory Linkletter (CAN) 1:01:44

Reid Buchanan (USA) 1:01:45

Colin Mickow (USA) 1:01:47

Matt Llano (USA) 1:01:47

Harvey Nelson (USA) 1:01:48

John Raneri (USA) 1:01:51

Brogan Austin (USA) 1:01:52

Zouhair Talbi (MAR) 1:02:00

Kirubel Erassa (USA) debut

Marathon

Kelkile Gezahegn (ETH) 2:05:56

John Langat (KEN) 2:07:11

Kenta Uchida (JPN) 2:08:12

Abdi Abdo (BRN) 2:08:32

Elisha Barno (KEN) 2:09:32

Tariku Bekele (KEN) 2:09:33

Augustus Maiyo (USA) 2:10:47

Jesus Arturo Esparza (MEX) 2:11:04

Birhanu Kemal Dare (ETH) 2:12:21

Tyler Jermann (USA) 2:12:40

Frank Lara (USA) debut

James Ngandu (KEN) debut

Luke Caldwell (GBR) debut

(01/14/2022) Views: 1,044 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Keira D’Amato is set to run fast at the Houston Marathon

On Sunday, Keira D’Amato will head to the start line of the Houston Marathon with the expectation that she will run under two hours and twenty-two minutes. Her current personal best sits at 2:22:56, achieved at the Marathon Project in Arizona, but D’Amato knows, based on her workouts and performances like her 67:55 to win the US Half Marathon Championships in December, that she is fitter than when she ran that 2:22:56 in December 2020. In fact, things are going so well that on December 28, she told Women’s Running that, if she had a strong final month of training, she might even go for Deena Kastor‘s 2:19:36 American record.

That the 37-year-old D’Amato is in a position to even discuss the American record is one of the unlikelier stories in US distance running history. This was a woman who started out as an 800/1500 runner, took seven years away from the sport as she got married, became a mom of two and a full-time realtor, and as recently as 2019 had never run faster than 2:40 in the marathon.

“It seriously blows my mind,” D’Amato told LetsRun on Wednesday. “On my warmup before my workout today, I was thinking that in my second marathon back on my comeback tour [in Richmond in 2017], I went into the marathon thinking that I didn’t think I could break 3:00 that day.”

D’Amato wound up running 2:47 and hasn’t stopped improving.

“It’s so hard to wrap my head around it because there’s 50% of my brain that is like, ‘What in the world is going on, how did I get there?’ And there’s 50% that is like really confident, that’s like, ‘Keira, you’ve worked your tail off, you’ve been putting in the miles for years and years and years, and you have, in my opinion, the best coach in the nation, Scott Raczko.'”

A number of fast Americans will descend on Houston this weekend for the half and full marathons on Sunday. Sara Hall, Nell Rojas, and Annie Frisbie are all set to feature in the half, while 61:00 half marathoner Frank Lara will make his marathon debut. But the most fascinating storyline is D’Amato, who will look to start 2022 with a bang after an up-and-down 2021 season.

Following a 2020 campaign featuring personal best after personal best, D’Amato spent the first half of 2021 battling a hamstring injury. She tried to fight through it but ultimately had to take time off to treat the underlying muscle imbalance, realigning her hips and strengthening her glutes. That recovery knocked her out of the biggest meet of the year, the US Olympic Trials, where D’Amato had planned on running the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.

“It sucked, man,” D’Amato said.

D’Amato started working out again in August and ran the Chicago Marathon in October, finishing 4th in 2:28:22. But she knew she wasn’t at 100%. Under Raczko, D’Amato trains in four-week cycles, building up for those four weeks before taking a down week to reset. Usually, she likes to have four of those cycles under her belt for a marathon; her late start meant she only had two of them before Chicago.

D’Amato will face three-time Houston champion Biruktayit Eshetu Degefa (2:22:40 pb) and 2016 Boston Marathon champion Atsede Baysa (2:22:03) in the women’s race, and while she’d like to earn her first career marathon victory, her focus is squarely on running fast.

Leading into the race, D’Amato has done everything she can to maximize her chance of success. She has still been working her job as a realtor in Virginia, but in recent weeks she has scaled back her hours and not taken on any new clients. She even took her kids out of school this week to limit her exposure to COVID — cases have been on the rise in her area and the last thing she wanted was to withdraw at the eleventh hour because of a positive test (they will return to school after the race). It’s not a decision D’Amato feels completely comfortable with — “I’m definitely not up for any mom of the year awards,” she said — but she hopes she can make it worth it with a special performance on Sunday.

(01/14/2022) Views: 1,271 ⚡AMP
by Jonathan Gault

Defending champions will return to mark 50th anniversary of Chevron Houston Marathon

With 194,039 finishers having run 5,083,822 miles since the first Chevron Houston Marathon, the race will mark its 50th anniversary on January 16.

“When 113 runners lined up in 1972 to run loops in Memorial Park, no one would have predicted the marathon would have a Golden Anniversary at all, much less with a field of 28,000 celebrating on the streets of Houston,” said Houston Marathon Committee Executive Director Wade Morehead. “Led by some of the top marathoners and half marathoners in the world, we’re looking forward to a great day in the history of the race and the city.”

Returning to defend their Chevron Houston Marathon titles from 2020 – only a virtual race was held last year because of Covid – are Askale Merachi and Kelkile Gezahegn, both of Ethiopia. Making her seventh-consecutive appearance will be three-time champion Biruktayit Eshetu Degefa, who will renew her quest to become the race’s first four-time winner after finishing as runner-up to Merachi last year.

Among the Americans worth watching are Keira D’Amato and Frank Lara. D’Amato comes to Houston with a personal best of 2:22:56 and could challenge the 10-year-old course record of 2:23:14, while Lara – the 2014 Gatorade Boys’ High School Cross Country Runner of the Year out of Strake Jesuit College Prep – returns home to Houston to make his marathon debut.

Dan Green, the first winner in 1972, will serve as honorary starter, along with other members of the race’s Hall of Fame. In addition to marking its 50th anniversary, the race will serve as the first qualifier for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon, with its newly-toughened standards of 2:18 for men and 2:37 for women.

The Aramco Houston Half Marathon, run concurrently with the marathon, will be headlined by Kenya’s Vicoty Chepngeno and American Sara Hall. Chepngeno set her personal best of 1:07:22 in winning the Philadelphia Half Marathon last November, while Hall is the sixth-fastest woman in U.S. history at the half marathon and second-fastest in the marathon. On the men’s side, the fastest time in the field belongs to Shadrack Kimining Korir, who returns to Houston after finishing third here in 2020 in a personal best of 59:27.

This year, the elite fields for the two races will feature athletes representing 17 countries: the U.S., Kenya, Ethiopia, Mexico, Great Britain, Japan, Bulgaria, Guatemala, Peru, Eritrea, South Africa, Morocco, New Zealand, Canada, Israel and Australia.

The Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon will be broadcast on ABC-13 from 7 a.m.-10 a.m., with a race day recap at 10:35 p.m. Joining ABC-13’s Greg Bailey and Gina Gaston as expert commentator will be Des Linden, the 2018 Boston Marathon winner and 50K world-record holder. Linden made the first of her two U.S. Olympic Marathon teams in Houston in 2012.

(01/07/2022) Views: 1,079 ⚡AMP
by AIMS

Dan Green didn't sign up for the first ever Chevron Houston Marathon thinking he would win, 50 years later, he is still in love with running and helping other athletes cross the finish line

Dan Green didn't sign up for the first ever Chevron Houston Marathon thinking he would win.

But in 1972, he was the first to cross the finish line in Memorial Park - cementing his place in Houston history.

Since then, Green went on to win countless titles including every Amateur Athletic Association Gulf Championship race distance.

He has built running clubs and communities across Houston. Green is also the coach and founder for Team Green Running, where he has trained some of the best athletes.

He trained Wilkerson Given, the 2018 men's top American finisher at the Chevron Houston Marathon.

Green was inducted into the Houston Marathon Hall of Fame in 2018.

50 years after winning that first race, Green says Houston is still one of the best cities for runners and the Chevron Houston Marathon is one of the best races in the country.

(12/07/2021) Views: 1,101 ⚡AMP
by ABC 13 News

2022 registration for Chevron Houston Marathon opens to all runners

Registration for the 2022 Houston Marathon Weekend of Events opens to all runners today, June 2.

The in-person race for the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Chevron Houston Marathon and the 21st annual Aramco Houston Half Marathon will take place Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022. The We Are Houston 5K will take place on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022.

“Chevron is thrilled to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Houston Marathon alongside runners, volunteers, city officials and our own employees,” said Margaret Cooper, General Manager, Chevron Corporate Affairs, in a statement. “We look forward to seeing participants in January to commemorate this important milestone and the Chevron Houston Marathon’s incredible impact on our community.”

In addition to the in-person events, virtual registration options will also be offered at $75 for the marathon and $65 for the half marathon. Registration for the virtual events also open on June 2. The 2022 Virtual Houston Marathon Running Events will take place over race weekend Friday, Jan. 14 – Monday, Jan. 17.

“We are grateful for the continued support from our running community throughout the past year and look forward to safely welcoming back our runners to the road in Houston,” said Wade Morehead, Executive Director of the Houston Marathon Committee, in a statement.

“Through thoughtful planning alongside our city partners, we are confident that 2022 will be an event year that successfully celebrates the history and camaraderie of our runners, volunteers, race partners, and spectators - all who have made this event possible for the past 49 years.”

Additional details for the 2022 Houston Marathon can be found at chevronhoustonmarathon.com.

(06/02/2021) Views: 979 ⚡AMP
by Briana Zamora-Nipper

Chevron Houston Marathon opens registration for 2022

The Houston Marathon Committee (HMC) will open its first window of registration – Guaranteed Registration – for the 2022 Houston Marathon Weekend of Events this Saturday, May 1, with Open Registration available to all runners on June 2, 2021.

The in-person race for the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Chevron Houston Marathon and the 21st annual Aramco Houston Half Marathon will take place Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, with the We Are Houston 5K presented by Aramco and Chevron on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022.

“We are grateful for the continued support from our running community throughout the past year and look forward to safely welcoming back our runners to the road in Houston,” said Wade Morehead, Executive Director of the Houston Marathon Committee. “Through thoughtful planning alongside our city partners, we are confident that 2022 will be an event year that successfully celebrates the history and camaraderie of our runners, volunteers, race partners, and spectators – all who have made this event possible for the past 49 years.”

(04/30/2021) Views: 1,186 ⚡AMP

2021 Chevron Houston Marathon to kick off virtually this week

Daniel Dannug and his close-knit running group were in the middle of a training run when they heard it:

“Six feet, gentlemen. Six feet!” a stranger yelled as he drove by a Northeast Houston running trail.

Dannug acknowledged that his running crew goes against some COVID-19 safety guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: No one lives in the same household and some have higher exposure rates because they don’t work from home.

But they need each other to accomplish their goal of running a marathon, he said.

“We’re all first-time marathoners, and that’s what motivated us to continue pushing forward; this is all brand-new territory for us,” Dannug, 39, said. “It’s me and four other people every Saturday going out to train. We had this mantra: Keep pushing. It’s a strong mindset to try to achieve, and we’re seeing it through.”

Dannug co-founded Champions Running Association, a run club serving Houston’s northeast suburbs with 180 members, in 2017. Back in April, Dannug ran his first virtual race feeling what he called a “virtual high.” That quickly turned to virtual fatigue, and he lost all motivation to run solo by the summer.

“I took a break after that. I knew I wanted to save any motivation for doing a virtual race for the Chevron (Houston Marathon),” he said. “It would have been so much easier to fold, but that’s not how I’m wired and I’m hyped for other people.”

On Jan. 17, Dannug and 21 others from Champions Running Association will run together for the 49th annual Chevron Houston Marathon, which will be held virtually for the first time.

The event’s three races — a 5K, half-marathon and marathon — can be accomplished any day, time or location between Jan. 8 and Jan. 17. The only rule is once a race is started, it must be finished in the same go but there is no six-hour limit, like in typical years.

More than 9,300 runners signed up, said Muffy King, marathon marketing director. Registration is closed since virtual capacity was met, she said, adding that orders for T-shirts, finisher medals, drinking mugs and swag had to be ordered far in advance.

About 200 runners have registered to run all three events, which is impossible in a normal year, King said. Participants can run the 5K one day, the half-marathon another day and a marathon on a third day.

 

(01/04/2021) Views: 1,046 ⚡AMP
by Julie Garcia

Chevron Houston Marathon goes virtual in 2021

In response to the ongoing public health concerns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Houston Marathon Committee (HMC) announced today that the 49th annual Chevron Houston Marathon and 20th annual Aramco Houston Half Marathon will be held as part of the 2021 Virtual Houston Marathon Running Events.

“The decision to cancel the 2021 Chevron Houston Marathon is incredibly disappointing for everyone, but it is the right course to follow because of the pandemic,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “I know thousands of people from all over the world have trained for this race all year, and they were looking forward to qualifying for other races or beating their personal bests. They can still do that virtually. While the experience may not be the same, know that Houston will be cheering for the participants’ every mile. We are a resilient city, and we are proud of the Houston Marathon.”

The Houston Marathon Committee has been working closely with city and state officials over the past months to align preparations with current guidelines and any foreseeable future framework that may be in place at the time of the event. After thorough review and discussion, HMC in conjunction with these partners have determined to make the difficult decision to transition the traditional in-person events to virtual at this time.

“At this time, we recognize that there are many unknowns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, but the safety and well-being of our runners, volunteers, partners, spectators and local Houston community will always be our top priority,” said Wade Morehead, Executive Director of the Houston Marathon Committee. “While we are unable to celebrate the 2021 event together in the heart of Downtown Houston, we will be cheering for our runners around the world as they participate in a unique virtual race experience, embracing the incredible spirit of our RunHOU community.”

All participants who are currently registered for the 2021 event will be able to opt for the unique 2021 virtual race experience which includes a discounted registration for the Chevron Houston Marathon 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2022; defer their entry to one of the following two years (2022 or 2023); or donate their entry to the 501 c(4) non-profit organization, the Houston Marathon Committee. Participants currently registered for the 2021 Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon or the We Are Houston 5K presented by Aramco and Chevron will receive detailed email instructions on how to complete their registration selection.

The 2021 virtual event experience will take place over the span of ten days, where runners will have the option to complete their race distance anywhere and anytime between Jan. 8 – 17, 2021. All virtual participants will receive a participant box pre-race filled with sponsor gifts and messages to help them cross the finish line. Finisher items will be mailed post-race within two weeks of Jan. 17, to participants who submit their completed race distance timing information via their participant account.

Registration for the 2021 Virtual Houston Marathon Running Events is currently open.

(10/06/2020) Views: 1,194 ⚡AMP

Antonio Arreola and Steve Schmidt became the first runners to break three hours in the marathon over six consecutive decades.

It was unday morning in Houston and Antonio Arreola and Steve Schmidt became the first runners to accumulate six decades of sub-3-hour marathons (6DS3). Both ran a sub-3 in the late 1970s and every decade since, adding the 2020s in Houston. They finished hand-in-hand, with arms raised, after running the last five miles together.

They finished in chip times of 2:58:07 for Schmidt, and 2:58:18 for Arreola, who started ahead of Schmidt in the start-corral throng.

Schmidt caught Arreola from behind at 21.5 miles, and encouraged him the rest of the way. “I had the strong sense that he was holding back to run with me,” said Arreola. “Steve was a godsend. He really pulled me along.”

Arreola and Schmidt proved several things about veteran runners. First, that they have high Marathon IQs: Both ran perfectly paced efforts. Second, that they have high Emotional IQs, able to handle pressure with aplomb.

Schmidt, 59, is a retired helicopter pilot from Orion Township, Michigan. He ran his first sub-3, 2:46:22, in 1979, and set his marathon PR, 2:37:03, in 1984.

Arreola, 60, is a retired project manager from San Jose, California. He ran his first sub-3, 2:58:03, in 1976, and his marathon best, 2:46:17, in 2001.

Conditions for the Aramco Half Marathon and Chevron Houston Marathon were near perfect with temps in the high 40s most of the way. Runners felt a bit buffeted from the wind at times, but all the races produced excellent performances, particularly the half marathon where nine runners broke 60 minutes, and 14 Americans bettered 62 minutes.

Schmidt had been battling a cold 10 days before the marathon, and felt a bit rough the first 10 miles. “I had to tell myself, ‘Believe in the process. Trust your training. I knew I had put in the work.’” After the halfway mark, reached in 1:29:13, he kept feeling better and better. He was also wondering where Arreola was.

The two had met the previous day, and hoped to run together, but didn’t lay down a firm plan. During the first half, Schmidt scanned the field ahead, hoping to spot Arreola, but never could. They came together quite suddenly at 21.5.

“Tony, I’ve been looking all over for you,” Schmidt said to his new friend.

Arreola also said he felt bad in the early going, especially when he passed the first mile in 7:23. “That scared me,” he said. “It didn’t feel good the way it should have. I couldn’t figure it out.”

When the crowded streets thinned a little, he worked his pace down to 6:43, and passed the half marathon in 1:28:34. From 21 to 23, he suffered through several ups-and-downs at highway underpasses, but by then Schmidt had arrived to help. “I started lifting my knees a little more to relieve the quads, and that seemed to help,” Arreola said.

At the 25 mile mark, Schmidt looked over at Arreola, and said, “We got this.” They ran the last mile in 6:36, the fastest mile of the marathon for both. “I’m elated and a little relieved, Schmidt said after the race. “I put a fair amount of pressure on myself this last year. It’s been a focus. I wasn’t sure it would happen, but now it has. I don’t think it has sunk in yet.”

“Today was the highlight of my 48 years in running,” said Arreola. “I feel great. This was hard to plan for. I had some health issues. But it was a great experience to run another sub-3 today, and especially to meet and finish with Steve. He’s an outstanding guy.”

With his performance, Arreola leapt back to the top of the list for “longest span between sub-3s.” He had been supplanted in December by Iain Mickle. The current top three are:

Antonio Arreola, 43 years, 45 days: from Dec.5, 1976 to Jan. 19, 2019

Iain Mickle, 42 years, 151 days: from Jul. 10, 1977 to Dec. 8, 2019.

Blake Wood, 41y, 102 days: from Dec. 7, 1975 to Mar. 19, 2017

Another group of 6DS3 aspirants are planning to chase the goal next month in the Phoenix Marathon: Reno Stirrat, Jim Garcia, and Peter Lagoy. The Phoenix course has a net elevation drop of 900 feet, so it’s open season on razzing these guys about their race selection.

On the other hand, Stirrat is the Methuselah of the group at 65 years old, so maybe we should cut him a little slack.

(01/30/2020) Views: 1,455 ⚡AMP
by Podium Runner

Former 1,500-meter specialist, Malindi Elmore shatters Canadian marathon record in 2:24:50 at Houston Marathon on Sunday

There’s no way Malindi Elmore, 39, predicted that she would be a marathoner when she hung up the spikes in 2012, let alone the Canadian marathon record-holder.

But Elmore finished the Houston Marathon on Sunday morning in third place, in 2:24:50, smashing the record in her second marathon ever.

The Kelowna, B.C. native was a talented high school runner who attended Stanford University before returning to Canada to do a masters degree at the University of Calgary. She competed for Canada at the 2004 Olympic Games, the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2011 Pan Am Games as a 1,500m specialist who ran one of the fastest times ever by a Canadian woman, at 4:02.64.

After retiring from professional running in 2012, Elmore describes struggling with the sport and being unsure about her future in running. In January 2019, seven years after hanging up her spikes and her middle-distance career, she ran a blazing 2:32 marathon debut at Houston.

Exactly one year later, she became the Canadian record-holder.

Elmore’s 2019 did not go exactly to plan. She was scheduled to race the Canadian Olympic Marathon Trials in Toronto in October, but had to pull out only one week from the event because of a hamstring strain.

She took a few weeks of downtime to allow her hamstring to recover before refocusing and getting ready for the Houston Marathon. She said pre-race that her build went extremely well–she knew she was fit and ready to run something impressive.

Elmore has nearly guaranteed her spot for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her time is now the fastest-ever run by a Canadian, and barring someone beating the new record, she’s likely earned her place.

(01/20/2020) Views: 1,549 ⚡AMP
by Anne Francis

Kelkile Gezahegn, Askale Merachi take Houston marathon titles

Kelkile Gezahegn pulled away from countryman Bonsa Dida late in what had become a two-man race and won the Chevron Houston Marathon with a time of 2:08:36 Sunday morning, becoming the eighth different Ethiopian man since 2009 to prevail. In his first Houston start, the 23-year-old runner followed Kenya’s Albert Korir atop the podium but didn’t come close to threatening the Houston course record.

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Ethiopia’s dominance on the women’s side, however, is even more impressive with victories in Houston every January going back to 2007. Askale Merachi’s triumph in her Houston debut, claimed with a time of 2:23:29, made her the 10th Ethiopian to triumph since 2007. The last non-Ethiopian to win was Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova in 2006.

Although Merachi, 33, slowed precipitously in the final stages, missing out on a chance to set a course record by 16 seconds, she still thwarted Birukayit Degefa’s bid to become the first four-time Houston champion. Also seeking a three-repeat, Degefa ran a 2:24:47, good for second place. She has finished on the podium six years in a row, after placing fourth in her debut in 2014.

Australian Michael Roeger became the first runner to set an official world record on the 26.2-mile Houston course. No Paralympian had cracked 2:20 before he posted a 2:19:32, lowering his personal best – the previous world record – from 2:22:51. Roeger, who said Friday he was running to honor the exhausted firefighters back home where catastrophic blazes have burned out of control for weeks, was born missing the bottom half of his right arm.

Gezahegn’s pace never made him a threat to the course record of 2:06:51, set by Ethiopian Tariku Jufar in 2012.

(01/19/2020) Views: 1,483 ⚡AMP

Susie Comstock, Cancer and Boston Marathon bombing survivor, is set to runnig her 19th Houston Marathon

Dave and Susie Comstock are bound by running.

In fact, the couple met at the Fort Bend Fit Running Club and even got married at Mile 20 of the Boston Marathon.

That doesn't mean their love hasn't come without challenges. In 2013, Susie was near the finish line of the Boston Marathon when terrorists attacked the famed race.

Later that year, Susie was diagnosed with breast cancer. Remarkably, she recovered in time to run the Chevron Houston Marathon just months later.

Fast forward to 2020 and Dave will be running his ninth Houston Marathon, while Susie prepares to take on her nineteenth!

(01/16/2020) Views: 1,636 ⚡AMP
by Chaz Miller

Cold weather is predicted to roll into the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday

It might feel like we've skipped winter, but colder weather is predicted to roll into Houston just in time for the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday.

Chief Meteorologist Travis Herzog says a cold front scheduled to arrive late Saturday should bring lower humidity and cooler temperatures with race time temps starting in the mid 40s.

Winds will be blowing out of the northeast at 5-15 mph under a mostly cloudy sky.If the front comes in later than expected, it's possible there could be a few lingering rain showers and slightly warmer temperatures, but Travis says that scenario looks unlikely right now.

(01/16/2020) Views: 1,348 ⚡AMP

Past winners are set to defend their title at Houston Marathon and Half Marathon

Organizers of the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon have revealed the elite fields for the World Athletics Gold Label road races on January 19.

The city’s marathon has now joined the half marathon as a Gold Label event, making Houston the only city in the world to host Gold Label marathon and half marathon races on the same day.

Defending marathon champion Biruktayit Degefa will try to become the first woman to win in Houston four times. Bahrain’s Hassan El Abbassi, the Asian record-holder for the men’s marathon, is the fastest in the men’s field.

Three former winners of the half marathon will be back in Houston to contest the 13.1-mile race: defending men’s champion Shura Kitata and 2018 winners Ruti Aga and Jake Robertson. Ethiopian record-holder Jemal Yimer and Kenya’s Caroline Kipkirui, the eighth-fastest woman of all time, have the quickest PBs of the half marathon fields.

(01/08/2020) Views: 1,590 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Canadian Malindi Elmore recovered from injury is getting ready to race in Houston

The 2020 Houston Chevron Marathon is less than two weeks away, and while it’s technically an American race, it also serves as the winter running event of choice for the many Canadian runners. For the 2020 edition lots of Canadian elites are heading south of the border to try and run fast times, but a race we’re particularly excited to see is Malindi Elmore’s.

Elmore shocked Canadian runners a year ago when she ran a 2:32 marathon debut in Houston, which she would later describe as “a fun family project.” Since her debut, Elmore’s cranked out several impressive times, including a 1:11:08 half-marathon and a 32:44 10K. The original plan was to run the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, which doubled as the 2020 Olympic Trials. Elmore pulled out one week from the race due to a hamstring injury.

Elmore was targeting the Olympic standard of 2:29:30 and the automatic qualification spot that came from winning STWM. If she was successful, she would have qualified for her second Olympic team, 16 years and two babies after qualifying for her first (she competed in the 2004 Olympics for the 1,500m). The runner still has until May to run standard and put herself in the conversation for the Olympic team, but making the 2020 marathon squad will be harder than ever.

Canada can send up to three runners, but with Dayna Pidhoresky’s spot already guaranteed, Lyndsay Tessier’s top-10 finish at the World Championships acting as the equivalent to standard and Rachel Cliff knocking off the year with a new Canadian half-marathon record, the Canadian women’s road scene is deeper than it has been in years.

If Elmore is able to run under standard (2:29:30), there will be four Canadian women who’ve achieved it. And that’s not including Emily Setlack, who was only 18 seconds off at STWM. It’s far from cut-and-dried when it comes to who will be making this Olympic marathon team. There were years when Canada was excited to send one runner, and now there will likely be a marathoner, with standard, who won’t make the team.

But personally, Elmore isn’t overly concerned about the standard. “My goal is to run as fast as I can run, and if I perform how I think I’m capable of, it’ll land me within standard.”

The runner says that this build has been a little different than her first, due to her past injury. “Returning from injury wasn’t too bad, it took me about four weeks. That’s a pretty quick turn-around, all things considered. It was certainly a shorter build than I anticipated because I wasn’t starting from scratch.” Elmore was still working with the fitness she’d gained leading up to Scotia. She says she was very happy to see Pidhoresky and Hofbauer’s performances at STWM. “It was a really exciting race to watch. I was really happy for them and really happy to see how well they’d done.”

When asked about how Canadian running has changed over the past 20 years, Elmore says that connectedness is the biggest difference. “There’s a connection between runners and the public now. I felt much more alone doing my training and racing in 2004. Running was my personal story that I shared with people closest to me but it wasn’t available publicly the way things are now with social media.”

Elmore jokes that when she ran her lifetime personal best in the 1,500m she didn’t know for about an hour, because the results weren’t available. Then, she couldn’t tell her loved ones until she got back to the hotel and made the collect call home. “Now I put a workout up on Strava and get immediate kudos. I think there’s a greater awareness of what people are trying to achieve and what they’re doing to get there. It’s easier to build and maintain a community through technology where we can cheer people on from a distance.”

(01/07/2020) Views: 2,378 ⚡AMP
by Madeleine Kelly

Ruger Winchester, at 89, is training to run the We Are Houston 5K in January

Once an Air Force pilot for 22 years, Ruger Winchester had to run to stay in shape. Now at 89, he runs for the heath and discipline of it.

The Buckner Parkway Place resident is prepping to complete the We Are Houston 5K in January. He has actually completed the race that is part of the Chevron Houston Marathon weekend before and is usually one of about eight men, he said, in the 80-and-over bracket.

At 70, Winchester visited his son and granddaughter in Michigan. Knowing he was already very active on a stationary bike, they urged him to join them on a outdoor run.

“I was exercising at home. I was in full-blown exercise: hour and a half, two hours a day of exercising. But I wasn’t running,” Winchester said.

You could say he got hooked. Nineteen years later, he plans to reach 3 miles in training in December because the 5K race on Saturday, January 18, 2020, is 3.1 miles long. He is hoping for good weather, maybe 45 degrees.

Winchester was commanding a base in Guam when he accepted Jesus Christ as his lord. Changed and considering his plans, he said “I knew God has something else for me.” He and his wife, who he affectionately calls “Mikey,” left the Air Force. They started seminary together in 1973. After graduation, they moved to North Dakota, where Winchester pastored several churches.

Diagnosed with lung cancer in early 2017, Winchester moved to Houston to seek treatment at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center because the cancer had not improved by that fall. Buckner Parkway Place, which is a senior residential community in the Houston Energy Corridor, became their home.

After a lot of treatment, Winchester said today he is “without cancer.” He has to get checked every six months to make sure it stays that way though.

Winchester and his wife are members at Tallowood Baptist Church, but he said he is supposed to start preaching some at the Parkway Place chapel soon.

“It’s just discipline. Discipline. I run every day because I want to stay in shape, and there’s a discipline to it,” he said.

(11/29/2019) Views: 1,507 ⚡AMP
by Tracy Maness

Suzy Seeley didn’t think she would ever run one marathon, let alone 256 of them

In 1994 Seeley was having lunch with her son in his elementary school, and happened to be wearing workout clothing. One of her son’s teachers saw her outfit and asked if she was going to sign up for the upcoming Houston Marathon.

“I wasn’t really a runner though, and I didn’t enjoy it,” Seeley said.

It turns out that she did enjoy running long distances though. She ran in the Houston Marathon, and she says she was hooked after that. She has now run the Houston marathon 25 times. 

Since then, she has run in a marathon in all 50 states, as well as on all of the continents, including Antarctica twice.

“Running is amazing. It’s been a huge blessing in my life,” Seeley said.

Running has even helped her get over her fear of flying. The first 100 or so marathons were all close by, and then she gradually started taking short flights. Once she got to 30 states, she figured that she might as well finish them all.

The same thing happened with the runs on each continent. A running friend had wanted to do Antarctica, and Seeley was hesitant at first, but she did it. That trip also included a run in South America, so she figured she should do the rest of the continents after that.

When asked if she had a favorite marathon, she said, “That is the hardest question ever.”

She did manage to list a few though, saying that she loved the World Marathon Majors, Boston Marathon, Houston Marathon, because it is in her backyard, and the Austin Marathon.

(02/10/2019) Views: 2,484 ⚡AMP

Registration is now open for the Chevron Houston Marathon, the Aramco Half Marathon and the We Are Houston 5K

Are you ready to go for the gold in 2020? Early registration is now open for the Chevron Houston Marathon, the Aramco Half Marathon and the We Are Houston 5K!

If you get your registration in before June 5, the full marathon will cost $140, and the half marathon will cost $125.If you're thinking of registering but haven't quite committed, decide quickly -- the full and half marathons are each capped at 27,000 participants.

The 2020 We Are Houston 5K has a cap of 6,000 participants.Another option to consider is the Run For a Reason program. HERO entries are guaranteed registrations into the Chevron Houston Marathon or Aramco Houston Half Marathon by making a one-time tax-deductible donation of at least $350 to an official Run for a Reason charity, plus the cost of registration.

Marathon participants must be at least 12 years old by race day. Half marathon and 5K runners must be at least 7 years old.

(01/22/2019) Views: 1,657 ⚡AMP

Kenyan´s Albert Korir, and Ethiopian´s Biruktayit Degefa were the Chevron Houston Marathon winners

Ethiopian women had already created their own Chevron Houston Marathon dynasty. But Biruktayit Degefa has taken this thing a step further, deciding to corner the market herself.

Degefa won Houston for the first time in her third visit in 2016, when she was 25. On Sunday, she won for the third time in four years while becoming the first woman to repeat as champion since 2010. And the one time she hasn't prevailed of late, in 2017, she crossed second, just 26 seconds back. Nor has she ever finished worse than fourth.

No wonder Degefa refers to H-town as "my hometown."

"When I prepare to come, I really get excited," she said. "On this occasion, I would like to thank Houston for the hospitality."

We, in turn, would like to thank her for her consistent excellence, although she expressed disappointment that the personal-best 2:23:28 she posted on a sunny, chilly morning run through the city's streets from downtown to the Galleria area and back fell 14 seconds short of the course record, something she very much wants to own before she's done.

"I came prepared to break it," Degefa said, "but it was colder (than I expected), and that made it difficult."

Korir didn't threaten the men's course record, but he's only 24, and who's to say he won't eventually collect a head full of cowboy hats — always awarded to Houston's winners — as well in the years ahead?

His story is an inspirational one. At 10, Korir lost his right thumb while chopping cow silage, and he soon quit going to school because he was routinely bullied. He wound up laboring for the equivalent of $5 a day to pay for food, never mind his running shoes. He'd never traveled to the United States before this weekend.

"It's good," Korir conceded, "to win on my first time."

In contrast, Houstonians who line the route have come to recognize Degefa both for her running skills and her radiance. One now-former Houstonian, Abinet Adraro, was so taken by Degefa following that first triumph that he made it a point to meet her at a dinner hosted by the local Ethiopian community. An email relationship turned into a marriage, and they split their time these days between Albuquerque, N.M., and her training grounds in Ethiopia.

Adraro, to be sure, was waiting for his wife as she crossed. Also a runner, he had completed the Aramco Half Marathon in 1:02:09.

Making a sixth consecutive Chevron start, Degefa seemed the strongest from the get-go in becoming the third woman to claim a (cowboy) hat trick. Veronique Marot (1986, 1989, 1991) and Tetyana Pozdnyakova (1995, 1999, 2000) are the other three-time winners. For the first 25 miles, however, Meseret Belete kept Gedefa's undivided attention, and should she deign to return in the future, it's a reasonable bet she'll claim a Stetson of her own.

(01/21/2019) Views: 2,178 ⚡AMP

Kenya's champion Dominic Ondoro returns to Houston Marathon eyeing to reclaim his title

Two years since he braved hot and humid conditions to win in Houston, Dominic Ondoro will lead Kenyan charge and this time most likely in the cold. 

Ondoro had a torrid start to the 2018 season losing his title last year to Ethiopian challenge. He developed complication midway the race and had to be carried out in an ambulance.

He also failed to finish in his second race of the season in Los Angeles. However, he recovered from his condition and was seventh at the Ottawa Marathon in 2:15:16 and in October he was second at the Melbourne Marathon (2:16:55).

However, he faces stiff challenge in his bid to reclaim the Houston Marathon crown with Ethiopians Abayneh Ayele (2:06:45) and Yitayal Atnafu (2:07:00) leading the elite list.

"My aim this time round, of course, is to win the race," said Ondoro on Thursday in Eldoret.

"I think the weather affected me last year, but despite all that I am ready to challenge for the honors irrespective of who else is running."

The Kenyan believes he catapulted on the global scene when he won in Houston and will always feel indebted to the city.

"Winning Houston Marathon was one of my most favorite moments in road running," said Ondoro. "I am optimistic about running a personal best time. I also see a potential of breaking the course record."

Other Kenyans in the race include Albert Korir (2:08:17), Justus Kimutai (2:09:29), Elisha Barno (2:09:45) and Henry Lelei, who will be making his debut in marathon.

"Once again, our elite team continues to draw a competitive international field," said Chevron Houston Marathon Race Director Brant Kotch.

(01/19/2019) Views: 1,399 ⚡AMP

Defending champion Biruktayit Degefa is hoping to get a third title at the Houston Marathon

The defending Houston Marathon champion, Biruktayit Degefa, who also won in 2016, will be chasing a third title. The 28-yer-old has competed here the past five years, finishing third in 2015 with a 2:23:51 PR and second in 2017.

The strong Ethiopian contingent includes Muluhabt Tsega, who improved to 2:25:48 in Shanghai last November, Sechale Delasa, who was third here in 2016; and 23-year-old Gebayenesh Ayele, who improved to 2:26:54 last September in Hengsui.

Kenyan hopes lie with Sarah Kiptoo, whose 2:26:32 dates back to 2013 and Gladys Kipsoi, who was fourth here last year in 2:27:32.

Notable debutantes include 19-year-old Meseret Belete, who clocked a 1:07:51 world U20 best in the half marathon in Copenhagen last year.

Abayneh Ayele of Ethiopia is the fastest in the men's field at 2:06:45, clocked in Dubai in 2016. But the 32-year-old struggled last year, recording a season's best of just 2:13:47 in two races over the distance. His 25-year-old compatriot Yitayal Atnafu has shown stronger form, producing back-to-back fourth place finishes at the Paris Marathon the last two years, clocking 2:07:21 in 2017 and improving to 2:07:00 last year.

Three others will bring sub-2:09 bests to the start line: Kenyan Dominic Ondoro, who ran his 2:08:00 lifetime best in 2013; Birhanu Gedefa of Ethiopia, the 2015 Houston winner in 2:08:03, and Kenya's Albert Korir, who improved his personal best to 2:08:17 last March in Otsu.

Of course the perdicted cold weather could be a factor.

(01/18/2019) Views: 2,107 ⚡AMP

Frigid temperatures are expected to descend on Houston during this weekend, according to the National Weather Service

Freezing temperatures are exspected during Chevron Houston Marathon. Wind chills could make it feel like 19 degrees on early Sunday morning, just before thousands of people line up to start the Chevron Houston Marathon, meteorologists said.

Meteorologists said that race day will be partly cloudy and freezing, with wind chills in the morning. Wind speeds will be between 15 to 25 mph.

Sub-20 temperatures are anticipated around 6 a.m. All participants will officially be on course at 7:01 a.m.

The cold weather is expected to remain under 25 degrees for hours, meteorologists said. A hard freeze is possible.

The weather is typically warmer on race day, with previous temperatures averaging 54 degrees, according to the marathon. Runners experienced near-freezing conditions last year, although that wasn't nearly as cold as is expected this weekend. 

27,000 people have signed up for the marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon on Sunday.

(01/14/2019) Views: 1,195 ⚡AMP

After a break from marathon racing Kara Goucher is set to run Houston marathon, first in nearly three years

Kara Goucher suffered several years of running injuries, and thought she might never run a marathon again. But in her post this morning, she said this morning that she’s got the urge to run again. “I have no racing requirements in my four sponsorship/partnership contacts, I no longer feel like I need to prove anything to anyone, this is just for me. For my joy of running, training hard and running the marathon.”

She will run the Houston Marathon on January 20th, seven years after making her second Olympic team there. Goucher is an World Championship silver medallist in the 10,000m and has a personal best time of 2:25:53 in the marathon. She represented the USA at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic games.

(01/08/2019) Views: 1,324 ⚡AMP

Welsh athlete Natasha Cockram has Houston Marathon as her next big marathon goal

Successfully coming back from a career threatening injury is the inspirational narrative every running fan wants to read.

Unfortunately, it is not always the case, but thankfully Natasha Cockram’s account is one of the positive tales of coming back from the depths of injury hell – and now she can’t wait to write the next chapters of her running story.

During a few difficult years the prospect of not running again was all too real, but after a successful knee surgery, plus her resilient attitude and dedication to get back running, the 26 year-old can now once again dream of earning a GB vest for a major championships.

Cockram’s breakthrough performance of 2:35.47 to finish fourth at the Dublin Marathon in October catapulted her fifth on the Welsh all-time list. It was a nine minute personal best after winning April’s Newport Marathon in 2:44:58, despite spending the prior three months only cross training.

Both performances were a surprise to the Micky Morris Racing Team athlete, and she humbly says she is just “enjoying running again, which is the main thing” after her injury battles.

The Welsh athlete now aims to target three big marathons in 2019, beginning with the Houston Marathon on January 20, followed by London in April, where she hopes her performance will bag her one of the coveted places on the GB team for the World Championships in Doha.

(01/07/2019) Views: 1,393 ⚡AMP

Here are some tips to help you recover after running a marathon

It’s safe to expect you won’t be doing any hard running or intense training for several days. Your goal is to gradually get back to running at your normal training pace without stiffness or soreness.

All of us get warning signs of over-training. Keep a training journal to track ache, pain and fatigue that lingers. If you have developed an injury, seek professional medical guidance.

Ask your doctor for a medical check-up before embarking on any strenuous training program. If you get the all clear, I recommend you treat your body right with proper nutrition and training regimens. This will help minimize any damage to your body.

Practice taking fluids every two to three miles and fuel during your long runs in preparation. Pick the right running shoes that are a good match for your feet. Most shoes can max out at 300-500 miles. The wrong shoes may cause damage to your body, including stress fractures.

In the coming weeks, as your physical and psychological recovery is underway, make sure to replenish your body with rest, good protein and carbohydrates.

You want to slowly incorporate stretching, cross training that includes cycling, swimming, walking, light jogging and maybe going easy on a stair climber into your regimen. Soon enough, you’ll be ready to do it all over again.

The next top MBR 100 marathon coming up is the Houston Marathon.  

(01/02/2019) Views: 1,310 ⚡AMP
by Dr Syed Rizvi

The Women’s Half Marathon Times in Houston were fast!

The women’s half marathon was both fast and deep on Sunday in Houston. Before Mary Wacera shattered the event record for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon by running 1:06:29 in 2016 for the fastest half marathon ever on U.S. soil, the event record was 1:08:26. In today’s race, a remarkable seven women bettered that time, with Aga’s 1:06:39 now ranking as the second fastest ever run in this country. Caroline Chepkoech of Kenya was runner-up in 1:06:48, the fourth-fastest time in race history, with the next five women all breaking into the top 10 all-time here. (01/14/2018) Views: 1,430 ⚡AMP

Fast Times For American Men at Houston Half Marathon

America’s Sam Chelanga placed 6th with a 27-second personal best of 60:37 at the Houston Half Marathon Sunday. He’s now #4 on the all-time U.S. list, behind only Ryan Hall, Leonard Korir, and Dathan Ritzenhein. Chelanga’s training partner Haron Lagat made an even bigger breakthrough to finish 10th in 61:01. Running in his first half in 10 years, the 34-year-old Lagat, who was previously best known as a steeplechaser ran 61:01 for 10th, a four-minute PR good for #9 on the all-time U.S. list. (01/14/2018) Views: 1,418 ⚡AMP

Molly Huddle Sets a New Half Marathon American Record

Houston Half Marathon, Molly Huddle breaks Deena Kastor's previous 🇺🇸 record in 1:07:25 this morning in Houston. She went out with the leaders and pulled it off. The race was won by Ethiopia’s Ruti Aga, the 2017 Berlin Marathon runnerup, in 66:39. Molly said, “It means a lot. To be in the company of Deena Kastor, who had such a great marathon career, gives me a lot of confidence, and that’s a really special feeling. Deena has really set the bar high for us.” (01/14/2018) Views: 1,479 ⚡AMP

Runners put their best foot forward in Houston

Cool temperatures and a crisp breeze greeted runners as they set off on the 46 annual Chevron Houston Marathon and Half Marathon. The race kicked off at 7 a.m this morning. The marathon has been held since 1972, and while it's traditionally taken place in January for the majority of its history, the very first and second races took place in late December, just before New Year. (01/14/2018) Views: 1,238 ⚡AMP

Top two women's seeds drop out of Houston Marathon

Mamitu Daska, and Abebech Afework Bekele had to drop out, both from Ethiopia, for medical and visa issues, respectively. Ethiopian women have won the Chevron Houston Marathon 11 years in a row, going back to Dire Tune in 2007, With them out, another Ethopian, Biruktayit Degefa, becomes the favorite on Sunday. (01/13/2018) Views: 1,458 ⚡AMP

Lilesa, descends on Houston Half Marathon

Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa will be targeting a record third triumph on Sunday. The Olympic marathon silver medallist came close to achieving a hat-trick of titles last year, but was just beaten on the line by USA’s Leonard Korir. Korir won’t defend his title, but Lilesa – who set the course record of 59:22 in 2012 – still faces a formidable field which contains five other men with sub-60-minute PBs. (01/12/2018) Views: 1,459 ⚡AMP

It is going to be cold at the start of the Houston Marathon

Runners need to be prepared for some cold weather on the morning of the Chevron Houston Marathon this coming weekend. High pressure building across our region will send a blast of cold air across southeast Texas. Here's the latest forecast for Sunday's marathon. When it starts, temps will be below freezing, and feels like temps will be in the low 20s. Make sure you're prepared for the cold weather. The secret is to wear layers so you can take some off as it warms up. (01/09/2018) Views: 1,341 ⚡AMP

Hoka One One signs Olympian Cam Levins

Hoka One One has landed one of Canada’s greatest men’s distance runners. The shoe company signed Cam Levins, formerly the national record holder in the 10,000m, to a sponsorship deal, it was announced on Monday. He is slated to make his professional debut for Hoka One One at the 2018 Houston Half-Marathon on Jan. 14. The 2012 Olympian was scheduled to race his debut half-marathon in Toronto in October but withdrew due to injury. But then ran 1:05:07 at the Holiday Half-Marathon in Oregon. (01/08/2018) Views: 1,578 ⚡AMP

What is the fastest Marathon time run by a US President?

MBR FAST FACT: The Fastest Marathon ever run by a United States President is 3:44:52. Former president George W Bush ran that time in 1993 at the Houston Marathon. During his time in office he ran regularly and in fact it was reported that he could run three miles at six minute pace. Bush now 70 says, “Exercise is so important that corporate America should help its employees make time. A healthy workforce is a more productive work force.” The 2018 Houston Marathon will be held January 14. (12/10/2017) Views: 3,631 ⚡AMP