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Lead Stories: Saturday, November 22, 2008

Houston Marathon Establishes Foundation

Posted October 13th, 2007 at 12:45 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results

The Houston Marathon Committee, governing body of the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon and EP5K, has established a philanthropic organization to support running initiatives in the Houston area and nationwide.

“The Houston Marathon Committee wanted to find a way to support running in the community and nationally on a level that goes beyond offering a series of races once a year,” says Committee President Brant Kotch. “The Houston Marathon Foundation will allow us to do that through contributions to programs and projects that promote running.”

The Foundation primarily will support efforts that foster education about running and the advancement of running, and organizations that help develop running as a sport in the Houston community and nationwide. Three programs are being funded initially: the USA Distance Project, a national program that focuses on developing elite U.S. distance runners; the HARRA Kids’ Race and the Texas Children’s Hospital Kids’ Fun Run. Foundation members will meet quarterly to review other programs for potential funding.
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Aramco Houston Half Marathon to host USA Half Marathon Championships through 2011

Posted September 7th, 2007 at 7:21 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The Aramco Houston Half Marathon has extended its commitment to host the USA Half Marathon Championships through 2011, USATF has annoucned. The event has previously hosted the USA Men’s Half Marathon Championship (2005-’06) and both the men’s and women’s championships in 2007.

“Houston has traditionally been a great proving ground for new U.S. talent,” said Bill Roe, USATF President. “The support that Houston and Aramco Services Company have put forth both in the race as well as in key funding for the USA Distance Project will continue to keep the momentum moving forward for USA long distance athletes.”

The 2008 USA Half-Marathon Championships will be held in conjunction with the thirty-sixth running of the Chevron Houston Marathon on January 13, and will be the first race on the 2008 USA Running Circuit (USARC).

The USA Half Marathon Championship races have attracted some of America’s top young runners. In 2007, that field included Ryan Hall of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., who clocked an American record 59:43 over the 13.1-mile course, obliterating the previous record set by Mark Curp in 1985. Hall’s time shaved 1:12 off the old record and made him the first American to break the 1 hour barrier in the half marathon distance.
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