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Lead Stories: Thursday, August 28, 2008

Athlete Ngetich Perishes in Ongoing Kenyan Violence

Posted January 21st, 2008 at 1:22 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The ongoing violence in Kenya has claimed the life of marathoner Wesley Ngetich, according to his manager Hussein Makke. The 34 year-old athlete was shot in the chest with an arrow today during fighting in his hometown of Trans Mara, not far from Masai Mara.

“They spoke to his sister-in-law who said they took him to the hospital and he passed away,” Makke explained in an e-mail message to Race Results Weekly. “I don’t have any further information at the moment.”

Makke got the news of Ngetich’s death from his on-site manager in Kenya, Francis Kamau.
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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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Record-setting day at the Chevron Houston Marathon

Posted January 15th, 2007 at 2:00 PM by Danielle Correa

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Yesterday was an eventful and record-setting day in Houston, Texas - with nearly 20,000 runners participating in the thirty-fifth annual Chevron Houston Marathon .

This year’s first-place winner for the women’s marathon was Ethiopia’s Dire Tune. Tune set a new course with a time of 2:26:52; beating Ingrid Kristiansen’s previous record of 2:27:51, which was set in 1984. The runner’s up included Beata Rakonczai Hun of Hungary (2:30:14) and last year’s winner Firiya Sultanova-Zhdanova (2:39:06).

In the men’s race, Feyisa Tusse of Morocco took first place with a time of 2 hours 11 minutes and 39 seconds. Mikhail Khobotov (2:13:56) and Benson Cheruiyot (2:14:03) finished second and third, respectively.
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Ryan Hall sets new North American record for the Half-Marathon (59:43)

Posted January 14th, 2007 at 5:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Ryan Hall battled the elements to become at the first North American to ever run a half-marathon in less than one-hour at today’s Aramco Houston Half-Marathon. The half-marathon served as the USA Half-Marathon Championships.

Hall, who is only 24-years old, ran triumphantly against an all-star field to set a new North American half-marathon record with a time of 59 minutes and 43 seconds. [Click here to see video footage of his record-setting performance].

Hall flew past the previous record of 1:00:28 which had been held by German Silva and Dionicio Cerón since 1994. Hall also set a new American record, beating Mark Curp’s 1985 time of 1:00:55.
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