1. Join a running club: There are over 25 running clubs in the Houston area. Joining a club and scheduling a morning run with a group is an easy way to hold yourself accountable. I know I’m much more likely to throw off the covers and head out if I know that someone is waiting on me. For a quick list of clubs, visit our running clubs page.
2. Get ready the night before: Take care of everything the night before your run – what to wear, what you’ll eat for breakfast, etc. Having everything ready to go when the alarm goes off will make the morning much less hectic.
3. Plan your route: Not knowing where you are going to run in the morning can give you an easy excuse to hit the snooze button in the morning. Map out your run in advance through sites like America’s Running Routes or MapMyRun.
4. Be realistic: It will be hard in the beginning, so don’t schedule a long run for your first morning. Start out with an easy run, waking up just an hour earlier than you normally would. If you normally get up at 7:00am, aim for 6:00am with an easy three-miler to get your first run out of the way.
5. Put your alarm clock out of reach: When the alarm goes off in the morning, it’s always tempting to hit snooze and roll over. But if your alarm clock is across the room, you’re already out of bed and a lot less likely to say, “Just 10 more minutes…”

Got all that? Think you’re ready to get up at the crack of dawn to avoid the heat now? Here are a few more ideas to get you out the door in the early morning.

• Have your spouse, significant other or roommate throw cold water in your face if you don’t wake up on your own
• Set three different alarms for three different times.
  **Warning: this tip is only recommended if you are single or want to be

Linking 30,000 runners with 60 charities, the Run for a Reason charity program provides an avenue for race participants, individuals and organizations to collect donation on behalf of an official charity of their choice. It also provides a platform for charities to raise awareness and educate others about their cause.

“Over the past four races, Houston’s selfless running community has raised an average of $2 million per year benefitting the official charities of the Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason program,” said HMC Executive Director Wade Morehead.  “We are truly appreciative of our runners, sponsors, and official charities; and so proud of the growth and success of this initiative over the years.”

The 2012-2013 season marked the third year in a row that fundraising surpassed the $2 million mark, generating $2.2 million through over 17,000 donations. Since the program’s inception in 1995, almost $17 million has been raised to benefit various charities.

How to participate
The Run for a Reason program offers guaranteed ways to enter the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon. Starting May 30, a limited number of guaranteed charity entries will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

“HERO” charity entries enable runners to make an upfront, direct tax-deductible donation of at least $350 to an official Run for a Reason charity of their choice, plus the cost of registration, to secure a guaranteed race entry. New this year is the option to purchase a guaranteed entry for a friend and give as a gift.

“Fundraising for registration” charity entries give runners an opportunity to fundraise for an official Run for a Reason charity of their choice and receive a guaranteed race entry. Participating charities set their own fundraising minimums and deadlines. The list of participating charities and their contact information can be found on the event website (http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/RunForAReason/Index.cfm). Runners should contact these organizations directly for more information.

The 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon are scheduled for January 19, 2014 and the ABB 5K is scheduled for Saturday, January 18.

To learn more about the Run for a Reason charity program, visit www.RunforaReasonHouston.org.

2013-2014 Run for a Reason official charities list

Early this past Saturday morning, on a flat, fast course that winds through the Memorial Villages and ends at the CITYCENTRE courtyard, over 350 runners ran sub-51:08 to qualify for early registration for the 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon. The Houston Marathon Committee’s own Steven Karpas, the Managing Director of Business Development and Marketing, finished seventh overall and won his age group when he crossed the line in 37:55.5.

Photo credit: Jennifer Franco Photography

Victoria Webster (Houston, TX) was the overall women’s winner in 41:12.7, while Abinet Adraro (Houston, TX) won the men’s race in 32:41.9.

Every participant who ran under 51:08 (and also meets the age requirements) is now eligible to register during the early registration period, May 7-30, for the 2014 Race Weekend of events.  Those who did not meet the time requirement have until May 30 to do so. But time qualifiers are limited and the spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information on registration for the 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon, visit http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/Marathon/Registration.cfm.

Photo credit: Marq Mosier (instagram)

For complete results from the Green 6.2, visit http://eztoregister.com/assets/Green6213.HTM.

There were some long days in store for Erin in the week leading up to the race. When the athletes started arriving on Monday, April 15, Erin and crew would have to get up between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. to meet the first overnight flights arriving from Kenya and Ethiopia at 6:00 a.m. They would meet the athletes and agents as soon as they came through customs and travel with them on the Heathrow Express before handing them off to the drivers who would take them on to the race hotel. The crew would then head back to the airport for next group of arriving athletes and agents. Depending on the day, the crew were generally home by 8:00 p.m., but one night they were out until midnight.

On race day, the meet and greet crew’s primary goal was to be elite athlete spotters. The way London Marathon course is set up, there’s a turn about 400m from finish and the race organizers need to know who is coming for the announcers and to determine what lane they would be in. London utilizes a multi-lane finish line because, in addition to the men’s and women’s races, London also played host to the IPC Marathon World Cup. Along with the annual wheelchair race featuring T51-T54 athletes, this event also featured IPC Athletics classes T42-46 (leg and arm amputees) and T11-T13 (visually impaired) for both men and women. It made for some serious difficulty in keeping track of everyone. At one point, there were eight men’s wheelers coming in together and, even with their binoculars, it was hard to figure out who was who.

When asked what was her favorite moment was from the trip, Erin was stumped. There were so many. Then she remembered meeting the athletes from one specific flight – Geoffrey Mutai, Patrick Makau, Wilson Kipsang, Tsegaye Kebede and Feyisa Lilesa – five of the worlds greatest marathoners. On arriving back to the hotel later that night, Erin told one of the organizers they were lucky the athletes made it to London because she wanted to put them on a plane to Houston!

One of the best parts about working the London Marathon for Erin is also spending time and being able to meet with athletes, agents, race directors and other members of the running industry. Everyone shares information and gets to ask everyone else questions. It’s a great experience to learn about everyone’s different backgrounds and how we can learn from each other and share our experiences. And then bring all of this info back to Houston and use it to plan for the future.

Chevron Favorite Charity Contest – Houston SPCA

Top Charity Administrator – Jennifer Alpard for the Cade R. Alpard Foundation

Most Charity HOOPLA stations – ESCAPE Family Resources Center

Best Sidewalk Squad Recruiter – Houston Food Bank

Top Overall Fundraising Charity with a training program – Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

3rd Place Overall Top Fundraising Charity – CanCare, Inc.

2nd Place Overall top Fundraising Charity – Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy

1st Place Overall Top Fundraising Charity – Snowdrop Foundation

Top Fundraising Team – Team Calpine benefiting Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

3rd Place Overall Top Individual Fundraiser – Pam Klein for the Cade R. Alpard Foundation

2nd Place Overall Top Individual Fundraiser – Larry DeSpain for Snowdrop Foundation

1st Place Overall Top Individual Fundraiser – Heinrich Meerman for Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy

Thank you to everyone who made this season a success and we look forward to your support in the 2013-2014 fundraising season! The new charities for the upcoming season will be announced on May 9, 2013 and guaranteed charity entries will be available beginning May 30, 2013. New this season, you can purchase a tax deductible HERO entry to give to your favorite runner. For more information on the Run for a Reason program, visit http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/RunForAReasonInfo.cfm.

“The Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason Program surpassed the $2 million fundraising plateau for the third consecutive year, and this achievement is a testament to the charitable nature of the City of Houston and the amazing fundraising efforts of our participants,” said Wade Morehead, Executive Director of the Houston Marathon Committee.  “The 60 official charities and their tireless staffs should be congratulated for their year-round efforts as well, and we again look forward to hearing the amazing stories of how these funds are immediately directed to support each of their causes.”

Since the program’s inception in 1995, almost $17 million has been raised to benefit various charities. Since breaking the $1 million fundraising mark in 2008, the number of fundraisers and charity donations has more than tripled and generated $10.7 million. 2012-2013 saw more Fundraising Teams and Sidewalk Squad Sponsorships than ever before.

The Run for a Reason program links runners with participating nonprofits and provides a platform for charities to raise awareness and funds as well as educate others about their cause. The program also offers alternative ways to enter the marathon and half marathon races through “Heroes” charity registration and “Fundraise for Registration” options. Details about the Run for a Reason program can be found at http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/RunForAReasonInfo.cfm.

Official 2013-2014 Run for a Reason charities will be announce on May 9, 2013. Guaranteed “HERO” and “Fundraising for Registration” entries will be available beginning on May 30, 2013.

The 42nd running of the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon will take place on January 19, 2014, while the ABB 5K will be run on Saturday, January 18, 2014. Lottery registration for the marathon and half marathon opens on June 5, 2013 at www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com.

David Adame, Brandon Adame, Kimberly Hall, Israel Antonio and Chris Cardenas

Israel Antonio, a visually impaired athlete from Chicago who has twice run the Aramco Houston Half Marathon, stopped by the Houston Marathon Committee’s office last week for a quick chat. He was in town to compete in the C Different Triathlon, where he finished first in his division in 1:17:52.

10 Things you need to know about Israel

1. At 35 years old, born and raised in Chicago, Israel is a screen and play writer.
2. Israel lost his eyesight at 14.
3. He remembers his parents always taking him to the park to run laps as a child.  After he lost his sight, he wasn’t into sports.   He was later encouraged by Matt Miller, the Executive Director of C Different, to compete, something he began just one year ago.
4. Israel is inspired by Keri Schindler (Executive Director of dare2tri), injured service members of the dare2tri Paratriathlon club and also Paula Radcliffe, the world record holder in the women’s marathon.
5. He finds his guides that will help during races through friends and organizations like C Different.  Israel is very appreciative of Guides that fly themselves to races so that they can guide him.  He is also grateful for the friends that open their homes to him while traveling.
6.  Israel has run 2+ marathons and 6+ half marathons, along with numerous Ironman competitions.  He is a two-time Boston qualifier.
7. This April Israel will be running Boston and his goal is a sub-four hour marathon.
8. Israel ran 1:44 this past January here at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon.  He loves Houston because it is well organized, has great hoopla and the volunteers are strict but friendly.
9. While Israel does not keep track of his weekly mileage, he also does not take any time off from training.  And he communicates with his guides year around.
10. Israel competes for two charities –  C Different and Imerman’s Angels

Bonus Fact – In May, Israel will compete at the U.S. Paratriathlon National Championships, hosted by the Capitol of Texas Triathlon.

C Different is one of the Chevron Houston Marathon’s Run for a Reason official charities.  For more information on C Different, visit www.cdifferent.org. For more information on the Run For a Reason Charity Program, visit www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/RunForAReasonInfo.cfm.

Houston Marathon Committee adds a variety of new initiatives to their slate of environmentally and socially responsible practices

HOUSTON – The Council for Responsible Sport announced on Tuesday that the Houston Marathon Committee has been awarded a Gold Certification for its sustainability efforts while conducting the 2013 Chevron Houston Marathon event weekend.  The Houston Marathon Committee (HMC) is now one of only eight organizations ever to achieve this distinction since the Council launched its certification program in 2008.

The three-day event weekend generated 17.74 tons of waste, 83% of which was diverted out of landfills.  The HMC recycled 11.27 tons and composted 3.45 tons, while sending 3.02 tons to landfills.  The integrated planning efforts of the HMC, corporate partners, the GRB Convention Center, Discovery Green, Waste Management, Eco-Logistics, and green crew volunteers made this initiative a reality.

“We have a responsibility to the local communities, to our loyal participants, and our corporate partners to operate responsibly in regard to environmental and social best practices,” stated Wade Morehead, Executive Director of the Houston Marathon Committee.  “We are grateful that the Council of Responsible Sport has created a quantifiable method to measure success in these areas, and to garner a gold certification in the second year of this initiative is truly gratifying.”

For the past three years, the HMC has partnered with Waste Management and their Sustainability Services to incorporate their greening efforts into every stage of the race weekend events. Waste Management donates sustainable port-o-lets and assists with the HMC’s waste collection, removal and diversion to their state-of-the-art recycling and composting center.

“Last year, the Houston Marathon Committee took on the ambitious challenge of having both the 2012 Chevron Houston Marathon and U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials certified by the Council for Responsible Sport,” said Keith Peters, Executive Director of the Council. “Their dedication to continuous improvement in the areas of environmental and social responsibility is truly remarkable.  People often think of our certification as being all about environmental responsibility, but over half of the credits pertain to socially responsible things like community involvement, promoting healthy lifestyles and inclusion. The Chevron Houston Marathon scores well in every category.”

The HMC earned 52 of the 55 credits for which it applied.  This included credits for collaborating with the Houston Fire Department to produce a Hands-Only CPR Awareness video for training race attendees, in addition to partnering with Hirsch Elementary School to assist with their Dream Team Recycling Rally.

Here is a partial list of the many successful sustainability initiatives implemented in 2013:

• The HMC partnered with Virtual Race Bags to eliminate the printing and distribution of over 15,000 pounds of paper.
• 100% online registration for the Chevron Houston Marathon event weekend
• 3,700 pounds of the clothing discarded at the start of the races was collected and given to Star of Hope Mission, a local agency dedicated to meeting the needs of Houston’s homeless.
• 1,223 pound (978 pairs) of running shoes were collected and donated to SEARCH Homeless Services.
• Of the 93 vehicles used for race operations, 57% used alternative fuel (electric)
• The HMC’s relationships with Clif Bar allowed 73% of GU packets distributed at EXPO and the race course to be collected, terracycled and created into products for additional use.
• 8,930 pounds of unused bottled water and food from the post-race party was donated to the Houston Food Bank
• The HMC implemented 100% no Styrofoam policy

In addition to the metrics above, the impact or footprint of a number of other aspects were measured:

• The carbon footprint of Chevron Houston Marathon participants traveling to and from the event totaled 1,765 metric tonnes.
• The carbon footprint of event related operations for the Houston Marathon was 2.75 metric tonnes.
• The water footprint attributed to the Houston Marathon was 295,000 gallons. Due to water conservation measures in place in the LEED Certified George R. Brown Convention Center, it is estimated that some 20% less water was used than would have been in a conventional building.
• Finally, all grey and black water from portable sanitation stations were transported to a wastewater treatment plant, while liquid waste containers were provided throughout the George R. Brown Convention Center to allow runners to empty beverage containers prior to recycling them.

For more information on the Houston Marathon Committee’s green initiatives, please visit http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/GeneralInfo/GreenInitiative.cfm.

About the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc.

Established in 1972, the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc. (HMC), a Running USA Founding Member, annually organizes the nation’s premier winter marathon, half-marathon, and 5K. Over 250,000 participants, volunteers and spectators make Chevron Houston Marathon Race Day the largest single-day sporting event in Houston.  Race Weekend generates over $50 million in economic impact for the region annually.  Host to 12 U.S. Half Marathon Championships since 2005 and the 1992 women’s Olympic Trials Marathon, HMC conducted the nationally-televised 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, which featured men and women competing on the same course simultaneously for the first time, vying for the chance to represent Team USA at the 2012 Olympic Games.

For more information, visit www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com.

About the Council for Responsible Sport:
Our vision is a world where responsibly produced sports events are the norm.

Our mission is to provide objective, independent verification of the socially and environmentally responsible work event organizers are doing, and to actively support event organizers who strive to make a difference in their communities.

Our Certification program provides a comprehensive method for event directors to incorporate environmental and socially responsible initiatives into their events, while informing stakeholders about events that adhere to a rigorous set of standards. Certified events range in size from ParalympicsGB Training Camps held at the University of Bath in the UK, with some 150 athletes participating, to the AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Georgia, with 55,077 timed finishers. To date, 50 different events have achieved certification from the Council for Responsible Sport, serving over 710,000 athletes in the process.

The current version of the Council’s Certification standards was developed by an outside working group of 18 sustainability experts and reviewed by a wide range of stakeholders. Certification is modeled after the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Building Rating System, which certifies buildings and materials according to resource conservation and energy efficiency criteria.

www.CouncilforResponsibleSport.org

The 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon will have a protected cap of 25,000 participants. Of the 25,000-participant field, 13,000 entries are reserved for the marathon and 12,000 for the half marathon. The ABB 5K, which will take place on Saturday, January 18, will have a cap of 5,000 participants. This year’s event weekend will again feature the popular We Are Houston RunFest and the Houston Double Medal, awarded to individuals who finish the 5K and a Sunday race.

The Chevron Houston Marathon Race Weekend attracts roughly a quarter-million people to the downtown Houston area between participants, spectators and volunteers, which makes Race Day the largest single-day sporting event in Houston. The premier winter marathon, half marathon and 5K offers runners a fast, flat, scenic single-loop course.

The cost of entry into the 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon is $125, while the cost for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon is $115. More information on the race, registration, and how to get involved is available at www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com.

2014 Race Registration Dates

Early Registration*           May 7 – May 30, 2013
HERO Entries                    May 30 – sell out
Lottery                                 June 5 – June 20, 2013
ABB 5K Registration        June 5, 2013
Lottery Selection               June 21 – June 23, 2013
Lottery Announcement    June 24, 2013
*(Select groups only- Veterans, 5-9 year finishers, deferrals, “third time’s a charm,” HARRA and time qualifiers)

42nd Annual Chevron Houston Marathon Race Weekend

January 16
Annual Greek Exchange Pastichio Dinner
January 17
Ironman Sports Institute at Memorial Hermann EXPO
January 18
We Are Houston RunFest
ABB 5K
Ironman Sports Institute at Memorial Hermann EXPO
January 19
We Are Houston RunFest
13th annual Aramco Houston Half Marathon featuring the 2014 U.S. Half Marathon Championships
42nd annual Chevron Houston Marathon

Mohammed ran her best marathon time of 2012 just over a month before the Chevron Houston Marathon when she finished fourth in the Shanghai Marathon in 2:25:21 on December 2.

Results
2012: 3^rd at Xiamen Marathon (2:31:46), 3^rd at Rotterdam Marathon (2:25:48), 4^th at Shanghai Marathon (2:25:21)
2011: 2^nd at Mumbai Marathon (2:26:57), 1^st at Dusseldorf Marathon (2:28:15), 4^th at Frnakfurt Marathon (2:24:32), 10^th at New Dehli Half Marathon (70:46)
2010: 8^th at Mumbai Marathon (2:42:40), 1^st at Ottawa Marathon (2:28:19), 3^rd at Toronto Marathon (2:23:06PR), 2^nd at New Delhi Half Marathon (68:36PR)