FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Houston Marathon Foundation Continues Commitment
to Elite Distance Running
HOUSTON (November 2, 2015) - The Houston Marathon Foundation (HMF)
announced today that it will provide $45,000 in financial support for
several U.S. elite long-distance runners and development programs,
including funding to Team Green (Woodlands, TX), ZAP Fitness (Lenoir, NC),
Team USA Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN), and five 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon
qualifiers from the Greater Houston Region.
For the second consecutive year, the HMF will again provide financial
support to local Houston athlete Becky Wade, a former Rice University
four-time NCAA Division I All-American who will compete at the Trials next
February. In her marathon debut in December 2013, Wade won the California
International Marathon in 2:30:41. In 2015, Wade finished 11th at the U.S.
Half Marathon Championships in Houston and 5th at the U.S. Marathon
Championships in Los Angeles.
"Providing support for elite U.S. distance runners across this country has
been a priority of the Houston Marathon Committee and the Foundation since
the inception of both organizations," said Houston Marathon Foundation and
Committee Executive Director Wade Morehead. "It is an honor and a privilege
to support these wonderful people and talented athletes in their efforts to
achieve their goals on an international stage amongst the finest
long-distance runners world-wide."
This will be the inaugural year of support for Team Green Running (TGR),
which was formed to help athletes at all levels and abilities in their
quest for excellence. The club's focus is on distance running and
supporting runners in cross country, on the roads and the track. TGR's
primary goals are to develop post-collegiate distance runners at the
National and International level; to train and assist open and masters
runners to compete at the State and National level; and to develop youth
programs that educate and supplement school programs.
For the third consecutive year, the HMF will support Team USA Minnesota,
whose training center was formed in 2001 and designed to improve the
competitiveness of post-collegiate American distance running and to develop
Olympians. Team USA Minnesota's mission is to provide an opportunity for
talented distance runners to train in an environment that will prepare them
to compete on a level with the best in the nation and in the world and to
raise awareness of the sport of distance running.
The HMF will also provide funding to the ZAP Fitness Foundation for the
second year in a row. The non-profit training center was founded in 2001
by the late Andy Palmer and his wife Zika as a way to give back to the
sport of distance running because it played such a significant role in both
of their lives. The objectives of ZAP Fitness include financially
supporting 8-10 post-collegiate distance runners in their efforts to make
World Championships and Olympic Teams, and providing role models for
America's youth by promoting an active healthy lifestyle as well as
promoting achievement.
The HMF is proud to support the other local athletes who have qualified for
the 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon. Houston-area athletes who will join Wade
and compete in the Trials, include Jarret LeBlanc, Kiya Dandena, and
Samantha McClellan. The HMF will also provide support for area runner Mary
Davies, who trains in Houston in her quest to qualify for the 2016 New
Zealand Olympic team.
In addition to the numerous U.S. elite distance running programs supported
by the HMF since its inception in 2008, the HMF has provided funding to
create opportunities for new runners in the Greater Houston Region and also
to support the vibrant local running community. An announcement outlining
the local programs to be supported this year by the HMF will be released at
the end of November.
For more information, visit www.houstonmarathonfoundation.com.
About The Houston Marathon Foundation
Founded in 2008, the Houston Marathon Foundation is committed to support
the advancement of running as an element of a balanced, healthy lifestyle
in the Houston community and nationally. The national focus of the
organization is dedicated to promoting and improving the sport of distance
running while locally, the organization supports running related program
and community needs that will improve and create effective health-based
initiatives. Additionally, youth programs and after school running programs
provide coaching, support, guidance and opportunity to over 1,000 Houston
area students annually who would otherwise have few or no fitness
opportunities and many of whom participate in the annual Houston Marathon
Committee weekend events.
For more information, visit www.houstonmarathonfoundation.com or call
713.957.3453.
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