FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2016 Chevron Houston Marathon Race Weekend
HOUSTON (January 12, 2016) - On January 15-17, the 2016 Chevron Houston
Marathon Race Weekend will attract over 250,000 participants, spectators
and volunteers to the streets of Houston. Sunday's Chevron Houston
Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon features 27,000 participants,
7,500 volunteers and over 200,000 spectators, making it the largest
single-day sporting event in Houston.
Race Weekend kicks off on Friday, with the Memorial Hermann Ironman Sports
Medicine Institute EXPO. The two-day EXPO will attract over 25,000 visitors
each day and feature over 100 industry vendors.
Run for a Reason
Thousands of race participants will arrive on the starting line to run for
personal accomplishment and to help others through the event's Run for a
Reason charity program. This year's fundraisers will run for official
charities and continue to build on the $2.5 million garnered in 2015. The
Chevron Houston Marathon's Run for a Reason charitable program has
generated over $24 million in its 22-year history.
Shadow Run
In coordination with the Houston Marathon Committee, Bagram Air Field is
staging its own event during the Chevron Houston Marathon race weekend
8,000 miles away in the mountainous region on race day January 17th. Bagram
is the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan. Over 400 soldiers and
civilian workers will participate in either the 5K, 10K, half marathon or
marathon.
Elite Field
2015 Chevron Houston Marathon champion Birhanu Gedefa returns to the field
in 2016 to defend his title, while two-time Chevron Houston Marathon
champion Bazu Worku returns after a one year hiatus. On the women's side,
2015 Chevron Houston Marathon runner-up Guteni Shone leads the pack in the
women's field and will be chased by 2015 Chevron Houston Marathon
third-place finisher Biruktait Degefa.The prize purse for the open marathon
races is $170,000, with a $40,000 first-place award for both the men's and
women's winners.
Deep fields have also been assembled for both races in the Aramco Houston
Half Marathon. 2015 Boston Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia
leads the way and compatriot Mosinet Geremew, who has a personal best of
59:11, will look to challenge him. 2015 Aramco Houston Half Marathon
champion Diego Estrada is the top American in the field. 2015 IAAF World
Marathon champion and Boston Marathon runner-up Mare Dibaba is a top
contender in the women's Aramco Houston Half Marathon. 2014 IAAF World Half
Marathon Chamionships silver medalist Mary Wacera of Kenya and compatriot
Cynthia Limo, who is #20 on the all-time on the women's half marathon list,
will also be in contention.
Honorary Starters
On Sunday, the honorary starters for the Chevron Houston Marathon and
Aramco Houston Half Marathon will be Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. Other
special guests include Katy-resident Rebekah Gregory, a survivor of the
Boston Marathon bombing.
Chevron Houston Marathon Race Weekend By The Numbers
200,000 - Estimated number of spectators along the 26.2-mile course
$51+ million economic impact to the city of Houston
47 - Number of countries represented
1 - Number of wheelchair racers
19 - Number of handcycle racers
9 - Number of visually impaired racers
8 - Number of wheelchair duo racers
42 - Average age of male participant
40 - Average age of female participant
47,880,000 - Estimated number of calories that will be burned at the
Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon
H-E-B's free post-race participant breakfast serves:
22,000 eggs, 12,000 biscuits and 200 gallons of coffee
2016 Media Schedule of Events (subject to change)
Friday, January 15
9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. Media Center Hours of Operation - Room 360
9:00a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Media Accreditation - Room 370
11:00a.m. Press Conference - Elite Athletes, Mayor - Room 360
Saturday, January 16
7:00a.m. - 2:00p.m. Media Center Hours of Operation - Room 360
8:00a.m. ABB 5K
8:00a.m. - 2:00p.m. Media Accreditation - Room 370
Sunday, January 17
5:00a.m. - 2:00p.m. Media Center Hours of Operation
6:45a.m. Wheelchair Start
7:00a.m. Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon
10:00a.m. (tentative) Champions Press Conference - Room 360
For complete information on the 2016 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco
Houston Half Marathon, please visit
http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com.
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. In 2014, the Run For a Reason
Charity Program raised a record $2.6 million and the HMC retained Gold
Certification from the Council of Responsible Sport for industry-leading
sustainability initiatives. Host to 14 U.S. Half Marathon Championships
since 2005 and the 1992 women's Olympic Trials Marathon, the 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 or call
713.957.3453.
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