FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Sponsors Join Houston Marathon Weekend of Events and
Existing Partners Increase their Support
Houston (Jan. 10, 2019) - The Houston Marathon Committee (HMC) is pleased
to announce new sponsorship support for its annual weekend of events. The
2019 Houston Marathon Weekend of Events boasts increased partnership from
both Chevron Corporation and Aramco Services Company with their
co-sponsorship of the We Are Houston 5K presented by Aramco and Chevron.
"We've been a proud title sponsor of the Chevron Houston Marathon for 14
years," said Jeff Shellebarger, President of Chevron North America
Exploration and Production Company. "Expanding our participation to include
co-sponsorship of Saturday's festivities for the We Are Houston 5K
alongside Aramco is a natural fit."
The co-sponsorship of the We Are Houston 5K presented by Aramco and
Chevron, taking place Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, gives both organizations
official title sponsorship rights over the entire weekend of running
events.
"This is our 15th year as the title sponsor of the Aramco Houston Half
Marathon and extending our support to the We Are Houston 5K race furthers
our commitment to the Houston Marathon Committee and the City of Houston,"
said Basil Abul-Hamayel, President & CEO, Aramco Services Company.
"Sponsoring the 5K race allows us to create even more memories for more
runners. We are excited to make this possible."
The Houston Marathon Health and Fitness EXPO presented by Texas Children's
Hospital and Houston Methodist also takes a new name with another
co-branded sponsor partnership between Texas Children's Hospital and
Houston Methodist. The partnership allows for the Houston community to
learn about the healthy progression of running and fitness through life,
beginning as children all the way through adulthood. The two-day EXPO will
feature more than 100 health and fitness vendors. The EXPO is a free,
family-friendly event, and it is open to the public Jan. 18 and 19, 2019.
The HMC is also excited to announce, for the first time ever in the Houston
Marathon Weekend of Events history, the addition of LTI as the Official
Race Crew Volunteer Sponsor. Their support of the more than 7,000 Race Crew
volunteers over race weekend will help LTI celebrate the spirit of "human
endeavor" and "pushing boundaries" through a humble contribution towards
solving for the society.
"We strive to partner with sponsors that share similar goals and values as
we do; to provide our runners with the best possible experience, raise
awareness for local charity organizations and shine a light on our Houston
spirit," said Wade Morehead, Executive Director of the HMC. "We believe
these new and extended partnerships accomplish exactly that."
ADDITIONAL STORIES OF INTEREST FOR RACE WEEKEND
- Meb Keflezghi will lead a shakeout run presented by Fleet Feet Houston at
the Memorial Park Running Center on Thursday, Jan. 17, at 5 p.m. The
Olympic medalist, Boston Marathon winner, and Houston favorite will be
available to meet and greet runners. Event is free and open to the public.
- BEDGEAR will feature an interactive booth at the Houston Marathon Health
& Fitness EXPO showcasing the "Build Your Launchpad" M3 customization wall,
paralleling the customer experience that will be installed in Exclusive
Furniture's seven new BEDGEAR Performance Shop-in-Shops. Runners can find
their personalized fit of Performance pillow and mattress together in the
semi-enclosed pod. Media is invited to attend and get fit for and gifted a
Performance Pillow.
- Houston BCycle will offer free rides during the 2019 Houston Marathon
Weekend of Events. Walk up to any Houston BCycle station and use promo code
26219 for a free 30-minute ride. Return the bike to any station to end your
trip and stop the clock. You can use this code as many times as you want
from Friday, Jan. 18, through Sunday, Jan. 20. If you'd like to get
unlimited hour-long rides, memberships are available at
www.HoustonBCycle.com
- METRO is partnering with the Houston Marathon Committee and offering free
METRORail rides to all participants wearing race bibs on the day of the
races - Sunday, Jan. 20.
- Local Houston Artist Janavi M. Folmsbee provides inspiration for the
Houston Marathon Weekend of Events with her commissioned painting Houston
Reflections - Momentum from Resilience. Elements from her design will be
reflected throughout aspects of the entire weekend. The artist will also be
available for poster autographs at the Houston Marathon Health & Fitness
EXPO.
- Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason Program celebrates its 25th
Anniversary at the 2019 Houston Marathon Weekend of Events. Since the
program's inception in 1995, runners have raised nearly $30 million for
local Houston charity organizations. Two charities have been a part of the
program for all 25 years, Houston Area Parkinson's Society and CanCare.
They will be celebrated as honorary starters for Sunday's Chevron Houston
Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon events.
- The Houston Hundred presented by Matrix Fitness, is a charity challenge
being tackled by three ultra running brothers. The Izzo brothers will cover
73.8 miles via treadmill at the Houston Marathon Health & Fitness EXPO on
Saturday, and then complete their 100 mile journey once they cross the
finish line of the 26.2 mile Chevron Houston Marathon. EXPO visitors are
encouraged to make a small donation to run with them on an additional
treadmill and commit to the challenge of moving. All proceeds will benefit
the Houston Marathon Foundation
- The Chevron STEM Zone features learning stations that bring various STEM
lessons to life for adults and children alike! The exhibits use sports
themes familiar to students to bring engagement to science, technology,
engineering and math by showing their real world applications. The one will
be located at RunFest on Discovery Green Saturday, Jan. 19, 7-10 a.m. and
Sunday, Jan. 20, 7 a.m. - 2 p.m. and is open to the public.
- Aramco Services Company celebrates 15 years of partnership with the
Aramco Houston Half Marathon in 2019. Through the history of this 15 year
partnership, 12 Aramco Houston Half Marathon runners have completed all 15
half marathons. The celebration of partnership will be showcased throughout
the weekend of events.
- HEB celebrates 20 years of community partnership with the Houston
Marathon at the 2019 events, having served more than 286,656 finishers
meals, 50,000 bananas, 10,000 gallons of coffee and countless ice cream
sandwiches (a runner favorite) with their sponsorship support.
About the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc.
Established in 1972, the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc. (HMC) is a
founding member of Running USA and annually organizes the nation's premier
winter marathon, half-marathon and 5K. Over 300,000 participants,
volunteers and spectators make Chevron Houston Marathon Race Day the
largest single-day sporting event in Houston. Recognized by the IAAF, the
Gold Label Aramco Houston Half Marathon has held 16 U.S. Half Marathon
Championships and the Silver Label Chevron Houston Marathon has been the
race site for three U.S. Olympic Trials Marathons. For six consecutive
years, the events have garnered Gold Certification from the Council of
Responsible Sport and were also awarded the 2015 AIMS Green Award for
industry-leading sustainability initiatives. Race Weekend generates over
$50 million in economic impact for the region annually. In addition to its
economic impact, the HMC facilitates social responsibility through its Run
for a Reason Charity Program which has raised over $29 million since its
inception and the Houston Marathon Foundation, which serves the greater
Houston area through support of youth and community organizations that
promote access to and participation in running. The event is televised
annually with 2016 being the first time the race received national and
international syndication airing on ESPN3 and the Longhorn Network.
The 47th running of the Chevron Houston Marathon race weekend, also
featuring the Aramco Houston Half Marathon and We Are Houston 5K, will take
place January 18-20, 2019. Registration is still open for the marathon and
5K. Half marathon entries are currently only available via the Run for a
Reason charity program.
For more information, visit www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com.
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