Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason Charity Program Surpasses $25 Million Mark

HOUSTON (January 2, 2017) – The Houston Marathon Committee announced today that the Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason Charity Program has surpassed the $25 million fundraising mark since its inception in 1995. The charitable program is designed for runners to annually raise funds and awareness for approximately 60 official Run for a Reason charities. Last year, $2.3 million was raised and this year the $1 million mark has already been exceeded for the 62 local philanthropies with race day approaching on January 15th.

“Chevron Houston Marathon Race Weekend has so many positive attributes for the city, including an economic impact of over $51 million annually, over 6,000 visiting runners from 50 states and 47 countries, and a world-class elite field to name a few, but none are more important than the accomplishments of our Run for a Reason program since its inception,” said Wade Morehead, Executive Director of the Houston Marathon Committee and Foundation. “To surpass the $25 million mark is a tribute to the amazing generosity of our runners and the philanthropic nature of this community. Since 2010, our runners have raised over $17 million and counting for many amazing causes in the region and we are proud to serve as a platform for their fundraising efforts.”

The largest single-day sporting event in Houston, the 2017 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon sold-out for the 12th consecutive year. To date, the 2017 participants have already raised over $1.2 million for the races to be conducted on Sunday, January 15th. This brings the Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason total to $25.6 million over the past 22 years.

For more information on the Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason Charity Program, visit chevronhoustonmarathon.com.

About the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc.
Established in 1972, the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc. (HMC) 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. A founding member of Running USA, the HMC is an IAAF bronze level event that retained Gold Certification from the Council of Responsible Sport and was awarded the AIMS Green Award for industry-leading sustainability initiatives. Race Weekend generates over $50 million in economic impact for the region annually. In 2016, the Run for a Reason Charity Program raised $2.3 million, while the Houston Marathon Foundation supported youth and community running initiatives. Televised annually by broadcast partner ABC13, 2016 was the first time that the event was syndicated live nationally and internationally on ESPN3 and the Longhorn Network. Host to 16 U.S. Half Marathon Championships since 2005 and the 1992 women’s Olympic Trials Marathon, the HMC also conducted the 2012 men’s and women’s U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon.