2008 Houston Marathon Event Raises Record Amount for Charity
45 non-profit organizations reap the rewards through event's Run for a Reason program

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Posted Friday, 25 April, 2008

HOUSTON - (April 22, 2008) - For the first time in the history of the event, participants in the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon and EP5K have raised more than $1 million for charity.

Participants in the January 13, 2008, trio of races generated $1,262,925.55 for the 45 charities that were part of Run for a Reason, the event's fund-raising program, race organizers has announced. The total is a 48% increase over the $852,000 raised in 2007, and almost double the $660,000 total in 2006.

"We wanted to break the $1 million mark this year and we knew, thanks to our great participants, that it was attainable," said Brant Kotch, Race Director. "Thousands of them made the commitment to Run for a Reason and their dedication to their causes is reflected in the charity total."

The Run for a Reason program has raised close to $8 million through pledges and donations in its 14-year history.

"The Chevron Houston Marathon has grown in so many ways and deserves the title of 'civic treasure,'" said Dave Feldman, Public Affairs Representative for Chevron, title sponsor of the 26.2-mile race. "The growth of the Run for a Reason program is a source of special pride for Chevron and highlights our commitment to benefiting communities where we work. We're delighted about the success of this year's charitable program and look forward to generating future investments in our non-profit partners."

The $1.26 million includes funds raised by the participants, $100,000 from the newly formed Houston Marathon Foundation, and money generated through the Run for a Reason Sidewalk Squad, a fund-raising program aimed at corporations. The program started in 2007 with two companies and grew to include 20 companies for the 2008 race.

A list of this year's charities, businesses and information about the Run for a Reason and Sidewalk Squad programs is available at ChevronHoustonMarathon.com - click on the "Charities" link in the left navigation bar.

The marathon, half-marathon, 5K and Kids' Fun Run attracted a record 24,000 participants in 2008. The marathon and half-marathon reached their combined cap of 17,000 in late September, more than three months ahead of race day.

The 37th running of the Chevron Houston Marathon is set for Sunday, January 18, 2009.

The Chevron Houston Marathon, a Running USA Founding Member, is the nation's premier winter marathon, annually attracting participants from all 50 U.S. states and nearly 30 foreign countries. The Chevron Houston Marathon offers the only closed marathon course in Texas and is ranked among the top five in the nation by the Ultimate Guide to Marathons for fastest course, organization and crowd support. More than 5,000 volunteers organize the race, which is Houston's largest single-day sporting event. More information is available online at ChevronHoustonMarathon.com or by calling (713) 957-3453.

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