MPRC


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What sets you apart from other Houston area running clubs? We are all united by our love for running and our support for HARRA. However, we believe a few things make us different. We have a variety of runs (Saturday short runs, Saturday long runs, weekday AM runs, etc.) and a variety of paces that make us a great all-around choice. Our Saturday long runs are mapped to a different route each week and include vehicle support, for instance, so you can run as long as you want and hop in the vehicle when you are tired. Many of our runners travel locally and out of state to race and participate in all types of runs, such as marathons, trail runs and triathlons. There is an excellent chance that if you want to run a race in Austin, say, you will be able to find someone else in our club who is running there also and might be willing to share expenses. In additon, you will also be able to draw on our collective experience to learn about races and find the best ones for you. We tailor or runs to include more long runs as we approach the date of the Houston Marathon, so running with us will provide a degree of training and support. We believe we also have an above average web presence and try to actively document runs & races with photographs, writeups, etc. If you are with us for long enough, you will eventually appear on the website also. Hopefully, we'll save you the trouble of having to take all your own photographs yourself! What days and distances do you run? We run 5-6 miles from Monday-Thursday at 5 A.M. There are two runs on Saturday: 10-14 miles at 6 A.M. and 7 miles at 6:30 A.M., for those who prefer a shorter distance. What courses & trails do you run? During the week, our runs take us out of Memorial Park and either towards the intersection of Kirby and Shepherd or the Polo Grounds (West and East, respectively). On weekends, we use different routes - through River Oaks, from Allen Parkway to Montrose, to White Oak Park, etc. Each long run route has a PDF map we send out to members before the run, though many of us learn the route just by following the people around us. Where is Memorial Park? Where do you meet in Memorial Park? The exact location has been marked on our map. Why do you run in the mornings? To avoid the heat. Are there any membership fees? Yes. $20 for Individual, $25 for Family, for the entire year, due in August. Of course, if you are a new member, they will be collected at the time you join. Do I have to join to run? No. You are welcome to run with us once or twice to check out the club and see if you like it. However, if you choose to continue to run with us, we ask that you join. What if I am a one-time visitor to Houston? You are an exception; there is no charge for you to run. If you are visiting Houston on a business trip or to see family, feel free to come out and run with us! At what pace do you run? Our club has members of varying paces. On our longer runs people of the same speed tend to cluster together and run together. When there are not many people, we usually run at the pace most comfortable for everybody. What races do you run? There are as many answers as there are people in the club. Some of our members do not run in any races; others run in fun runs and 10k's in the Houston area, while still others run in triathlons and marathons throughout the country, such as the Big Sur Marathon in California. Others prefer trails and races such as the Sunmart and Rocky Racoon Waco 5-0. A few of our members have competed in the Boston Marathon. The one event that consistently draws the largest number of people is the Houston Marathon and Half-Marathon, with the Austin Marathon and Half-Marathon coming in second. What does the vehicle on the long runs do? The SAG (support and gear) vehicle supports the runners. It has two functions: to carry a cooler for runner to put their drinks in, and to pick up tired or injured runners. Each runner is individually responsible for providing his or her own drinks, along with any snacks or food. Runners who think they may want to ride back typically bring a towel to sit on and hand over to the driver. What kinds of social events do you do? We eat out at restarants (such as at the monthly meetings and Dash-n-Dines), have picnics and holiday parties. We will often also have breakfast after the Saturday long run at the nearby IHOP on Shepherd. When are your meetings? Meetings fall on the 4th Thursday of each month, beginning at 6:30 P.M. They are normally held at a restaurant, though they may occasionally happen at a member's home. When are your Dash 'N Dines? Every 3rd Thursday of the month. What is the history of your club? The club was started in August of 2000 by a few friends who all enjoyed running together. They wanted to make a club for all types of runners while having fun. The club colors are forest green and white, and the commonly used abbreviation is MPRC. This is our logo. How many runners do you have in your club? Counting by email addresses, we have a little over 60 members. Does your club belong to HARRA ? Yes. We are proud to be affiliated with HARRA. How do I contact you? You can email the President, Daniel Cousins, at claycousins2@bdumail.com, or the webmaster at info@mprchouston.com. Either way, you will receive a prompt response. When was this page last updated ? 10/5/07.