And now, Houston's best 5K and 10K races.
Houston's best bucket list races within 30 miles
Jun 17, 2019, 6:10 am
And now, Houston's best 5K and 10K races.
Jovan Abernathy is an international marathoner and owner of Houston Tourism Gym. To claim your free tour, contact her at info@tourismgymhtx.com. Follow her on Twitter @jovanabernathy. Instagram @TourismGymHtx. Facebook @TourismGymHtx
I published my list of world's best bucket list races. Last week, I wrote about the best races in the US. There is one last list to complete this series: The best races in Houston. They are not only easier because they are local, but they are 5K and 10K races. These races are great starter races. They are also the best because they have great giveaways. So get your pens out and started planning your races.
Hot Undies Run
June 22, 2019
Our awesome party-loving friends at FFP (Fun, Fitness, and Philanthropy) have built this event up to what it is today. A lot of beer-loving, underwear clad Houstonians running for a cause. The Hot Undies Run is a 2 mile pub crawl that takes place every year in Rice Village.
The cause, this year, is for Girls on the Run, a non-profit that empowers young girls through the sport of running. This run has raised $80,000 in donations to date. Community partners Buffalo Bayou Brewing keep this party going with their local brew. Just to let you know how live this party gets. You can hear tales of runners chugging beer from one participant's prosthetic limb.
9/11 Heroes Run
September 7, 2019
The 9/11 Heroes Run is for runners, walkers, and ruckers who want to show appreciation and support for the fallen soldiers and first responders of September 11. This event takes place at City Hall. It is put on by the Travis Manion Foundation. This race is held all over the world and proceeds go to help veterans and their families thrive.
If you are like me, you are probably wondering what a rucker is. It is a participant who dresses up in full soldier and fireman gear to complete the race.
Photo via: Pixabay.com
Run Houston! Clear Lake
September 22, 2019
So, I'm going to be honest. Run Houston! Race Series was not really an original choice for me. Fred gave me this idea. If you remember, he wrote an article last year on his virtual race in San Fransisco. I got to see his medal and it was a beaut. Coming up on September, 22, you can run a 5K or 10K race on the University of Houston Campus. This is Race #4 in the 5 Race Series. Other locations include Sugarland, Sam Houston Park, Minute Maid Park, and Clear Lake. Don't let Fred be the only one to collect all 5!
Hot Chocolate Run
February 1, 2020
This race starts from Hermann Square and is for the biggest chocolate aficionados. Hot Chocolate Run is a 5K or 10K race. You get exercise and at the end each runner gets an awesome medal decorated like chocolate as well as a fondue tray with a banana, rice crispy treats and other dippables. That sounds all cool, but I think the best thing is instead of a t-shirt, you get this awesome hoodie! I'm running it for the hoodie.
Bayou City Classic
March 14, 2020
This is my favorite 5k and 10K race. It takes place at City Hall every St. Patty's Day Weekend. This is the oldest 10K race in Houston and benefits Houston Parks Department. Things that you can expect to see are music at every corner. Bagpipes. The Blues Brothers, and Gypsy Dancers.
The costumes. Oh the costumes. One year, there was a centipede dressed as a St. Arnold's Beer six pack. There were 2 girls dressed as the 80's. And the cutest kids ever. I can't go on enough about this race. The last thing, you get the most giveaways at the Bayou City Classic. Usually, there are a couple protein bars, but when you leave, you bag is filled to the brim with goodies. All this makes the Bayou City Classic my pick for first time 5K's.
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
VanVleet signs extension
Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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