Mont Belvieu Texas Heat Wave 5M / 5K Finishers

The Mont Belvieu Texas Heat Wave 5-Miler and 5K are held on the Fourth of July each year.

Running Alliance Sport race director Robby Sabban, with the assistance of then-On The Run co-owner Jay Lee, brought the original Baytown Bud Heat Wave back in 2011.

Before the race's move to Mont Belvieu, which corresponded with the move to Wismer Distributing's new location along Interstate 10, in far east Houston, the Baytown Bud Heat Wave traded the No. 1 and No. 2 spot in 2015-2017 as Texas' largest Fourth of July race with Houston's Run Wild 5K.

 

2011 - 352 (197 men, 195 women) - Monday

2012 - 525 (279 men, 246 women) - Wednesday

2013 - 669 (335 men, 334 women) - Thursday

2014 - 619 (308 men, 311 women) - Friday

2015 - 788 (375 men, 413 women) - Saturday

2016 - 826 (379 men, 447 women) - Monday

2017 - 902 (436 men, 466 women) - Tuesday

2018 - 727 (207 men, 219 women; 5K - 108 men, 193 women) - Wednesday

2019 - 843 (199 men, 181 women; 5K - 169 men, 294 women) - Thursday

2021 - 611 (158 men, 141 women; 5K - 135 men, 177 women) - Sunday

2022 - 601 (135 men, 110 women; 5K - 151 men, 205 women) - Monday

2023 - 695 (170 men, 101 women; 5K - 191 men, 233 women) - Tuesday

2024 - 807 (154 men, 103 women; 5K - 241 men, 309 women) - Thursday
2025 - 884 (150 men, 116 women; 5K - 265 men, 353 women) - Friday

Source:  Campbell Timing Systems and Running Alliance Sport

All-Time Memorial Day Races

I started running in 2003 and have been involved in the sport in one capacity or another ever since.  

This is a "best to my knowledge" list of all of the Memorial Day races that I've participated in over the years:

2003 - Unknown

2004 - 2nd annual Race For the Pennant 5K, Houston, TX with Waverly (Her first 5K in 43:11.9)

2005-2009 - Unknown

2010 - Part of race crew for Capital of Texas (CapTex) Triathlon, Austin, TX

2011 - Unknown

2012 - Patriot Half Marathon, Rockwall, TX (2:35:23)

2013 - Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX (31:09)

2014 - Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX (34:48.77 with Waverly)

2015 - Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX (33:36 with Waverly)

2016 - 36th annual Boalsburg Memorial Day 3.8M, Boalsburg, PA (41:36.83)

2017 - Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX (31:00.57; Waverly - 30:10)

2018 - Joshua House Memorial Day 5K, Tyrone, PA (30:07.39)

2019 - Announced inaugural Memorial Day 10K/5K, Houston, TX

2020 - Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX (30:34.63)

2021 - Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX (30:44.25)
2022 - Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX (33:54.21)

2023 - Spectated Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX
2024 - Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX (29:41.69)

2025 - Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K, Huntsville, TX (29:31.34; Waverly - 31:56)

My Fourth of July Races (2003-2025)

2003 - Run Wild 5K (Houston, TX)
2004 - Run Wild 5K (Houston, TX)
2005 - Stu's Country Mile 5K (Centerville, TX)
2006 - Didn't race.
2007 - Lander Half Marathon (Lander, WY)
2008 - Stu's Country Mile 5K (Centerville, TX)
2009 - East Montgomery County YMCA Fourth of July 5K (Roman Forest, TX)
2010 - TWRC Sunday Night 5K (The Woodlands, TX)*
2011 - Baytown Bud Heat Wave 5M (Baytown, TX)+
2012 - Baytown Bud Heat Wave 5M (Baytown, TX)+
2013 - Baytown Bud Heat Wave 5M (Baytown, TX)+
2014 - Baytown Bud Heat Wave 5M (Baytown, TX)+
2015 - Baytown Bud Heat Wave 5M (Baytown, TX)+
2016 - Baytown Bud Heat Wave 5M (Baytown, TX)+
2017 - Baytown Bud Heat Wave 5M (Baytown, TX)+
2018 - Old Jo's Firecracker 5K (Saint Jo, TX)
2019 - 50th anniversary West Texas Running Club Firecracker 10K (Brownfield, TX)
2020 - Firecracker 5K (Mexia, TX)
2021 - The SHARK Run 5K (Orange Beach, AL)
2022 - Patriot 5K (Trophy Club, TX)
2023 - Coolest 5K in Texas (Fort Davis, TX)
2024 - Stu's Country Mile 5K (Centerville, TX)
2025 - 51st Annual BASF Firecracker 4 (Lake Jackson, TX)

*Volunteer +Race Announcer

2025 Races - 14

January

1/ 1 - Spindle Tree parkrun 5K #156 (Magnolia, TX) - 29:27 / 29:25.22 // 9:33.20 - 9:35.29 - 9:44.11 - 32.62

1/ 5 - 7th annual Texas 10 Bridgeland (Cypress, TX) - 1:47:27 (with Waverly) - She had rough race.

1/11 - 10th annual Fur and Wildlife Festival 5K (Cameron, LA) - 29:15.89 - 12.25 = 29:03.64 / 14:29.70 - 14:33.94

February 

2/  2 - USA Fit Half Marathon (Sugar Land, TX) - 2:26:08 (with Waverly) - I had a rough race.

2/  8 - Shire / Giant Texas 5K Fun Run (Houston, TX) - 30:11.50 - 7.66 = 30:03.84 - 14:42.32 out - 4:36.47 (19:18.79 mile 2) - 9:56.60 (mile 3) - 48.45 (last .1)

April

4/12 - Roses for Hoses 5K Run/Walk (Morgan's Point Resort, TX) - 30:10.95 (gun) - 29:55.22 (chip, my watch) - 29:54.7 (timer)
4/19 - Yuri's Night 10K (Nassau Bay, TX) - 1:03:40 (gun) - 1:03:22 (chip, timer) - Long course
4/26 - Finish 5K, Katy's First Baptist Church (Katy, TX) - 11.20 offset - 9:16.89 (Mile 1) - 9:55.10 (Mile 2) - 8:56.83 (Mile 3) - 1:10.33 (last .1) = 29:30.35 (Gun) - 29:19.15 (Chip)

May

5/  4 - TWRC Sunday Night 5K (The Woodlands, TX) - 9:53.67 - 7:09.38 - 15:09.10 = 32:12.15
5/17 - 5th annual Mindy Moses 5K Memorial Fun Run (Bellville, TX) - 30:31.47 (30:29.4 per timer)
5/26 - Seven Hills Running Club Memorial Day 5K (Huntsville, TX) - 4.21 (offset) - 8:57.18 (mile 1) - 9:46.63 (mile 2) - 10:47.53 (last 1.1) = 29:35.55 (gun) - 29:31.34 (chip)

June
6/  1 - Katy Community Free 5K Fun Run (Katy, TX) - 9:21.62 (Mile 1) - 6:00.36 to turnaround and 5:30.37 for 11:30.73 (Mile 2) - 11:10.69 (Mile 3) - 39.64 (0.1) = 32:42.68

6/28 - 36th annual Polish Pickle 5K (Bremond, TX) - Mile 1 - 8:49.74 | Mile 2 - 9:30.60 | Last 1.1 - 10:44.30 (9:45) | Total - 29:04.64 (9:21 per)

July
7/  4 - 51st Annual BASF Firecracker 4 (Lake Jackson, TX) - 38:54.71 - 11.42 (offset) - 9:29.43 (mile 1) - 9:36.50 (mile 2) - 10:03.72 (mile 3) - 9:45.06 (mile 4) // Timer - 38:56.2