Seven Hills RC Has One of First Races Back In Texas After COVID-19

(I learned today that five pieces of content that I had submitted to Texas Runner and Triathlete editor Lance Phegley to be included in an edition that was to feature what runners and triathletes did to keep themselves motivated during the COVID-19 pandemic was not included by the publisher in the purported last issue of the magazine.  As a result, I'm posting the content here on the blog to share with those who might have expected to see it.  I haven't seen the publication yet, but it is my understanding that the number of pages was dramatically reduced from the last quarterly edition.)

With permission from Walker County Judge Danny Pierce and guidance from the Road Runners Club of America, the Seven Hills Running Club in Huntsville was still able to host its annual Memorial Day 5K and 1-Mile Run -- even if some of its regular annual traditions had to be set aside because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some 30 club members and friends made their way to the Timberwilde subdivision where Ken and Marilynn Johnson's driveway turns into the race's start and finish line.

While post-race breakfast tacos had to be foregone, Steven Bickford's speech about the meaning of Memorial Day and Waverly Walk's National Anthem were missed and attendance was down, the spirits were just as high as always, especially as everyone was racing for the first time since early March.

A brand-new course - held on wide, non-busy streets that didn't require any type of closures and that Johnson had laid out and measured -- was open to runners for two hours, starting at 8 a.m.

Participants brought their own completed entry form and fluids, if needed, started when they wished, timed themselves and submitted those results manually to Johnson or via e-mail after leaving the site.  All in an effort to produce a contactless race among participants.

Steve Pecina and Myriam Mayes had the fastest times in the 5K with marks of 22:29 and 28:40, respectively.  Martin Mayes led all runners in the one-mile in 7:36.

Johnson, a long-time officer with the Club, credited RRCA South Texas Representative Lee Greb in working with the National Office of the RRCA, who insures Seven Hills' club events, to help

Greb thanked the Club on Facebook "for having one of the earliest events since Covid-19, a safe one and for leading the way."

Three of the two races' finishers were awarded $25 gift cards to Academy in an off-site, post-race drawing.