BCRR Update: December 29th, 2025

 

Greetings Bayou City Road Runners The Word from the Bird ­ In This Newsletter:  ­ Last Newsletter of the Year! Hurrah! It's Taper Time! ...Also Time to Start Obsessing About Marathon Day Weather! Wednesday: New Years Eve  - New Year's Eve Party!   - No Official BCRR Rice Run! Marathon Event Schedule: Annual GRB Run - Jan. 4, 2026 Pre-Marathon Pasta Loading Party - Jan. 9, 2026 Post-Marathon Party - Jan 11, 2026 Volunteers Wanted! John's Loong Run Shirts Still Available! ­ ­ New Year's Eve Party You're Invited! ­ Lisa Thompson has invited everyone to her epic New Year's Eve Party at the Modern B&B! This year, the event is a collaboration with the Morgensterns. Come prepared to have a good time and stay up till midnight! When: New Year's Eve, Dec. 31st, 7PM Where: The Modern B&B, 4007 Hazard St, HTX 77019 What: Champagne Tower! Music! Snacks! (I don't know about you, but they had me with "Champagne Tower"!) ­ MARATHON ADJACENT EVENTS: Annual GRB Run - This Sunday  Guarantee a strong finish by experiencing the the last few miles of the Houston Marathon/Half-Marathon course a week early!  Start from our usual spot at the Memorial Park Tennis Center at 6:30AM and run east on Memorial -> Allen Parkway -> Lamar to the George R. Brown and back (~12 miles round trip; Strava map).  If 8 miles is on your training schedule you can park at the Starbucks on Memorial and run from there (Another Strava Map). Water stops at the cemetery on Allen Pkwy and the turnaround at the GRB (Discovery Green). Breakfast at Whole Foods on Waugh. ­ Pre-Marathon Pasta Loading Party  Friday, Jan. 9th We are once again participating with the Houston Area Road Runners Association (HARRA) and the Houston Harriers in a community-wide carbo-loading party before the marathon.     DETAILS: WHAT: Houston Pre-Marathon Pasta Party WHEN: Friday, January 9, 2026, 7-9PM WHERE:  the Montrose Center, Houston, 401 Branard Street, Houston, Texas 77006 FEATURING: Special Guest Speaker Nell Rojas, professional runner and coach HOW MUCH:  HARRA members* $30 ($10 off) non-HARRA members: $40   *You get the HARRA discount automatically when you log in to The Driven while registering. TIP: If you have forgotten your HARRA username and/or password, first try to login to your HARRA account on the HARRA home page and follow the prompt to resent your credentials.  Contact houstonbcrr@gmail.com if you have any issues.   The ticket for admission includes a pasta dinner, non-alcoholic beverages and Saint Arnold's beer (procured by our own Joel DuBois). PASTA PARTY SIGNUP ­ BCRR Post Marathon Party - Jan 11 Meet at Sue Leone and Alan Svoboda's house (check club email or contact houstonbcrr@gmail.com for address) for their annual epic post-race party, starting at approx. 11:00 AM, and featuring a heated swimming pool (bring a towel), a large Jacuzzi, NFL games on multiple TVs, hot showers (bring your own towel), and a buffet of GREAT food. All this and an assortment of "liquid refreshments". Cost is $10 per person for BCRR members, and $15 per person for non-members/guests (cash or Venmo accepted).   If you would like to volunteer, contact Alan at svobodeaux007@gmail.com. ­ VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Not running and want to be part of the action race weekend? Volunteer! Options: 1. Post-Race Party at Sue and Alan's. Guaranteed fun!  Contact Alan at svobodeaux007@gmail.com. 2. Susan Cita's BCRR Mile 20 Hoopla Station: Arguably the most popular and well-appointed Hoopla station on the course thanks to Susan Cita! Guaranteed fun!  Contact susan at susancita.bcrr@gmail.com. 3. Hope Sellers' Hoopla Station: Bissonnett & Montrose (mile 8) on the Half-Marathon course. Help Hope DJ and cheer the runners onto Montrose! Guaranteed fun! Contact Hope at hope@desertviewservices.com 4. Houston Marathon Race Crew: Volunteer opportunities still available for the weekend events including the EXPO and race. SIGNUP ­ Limited Edition 25th Anniversary Commemorative Shirts Still Available: 25th Anniversary John's Loooong Run Tech Shirt! 525 Miles and counting!  You'll be proud to be seen in this one-of-a-kind shirt! Miss getting a gift for a certain hard-to-shop-for someone? Problem solved!  Only $10 cash, check, cc or Venmo. Contact houstonbcrr@gmail.com if you would like one. ­ BCRR THIS WEEK:  🏃🏃‍♀️ 😎 Monday 7PM: Mellow Monday.  Dinner afterwards.  🍻💃 ✨  Wednesday: New Year's Eve Party. No Official Rice Run  😀🎉  Thursday: Happy New Year! 🏃🏃‍♀️ Sunday 6:30AM:Annual GRB Long Run ­ Happy Birthday Happy Birthday This Week:  12/29 Jax Julien 12/30 Anna Sumrall Helm    (NAG*) 12/30 Chadwick Holmes 12/31 Bonnie Jo Barron 01/02 Manpreet Kaur *NAG = New Age Group ­ Sunday Hydration Support Thank you to Mirna Chang and Avi Moss for setting out the water and Gatorade for the Long Run this weekend.                                                      🥛🥛🥛  Who likes water during the Sunday long runs? Our Sunday morning hydration team could use a your help. Please contact Loris at Loris0105@yahoo.com for more information on how to volunteer!

BCRR Update: December 22nd, 2025

 

Greetings Bayou City Road Runners The Word from the Bird ­ In This Newsletter:  ­ Happy Chrismakkuh Week! Recap: BCRR Holiday Party & John's Looong Run Wednesday: Christmas Eve - No Official BCRR Rice Run! New Year's Eve Party! Save The Dates:  Annual GRB Run - Jan. 4, 2026 Pre-Marathon Pasta Loading Party - Jan. 9, 2026 Post-Marathon Party - Jan 11, 2026 ­ ­ Recap: BCRR Holiday Party  A great time was had by all at the Annual BCRR Holiday Party on Friday.   Upon entering, attendees were given a choice of "Dueling" Welcome Cocktails: A spicy habanero  margarita (concocted by Anna Helm and Chuck Bracht) v. a sweet passion fruit margarita (courtesy of Hope and Joe Sellers). Consensus? Both Winners! In lieu of our usual buffet, we were treated to Mexican food freshly grilled on site. For dessert, we enjoyed a selection of holiday cookies (and pie!), brought by participants in our annual Cookie Contest. Consensus? Everyone a Winner! Huge thanks to Cheryl Verlander and Chuck Bracht for hosting the event in their beautiful home. Special thanks to Anna Helm for being the heavy lifter in organizing the party in collaboration with Cheryl and Chuck. Thank you to June Harris, Joel DuBois, Joe and Hope Sellers and the rest of the BCRR board for their help as well. Lastly, thank you to everyone who brought baked goods to the party! It was a wonderful night with friends - old and new! ­ 25th Annual John's Loooong Run RECAP ­ The 25th Anniversary John's Looong run is history! It's official: 525 Miles and counting...and we did the 21 miles this year in oppressive heat and humidity! It was a very warm day but everyone persevered! A huge thank you to all who made this year's John's Looong Run a success: Alan Svoboda for marking the course; John Phillips and Joel DuBois for setting out/retrieving the water stops; June Harris and Kathi Mahon for course support, Susan Cita, Sue Leone, and Edward Fras for preparing all the delicious food. (Apologies if someone left out.)   Huge thanks to Sue Leone and Alan Svoboda for hosting this special event in their home again this year! Limited Edition 25th Anniversary Commemorative Shirts Still Available: 25th Anniversary John's Loooong Run Tech Shirt! 525 Miles and counting!  You'll be proud to be seen in this one-of-a-kind shirt - only $10 cash, check, cc or Venmo. Contact houstonbcrr@gmail.com if you would like one. ­ New Year's Eve Party You're Invited! ­ Lisa Thompson has invited everyone to her epic New Year's Eve Party at the Modern B&B! This year, the event is a collaboration with the Morgensterns. Come prepared to have a good time and stay up till midnight! When: New Year's Eve, Dec. 31st, 7PM Where: The Modern B&B, 4007 Hazard St, HTX 77019 What: Champagne Tower! Music! Snacks! (I don't know about you, but they had me with "Champagne Tower"!) ­ BCRR THIS WEEK:  🏃🏃‍♀️ 😎 Monday 7PM: Mellow Monday.  Dinner afterwards.  😤 Tuesday: Happy Festivus! Air grievances! 🎄✨  Wednesday: Christmas Eve. No Official Rice Run.  🎄🎅 Thursday: Merry Christmas! 🏃🏃‍♀️ Sunday 6:30AM: Memorial Park Tennis Center. ­ Happy Birthday Happy Birthday This Week:  12/22 Romuald Budiman 12/22 Scott Carrasco ­ Welcome New Member Welcome New Member:  Siren Li ­ Sunday Hydration Support Thank you to John Phillips, Joel DuBois for setting out the water and Gatorade for John's Loooong Run this weekend. BCRR regular long runs resume Sunday.                                                       🥛🥛🥛  Who likes water during the Sunday long runs? Our Sunday morning hydration team could use a your help. Please contact Loris at Loris0105@yahoo.com for more information on how to volunteer!