On race weekend in Houston, it’s common to see families cheering from the sidelines. What’s far less common is seeing a father and son line up as local elites at the same event. This year’s Chevron Houston Marathon will feature exactly that, with Chris Robbins racing the full marathon and his son Jonathan Robbins taking on the half.
They’ve run Houston on the same day before. Jonathan has raced the half marathon multiple times while Chris took on the full. But this year carries a different weight. “It’s a dream come true,” Chris said. “We’ve both qualified as local elites before, but never together. Having that experience side by side will be unforgettable.” It also changes how the morning feels. “I’ll definitely be more nervous,” he added with a smile. “I always get more nervous for Jonathan’s races than my own.”
For Jonathan, running has always been tied to watching his dad. One of his earliest memories dates back to 2009, riding his bike alongside Chris during a 15-mile long run near the Red Bluff trails in Seabrook. “I remember being amazed by how fast he could run for so long without stopping,” Jonathan said. “That moment stuck with me. That’s when it changed from ‘my dad runs’ to ‘I want to see if I can do this too.’”
From those early days, running became something they shared rather than something Chris did alone. To help Jonathan keep up, Chris slowed his pace, turning workouts into time together. Later, he would head back out to finish his own training. “Running has always been our thing,” Jonathan said. “He helped me grow as a runner while still pushing himself.”
From the beginning, Chris was careful about how he introduced the sport. “My main goal was to help him develop a life-long love of running,” he said. “I was pretty serious, but I didn’t want to put any pressure on him when he was young. I wanted it to be about what he wanted. When he wanted to run, he ran, and when he didn’t, he didn’t.”
As Jonathan got older and faster, that shared space evolved. They’re still very much father and son, but running has added another layer to their relationship. “We’re definitely still father and son,” Jonathan said. “But sometimes it feels like we’re training partners. We push each other and talk through workouts like teammates. At the end of the day, though, our relationship matters more than any race.”
Those conversations are a regular part of their routine, covering workouts, pacing, the weather, and the mental side of racing. “We talk about all of it,” Jonathan said. “We train way more than we race, so workouts and strategy come up the most, but the mental side matters too.” Chris notes that they often do similar workouts, tuned to different goals and very different speeds, and always remind each other of the work already done.
Jonathan’s decision to race the half marathon reflects where he is right now. Competing collegiately for Stephen F. Austin, he’s focused on track season and shorter distances. His goals center on the 5K and 10K, with hopes of breaking 15 minutes in the 5K before graduating. The marathon, he says, will come later, when the timing is right.
Chris brings a longer view. Now running well into his 50s, he continues to qualify as a local elite, even setting personal bests along the way. “I’ve had to learn how to run smarter,” he said. “I still work hard, but I know when to back off.” What he hopes Jonathan takes from watching him isn’t just performance. “Hard work, patience, and dreaming big,” Chris said. “And learning to appreciate every run, because you don’t get to do this forever.”
On race morning, the moment they’re most looking forward to isn’t tied to pace or place. For Jonathan, it’s the warm-up, when they talk through the plan one last time and settle nerves. For Chris, it’s after the finish. “Reuniting and hearing the story,” he said. “Nothing beats race recaps together.”
More than anything, the Robbins’ presence on Houston’s elite start lines reflects years of consistency, mutual support, and a shared respect for the process. From bike rides alongside long runs to pre-race conversations on marathon morning, their journey shows how running can evolve across generations while strengthening the bond at the center of it.
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