Houston runners closed out January and opened February with a busy weekend of racing. The region’s distance running scene took center stage, spanning major city road races, coastal courses in Galveston, and competitive local events.
The Skechers Hot Chocolate Run once again drew more than 5,000 runners to downtown Houston for one of the city’s most anticipated winter events. With distances ranging from the 5K to the 10 mile, the race offered fast conditions and chilly weather. In the men’s 10 mile, Ari Klau took the win in 49:03, followed by Corey Levin in 55:57 and Francisco Perdomo in 56:42. The women’s 10 mile title went to Melissa Bittick in 1:07:27, just ahead of Jennifer Wells at 1:07:42, with Nele Lefeldt finishing third in 1:11:06.
The 10K races were equally competitive. Ragnar Rasmussen won the men’s 10K in 33:22, with Ly Bouanga and Ansel Nalin rounding out the podium. Bella Heczey led the women’s 10K in 39:29, followed by Maria Gilles and Lily Heczey. In the 5K, Abraham Thomas claimed the men’s win in 15:45, while Sophia Strange topped the women’s field in 17:25.
The Lonestar Stampede added a more intimate but no less competitive race atmosphere to the weekend. Adolofo Gomez captured the men’s 10K title in 31:48, while Jena Klabunde led the women’s 10K in 38:11. In the 5K races, Tyler Hagan and Maya Dyson secured victories in the men’s and women’s fields, continuing a strong showing of local talent.
Down the coast, the Galveston Marathon Weekend delivered ideal racing conditions along the island. In the full marathon, Liam Knight won the men’s race in 2:45:06, while Cameron Nelson claimed the women’s title in 3:08:27. The half marathon featured strong performances from Harry Bellow and Anne Flade, who won their respective races in 1:15:01 and 1:30:26. The 5K events capped off the weekend with wins by Bayden Brunstetter and Chloe Campo.
If you’re looking for a full race calendar, visit our Houston Running Calendar page.
