THE WALKING TEAM (PURPLE GROUP)

Welcome to all of you who want to walk the Houston marathon or half marathon! We want to help you SUCCEED in accomplishing your goal and to do it in a fun and safe manner.

The walking division of Houston Fit is known as the Purple Group and we are glad that you have chosen to join us!

OUR COACHES

The Head Coahes for the Purple Group are Cheryl Harris and Elaine O'Gorman.

Cheryl Harris has completed 7 full marathons and 2 half marathons. She has done 4 marathons this year and has dropped 34 minutes off her time. She is one of the returning coaches from last year and is very excited about the upcoming Houston Fit season. She honestly believes that anyone can walk a marathon if they complete the training, and sees herself as an example of that belief!

Elaine O'Gorman came to Houston Fit straight off her couch (as in couch potato - she has little or no self-discipline) and became an enthusiastic member, Assistant Coach and then this year Co-Head Coach. Elaine finished this year's Houston Marathon (shaving 20 minutes off her previous best time) and the Austin Half-Marathon before injury forced her to rest for a few months. Elaine feels that EVERYONE should have a chance to realize their dreams, and completing a half or full marathon is a good start in building the self-confidence to realize those goals. She gives Houston Fit all the credit for supporting her through her initial training program and is committed to helping all those couch potato dreamers out there get out and revel in the sense of accomplishment as each new goal is realized.

TRAINING

Since 1989, Houston Fit has helped people achieve their marathon goals. We are proud to have a walking group and have worked hard to create a "new and improved" program that will help walkers train with less risk of injury and improve speed and performance. We sure that you will like our program and that you will be pleased with the benefits it will bring.

WEEKLY SEMINARS

We include seminars that pertain to both runners AND walkers that will educate and inspire you. You will hear from a variety of experts on many subjects including nutrition, injury prevention, clothing, etc. We urge you to join us after each Saturday walk to learn more about these and other topics.

DISCUSSION FORUM

A great way to stay in touch with your fellow members and to keep up with what's happening in our group is to sign up in our Discussion Forum and for the weekly Walker's Group Newsletter. We will use both avenues to inform members about last minute rain-outs or any other changes. Getting involved in the Discussion Forum is strongly suggested and it will be a lot of fun and making sure you are on the email list will ensure that you receiving the latest updates and announcements in a timely manner.

WALKER'S WARM-UP SERIES

Just as HARRA has a three race warm-up series for all runners, all of the Houston area "Fit" programs will be joining one another this season so share our first "official" Walker's Warm-Up Series. This series will include your choice of competitive or non-competitive walks for each participant. A small fee will be charged to cover the costs of participant's completion medals. Bib numbers will be assigned for the warm-up series.

IN SUMMARY

We look forward to working with each you over the next six months to set and achieve your goals whether it be a faster marathon time or just getting off the sofa and walking! Our walkers come from all experience levels but we all have one thing in common - to reach a walking goal. We will be pleased to help you succeed!