By Henry Oduah

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde completed the Houston Half-Marathon on January 19, overcoming freezing temperatures of 1°C to finish the 21-kilometre race in 2 hours and 53 minutes.

The governor’s performance marked an improvement in his time from the 2022 Berkeley Half-Marathon in San Francisco, California.

Sharing his experience on X (formerly Twitter), Makinde expressed pride in his achievement despite the challenging weather conditions.

“Glad to have completed the Houston Half Marathon in 2 hours 53 minutes today,” he wrote. Though conditions were tough with freezing temperatures at 1 degree Celsius, I finished faster than the Berkeley Half Marathon which I ran about 2 years ago. I also took part in a 5k fun run yesterday which I completed in 38 minutes.”

The Houston Half-Marathon is one of three races featured at the annual Chevron Houston Marathon event which attracts thousands of runners and over 200,000 spectators from around the world. This year, Ethiopian runner Addisu Gobena won the men’s half-marathon title with an impressive time of 59 minutes and 17 seconds.

The Houston Marathon is renowned for its fast, flat course and the electrifying support of its spectators. Upcoming editions, including the 2025 Chevron Houston Marathon, will feature special events such as the Run for Autism, offering runners exclusive benefits like guaranteed race entry, training support and unique memorabilia.