A 10K race that started in the early 1980s as a way to honor a beloved school teacher and running advocate in Edinburg has gone from lean beginnings to an event that attracts over 10,000 participants.
The namesake of the David Chavana 10K Run/Walk has called the event and others connected to it as being a “big time race for a small town.” Organizing the yearly event in early February now requires year-round planning by the Edinburg Parks & Recreation Department.
“It has become a tradition in the city,” said Eric Molina, the assistant parks and recreation director. “It has become one of the biggest races of its kind in the state.”
Molina said last year’s Chavana run and walk event drew 10,476 participants. He expects at least that many if not more for the 43rd edition to take place on Feb. 1. Race participants will include thousands of local and Rio Grande Valley residents who will run and walk in three events. One is the main 10K run that offers cash prices of up to $2,200 for top female and male runners. Elite runners from Mexico, Kenya, Australia and Germany come to Edinburg to compete for those top prices.
There’s also a long list of cash prices in other categories that includes top runners of ages 40 and above and awards for top runners who are first responders. And there’s more. A two-mile fun run makes its way down Closner Boulevard (Edinburg’s main street) and a Miracle Mile featuring special needs children at the Richard R. Flores Stadium.
The race and its related events have scaled up over the years and although it has gone “big time,” the inspiration for it all adds words of caution and advice.
“We don’t ever want to lose why we started and that we do it for the kids,” David Chavana has said in news reports.
Mercedes Momentum
The Chavana run and others like it demonstrate how signature events can come to define communities.
Mercedes, for example, has been long known for its annual livestock show. Basilio Mendoza would like it to be known a prime spot for late year marathons in Texas. On Dec. 8, Mendoza, with the support of community leaders, staged the second edition of the South Texas International Marathon. The route of the 26.2-mile run also ran through neighboring Mid-Valley cities. The event incorporated a separate run – a half marathon – that started and ended in Mercedes. Both races and their courses were certified by the Track & Field Association.
The latter is important because the times recorded can be used to qualify for major events like the Boston Marathon. Mendoza, a longtime runner and former track coach at area high schools, sees the upside of the Mercedes marathon. He says late year event can be used by competitive runners to post better times in bolstering qualifications for major events in the coming year.
“We’re planting this little seed in Mercedes,” Mendoza said. “We have this vision with Mercedes that this event can turn into something big.”
Just like the Chavana run that started with modest goals over four decades ago in Edinburg.
Making It Bigger
The Chavana 10K has come to incorporate thousands of children form the local school district.
Special needs students from the Edinburg school district participate in a fun run at the football stadium. The event inside-the-event has become a major piece of the yearly celebration. Physical education teachers from the district work with race organizers in making it an even more robust event.
“Everyone looks forward to it,” said of the 10K Run/Walk. “It’s a beautiful thing to witness to see it all come together.”