Kate and David Chester

How long have you been a HARRA member? : David has been a member since the first year of HARRA and a member of GAAC since we moved to Houston in 1986.

Are you a member of a running club? : David is Treasurer and Board Member of the Houston Harriers and was a long time member of the now-disbanded Greater Houston Track Club. Tell us about you: We have three children (Patrick 34, Scott 33 and Erin 29). We have one grandchild who is five and is the light of our lives. We really enjoy being grandparents. We were both raised in Alton, Illinois. After we married in 1970, David’s job opportunities took us to live in Toledo, Ohio; Bardstown, Kentucky; and Springfield, Illinois. We were transferred to the Houston area in 1986, choosing to live in Katy, TX. In 1999 after our children were grown, we moved into Houston so that David could shorten his work commute and have easier access to his track workouts and weekly runs from Memorial Park. David has worked for Shell Oil as an IT advisor for the past 20 years. David first began running in 1978 to keep his weight down and for the resulting health benefits this offered. He has run 27 marathons and numerous other races. David runs 40 – 50 miles per week and now trains mostly for half-marathons and shorter races. He now runs one marathon a decade--probably because it takes him longer to recover now. Kate, a non-runner, enjoys David’s racing for being able to tag along and see other parts of the country, such as Chicago, especially shopping along the Miracle Mile. Our last trip was to Monterey where David ran the Big Sur Half-Marathon and Kate walked in the Run Forest Run 3K. We were joined by friends and had a great time. The area scenery was spectacular. Kate currently walks 4-5 miles on a treadmill five or six days a week.

Volunteering experience: Kate volunteered for our children’s school and sport activities as well as for the church. In addition, as a former member of the Junior League, she volunteered on several community projects. In 1996, Madeline Bunch first asked us to become volunteers for the Houston Marathon. We’ve been volunteering for it ever since. David is currently Treasurer and Board Member of Houston Harriers and Elite Athlete Coordinator for the HP Houston Marathon and Aramco Half-marathon. In the past, he has been a Board Member and President and Vice-president for the Greater Houston Track Club. When our children were younger, David coached their soccer teams and was a referee for many years. While living in Toledo, Ohio, he was the Race Director for a 15K race for a few years and in Springfield, Illinois, he was the Race Director for a Duathlon for a couple of years.

What attracts you to volunteering and why?  

Kate enjoys helping others.  "I like the feeling of accomplishment when I've completed my assignment."

David says, "I have always enjoyed working with people and love the good feeling that I get when I am able to help an event become successful. Working with the Marathon has allowed us to meet and become friends with many people from various parts of the world. It has given us a great sense of accomplishment knowing that we have been able to help strangers develop a good feeling about Houston and our running community. I have been helped so much by other runners and the organizations that put on our local races, and volunteering gives me an opportunity to give something back."

What is your favorite event/race to volunteer for and why? 

David and Kate both most enjoy working with the Houston Marathon.

Kate enjoys the challenge of getting all aspects of the elite activities coordinated.   It’s also fun to meet runners from all over the U.S. and from many different foreign countries.

David not only enjoys meeting elite athletes from around the world, "but it has given me the opportunity to become better acquainted with many of our local elite athletes that I always would see at races, but never knew."