SPECIAL EVENTS

The 24th Annual ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run, which includes a 10K race and 5K fun run/walk, will take place on Saturday, February 26, 2011. The Rodeo Run continues to raise scholarship funds for Texas youth.

The event is known all around Houston for its fun and festive atmosphere complete with costume contests and a Texas-size post-race party. Runners and walkers will experience Houston’s only point-to-point 10K race and 5K fun run/walk that kicks off the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ (HLSR) Parade. A record 15,000 participants are expected to join in the fun, racing through the streets of downtown Houston.

Over the past 24 years, the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run has raised more than $2.5 million in scholarship funds for Texas youth. ConocoPhillips is proud to host this great Houston tradition and will once again make a donation to the Houston Livestock Show and RodeoTM (HLSR) Educational Fund.

The 10K race and 5K fun run/walk racecourses are point-to-point, starting in downtown Houston at the corners of Texas Avenue and Smith Street, and finishing at Minute Maid Park. To ensure everyone’s safety, the 2011 event will kick off with the start of the 10K race followed minutes later by the 5K fun run/walk. Expect plenty of hoopla and large crowds of cheering spectators as participants lead the Houston Livestock Show and RodeoTM parade.

The ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K is sanctioned by USA Track & Field and the Gulf Association of USA Track & Field. 10K race participants are expected to strictly adhere to USA Track & Field operating regulations. The 5K fun run/walk is unsanctioned, noncompetitive, and fun for the whole family!

While the 5K route remains flat along the downtown streets, 10K participants will find a one mile elevated portion of the route as it travels over the Elysian Viaduct north of downtown and a spectacular view of the downtown skyline coming back over the viaduct shortly before the finish at Minute Maid Park.

One returning runner Mona Keffer, ConocoPhillips employee, has been participating in the Rodeo Run with the ConocoPhillips team since the event’s inception in 1988. Mona ran her first Rodeo Run at 50 years old, and since then she has never missed the race. This year at age 73, she will be running in the 10K race yet again. "I enjoy seeing some of the same runners every year. It’s nice to see all those who come out year after year," explains Mona. "I also like to be involved and see if I am competitive with my age group." Mona travels from Bartlesville, Okla. to participate in the Rodeo Run, and she is looking forward to a fun-filled event.

Every year, Rodeo Run participants kick off the HLSR by leading the parade past thousands of cheering spectators in downtown Houston. The Rodeo Run not only celebrates Houston’s western heritage but also demonstrates its hospitality and Texas-style generosity. Runners and walkers of all ages are encouraged to be a part of this tradition. Registration for this year’s event is well-underway.

"A fun and festive event is planned for this year’s participants. Registration numbers are climbing in anticipation of a record-breaking turnout," said ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run registration director Marshall Cohen. "Following the race, Rodeo Run participants will enjoy food, live music and plenty of hoopla at the giant, Texas-size H-E-B Post-Race Party."

POST RACE PARTY: This Texas-sized party, located outside the east side of Minute Maid Park, will follow the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Drinks and snack foods will be provided, and sponsored giveaways will be distributed [while supplies last]. A “Family Fun Area” will feature fun for kids young and old, including face painting, a photo op and massage therapists. Everyone is encouraged to attend!

The event registration fee is just $25 until Feb. 5, 2011 and $30 thereafter. Online registration at www.ConocoPhillipsRodeoRun.com  continues until Feb. 20. Participants are encouraged to register online, as no online processing fee will apply for the 2011 event.

Runners and walkers can also register in-person. In-person early registration will be hosted by H-E-B on Saturday, Feb. 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The store is located at 9710 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77055 (on I-10 West at the Bunker Hill exit, just east of Sam Houston Tollway). One lucky person will win a roundtrip Continental Airlines ticket at this registration event (see the Rodeo Run website for details).

Participating in the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run is great way to give back to the community while having fun with family and friends. By becoming a fan of the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run on Facebook, fans can stay up-to-date on the latest news and information, enter to win prizes and receive special offers.

Gold sponsors of the event include Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Bechtel, Brooks, Chartis Insurance, Continental Airlines, Fulbright and Jaworski LLP, GE Oil and Gas, Halliburton, H-E-B, Luke’s Locker and McJunkin Red Man Corporation. Silver sponsors include Accenture, A-Rocket Moving and Storage, Deutsche Bank, Houston Astros, Securitas, Staples Promotional Products, The Royal Bank of Scotland and Zachry.

For more information or to register, visit www.ConocoPhillipsRodeoRun.com  or call the Rodeo Run hotline at 281-293-2447. To become a fan of the official ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run Facebook page, visit www.facebook.com/pages/ConocoPhillips-Rodeo-Run/277796065412?ref=ts.