Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas Community Night A Success

The title sponsor of Ironman Texas, the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, hosted a Community Night Tuesday evening, October 19 in the Conference Center of their hospital in The Woodlands.

The Community Night was held for the express intent to introduce to the community the volunteer opportunities that existed for the inaugural event next May.



Scott Langen

Co-race director Scott Langen led off the session and invited Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Chief Operating Officer Josh Urban - a four-time Ironman and three-time Kona participant (1998-2000) - to speak as well as The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau's Nick Wolda.



Josh Urban



Wolda shared with the audience how Ironman as the "top brand in triathlons" identifies with the vision and image that The Woodlands Township has of itself -- the best of breed.



Nick Wolda

Recent 2011 Kona qualifier (at Ironman Wisconsin in September) and Team Timex member Kimberly Hager of The Woodlands and Ironman Texas volunteer coordinator Greg Pennington also made presentations to those in attendance.


A veteran of five Ironmans, including two appearances at the World Championship in 2002-2003, Hager spoke passionately about how important volunteers were to helping athletes reach their goal that they've invested hundreds of hours in.



Kim Hager

 An Ironman-produced video presentation on volunteers from this year's Ironman Louisville was shown to the audience.

Pennington, also a five-time Ironman finisher, said that an event like Ironman Texas would take appoximately 3,200 volunteers for the almost 2,800 prospective Ironman hopefuls that would take part of next May's event.

Race director Keith Jordan and Langen's team was there to also speak to and answer questions of those groups and individuals that were looking to support the event by volunteering.

Langen informed the audience that he had received approval to post the tentative course maps online in the next week or so at ironmantexas.com.