What an amazing article. From this article alone, there are 3 new ladies signing up for the half marathon (there will be 5 of us total)… our first half marathons! We’ve all decided, walk or run, as long as we FINISH that’s all that matters! You have truly inspired us all.

Thank you!
Erin B

Thank you so much for sharing, I have really been thinking about picking up my running again. I am going to start this week and just stop saying that I don’t have time for it anymore. We will see how things go.

Carol

Thanks again. Joining this training group has given me a burst of momentum that I had lacked the past few weeks.

See ya' Saturday.
Jeanye M

WOW what a great article! You should be very proud of yourself and your accomplishments! I know the other women you have inspired appreciate what you have done! You are a grown up version of Girls on the Run! I wish you all the best with this group!

Janette Steinheimer, Council Director
Girls on the Run - DFW

Awesome run Saturday. I finished the 5 and then did one more on the trail. My knee was a bit stiff later that evening, but otherwise it has felt great. I'm kind of a lone runner, but it's nice knowing that there are folks in front of me and behind me. Don't feel so alone. I am a runner/walk since my knee won't let me run the whole way. But I've stayed pretty steady at 11: - 11:30/mi.

Thanks for all you do to put this together.
Jane S.

Thank you so much Paula! I couldn't do it without your encouragement! You are truly an inspiration and I'm looking so forward to the half marathon and hoping to come to work with you on future marathons.

Thank you for believing in me! I still am in shock I completed 10 miles.

Thank you again!
Pam

Just wanted to say a big THANKS for all your hard work with the race.  Your constant smile was amazing...I don't know how you did it!!!   Your spirit and enthusiasm for running showed in all your effort!!   You deserve a big rest!!

Thanks for all you do for girls and the sport of running - you are awesome!!

Keep in touch -
Mindi Rice

P.S.  I am showing off my cool award today  ;0)

You did it, Paula!   What a great race!   I met so many nice ladies and had the best time running in Las Colinas.   I'm already looking forward to next year!   Thanks for putting on one first class event!
Lynann M

I just want to thank you for putting together such an AWESOME race this weekend! My friends and I drove from Texarkana to run it. I have run lots of races over the years and I want to tell you that this was so well organized, well staffed with volunteers, police, etc. LOVED it!! I am such a girly girl so to see women of all ages come out for this was so exciting (and I especially loved all the pink!) I know it was a lot of work, so I want you to know what a great job you did. Thanks and I will be there next year! :o)

Danielle D

Oh my goodness...my friends and I had a blast at the Race!!!  It was so well put together.  Such a great group of runners, plenty of water stations, and such an enthusiasm in the air.  I have been a Skirt Sports fan for some time now and they were half the reason we all decided to drive from Texarkana to support this race.  Where do we sign up for 2008?  We will certainly be there.  Thanks a million for such an awesome race!

I have attached a few pictures of us from the race.
Julie B

Just wanted to thank everyone involved for the great race yesterday! Hope the event exceeded your expectations, was glad to see the great turnout!   I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to next year's event.   Will be glad to help out next year so please keep me in mind. Have a great day and hopefully you guys were able to relax yesterday afternoon!!! Thanks again..
Nancy
Nancy R Breast Cancer 3-Day-   This one's for you Linda!

Thanks. You guys did a great job.
Shelly

The race was great and lots of people seem to be having a great time. We had a really good time and the event was very organized. We plan to attend again next year.  My friend Deb McMullan and I starting training on Jan 8, 2007 at a local get in shape activity held in our home town and decided our goal would be to run a half marathon at the end of the activity.  After finding your race and reading the information from your site we felt very invited as first timers.  We liked how you encourage everyone to come and try.  Her husband mapped us out a route on their ranch roads where we trained.  After arriving in Dallas and driving your course we were certain her husband had marked our training course to short.  My daughter Chelsea tried to discourage us from driving the course because she knew it would make us nervous, which it did.  Our goal was to try and finish in the four hour time limit, to our surprise we finished in less than three hours.  Now we are excited about finding another race and my daughter is going to train for the next race instead of running with her mother.

Hope to see you next year,
Deborah C

Bridget gave me your address as I wanted to tell you what a great job you and all the volunteers did on the inaugural Heels & Hills Half Marathon yesterday.
This was not an easy course! The hills, heat and wind made it very challenging. The aids stations did a good job, and everything seemed to run very smoothly, at least from the viewpoint of a spectator.

I mostly enjoyed seeing women of all ages out there on their feet trying something they might not have tried otherwise without the support of so many other women and friends. It is very hard to get started in this sport if you are at the walking stage. It is intimidating, and I applaud all the walkers and first time half-marathoners (and 5K/1 mile runners and walkers) for taking that first step. All participants should be very proud of their accomplishment, and know they have done something good for their health and well-being. We are all part a very special group of people that know the power of running and walking, and the difference it can make in our lives.

Thank you for adding another half-marathon distance into our yearly race calendar as well.
I look forward to participating again next year!

Laurie L
LGRAW member-Grapevine

Heels and Hills just became my favorite half marathon!  In addition to the event, I had the privilege of participating in the training program and got to know a number of wonderful women (and one man) and was thrilled to see them out on the course yesterday!  The shirts are awesome, packet pick-up went smoothly and the race started promptly.  What more can a runner ask for?  I can't wait for next year's registration to begin!

Thanks for all your hard work Paula.  Yesterday was a HUGE success!
Kim C

Congratulations again Paula!  What an AWESOME accomplishment!
Alyce P

The race was fantastic!!  You had such a great turnout!!  Congrats on your HUGE success!  I look forward to another Paula event.
Heather O

Paula...Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for putting on such an awesome event!!  It was great and I give you all the credit for getting me out there and the encouragement to do my first half marathon.  I made it!!  It was so much fun and so much better than I anticipated.  You and your wonderful volunteers and sponsOrs put on a number one Class A event and you should be so proud.  I know Todd is very proud of you too. 

Thanks again!!
Dana F

Paula-

I cannot tell you what an INCREDUBLE JOB YOU DID!  You were worried about the course.  It was fabulous!  It was a little difficult which was great!  I think it was great practice for the women who are beginning to train for NIKE Women's Marathon in San Francisco.  During the run I heard many, "this is nothing wait till we get to San Fran."  I thought the course was excellent!  Everything was excellent!  Let me tell you what I liked so much:

My personal note to join the race!
Web site- colorful, fun, inviting, informative, DETAILED!
Story about you on the site
That you gave back to the community
Constant email communication regarding training etc.
Packet pick-up - EASY!  Great location.
Goodie bags!  Love my technical shirt.  Heard many great comments on the road.  Ladies really like that there were no sleeves but that the shoulder was capped.
Race Info on website, very detailed and EASY to understand!
PARKING ON RACE DAY - FABULOUS!!!!!!
Entry to the staging areas and garages was excellent!
Excitement at the starting line
Course was beautiful!  The blue bonnets were out throughout the course
Enough Porta Potties!!! - Big deal for me!!
Great to see TNT out at a water stop!

Finish line MEDALS - AWESOME!!!
Finish line vendors and food good.

You did great sister!  You are going to have some great word of mouth..........it will be double in size next year!  :-) I heard that you are retiring race numbers 1 -1000 and you can have your same number next year?  Is that true?  Love the idea!  I happened to get my favorite #!

Relax, put up your feet, drink a margarita.  I would bring it to you but I can't walk at the moment! Did good!
Jennifer B

When will there be another 5K or half marathon after May 6th? I enjoyed the 5K today and want to continue with more dedication.
Margo M

I am so proud of your accomplishment - I know that it took a village to have a race but your vision and your dream gave it life.  I am thrilled that I got to be an inaugural participant!!!  Thank you for commitment to women and health!

You go girl!!!
Leigh Ann P

Congrats!  The run is done and I hope you sat down with your feet up and a margarita made special for you, then a nap!  I heard nothing but compliments on how things went from a couple of runners in the pack.  Our water stop seemed to go well, everything was there in time, we had plenty of water and gatorade, cups, food, tables and just about everything else.  The runners seemed happy and cheery as they ran along both times.  So, thanks for everything and you did a great job!

Janette S, Council Director
Girls on the Run -DFW

I just wanted to email you and tell you what a great job you did putting together this run yesterday.  I am a member of the Flower Mound Striders and there were 5 of us from the group that ran.  The support was great, everything was very well organized and we were happy to support you with this endeavor.  It was a bit of a tough day for a long run with the wind and humidity but we all hung in there and finished the run.  I always say, you can't control the weather and the conditions so that's where flexibility comes in.  You just adjust your goals and thinking!!!

Thanks again for all of the hard work and effort that you put into this.  It's great to see a race geared predominately for women. Hope to be there again next year...
Marina D

Good job, Paula! This race was so well-organized. The goodie bag was excellent - love the tech shirt. Great parking arrangement. Great course. And I have to say - you guys did NOT skimp on those hills! Whew. The medal is so cool. And being a "back of the packer", I was so thrilled to see food remaining at the finish line! You took care of every single runner out there - from the first to the last.

Loved it!
Helen P

Congratulations to you on your dream come true!!! You inspired one of my friends that ran with us at the Heels and Hills to possibly take on the task of starting a half marathon here in Texarkana. You did a fabulous job...and should be SO proud of yourself. Good work!!! I can't wait to get the date for 2008 so that we can get it on our calendars. There will be MANY more from Texarkana that will participate next year. This year there were some conflicts in their schedules, and we did not know about this race until late in the game. Again, thanks so very much for having the courage to head something like this up.

Julie B

Congratulations on a great Inaugural Race!  I was proud to be part of it.  I think this will become the best women's race in Dallas!
Barbara T

The Heels & Hills Half was the first half I've ever run, and I think you've set my bar high for the future! I particularly enjoyed the focus on females - a rare thing to find in the running world.  All of those busy intersections were well manned, so I never worried about traffic.  This was very well done and I expect you are going to see enormous growth in the coming years - this is going to be THE race for women. Thank you! 

Again, thank you so much for the outstanding race you put on.  I was so inspired that I am now signed-up to run my 1 st  marathon in September.  
Kristine H

Cindy D

You did a phenomenal job of putting together the 2007 Heels and Hill Inaugural 1/2 marathon. Everything, start to finish and in between was flawless. It is truly my honor to have run this race. I'll be back for many more. Thanks for bringing a great event to the runners of the DFW area. You are an awesome lady.

Have a great year!
Lori Mc

Ran the race last weekend.  Just wanted to let you know you did a fantastic job...everything went very smoothly.  Briefly met your niece, Kim, the LSU student, after the race.  Nice girl.  Hope to participate in your race next year.

Thanks again,
Jason

Paula,
You did   a great job with the race.   Congrats on a wonderfully successful inaugural race!
Stefani F

 You have worked hard to make this race one of the best ever!!!  Thank you for keeping all of us informed and sending results and
pictures afterwards................You have done a great job!!!!!!

 Thanks!!!!
Holly M

I am so glad I saw that article about you in the paper and had an opportunity to join the running group and participate in the race.  I really enjoyed meeting you and the other people running and it was exciting to be a part of it. 

Thanks so much, and I hope I'll see you again soon.  Maybe next year it will be a little less humid on race day!!!
Susan E

This was a great experience.  I am so glad a woman is listed as winner.  Thanks for all your hard work.  Truly a race to remember :)
Elizabeth N

Congratulations on a wonderful race!!  Everything within your control was great - too bad you don't have a handle on the humidity!  The organization was amazing, as I knew it would be with you in charge.  Hopefully you are enjoying some much deserved down time, and I hope you are as proud of your accomplishment as we are of you!  Thanks again for everything -
Stef O