Basilio Mendoza is a lifetime runner and former cross-country coach at several high schools in the Rio Grande Valley.

Mendoza has also worked for years on the staff of The Boston Marathon in assisting runners at an athlete’s village. His years on the running circuit have also led him to organizing marathons and 10K races among a variety of events. Mendoza’s current focus is the South Texas International Marathon with an associated half marathon. Both runs will take place on Sunday, Dec. 8, and each will conclude in Mercedes.

It will be the second annual running of the marathon. The half marathon is an inaugural event and will start at the H-E-B Park in Mercedes. The full-26.2 miles marathon will start in Donna and go through La Feria before heading back to Mercedes for its finish line at the FEMA Dome on north Vermont Avenue. The routes for both runs have been certified by the U.S. Track & Field association.

Mendoza has big aspirations for both events, especially the marathon, which he intends to develop into a premier event in Texas – and beyond. Mendoza believes in Mercedes he has found an ideal city to partner with in building up the South Texas International Marathon to some lofty heights.

“I’ve been around and get to hear a lot,” said Mendoza, a Pharr native who lives in Palmview. “Mercedes has a vibe that is very welcoming. The city manager, the mayor, the police department, they’re all very active in recruiting business.”

There are other cities he has dealt with that “put you through the ringer,” Mendoza said.

In Mercedes, he said, “you offer a great idea, they say, ‘let’s do it.’ ”

Certified Runs

Mendoza is utilizing the heart-of-the Valley location Mercedes offers. His focus on having both races go through the Mid-Valley is primed to attract runners from throughout the region.

“Everyone in the Valley can come to this event no matter where they live,” he said. “We placed it in the middle so no one can say it’s too far away.”

The fact both events to be run in early December are certified by the Track & Field Association is important because the times recorded can be used to help qualify for major events like the Boston Marathon. The end-of-the-year timing of the marathon is strategic in that Mendoza hopes it can draw runners from around the state and nation looking to get in one last good run in 2024 in boosting their qualifications for major events next year.

“We’re planting this little seed in Mercedes,” he said. “We have this vision with Mercedes that this event can turn into something big.”

Point-To-Point

The half marathon to be run in early December has a distinction in that it is a point-to-point race.

This means the race will end in the city where it began and encourages ending a race at the point where it started. Mendoza favors this type of course route and says the Valley with its continuous string of cities is conducive to point-to-point running events.

“There’s no gaps,” he said. “It’s all east-to-west in the way the Valley is laid out. We can offer a flat course with no crazy turns.”

The latter can prove to be a drawing card for more elite runners looking to put up some good times in qualifying for national events. The gist of the two Mercedes-based running events is that more of the general public can be motivated to participate and lead more physically active lives. Mendoza says going through the pandemic years of recent times was a wake-up call for some to lead more healthy lifestyles.

“We saw some many of our loves ones get ill, or even pass away,” he said. “So, I think it became a motivation to start exercising. It’s not always about how fast you run, but that you get moving.”

For more information about the running events, call Mendoza at 956-222-5668, or via email at basmendoza65@gmail.com

By Ric Cavazos

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