Muffy King’s journey started in the water. Now, she helps create memorable running events for Houston. - Houston Chronicle

Name: Muffy King

Age: 35

No. of marathons: 6

No. of Houston Marathons: 0

Seven years after she ran her first race, Muffy King probably has three photos of her running solo or grinning at the finish line by herself.

Most pictures feature King smiling next to her husband, Rob, running buddies or her fellow Houston Marathon staff and volunteers. Running isn’t a solo sport for the marketing director of the Houston Marathon Committee — it’s about the community she runs with.

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“It’s the community that changed me and made me realize (running long distances) was possible. For me, that’s the appeal of running in general, and truly, the appeal of what I do for a living,” she said. “You get to help support and uplift everyone in their goals. The community helped me make the transition from shorter events to longer events.”

King is registered for the sold out Aramco Houston Half Marathon, the 13.1 mile race that shares a starting line with the Houston Marathon (also sold out) and changes course halfway through. It will be her fourth half marathon in the city.

A swimmer by nature, the native Michigander competed on the women’s water polo team at Michigan State University, which she said prepared her for a post-grad life of triathlons and endurance events.

“Most swimmers turn to triathlons when they leave their younger competitive years. We laugh and say, ‘triathlons are where swimmers go to die,’” she said. “When you’re a water polo player, you have the leg strength, so cycling comes naturally. I’m lucky that it was an easy transition.”

Running was not her strongest athletic skill at the beginning, and after a cycling accident a few years ago, it got harder. But she doesn’t let a slower pace keep her from running with friends and registering for races. If anything, the fact that it is hard makes her love it more.

As the story often seems to go, she had to convince her husband to run with her at the beginning. Now she said he’s more addicted than she is: “I can’t imagine our lives without it.”

In 2013, she experienced her first Houston Marathon as a half-marathon running guide for a visually-impaired runner through Catapult, a nonprofit that helps physically-challenged individuals meet their personal fitness goals. Catapult officially formed in 2015 from two competitive Texas Gulf Coast triathlon groups: the men’s group Jock Strap Catapult and its female counterpart Sports Bra Slingshot.

“We were a bunch of naturally rowdy kids doing triathlons and marathons, which turned into this purpose to help everyone accomplish their goals,” she said. “That’s what it’s about and why we’re all here. We’re all just looking to help each other.”

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King and her husband moved temporarily to Denver for career opportunities, but it wasn’t long before she missed the community that she helped build, and helped build her up, in Houston.

When she moved back, she applied for her current position on the marathon committee and was able to combine a personal passion with her professional experience. She now helps create events that draw people from all over the world, but she takes time to make sure it’s the premier experience for Houstonians.

“I know without a doubt that everyone who comes to Houston walks away with a feeling and experience that is truly indescribable. It’s from our city — the running community to the volunteers to the spectators who comes out — all those additional elements that we don’t think about,” she said. “Houston is amazing because our people are amazing. That’s what makes the race so great.”

The quickest way to make a large city feel small is to run 26.2 miles (or 13.1 miles) through it, she said.

“When you’re on foot and encompassing all the streets, it makes everything seem so achievable. It’s the best way to see a city, for sure.”

julie.garcia@chron.com

Twitter: @reporterjulie

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