Heel and Hill and Him

Heels and Hills, Inc. was founded by Paula Robertson in 2006 as a 501C3 non-profit organization, dedicated to promoting and increasing involvement in women’s fitness for both first timers and seasoned professionals in a fun and unintimidating atmosphere.

Founder Paula Robertson was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis on April 1, 1999, and her doctors suggested she commit to a regular exercise program to hopefully delay the progression of the disease. A few months later, Paula joined Team in Training and in June 2000 completed her first marathon – 26.2 miles!

In 2001, Paula met with Lewis George, a member of the Board of Directors of the Cross Country Club of Dallas, CCCD (now Dallas Running Club), and a local race director. She wanted to start a half marathon for women, to empower and motivate women to change their lives – a half marathon focused on “non-athletes” like herself! Paula became more involved in the running community, joining the Board of Directors of CCCD at the beginning of 2002. She served on the board for 7 years, during several of which she was the running club’s treasurer.

Paula has a passion for motivating others to succeed. Along the way, she assisted Luann Bruster with the Cross Country Club of Dallas’ Women’s Clinic running program for two years. From 2003 – 2005, Paula was the Dallas Galloway Training Program Director, training hundreds of runners and walkers on their way to completing their first half or full marathon. Through training these runners, in 2004 she was inspired to found the Love The Half Challenge, dedicated to celebrating the half marathon and those who enjoy completing half marathons regardless of their finish time.

With her continued dream of starting a women’s half marathon in Dallas, she became increasingly involved in learning the ropes of directing road races. She worked with Lewis George of Mellew Productions as an assistant for “The Half” Half Marathon in Dallas in 2004 and 2005, becoming the Race Director in 2006. In September 2006, Paula attended the Portland Marathon Race Directors’ Conference to learn even more about how to produce her own event.

In December 2005, the telecommunications company where she was a Tax Manager went through a merger and Paula learned, along with a many of her coworkers, she would be laid off by September 2006. With time and energy to dedicate to her dream, Paula founded Heels and Hills, Inc. in February 2006. She contacted the city of Irving, filed all the paperwork with the city, police department, and traffic department and received a race permit to have the first Heels and Hills Half Marathon on May 6, 2007. To jump start her efforts, she mailed out 500 handwritten letters about the inaugural event and sent them to every one of her running contacts.

In 2007, for an inaugural event with little more advertising than word of mouth and two expo booths, Heels and Hills Half Marathon had a huge turnout at 1100 entrants! The race has been equally successful in each subsequent year.

In 2008, Libby Jones joined Heels and Hills as Volunteer Coordinator. Paula and Libby had worked together for four years while Libby was Volunteer Coordinator, Co-Race Director then Race Director for “The Half” and President of Dallas Running Club. In 2009, Libby became Heels and Hills Co-Race Director and was instrumental in the Heels and Hills vision growing from one annual event to two half marathons and eight monthly mini-events.

Throughout this event’s journey, Paula’s personal journey is equally amazing – 1 ultra marathon, 17 marathons, 30+ half marathons, a duathalon and other events, including the Dallas Avon 3 Day Walk and the MS 150 bike ride.