Members of the general public were invited to participate in the CCMH’s very first Bike/Run Challenge of 2023 - which spanned from Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 8:00 AM until Saturday, October 28, 2023 at 8:00 PM! This challenge took place in order to celebrate the upcoming Czech Independence Day.
Participants were asked to either cycle 19.18 kilometers (12 miles) or run 11.17 kilometers (7 miles) anytime during the period of September 28 to October 28. They could ride or run with friends or by themselves and share a picture with CCMH of the activity. Participants could pose with a Czech of Slovak symbol in the picture - such as a Czech flag, CCMH t-shirt, etc.
Participants who submitted pictures within the timeframe were entered to win one CCMH Family Membership, and the Embassy awarded the best photo submission with a special gift bag.
Why 19.18 kilometers?
The year 1918 brought independence to the Czech people. That year, future President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and sitting US President Woodrow Wilson shared a friendship and vision that forever changed the map of Europe with the creation of a sovereign, democratic state on October 28. The CCMH Bike/Run Challenge honored the historic year of independence via its 19.18 km trail and challenges all to seek out Czech connections in the United States!
Why 11.17 kilometers?
On November 17, 1939, Nazi forces stormed Czech Universities including Charles University in Prague after organized demonstrations following the killings of student Jan Opletal and worker Václav Sedláček. Nine Czech students and professors were executed on the 17th, and 1,200 were sent to concentration camps.
In 1948, communists seized control of the country in a coup d’état, and it became the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic for the next 40 years. Student demonstrations in Prague and elsewhere on November 17, 1989, sparked the Velvet Revolution and the end of the Soviet era in Czechoslovakia.
Now, November 17 is a national holiday in both the Czech and Slovak Republics known as Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day. It commemorates two student demonstrations that bookend 50 years that Czechoslovakia spent (mostly) under the rule of foreign powers.
DISCLAIMER
By participating, you have acknowledged that you are going to take part in the Czech Center Museum Houston Bike/Run Challenge (“Challenge“) at your own risk. The Challenge does not constitute an official race. It is imperative that all Challenge participants obey all existing laws and regulations as well as friendly cyclist manners.
Conducting activities outside of your home poses an inherent risk. You and any family members and guests voluntarily assume all risks related to the Challenge and agree not to hold the Czech Center Museum Houston or any of their directors, staff, contractors, affiliates, employees, agents, or volunteers liable for any illness, injury, or death.
Czech Center Museum Houston would like to thank Diana Austin, Rev. Paul Chovanec, James Ermis, Adelma Graham, Sharon Schweitzer J.D., Valerie Sheppard, William and Marie Vavrik, and donors who wish to remain anonymous for generously supporting our Czech Heritage Month programs.