by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Christina Langston has long days. She’s the public relations manager for the City’s Office of Special Events and the mother of a 6-year-old. Through the course of a year, Langston and staff of the office plan, organize and execute everything from the Georgia-Florida game to the Jazz Festival to the Parade of Lights.
You’d think someone who works so hard in order for others to have a good time would have a hobby that doesn’t take a lot of time or effort.
Think again.
This weekend, Langston and her husband Alex are going to Las Vegas. Not to party or gamble, but so she can run the Las Vegas Marathon.
“My goal is four hours and 15 minutes,” said Langston, who ran the Phoenix Marathon in January and posted a time of 4:19 and ran the half-marathon here in Jacksonville on Thanksgiving in 1:50.
While in Vegas, Langston will also volunteer at the 26.2 With Donna booth to help promote the marathon to help raise money to fight breast cancer that will be run in February.
Langston is from Jacksonville, graduating from Wolfson High and the University of North Florida. She spent five years with Merrill Lynch as a project manager before joining the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission a little over eight years ago as communications manager. After a brief stint in the private sector, Langston rejoined the City about four-and-a-half years ago, this time with the Office of Special Events.
“I love it,” she said. “There is something different going on every day. We do 10 large-scale events a year and we have added ‘Make a Scene Downtown,’ so there’s a whole lot more.”
Langston said she particularly enjoys the annual Georgia-Florida game and Light Parade. But her favorite event may be the Sea & Sky Spectacular, which every other year is put on by the City, Naval Station Mayport and the three beaches cities.
“You get to meet all the pilots and see their enthusiasm to perform,” said Langston. “Also, I really like the setting. There are 100,000 people lining the beach.”
Langston’s office is reflective of her schedule. Quite frankly, it’s a mess. From her desk that’s covered in everything from desk toys to proposals to her floors and bookshelves that seem to have everything jammed wherever it’ll fit, Langston’s office looks like her daughter Lydia got in there and tore it apart for half a day.
“It’s messy because I always have so much going,” she said. “I know where everything is. Priorities change throughout the day. Cleaning my office is never a priority. I do plan to do it over the holidays.”
And how long will it stay clean?
“I think eventually it would be messy again,” she said, “but in a good 4-6 months.”
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