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The Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon, EP5K and ABB Team Challenge will be held Sunday, January 30, 2011.
This will be the 39th running of the Houston Marathon. Click here for a look back at the Houston Marathon from its beginning in December of 1972.
Houston's two major airports are both a 30- to 45-minute drive from the start line and the GRB. Bush Intercontinental Airport is located north of downtown on Highway 59 and is the larger of the two airports. Hobby Airport is located south of downtown on Interstate 45. Contact your hotel to see if they offer shuttle service from either airport.
The Run for a Reason program is a charity drive that happens in conjunction with the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon, EP5K and ABB Team Challenge. All money raised through the Run for a Reason program goes directly to our 45+ official participating charities. Visit our charity page for more information.
A lost-and-found is located at the Information Booth in the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB). Check the lost-and-found if you lose any items in or around the GRB. Items that are discarded along the race route will NOT be returned to lost-and-found. Instead, they will be collected and donated to Star of Hope.
Registration for the 2011 races will open July 27, 2010.
Sign up online for our newsletter. By signing up on our homepage you will receive all up to date information about the Houston Marathon and reminders about registration for 2011.
No. Registration for the marathon and half marathon will not be available on race day.
If entries are still available for the EP5K on race day, late registration will be held at the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute EXPO on Friday, January 28, and Saturday, January 29, 2011 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Below is the 2010 entry fee schedule:
Chevron Houston Marathon
$ 90: July 17 - July 31
$100: August 1 - August 31
$120: September 1
Aramco Houston Half Marathon
$65: July 17 - July 31
$75: August 1 - August 31
$85: September 1
EP5K
$20: July 17 - October 31
$25: November 1
ABB Team Challenge
Free! July 17 - December 10
Check back later this spring for the 2011 fee schedule.
Yes. Military discounts are available for active and retired military personnel. This offer is not available for dependents. Please email us at one month in advance to registration opening at marathon@chevronhoustonmarathon.com for additional information. Inquiries must be made at least one month prior to regisration opening to qualify for the discount.
Click here to search our database of registered 2010 participants.
The 2011 searchable registration database will be available after registration has opened July 27, 2010.
Often times a computer's spam filter has erased or blocked the email confirmation that was sent to you. To avoid this mistake, please make sure that marathon@chevronhoustonmarathon.com is on your "allowed senders" list so that your spam filter will not block your confirmation email.
The 2010 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon had a protected cap of 22,000 participants. Of the 22,000 entries, 11,000 entries are reserved for each of the marathon and half marathon fields.
Check back later this spring for information about the 2011 race cap.
We do not offer refunds and entries are not transferable to future years. You are still welcome to pick up your packet and receive your participation T-shirt, though we are unable to mail packets.
It is imperative that the registration data associated with your race number does in fact belong to you, the participant. If race organizers become aware that a runner has participated in one of our events with a bib that is not registered to that runner, both the runner and the person to whom the bib is registered will be prohibited from participating in subsequent Houston Marathon events for a minimum of two years.
Please check back for race switching information later this spring.
Any participant who runs a race other than the one for which he or she is registered will not be scored. It is imperative that the registration data associated with your race number does in fact belong to you, the participant. If race organizers become aware that a runner has participated in one of our events with a bib that is not registered to that runner, both the runner and the person to whom the bib is registered will be prohibited from participating in subsequent Houston Marathon events for a minimum of two years.
No. We know the approximate number of people who cancel each year and we accept more than enough entrants in anticipation of those cancellations.
Registration fees help pay for the necessary permits, supplies and personnel to put on the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon, EP5K and ABB Team Challenge. The Houston Marathon Committee is a not-for-profit organization.
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Race Transfer System Eliminated
Registrants in our 2011 races will not be able to transfer their entry to another participant, nor will the marathon office buy back a registrant's entry if he/she is unable to participate for whatever reason.
The substantial participant cap increase to the marathon and half marathon field will more than offset any inconveniences caused by the elimination of the Transfer System.
Minimum Two-Year Event Ban for Unauthorized Runners
Our past races have been marred by numerous participants running under the guise of someone else's race number. While this may seem harmless to the parties perpetrating the unauthorized bib transfer, it does convey serious consequences to the organizers and participant field alike.
From race results to finishers' awards being impacted as well as medical staff being able to correctly identify participants in need of treatment, it is imperative that the registration data associated with your race number does in fact belong to you, the participant.
If race organizers become aware that a runner has participated in one of our events with a bib that is not registered to that runner, both the runner and the person to whom the bib is registered will be prohibited from participating in subsequent Houston Marathon events for a minimum of two years.
Packet pickup will be held at the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute EXPO:
Friday, January 28, 2010 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 29, 2010 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB)
Hall A3, 3rd Floor
1001 Avenue of the Americas
Downtown Houston, 77010
No. There is no packet pickup on race day. Packet pickup will be held at the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute EXPO (see location and times above). If you do not pick up your packet at the EXPO, you will not be able to run in your race. Packets will NOT be mailed.
Your race bib, timing device, final instructions, and safety pins for your bib. It is extremely important that you read the final instructions prior to race day. We will include only pertinent information to help you be more prepared for race morning. You are responsible for knowing the information that we provide to you in the final instructions.
Each participant will receive a final confirmation sent via email and mail (if you provided a valid mailing address during registration). Bring a photo ID and printed copy of your confirmation to the EXPO to pick up your packet.
Yes. There is a designated area on your final confirmation that allows you to release your packet to someone else. Your friend will need to bring a hard copy of the final confirmation with your signature in the designated area in order to retrieve your packet. Your friend must show his or her state-issued photo ID in order to pick up your packet.
Final confirmations will be sent in January 2011. A final confirmation email will be sent to the email address you provided on your registration form.
Please note that emails are sent in bulk and may be rejected by your spam filter if you have one. To ensure that you will receive your final confirmation email, be sure that marathon@chevronhoustonmarathon.com is on your "allowed senders" list.
Yes. You must present a printed copy of your confirmation email to pick up your packet at the EXPO. We also ask that you review the information printed on the card for accuracy. This is the perfect time to let us know if your address has changed or will change, and if your gender, age and wheelchair status is correct. This will ensure proper division placement for the official race results.
If for any reason you do not receive your final confirmation, please email us for a replacement link or visit the registration area inside the EXPO. There will be designated stations where you will be able to get a copy of your final confirmation by presenting your state-issued photo ID.
That's cutting it close, but as long as you have enough time to get to the EXPO before 6:00 p.m., you'll be all set! There is no race day packet pickup and no packets will be mailed. The EXPO is held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, about a 30- to 45-minute drive from either of Houston's two major airports.
You will be notified of your assigned bib number when you receive your final confirmation in early January 2011. Bib number assignments are not available via email and will only be released with final confirmations.
A wave start is a start in which the runners are separated into two "waves" by their estimated pace per mile. In 2010 the first wave started 10 minutes before the second wave, alleviating the crowding that often takes place in the first miles of the race.
The wave start helps to make the race a safer and more enjoyable experience for everyone involved by improving the flow of traffic at the start and through the first miles of the race. Instead of having to weave through a forest of runners moving at a slower pace, faster runners have room ahead to run. Instead of constantly worrying about being hit by the speed demons out of the gate, slower runners can relax, find a comfortable pace and enjoy the first few miles of the race.
Please "seed" yourself within your designated wave by using your best estimate as to how long it will take you to finish. Runners at the front of the wave will be expected to run at a faster pace than runners at the back of the wave.
Congratulations on your improvement! For administrative reasons, we cannot change your predicted finish time or corral location. No matter where you are at the start, we will do our best to get everyone across the start line as quickly as possible.
Yes. Entrants who are assigned to different waves but wish to start together may do so. If your friend was placed in a wave behind yours, then you are welcome to forego your assignment and join them for the start in the later wave. Entrants may move back within the wave system, but not forward.
No predictions here! Below are averages from previous Houston Marathons:
Average low temperature: 45F
Average high temperature: 63F
Mean average temperature: 54F
For more information on Houston weather in January, click here.
The race will go on regardless of precipitation. The race will only be cancelled if weather conditions present imminent danger to participants. The Houston Marathon has never been cancelled in its 38 years.
The race begins and ends in downtown Houston, near the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB). The marathon start line is located on Crawford Street in front of Minute Maid Park. The half marathon start line is located one block over on La Branch Street. The 5K start line is located on Crawford Street after the marathon has started.
Marathon and half marathon participants will merge at mile 2. From downtown, participants will run through the Heights and Montrose neighborhoods. At approximately mile 9, runners in the half marathon split off and return to finish at the GRB. All three races will finish on Rusk next to the GRB and just south of the start areas.
A detailed map of the starting area, as well as instructions for race morning, can be found in the final instructions which you will receive in your packet.
All runners should report to the start line at 6:30 a.m. The marathon and half marathon wheelchair start is at 6:45 a.m. The remaining marathon and half marathon participants will start at 7:00 a.m. The 5K wheelchair start is 7:25 a.m. and the remaining 5K participants will start at 7:30 a.m.
The easiest way to find your family and friends after the race is to have a plan beforehand. An easy place to meet up post-race is the Reunion Area in Hall C of the George R. Brown Convention Center. The Reunion Area is marked with signs showing letters of the alphabet and runners are encouraged to ask their family and friends to meet them under the sign showing the first letter of the runner's last name.
There are many privately owned parking lots close to the start and finish lines. Expect to pay cash for all-day parking with no in-and-out privileges. Check back in the Fall of 2011 for a detailed map of parking areas close to the start and finish lines. A map will also be included in the Race Day Program.
The George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB) will be open at 5:00 a.m. We suggest that runners arrive at the GRB before 6:00 a.m. since the Houston Police Department will begin closing streets in and around downtown at 6:00 a.m. Please keep in mind that there may be heavy traffic and you may have to park a few blocks away from the GRB. Give yourself some extra time to make sure you get to there on time!
No. The marathon does not offer shuttle service on race day, but be sure to ask your hotel about shuttle service. Fortunately, there is plenty of parking available only a few blocks from the George R. Brown Convention Center and start line so you should be able to find parking only a short walk from wherever it is you need to be.
Yes. Runners are allowed to enter and exit the runners-only area of the George R. Brown Convention Center (Halls A and B) through the entrance and exit located near the Finisher's Merchandise area. Please note that only runners are allowed in Halls A and B of the Convention Center on race day. Spectators, including family and friends of runners, are only allowed inside Hall C.
No. The intercom will be used only for official Chevron Houston Marathon announcements and for emergencies. We encourage runners to arrange to meet their family and friends in the Reunion Area, located in Hall C of the Convention Center.
You will receive a goodie bag with your T-shirt at packet pickup. This goodie bag is the ONLY bag you may check before the race. The bag is 17" x 21" in size and has a drawstring closure. No other bags will be accepted at baggage check.
The baggage check is located in Hall B of the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB). A map of the GRB can be found in the Race Day Program which you will receive in your packet.
You will find a baggage check tag attached to the top of your race bib. The tag is printed with your bib number. Detach the tag and attach it to your bag, and bring your bag to the baggage check in the George R. Brown Convention Center.
An additional baggage claim ticket is attached to the bottom of your race bib. After the race, visit the baggage check area and present your baggage claim ticket to retrieve your bag.
The baggage check closes at 2:00 p.m. on race day and all bags must be picked up before that time. The Chevron Houston Marathon is not responsible for bags that are not picked up by 2:00 p.m.
Due to space limitations, we are only able to check one bag per runner. Baggage check will only accept the goodie bag you receive as part of your race packet.
We strongly recommend that you leave your valuables at home. The Chevron Houston Marathon is not responsible for lost or stolen property, including any and all property checked at the baggage check.
Participants in both races will need to be able to maintain a pace of 13:45 per mile in order to stay ahead of the streets being re-opened to vehicular traffic. No participants are allowed on the course when the streets are open to vehicular traffic.
The marathon finish line will close after 6 hours. Any marathoners finishing after 6 hours will not be scored as official finishers.
The half marathon finish line will close after 4 hours. Any half marathoners finishing after 4 hours will not be scored as official finishers.
In order to comply with the Houston Marathon's agreement with the City of Houston, streets comprising the route must be reopened to vehicular traffic on a set schedule.
If your pace is slower than 13:45 per mile, you may find that the course is closing faster than you are completing the race. If this is the case, you are free to complete the route, but the Houston Police Department will ask you to move off of the road. Keep in mind that as the course closes, the water and aid stations will also close. The finish line closes at 1:00 p.m. and no times will be recorded after 1:00 p.m. for the marathon or 11:00 a.m. for the half marathon. Finisher shirts, medals and mugs will be awarded only to those finishing within the allotted time limit.
The course is a 50/50 mix of concrete and asphalt/blacktop, similar to the course composure of the Boston or Chicago Marathon.
Water stations are located every 1.5 miles along the course, beginning at mile 2. Each water station will provide water and Lemon-Lime Gatorade Endurance Formula to participants. Medical aid stations are located every other mile beginning at mile 5, and every mile from mile 19 to the finish. Port-a-cans are located every mile starting at mile 2.
There are a number of items that are not allowed on the course. Here is a partial list of what is NOT allowed on the course: runners going backward; runners not wearing a bib; animals; bicycles; baby joggers; strollers; roller skates and rollerblades; hand-crank chairs; and any wheeled vehicles other than wheelchairs. In accordance with USATF guidelines, wheelchair athletes must wear helmets.
Click here for our updated headphone policy.
If you have a question about what is or is not allowed, please email us at marathon@chevronhoustonmarathon.com.
This year we are using the ChronoTrack system called the D-Tag. It is a single-use tag that will be attached to your race bib that you will retrieve at EXPO packet pick up. The tag is known for producing reliable times and is easy to use. You will be required to remove the d-tag from your bib and secure it to your race day running shoe. Please see the instructions on the registration page and in your race packet on how to attach your D-Tag to your shoe.
The number printed on your race bib should match the number on your D-Tag. Simply make sure these two numbers match and you're all set. Each D-Tag is checked and double-checked for functionality before they are distributed to the athlete. The tag is always “on” and does not need to be activated. There will be no “tag check” or “chip check” at the EXPO.
No. Using the single-use D-Tag assigned and given to you before the race is the only method to correctly track your times. Other tags and chips are not compatible with the ChronoTrack system.
Your D-Tag will be attached to your race bib, so make sure to be careful when removing the D-Tag from your race bib. It would be a great idea to attach your D-Tag to your race day running shoe as soon as you get home from the EXPO so you are ready to run Sunday morning!
If you lose your D-Tag, you will not have an official time and will not be recorded as an official finisher of your race. This means that you will not be able to use your race time to qualify for other races, such as the Boston Marathon.
No. For optimal performance, the D-Tag must be attached to the shoe in the proper manner. For instructions on properly using the D-Tag please Click here.
No. This can cause damage to the D-Tag and also lowers the performance of the D-Tag. For optimal performance, the D-Tag must be attached to the shoe in the proper manner. For instructions on properly using the D-Tag please Click here.
No. Puncturing or cutting the D-Tag can damage the tag. For optimal performance, the D-Tag must be attached to the shoe in the proper manner. For instructions on properly using the D-Tag please Click here.
Yes! The D-Tag has a special adhesive to ensure its durability. Alterations to the D-Tag or how it is attached to the shoe are far more likely to cause additional problems that could have easily been avoided. Avoid using lotions or vaseline before attaching your D-Tag as this will disturb the adhesive on the D-Tag. For instructions on properly using the D-Tag please Click here.
The D-Tag can also be used by attaching it to your ankle with a Velcro strap. The tag should still be formed to make a “D” shape and then attached with the Velcro.
The D-Tag is completely weatherproof and will work regardless of rain, heat, storms, humidity or other inclement conditions.
Tag time is recorded by an electronic chip that is attached to a runner's shoe. Your D-Tag records the time at which you cross the start line, the finish line and several split times in between. Tag time is often shorter than gun time because tag time begins when a runner crosses the start line while gun time starts when the gun is fired; many runners don't cross the start line until several minutes after their official gun time has begun.
Tag time is a more accurate measure than gun time of how long it takes a runner to complete the race. Gun time is only 100% accurate for the first row of runners, who cross the start line when the gun sounds. Runners who are farther back are "on the clock" before they even cross the start line, making their gun time longer than the time it actually took them to complete the course.
Tag time is the most accurate form of marathon timing available because it measures the exact time between a runner crossing the start line and the finish line. Tag time also records several important splits, providing an accurate record of a runner's pace.
No. The D-Tag is extremely light and attaches to your shoelaces. Once it's attached, you won't even notice that it's there.
The D-Tag can be safely disposed of in the trash. According to current industry environmental standards, the D-Tag can be sent to landfill, incinerated, or recycled by separating out the parts.
Per USATF rules, gun time is used to determine prize money winners and time bonus recipients. Tag time (chip time) will be used to determine all age-group winners and other award recipients.
Awards are given to the top three finishers in each of the following age categories: 11 and under, 12-15, 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+.
There will be no awards ceremony this year.
Runners with 5K bibs are not allowed into the marathon or half marathon start areas, and runners with half marathon bibs are not be allowed into the marathon start area. Runners who complete a course other than the race they are registered for will be disqualified. Runners can only receive finisher items for the race for which they are registered.
Yes. The Boston Marathon accepts qualifying times from the Chevron Houston Marathon. Qualifying times for the Boston Marathon vary by age group and a complete breakdown of qualifying times can be found here. The Houston Marathon will send a complete list of finishers to the BAA about a week after the race.
When registering for the Boston Marathon, enter your finishing time, finishing place, the race name and location and the date of the race in the section entitled "Qualification Information." Be sure to indicate if the time you enter is gun time or tag time (chip time).
Yes. The Boston Marathon automatically receives a list of all official finishers of the Chevron Houston Marathon and their tag (chip) and gun times. The time that you put on your Boston Marathon registration will be checked against the official time that they have on file.
For any other questions concerning qualification for the Boston Marathon, please contact the Boston Athletic Association.
Finishers' merchandise will be handed out in the GRB after the races. All finishers in all races will receive a medal at the finish line. Marathon and half marathon runners will use the "finisher shirt" ticket attached to the bottom of their bibs to claim their finishers' shirts. Marathon finishers will also receive a glass beer stein.
Yes. Runners may purchase official race merchandise on race day at the merchandise booth located inside Hall C of the GRB.
Runners in all three races will receive a registration T-shirt. Marathon and half marathon finishers will receive finisher shirts, a medal and a hot meal courtesy of H-E-B. Marathon finishers also get a glass beer stein.
Runners are invited to attend the two-day Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute EXPO on the Friday and Saturday before the event, at which many vendors give out free samples and branded items.
Sorry, due to limited quantities, we can only provide one T-shirt per registered participant.
The Houston Marathon offers an Athlete Alert messaging service for all marathon and half marathon participants. This service allows athletes and race spectators to receive cell phone text messages and emails during the race as their favorite athlete passes by various race checkpoints. Participants may sign up for this service on our website and at the EXPO before the race.
During the race, Live Searchable Results are available at www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com. You can look up a runner's status on the web site using the runner's last name. Internet kiosks will also be available inside Hall C of the GRB. After the race, results will be posted on our web site.
Visit the Information Booth located inside Hall C of the GRB. The staff there will have access to a list of all runners who have been admitted to, discharged from and transferred from the Medical Area.
Mile 2 - The Elysian Viaduct
Miles 3 & 4 - White Oak Drive
Mile 10 - Main Street
Mile 12 - University Boulevard in West University Place
Mile 13 - University and Wesleyan
Mile 16 - Post Oak and San Felipe
Mile 17 - Tanglewood Road
Miles 20 & 21 - Memorial Park
The start line, finish line and all water stations.
A map of these locations can be found in the Race Day Program, race packet or course map.
Below is a chart showing the approximate times that the first runners will arrive at each mile marker. Keep in mind that these times are approximate and showing up at the time listed does not guarantee that you'll get to see the first runners as they streak by.
| Mile 1: 7:05 a.m. |
Mile 10: 7:50 a.m. |
Mile 19: 8:34 a.m. |
| Mile 2: 7:10 a.m. |
Mile 11: 7:55 a.m. |
Mile 20: 8:39 a.m. |
| Mile 3: 7:15 a.m. |
Mile 12: 8:00 a.m. |
Mile 21: 8:44 a.m. |
| Mile 4: 7:20 a.m. |
Mile 13: 8:05 a.m. |
Mile 22: 8:49 a.m. |
| Mile 5: 7:25 a.m. |
Mile 14: 8:09 a.m. |
Mile 23: 8:54 a.m. |
| Mile 6: 7:30 a.m. |
Mile 15: 8:14 a.m. |
Mile 24: 8:59 a.m. |
| Mile 7: 7:35 a.m. |
Mile 16: 8:19 a.m. |
Mile 25: 9:04 a.m. |
| Mile 8: 7:40 a.m. |
Mile 17: 8:24 a.m. |
Mile 26: 9:09 a.m. |
| Mile 9: 7:45 a.m. |
Mile 18: 8:29 a.m. |
Finish: 9:10 a.m. |
Check back Fall 2011for parking information.
The Run for a Reason program is a charity drive that happens in conjunction with the Chevron Houston Marathon. All money raised through the Run for a Reason program goes directly to the charities. Once registration opens on July 27, 2010, runners will be have the option to donate to an Official Chevron Houston Marathon charity during the registration process or they may donate by visiting the Run for a Reason page to select a charity and make a donation.
Participants may create their own fundraising pages, they may donate to someone elses donation page, or they may make a donation directly to the charity of their choice from the Run for a Reason page.
The best and easiest way to raise money for the Run for a Reason charity program is to create an online donations page. Using this page, you will be able to set a fundraising goal, email potential donors, keep track of your donations and send thank you emails.
To create your personal donations page, go to our Run for a Reason page and click on the logo of the charity for which you would like to raise funds. Select "Become a Fundraiser" from the menu at the top of the page, and then select "Fundraise as an Individual." Enter your information to complete the process and create your fundraising page.
Companies, organizations and groups that would like to support charity through the Run for a Reason program can do so via our Sidewalk Squad program. The Sidewalk Squad is a unique program that gives companies exposure in, involvement with and recognition at Texas’ largest marathon in exchange for a donation to one of the Chevron Houston Marathon’s official Run for a Reason charities. More information on the Sidewalk Squad can be found here.
If you do not plan to register for any of our races, but still want to set up a Personal Donations Page, simply go to the Run for a Reason page, click on the logo of the charity for which you wish to fundraise and select “Become a Fundraiser.”
No. There will not be an official Pasta Dinner, however, many downtown hotels and restaurants offer pasta specials during race weekend. Check back in January 2011 for a list of these participanting restaurants. | 
