HOUSTON (October 22, 2015) – The Houston Marathon Committee (HMC) announced on Thursday the elite prize purse for the 2016 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon. A total of $268,000 in guaranteed prize money will be awarded to the top finishers in the four races on race day, including a $40,000 first place payout for both the men’s and women’s champions at the 2016 Chevron Houston Marathon and a $20,000 first place payout for both the men’s and women’s champions at the 2016 Aramco Houston Half Marathon.
“Our announcement of the 2016 prize money structure means that our effort to secure the very best professionals to run on the streets of Houston in January has commenced,” said Board President and Race Director Brant Kotch. “This year’s guaranteed purse, plus numerous time incentives to broaden the pool of recipients, will permit us to do just that. The open purses for the Marathon and the Half Marathon mean that spectators and participants alike will be able to watch, and perhaps participate with, remarkably talented professional runners.”
The Marathon and Half Marathon will pay out to the top seven. In addition to the awards based on finish, there are time-based bonuses varying between $1,000 and $10,000 in each race. There’s also a race record bonus of $30,000 for the marathon and $15,000 for the half marathon, along with a world record bonus of $100,000 for the marathon and $50,000 for the half marathon.
Following are the detailed prize money categories:
Marathon prize money (Equal for men and women)
1 – $40,000
2 – $20,000
3 – $10,000
4 – $6,000
5 – $4,000
6 – $3,000
7 – $2,000
Race record bonus – $30,000
World record bonus – $100,000
Time Bonus Incentives
Men Sub 2:10, Women Sub 2:28 – $1,000
Men Sub 2:09, Women Sub 2:27 – $2,500
Men Sub 2:08:30, Women Sub 2:26 – $5,000
Men Sub 2:08, Women Sub 2:25 – $7,000
Men Sub 2:07:30, Women Sub 2:24 – $10,000
Masters (40+)
1 – $1,500
2 – $1,000
3 – $500
Local Athletes (Local invited runners must be able to prove permanent residence in one of 19 counties surrounding Houston.)
1 – $500
2 – $350
3 – $150
Local Masters
40-49 – $250
50-59 – $125
60-69 – $125
70-79 – $125
Half Marathon prize money (Equal for men and women)
1 – $20,000
2 – $10,000
3 – $5,000
4 – $3,000
5 – $2,000
6 – $1,500
7 – $1,000
Race record bonus – $15,000
World record bonus – $50,000
Time Bonus Incentives
Men Sub 1:02, Women Sub 1:11 – $1,000
Men Sub 1:01, Women Sub 1:10 – $3,000
Men Sub 1:00:30, Women Sub 1:09:30 – $5,000
Men Sub 1:00, Women Sub 1:09 – $10,000
Masters (40+)
1 – $1,000
Local Athletes (Local invited runners must be able to prove permanent residence in one of 19 counties surrounding Houston.)
1 – $250
2 – $150
3 – $100
Local Masters
40-49 – $150
50-59 – $75
60-69 – $75
For complete information on the 2016 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon prize purse, please visit
About the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc.
Established in 1972, the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc. (HMC), a Running USA Founding Member, annually organizes the nation’s premier winter marathon, half-marathon, and 5K. Over 250,000 participants, volunteers and spectators make Chevron Houston Marathon Race Day the largest single-day sporting event in Houston. Race Weekend generates over $50 million in economic impact for the region annually. In 2015, the Run for a Reason Charity Program raised $2.5 million and the HMC retained Gold Certification from the Council of Responsible Sport for industry-leading sustainability initiatives. Host to 16 U.S. Half Marathon Championships since 2005 and the 1992 women’s Olympic Trials Marathon, the HMC conducted the nationally-televised 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, which featured men and women competing on the same course simultaneously for the first time, vying for the chance to represent Team USA at the 2012 Olympic Games.
For more information, visit www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com or call 713.957.3453.
