Know Before You Go

The Houston Marathon Committee is a not-for-profit organization and has a strict no-refund policy unless it was purchased on the registration form through Teak (refundable registration). The no-refund policy is listed on our website, and you are required to check a box agreeing to this policy within the registration form. Please feel free to contact us with additional questions.

The option to purchase a refundable registration is only available during the application/registration process.

If a participant did not purchase refund protection during registration, they will be able to purchase it inside their registration in their participant account up to 5 days after they completed registration.

All Houston Marathon Committee event fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. In the event you are unable to participate for any reason, you will not receive a refund.

Individuals who are concerned they may not be able to participate in the Houston Marathon Weekend of Events can pay an additional service fee (16% of all items purchased, excluding event processing fees) for a 100% refund of the entry fee and additional products paid by the participant during the registration process. Registered participants who purchased a refundable registration and are unable to participate in the race (for one of the wide range of perils covered) must apply to receive a 100% refund of their entry fee and ancillary purchases. An update on the application should be received within 10 business days of the application submission. Please note that refundable registration is not eligible for participants whose entry will be paid for by a charity tour sponsor partner.

Learn more about refundable registration.

Refundable registration is available to individuals who paid for their entry and/or additional products during the registration process. Please note that refundable registration is not available to individuals whose entry will be paid for by a charity, tour, or sponsor partner.

No. Once your refund has been approved, the process cannot be undone. We encourage you to complete and submit the refund application when you are confident you can no longer participate in the Houston Marathon Weekend of Events.

If you purchased a refundable registration and your reason for not participating is included in the terms, you must complete the Refund Application Form as soon as possible to apply for a refund. For more information on refundable bookings, visit: refundable.me/haku/

Q: How does a participant initiate a refund request?
A: The participant will need to navigate to their participant account and open their registration. Under registration information, they will see a “Refundable Registration” box if they purchased it. Within this box, they will have a link to “Request a Refund”.

Q: Once the participant has submitted a refund request, how can they know the status?
A: The status of their request is available within their registration in their participant account.

Q: Where should the participant go if they need help with their refund request or want to dispute a denial?
A: Please direct all refund-related questions to Teak Customer Experience via email: help@requestmyrefund.com, and they will assist you on the seller‘s behalf.

No, the Houston Marathon does not allow the transfer of registrations.

Registered runners who give their bib to another person, and the person to whom the bib is given, will be disqualified and prohibited from participating in subsequent Houston Marathon events for a minimum of two years.

No, we do not have a waitlist.

Yes. Military discounts are available for active and retired U.S. military personnel. This offer is not available for dependents. The military discount is offered during the registration process and is available as an application process. You will enter information regarding your military status at the time of registration. 

Discounts will be offered to Marathon and Half Marathon participants only.

The Houston Marathon Committee will not issue refunds for the military discount once you have registered.

Yes. Learn more about our athletes with disabilities program.

You will be notified of your assigned bib number when you receive your final confirmation via email in early January.

Yes. Entrants who are assigned to different corrals but wish to start together may do so. If your friend was placed in a corral behind yours, then you are welcome to forgo your assignment and join them in the other corral. Entrants may move back to another corral, but not forward.

Learn about the time limits in the Course Time Limit section on our Course Info page.

You will be notified of your corral assignment via email in December.

Yes! The Boston Marathon accepts qualifying times from the Chevron Houston Marathon. Qualifying times for the Boston Marathon vary by age group. You can view a complete breakdown of qualifying times on their website. The Houston Marathon Committee will send a complete list of finishers to the BAA about a week after the race.

Awards are given to the top three male, female and non-binary finishers in each race for the following age categories: 11 and under (half marathon & 5K only), 12-15, 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 50-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89, 90+

If a registrant prefers not to specify a gender, the registrant may do so but will not be eligible for age group awards. Upon finishing, such a registrant will be an official finisher and will receive only an overall placing among all other race registrants.

There will be no awards ceremony. All age group awards will be mailed following the event.

The George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB) will be open at 5:00 a.m. We suggest that runners arrive at the GRB before 5:30 a.m. since the Houston Police Department will begin closing streets in and around downtown at 5:30 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 extra time to make sure you are not late!

You will receive a clear gear check bag during packet pick-up at the EXPO. This clear gear check bag is the ONLY bag you may check before the race. No other bags will be accepted at Gear Check. Clear bags that contain other bags will not be accepted.

Gear Check is located in Halls C and D of the George R. Brown Convention Center. A map of the GRB can be found in your Athlete Guide, which you will receive via email or on our website as we get closer to the race.

You will find a gear 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 the Gear Check bag you received as part of your race packet and bring it to Gear Check in Halls C and D in the George R. Brown Convention Center.

An additional gear claim ticket is attached to the bottom of your race bib. After the race, visit the Gear Check area and present your gear claim ticket to retrieve your bag.

Marathon and half marathon finisher merchandise will be handed out in the GRB after the Sunday races. All finishers will receive a medal after crossing the finish line. Marathon and half marathon runners will use the “finisher shirt” ticket attached to the bottom of their bibs to claim their finisher shirt. Marathon finishers will also receive a glass beer stein. 5K medals will be handed out after the Saturday race.

Finishers that were registered for both the 5K and marathon or half marathon will receive a third medal. The medals will be located inside the George R. Brown Convention Center, Hall E, following the start of the Sunday races. After the race, please present your marathon or half marathon medal and verify your name to receive your Houston Double medal.

No predictions here! Below are averages from previous Houston Marathons:

Average low temperature: 45°F
Average high temperature: 63°F
Mean average temperature: 54°F

The race will go on regardless of precipitation. The race will only be cancelled if weather conditions present imminent danger to participants.

The course is a 50/50 mix of concrete and asphalt/blacktop.

If a participant is caught cheating, they will be disqualified and prohibited from participating in Houston Marathon events for a minimum of 2 years.

The Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon start line is on Congress Avenue at Fannin. Entry to the start line corrals is only a few blocks from the George R. Brown Convention Center.

The finish is at Lamar and Crawford, one block up from the George R. Brown Convention Center.

The chart below shows the approximate times that the first runners will arrive at each mile marker. Please keep in mind that these times are approximate, and showing up at the time listed does not guarantee that you will see the first runners as they streak by.

The HMC is providing a lactation space for race day to provide a safe and private area for nursing mothers. The lactation space is in Hall E of the GRB (Southernmost hall of the GRB) located next to the exit of the finish chute. A volunteer will be stationed outside the space to monitor the entrance/exit and to capture contact information for post-race communication. The space consists of three private booths and a small communal space. Electrical will be available.

The HMC is unable to provide equipment storage. Equipment should not be left unattended. Equipment can be checked at gear check in the approved, clear gear check bag. A second bag will be provided for lactation equipment to be checked on race day. No other bags will be accepted. Milk will not be stored or kept by the HMC and cannot be stored at gear check. If participants wish to keep their milk, they will need to make appropriate accommodations. A biohazard bin will be provided within the space for disposal of milk.

The lactation space is to be used for pumping needs only. Changing should be done within the changing areas on either side of gear check.

Visit the Information Booth located inside Hall B of the GRB. The staff here has access to a list of all runners who have been admitted to, discharged from and/or transferred from the Medical Area.

The easiest way to find your family and friends after the race is to have a plan beforehand.

Reunion Area: Located in Hall A 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

RunFest presented by Michelob Ultra: Located just feet from the finish line inside Discovery Green Park, it’s a great place to meet up and hang out with friends and family after the race.

Charity Village: Located inside RunFest presented by Michelob Ultra will be a great place to gather with friends and family if you are a Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason charity participant.

The Run for a Reason (RFAR) program is a charity campaign that happens in conjunction with the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon, and We Are Houston 5K. Money raised through the Run for a Reason program goes to the official charity partners.

Both participants and non-participants may create their own fundraising pages, donate to someone else’s campaign, or make a donation directly to the official charity of their choice from the Run for a Reason page. Please note that creating a fundraising page does not register you for our races.

Yes! Companies, organizations, and groups that would like to support an official charity through the Run for a Reason program can do so via our Corporate Partnership Program. The Corporate Partnership Program is an active way to encourage wellness, team building, and charitable giving within your organization and alongside other like-minded companies. By participating in the event and fundraising on behalf of an official Run for a Reason charity partner, team members will receive amenities that will enhance their race weekend experience.

Learn more information about our Corporate Partnership Program.