Course Info

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Chevron Houston Marathon approximate course elevation map.

Aramco Houston Half Marathon approximate course elevation map.

The Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon use a single start line for both races. The start features five corrals with the first corral starting at 6:55 a.m. Corrals B, C, D, and E will follow A Corral using a pulsed start method – with time intervals separating each corral – to reduce course congestion. Corral assignments are determined by the predicted finish time of each runner indicated during registration. Corral A seeding is by request only, and the deadline to submit a qualifying time is November 30. Please sign in to your participant account to add your qualifying time.

Click here to see the Start Line Map.

Mile markers are posted every mile. Course clocks are posted at 5 KM intervals and will be set to correspond with the 6:55 a.m. start time.

Water and Gatorade Endurance Formula (Lemon-Lime), the Official Sports Fuel Provider of the Chevron Houston Marathon, are available every 1.5 miles beginning at mile 2. The updated Gatorade Endurance Formula has been scientifically formulated based on the unique needs of endurance athletes.

All hydration stations have Gatorade Endurance tables set-up first. To avoid the bottleneck at the first table, get your drink from a later table.

The last Gatorade Endurance table and last water table of each station are marked by a sign. Please keep moving even after you pick up your drink. If you wish to slow down to drink, do so after you have passed all tables. For your safety, take fluids only at the official stations. They will be protected by race security.

Both Gatorade Endurance and water will be available in the George R. Brown Convention Center before and after the race.

Medical aid stations are available at every refueling station starting at Mile 2. The aid stations are immediately before the refueling station.

Port-a-cans are located every 1.5 miles starting at mile 2, following the refueling stations.

MarathonFoto.com will have a team of professional photographers take numerous photos of event participants at multiple locations prior to the event, on the course as well as at the finish and post-finish areas. Look for your pictures here!

As you run this highly acclaimed course, you’ll be cheered on by more than 250,000 supporters and spectators who make Houston renowned for its hospitality. From belly dancers, Elvis impersonators and tuba players to marching bands, radio stations, cheerleaders and bag pipers, a multitude of Hoopla brigadiers line the course to entertain and cheer you on to the finish!

Click here to see the Finish Line Map.

Should you find yourself unable to complete the entire course due to either physical or time limitations, the Support and Gear (SAG) Team is available to assist you. SAG vans will be available to pick up any participants who need a ride back to the George R. Brown Convention Center. Designated pick-up points for SAG vans are located at every Medical Aid Station. Go to the nearest Medical Aid Station for SAG pick-up. SAG vans will run approximately every 15 minutes from each Medical Aid Station. All SAG vans and buses will have SAG Race Crew onboard to provide information on the services available to participants upon return to the GRB. There will be water and Gatorade for hydration on the vehicles, and the vehicles will be climate controlled.

NOTE: Pick-up by our SAG vans is only available at Medical Aid Stations or by the final SAG van that tails the race route as streets reopen to traffic.

The time limit for the half marathon is four hours. Finishers above a four-hour chip time will not have an official result, regardless of the course reopening schedule.

The time limit for the marathon is six hours. Finishers above a six-hour chip time will not have an official result, regardless of the course reopening schedule.

Stay Safe Pace Team

The Houston Marathon provides a Stay Safe Pace Team, a group of pacers who maintain approximately the slowest possible pace to remain on the course ahead of cutoffs and reopening. The Stay Safe Pace Team will wear clearly visibly pacer singlets and carry balloons so they’re easy to see.  Time limits and cutoffs will be enforced regardless of the times maintained by the Stay Safe Pace Team.

Course Cutoff Times & Transportation

The Houston Marathon is permitted to conduct an event on the streets of Houston for a specific time period. Our permit dictates that we reopen the streets on a rolling schedule as the event passes through, and the entire course is not open for all hours. The course closes and reopens on a rolling schedule.

If you cannot maintain the pace for your event for each mile, you will be directed by the Houston Police Department to board the final Support and Gear (SAG) vans as the roads reopen to vehicular traffic, in accordance with our permit. SAG vans are passenger vans or buses which will provide you with a ride back to the finish area at the GRB, where you can collect your Gear Check Bag and enjoy breakfast provided by H-E-B.

The half marathon and marathon share the same course up to Mile 7.6. At this distance the half marathon will diverge from the marathon course and separate paces will be maintained for course cutoffs.

Course Cutoff Times – Half Marathon

You must maintain a pace of 18:18 per mile for the half marathon course. If you cannot maintain this pace, you will be directed to board the SAG van by the Houston Police Department.

Course Cutoff Times – Marathon Mile 7.6

You must maintain a pace of 13:45 per mile for the marathon course. If you cannot maintain this pace for the marathon prior to the course split at Mile 7.6, you will be redirected to the half marathon course. If you cannot maintain this pace for the marathon after the course split at mile 7.6, you will directed to board the SAG van by the Houston Police Department.

Course Cutoffs

The course reopens to normal vehicle movement on a rolling schedule in accordance with our permit, and strict cutoffs must be maintained. Participants will not be allowed on the course after these times. Times are estimated and may be adjusted based on when the last athlete clears the start line.

Under no circumstances may participants be on the course before the official start time. Beginning before the official start time will result in disqualification.

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; and any wheeled vehicles other than wheelchairs. In accordance with USATF guidelines, wheelchair athletes must wear helmets.

If you have a question about what is or is not allowed, please email us at marathon@chevronhoustonmarathon.com.

The Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon courses are certified by the Road Running Technical Council of USA Track & Field. The Houston Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K are sanctioned by USA Track & Field and the Gulf Association of USA Track & Field.

Course route is subject to change.

The We Are Houston 5K uses a wave start and features four corrals.

• Corrals A & B start at 8:00 a.m.
• Corral C starts at 8:15 a.m.
• Corral D starts at 8:30 a.m.

Corral assignments are determined by the predicted finish time of each runner, as indicated during registration. Corral A seeding is by request only, and the deadline to submit a qualifying time is November 30. Please sign in to your participant account to add your qualifying time.

Click here to see the 5K Start Line Map.

MarathonFoto.com will have a team of professional photographers take numerous photos of event participants at multiple locations prior to the event, on the course as well as at the finish and post-finish areas. Look for your pictures here!

The time limit for completing the 5K is 90 minutes after the Corral D start at 8:30 a.m.