Page 1/2 Chevron Houston Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K - 2009/2010

The Chevron Houston Marathon happens every year in January in Houston, Texas. The Houston Marathon 2009 featured as much as two course records, which means that you have to beat either 2:07:52 or 2:24:18, if you want to be the fastest ever to run the streets of Houston. Next chance for reaching that goal - or a more modest goal - will be on January 17, 2010.
The marathon is popular enough to have set a limit for the number of participants. When this limit is reached, he race is closed for registration. Whether the popularity of the Chevron Houston Marathon is a result of the flat and fast course, the cool winter weather, the possibility to qualify for Boston or something completely different, is hard to say. But whatever the reason, the organisers have been obliged to introduce a race limit of 18,000 participants for the marathon and half marathon between the two of them. The limit is usually reached already in October, so you have to hurry up and registrate to guarantee yourself a bib.
If the tendencies from the earlier years proceed, the 18,000 participants will be travelling to Houston from all 50 U.S. states and more than 30 overseas countries to compete in the marathon distance of 42.195 km, 1/2 marathon and 5K run. The course of the Chevron Houston Marathon is a loop around the city of Houston with very few ascents. This makes the race popular with runners trying to break the time limit for the Boston Marathon and makes it suitable for record-setting.

Houston Marathon 2008 recap

In 2008 no less than two former records were beaten in Houston. The course record in the women’s marathon was set by Dire Tune of Ethiopia for the second year in a row. Tune broke her own record from 2007 by shaving an extra two minutes and 12 seconds of her old record and finishing by 2:24:39. The other record was the number of participants - a field of more than 20,000 people combined ran the three races on Houston Marathon day. A large part of this impressive field ran the marathon from downtown Houston through scenic neighbourhoods, shopping areas, a couple of parks, past Rice University to finally return to downtown Houston and the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Apart from gaining the personal accomplishment of finishing a marathon and the festive experience of being cheered by 200,000 onlookers and numerous jazz bands, belly dancers, Elvis impersonators and other entertainers, marathoners have the possibility of making a difference while sweating on the course. By entering the Run for a Reason-programme participants can make donations or become an active fundraiser for one of 35 official charities. Among these are the Texas Children’s Hospital, the AIDS Foundation Houston and the American Red Cross. For further information and registration on the full and 1/2 marathon, see the official Houston Marathon site here.

Chevron Houston Marathon Course
The course of Chevron Houston Marathon is advertised to be ‘Flat, Fast and Friendly’. Click here for course details, map and elevation profile of the full marathon and half marathon. For the same information on the 5K run, please go here.

Selected video from the Houston Marathon 2008


Houston Marathon Results and Information 2009/2010