Houston Marathon Reviews

  Fantastic first marathon

By DS about 2024

Review

This was my first marathon and it did not disappoint. The organization of this race was top notch. From packet pickup to the race and postrace it was seamless. The weather was great low 40's to start and mid 40's during the race. The wind did hamper me a bit, but not too bad. Very flat course other than an overpass around 12 and underpasses beyond the 20 mile mark. I found the underpasses to be rough simply due to them being at the end of the course. Decent crowd support especially at the beginning and end. Some lonely stretches in the middle, but you always have plenty of runners with you to keep you company. If you are chasing a BQ this course could be your ticket.

Race Tips

Plenty of pacers if you want to run with a pace group. Try to run tangents as I ended up running 26.47 miles. It was disheartening with my Garmin showing the miles click off and then not hitting the mile markers for another 1/4 mile. Plenty of water and aid stations every 1.5 miles. Plenty of porta-lets too, which I ended up needing 3 times during the race....

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

I stayed at the Homewood Suites downtown, which ended up being great. It was close to both the expo and the starting corrals. I stayed in my hotel room until about 6:00am and then walked straight to corral A which closed at 6:45. This cut out having to go to the convention center early that morning. If I do the race again I will stay in my hotel until about 6:20 and jog to the corral, which would still give you plenty of time to stretch and get ready for the race.

  One of the best marathons

By AG about 2024

Review

Logistics, very well organized and great attention from staff and institutions. As for the course, all I can say is that it is wonderful. Amazing job from the crowd cheering all over the 26 miles (I was surprised) and great hydration. As for the perks, everything was amazing (shirts,race kit, extras at the expo, etc.)

Will recommend to anyone who is looking for BQ or just even having a great running experience. Course is amazing and flat.

Race Tips

Pace the first half and lower the second

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Plan ahead of time your stay, hotels are very expensive and hard to find.

  BQ and PRs for me and my wife

By DP about 2023

Review

Course is flat and fast with minor hills that do not detract. Our weather was a bit warmer than what we wanted (59 at start, 70s at finish) but we train in San Antonio so it was not terrible for us. Course was well organized with good support. Fluid stations were great because the Gatorade was always first and in green Gatorade cups with the water station next in white cups. There was ample room for fluids and no need fro crowding or confusion.I would definitely run it again if I am chasing another BQ.

  Ideal big fast race- they do everything right

By WER about 2022

Review

Pancake flat course with on teensy overpass at mile 12.5. Seriously- this course is flatter than the elevation chart indicates. Well marked- lots of runners, aid stations every 1.5 miles. Finally, when the half course recombines with the full at the end the courses are separated! That really helps at the end of a marathon to not have to dodge slower half runners.

Race Tips

Even pacing would work as the second half is just as flat as the first. Temps in 2022 were ideal- high 30s to start to mid 40s by midmorning.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

The Sam Houston hotel is right by the gate to corral A, so you could leave the hotel 2 minutes before the corral closes if its a chilly morning. The finish is half a mile away, so you have a little hike back at the end. I liked the hotel. You get your shirt at the end at the expo center (where the bib pickup and expo is) so its kind of a big crowd with all the half runners. Other schwag included a beer mug and a beach towel(!). Big fun expo with lots of vendors and sale shoes.

  Flat and fast

By JMH about 2019

Review

Ran the marathon in 2019 - Perfect weather (35 degrees) and amazing pacers (mine hit splits like clockwork and provided great guidance / camaraderie). I ran ahead at 20 mi mark to PR and BQ. Most organized race I’ve ever attended.

Race Tips

Flat course, so shoot for even or negative splits.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Local resident, so I Ubered to the race.

  Top Notch Organization

By JS about 2019

Review

The organization of the Chevron Houston Marathon is exceptional. Easily top 5 in the country if not the best. Prior to getting into the corral, all runners convene in the Houston Convention Center where there are a plethora of porta-potties, water, gatorade, an early morning mass, and stretching zones available. Not to mention, it's a great place to hang out if the weather is cold. Corrals are also extremely well organized. I've only been in corral A and as long as you're in the corral before 10 minutes of closing, you can find your pace group easily. I have heard from friends and family that the final corral gets a bit crowded. Additional porta-potties are available outside each corral AND inside each corral.

The course is a very nice tour of Houston. Very flat, with over and underpasses the only significant hills. Note that they all occur after mile 12, with 3 of the hills in the last 5K. Water and endurance gatorade are provided at every ~1.5 miles. The tables are very long, so congestion is never an issue (anther organization thumbs up!), especially if you get gatorade/water towards the end of each table. Support from the city of Houston and the community is outstanding. It truly is a big event and the news stations provide a lot of coverage; in fact it's on television live every year. The only disappointment along the course is the official entertainment. Some are good (e.g., high school bands), but most are not good for a race of this magnitude.

The EXPO is large and has a lot of great vendors. In 2019, Aftershokz gave out free $150 headphones for running/walking on a treadmill for 10 minutes. Also free KT taping and massages. Overall a good experience.

Lastly, if you enjoy big races with big elite names, this is one of them. The purse that Houston provides for the winners is one of the largest in the world, so it attracts the best marathoners and half-marathoners in the world. It's an IAAF silver label race due to the diversity of the elite participants, prize money, and organization. Highly recommend racing at Houston!

Race Tips

Get to the convention center early if you want to stretch and use porta-potties. Lines can get long.

As in most large marathons, race volunteers lag behind the racers to pick up any tossed clothing to donate to charity. So if it is cold, tossing cheap gear to the sidewalk is fine.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Any downtown hotel is great to stay prior to the race, as almost all are easily walkable to start/finish. The closer to the convention center, the better (e.g., Hilton Americas and Marriott Marquis). Highly recommend walking or being dropped off at the start rather than parking, just so much easier and less of a hassle.

  Flat-ish (2x Finisher)

By JPH about 2018

Review

Good support and a good crowd. Relatively flat street race, but subject to variable weather; can be warm and wet or cold. (2018 started at of below freezing with a light breeze).
One of the worst places to train the course prior to the race. Some parts are not open to pedestrians prior to the race and many of the streets are major thoroughfares. (Houston sidewalks are maybe the worst in the nation so be ready for a face plant if you try to train the course on the sidewalks.)

Race Tips

Wear layers you can shed if it is a cold start. Because the the entire first half is flat, run controlled (avoid running too fast) or will pay a step price on the relatively small climbs (overpasses, and down and up underpasses) later.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Get to the check-in on time/early to clear security. Your coral is a bit of a walk back from there.

  

By cvb about 2018

  Well organized and flat

By MM about 2018

Review

Always very well-organized and well-attended. Lots of people along the route and volunteers are great. Would recommend staying downtown, as the race start and finish is within a few blocks of each other. The expo was really easy in and out, too. Very flat course. Only negative is weather is hit and miss in Texas in January, but I've had great weather both times.

Race Tips

Very flat course. A few rolling hills here and there, but nothing to speak of.

  Best Marathon I have run

By X.L about 2018

Review

Weather is nice and course is flat. People are friendly.

Race Tips

PR there every year.

  Great Race

By RYB about 2018

Review

This is my favorite marathon race. I love most everything about it; the expo is huge and superb, course is flat and fast with minimal turns and corners, bands and entertainment on every part of the course, superb city turnout along the whole route, great finish and celebration area after the race. Want your best time and BQ, you need to run Houston. Super city with great places to eat before and after the race. Super communication from Marathon organization and the best run marathon I have been at.

  Overall the best organized race/ marathon, that I ever participated.

By Jeff Schultz about 2018

Review

I was very impressed with the number of porta-poties available, especially within the starting coral so you don't have to go once you actually start.

I was impressed with the app, real time streaming of my projected position. My family used that to see where I was and met me on the course. They showed where it had also sent them pictures of me during the race, which was neat.

After the race was great. Got to have a massage and breakfast.

The one thing that could have been better was the start in the last coral D. It was impossible to get in the queue where your projected pace was. (I realize with 27k runners, this is difficult to implement). Another big issues was that after about 30 minutes, we started moving towards the start, so I presumed we would get to keep going as in other large marathons I have run. At that point I took off and got rid of my through away sweats. Only we moved only a few minutes and then stopped, which happened repeatedly. That's when I was really cold, up until we finally got to run. They could have exerted more control over staggering the coral starts to have avoided the starting and stopping.

Race Tips

Get to your corral very early if you want to get with your pace group. Course was mostly flat, but not pancake flat. One significant hill at an overpass and some rolling hills. My gps tracked 276 ft total climb. (In contrast to Cowtown Marathon>1200).

As I mentioned above the start was overly crowded and hold on to any through aways.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

I stayed downtown, which was convenient but expensive. $135 + $35 valet parking. Next time I would probably stay elsewhere and take an Uber.

  Very professionally run event

By DSB about 2017

Review

This is such a well run event, it's obvious that it's been around for over 40 years. From start to finish, this is a very professionally run event that seems to care as much about the marathon as it does the half and the relay. It's nice to run in a race that has doesn't put all the interesting parts of the course on the parts shared by with the half marathon and make the full marathon course seem like an afterthought. I didn't utilize the bag check so I can't comment on that part of the operation.

Race Tips

The race course was flat as advertised to the point where I wouldn't have minded an incline or two to break things up along the way. I think there were two overpasses that were slightly uphill. It's definitely a PR or BQ type of course if the conditions are right. The crowds were plentiful and enthusiastic. I don't think I have ever had so many people read my name off my bib and address me directly with encouragement. Of course the story of the 2017 Houston Marathon will be the conditions. It was hot and humid with intermittent showers throughout the race. The sun came out from time to time to add an extra layer of heat. This was definitely not my day as I struggled with the humidity from early in the race and spent most of the race more concerned with what mile I was in and less concerned with what was going on around me. There were plenty of water and Gatorade stops and tons of port-o-potties on the course. It is obvious that a lot of thought and planning went into this marathon, it is a fantastic event. Under the right conditions a great day can definitely be had in Houston.

  

By EA about 2017

Review

First have flat, excellent organization, great weather, nice course second half with rolling hills on memorial park.

Race Tips

Lots of concrete, beware.

you have to train on holidays because marathon is in mid January.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

You can stay near the galleria and drive to downtown in the morning, a lot of parking available.

  

By Kayla Huggett about 2017

Review

Race morning starts with an early start at 6am for the slower paces. This course is one of the few in the Northwest that is open for 7 plus hours for the marathon giving everyone a chance to reach for their unicorn moment. Once you arrive you can check your bag with the registration volunteers and do what you need to start.

Race Tips

They offered a pace team which I kept an eye on so I was able to make sure to stay in between the two people that matches my time. My watched died close to the end so it kept me accountable for my mile time in the end.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

I live in Houston but family came in from out of town to see and I stayed with them at the Four Season hotel. It turned out to be one of the best things I did. So close to the starting like and an easy walk back after the race. They were extremely hospital to racers and had all kinds of goodies waiting in my room when we checked in. Ever celebratory champagne at the door when we returned after the race! Book through the race site for a discount. The also offered free massages after in the hotel! And early morning stretching sessions.

  

By sb about 2017

Review

The course is well-laid out and the support is great. Both times I ran it is was so hot. Training in a cold climate and racing in a hot one is not a good idea.The middle miles 13-15 are dead boring.

Race Tips

Prepare as well as you can for the heat.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Parking and crowds are a nightmare. Uber in and out if you can.

  

By sfm about 2017

Review

Hilly at the middle and end of race.

Race Tips

Just push if weather is bad... lots of other qualifiers around that same time so don't run in 100 % humidity with 70 degree temps. Bad idea if trying to qualify.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Marriott Marquis perfect location

  

By Katie about 2017

Review

Houston is a great course. Flat and Fast, if the weather is cool! Be wear of the humidity. This year the humidity was 96% at the start and the temperature was 65 degrees, which was tough for anyone who didn't do their training in Texas. However, in 2016 the conditions were great and the temperature at the start was 45.

Race Tips

I ran this race in 2016 and 2017, both times I started with the 8:00/mile pace group. In 2016, the paces were so great! We ran exactly 8:00/mile for the first 12 miles. I fell back after that, so I'm not sure what pace they ran the rest of the time. In 2017, I started with the 8:00/mile pace group and the first mile we ran a 7:45. I knew this was too fast for me, so I immediately dropped off. I saw a picture of my pacer from mile 23 and he was all alone, so I guess the weather + faster than expected start made it so no one could keep up.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

I took an uber from midtown to and from the race and it was less than $10 each way. I found this to be much easier than trying to find a parking spot downtown. If you do drive, the garage right next to the convention center is fairly large. The Convention center opens at 5:30 am, and it's great that there is a large indoor waiting area! The race start is at least half a mile (maybe a mile by the time you get to the real start line, and not just the corral entrance) from the convention center and the corrals are huge, so be sure to leave the convention center about 20-30 minutes before your corral closes to be sure you have time to get to the corral without running and to find your pace group.

  

By Shawn about 2016

Review

Great city, support, easy to get to. Great finishing line. Great medal, great swag, great expo.

Race Tips

2nd half of the course is the hardest part with the highway over/under passes.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Stay at the Hilton, The finish line is right out the front of the hotel and it's connected to the convenience center where the expo is.

  

By Mark about 2016

Review

Houston Marathon treats every runner like an elite runner.

Race Tips

Mostly flat course. Has one decent hill.

  

By DJM about 2016

Review

Great race. Well organized. Nice flat course. Perfect weather in 2016.

  

By RWW about 2016

Review

The race is very well organized. The weather was perfect. Nice meal provided after the race. Most impressive was the approximately 75-80 massage tables staffed and ready to give you a good massage! Very low wait time and free!

Race Tips

This "find my marathon" app does not have the updated elevation map. Therefore, do not count on an accurate comparison with other courses. The 2016 course is fairly flat for the first 11 miles or so, but it is not flat for the last 15 miles. Look at the elevation chart on the race website instead of this app. While the course does not have extremely steep hills, it does have several hills.

From FindMyMarathon: The elevation chart and course data on the site are for the 2016 Houston Marathon as submitted to the USATF and verified on the Houston Marathon website. The elevation charts may look different because the Houston Marathon website elevation chart utilizes a scale of 200' while we utilize a scale of 700'. We use a 700' scale in order for users to directly compare 95% of the marathons using the same scale on the site. Thanks.

  

By DJ about 2016

Review

Great course. Nice and flat. The city supports the race well too. Great weather for me in 2014 and again in 2016.

Race Tips

Water breaks are somewhat sporadically located. The organizers say every 1.5 miles, but that is not at all precise.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Hilton Americas was perfect. Right across the street from the expo and finish line. Easy walk to the starting line.

  

By Anonymous about 2014

  

By EMR about 2012

Review

Flat fast course one can PR on if you are ready. Not very scenic but Houston isn't very scenic. Get to stay warm inside the convention center before the race. Have Potties within the corrals, nice touch. Excellent water stops that are set up exactly the same every stop!

Race Tips

In 2012 we had a cool morning and it was high 60's by noon. There's no shade to speak of so if it was warm and sunny you'd get no break.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

There are lot's of city parking garages nearby but I got to race early and actually found free street parking.

  

By MA B about 2010

Review

Well organized, hard to lose course, lots of spectators, flat, and usually cool. Hot meal including habanero sauce to wake you up.

Race Tips

Don't be late heading to the corrals. Corrals close at certain times and bathroom lines may be long in corrals.