Races

PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE

Aramco Houston Half Marathon

Name: Houston Half Marathon - Race Recap 2024
Uploaded: 2024-01-18
Description: This is the headline event of Houston Marathon Weekend. It takes place every January, with more than 15,000 runners covering 13.1 miles. It is known as a flat, fast course and is considered one of th

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Houston
US

Ed Uthman · CC BY 2.0Ed Uthman from Houston, TX, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0David Daniel Turner · CC BY 4.0

Race date in 63 days: Jan 17, 2027 Sun
City · Distance: Houston · 42.195km · 21.1km
Entry fee: $130From the 2026 edition
Status: ClosedSee how to enter ↗

2027Date Jan 17, 2027 · Entry Jan 11, 2026 ~ Jul 14, 2026

2026

2026Date Jan 11, 2026

Official website ↗

Instagram YouTube

D-day as of Nov 15, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

This is the headline event of Houston Marathon Weekend.

It takes place every January, with more than 15,000 runners covering 13.1 miles.

It is known as a flat, fast course and is considered one of the largest half marathon in the United States.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

#AramcoHoustonHalfMarathon#Houston#January Marathon#Full marathon

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 3

tyler_runs_liftsRan in 2026 · Finish time 1:09:47

“I pushed harder and crossed the finish line in 1:09:47 for my second career sub-70 half marathon - six years after my first.”

The runner held their target pace through the solo section in the latter stages, but was cautious about accelerating at the end because of discomfort in their thigh, finishing in 1:09:47.

Read the original on Reddit

Glenna ToomeyRan in 2025 · Finish time 1:29

“I didn’t hit my target time of 1:25, (I ran 1:29), but for how sick I was I had a better-than-decent race.”

The runner finished in 1 hour 29 minutes despite not feeling well. Participants faced strong winds and cold temperatures, but rated the flat, fast course, the indoor space where they could wait in warmth, and the well-organized race positively.

Read the original on JayFlemma.com

Reddit · r/runningRan in 2025 · Finish time 1:53:32

“Make a plan. Stick to it. Have fun. Run.”

The runner completed their first half marathon at the 2025 Aramco Houston Half Marathon in 1 hour 53 minutes 32 seconds. The runner gradually increased long-distance running and pace training, and in the final section, the crowd and music helped maintain pace and run to the finish line.

Read the original on Reddit · r/running

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Finisher vlog
Mica Rivera Wood · Finisher vlog
View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition

Lottery entry has closed

It ran Jan 11, 2026–Jul 14, 2026.
Check separately whether other entry routes are open and spots remain.

Registration history · The 2027 race opened entry on Sun, January 11, 2026

Lottery

General registration is by lottery — limited to half marathon 11,000 people.

Original

"Thirteen thousand entries are reserved for the marathon and 11,000 for the half marathon, with registration handled through a lottery system"

Organizer's page

Qualifying time

Time Qualifiers — Certified record holders have guaranteed entry;

only records after January 1, 2025 will be accepted.

Organizer's page

Charity entry

HERO Registration (guaranteed entry with a donation of at least $350 to an official charity) or the Run for a Reason fundraising programme (guaranteed entry with a minimum of $500 raised)

Organizer's page

By invitation

Legacy/Streak Runner — runners who have completed the Houston Marathon 5 or more times (half marathon means 10 or more) are eligible for guaranteed entry

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 42.195km

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 06:55

Time limit4 hours

Event	Start
Marathon42.195km	06:55
Half21.0975km	06:55

START

Congress and Fannin, Downtown Houston

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston

Finish · Google Maps

Cutoff
2027 Aramco Houston half marathon official cut-off point: the course split at mile 7.6 must be reached by 10:15 am, and the half marathon time limit is 4 hours (chip time). The cut-off point time may be adjusted according to the final start line passage time.

Original course map · chevronhoustonmarathon.com

Course starts near Daikin Park in downtown Houston, passes through the Houston Heights and Neartown,

and continues towards Uptown via Hermann Park and the area around Rice University.

It then passes through Memorial Park and along Allen Parkway before finishing at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

With almost no major climbs,

it is a fast course that attracts many runners targeting a personal best and is also known as a course for runners pursuing a Boston Marathon qualifying time.

The Houston Marathon Committee was founded in 1972, and the first Houston Marathon was held that year with 113 participants.

Half marathon was added in 2002, and the event has grown into a weekend programme featuring the marathon, half marathon and 5K.

Half marathon has hosted the USA Championships 16 times, and Houston is also a centre for elite racing,

having hosted the men's and women's Olympic Trials and several national championships.

World Athletics Label: Gold Label
Typical race-season temperature: around 10°C (51°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Timing chip

Pacers

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Finisher certificate

Bag drop

Hotels197m from the start · ★9.4

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Bib pickup

You must bring a government-issued photo ID and your registration confirmation, either electronic or printed, to collect bib.
Participants aged 17 and under do not need ID.
Marathon and half marathon participants collect their bib at the same EXPO.
Based on the 2026 edition — Friday, Jan 9, 10:00 am–6:00 pm; Saturday, Jan 10, 8:30 am–5:00 pm

Grand Ballroom and Hall B3 on the third floor of the George R. Brown Convention Center

1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston, TX 77010

Google Maps Directions

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Jan 13, 2027

Shakeout run

A relaxed group run to loosen up before race day. No pace pressure — everyone's welcome.

Shake Out Run

When: Wed, January 13, 2027
How to join: Check the event page

Sign-up & details

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startMETRORail Green/Purple Line to George R.
Transit cardMost runners should plan to drive or use rideshare (Uber/Lyft) — Houston's transit network is sparse and spread across a very car-oriented city. If you do ride METRORail or local bus, just tap a contactless Visa/Mastercard at the validator. Where to buy
Getting to the finishMETRORail Green · Purple Line to George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB)

Source · checked Aug 20, 2026 · Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

METRORail Green/Purple Line to George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB) area

Entrances 1 and 2 open in Theater District Parking off Rusk and Bagby, where runners catch METRO to GRB. Theater District Parking accessible from Memorial Drive and McKinney exit on I-45. METRORail Green and Purple Lines run continuously from approx 4:45 a.m.

Start line is on Fannin/Congress St in downtown Houston, several blocks from GRB. Same start/finish venue as the Chevron Houston Marathon (run concurrently).

Road closures begin at 6:00 a.m. on race day, with all lanes closed unless noted.

Significant downtown road construction is causing delays. The closure maps and schedule currently published are for the January 2026 race.

Race-weekend venues are the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB) and Discovery Green, and the official spectator page points to METRORail for easy access.

Map

Getting to the finish

METRORail Green/Purple Line to George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB) / Discovery Green area

Finish at Discovery Green Park/GRB, Avenida de las Americas, downtown Houston. Public transportation highly recommended; RideMETRO.org has parking/route info.

Map

Start shuttle

No dedicated spectator shuttle -- METRORail is the recommended transport. Separately, SAG (Support and Gear) vans run every ~15 min from Medical Aid Stations for runners who cannot finish, returning them to GRB finish area (drop-out service, not general shuttle).

Transit card

RideMETRO Fare Card

METRO RideStore locations, Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs), participating retailers, and the online RideStore (ridemetro.org); also manageable via the RideMETRO app. Works directly at the gates

Alternative: RideMETRO Day Pass $3.00 (single-ride fare is $1.25) — Only worth it if you'll take 3+ local bus/rail trips in one day — for a single trip or two, tapping a contactless bank card at $1.25/ride is cheaper. Houston retired its old METRO Q Fare Card and Q Mobile Ticketing app on April 5, 2026, replacing them with the new RideMETRO system.

RideMETRO validators accept contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, plus mobile wallets, directly on boarding (bus) or at station validators (rail) — no physical card required. Houston's rail/bus network only serves a limited downtown/central corridor, so it won't get most visitors to hotels, race expos, or suburban venues — factor rideshare cost into the trip budget.

Where to buy

Source · checked Aug 20, 2026 Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

As the race takes place on 17 January, choose your clothing before the start based on the local forecast and your expected waiting time,

and prepare a separate outer layer to remove once you start running.

Since course is flat and time limit has a 6-hour cut-off, decide in advance whether to increase your target pace early or maintain it steadily.

The participant limit of 27,000 applies equally to the marathon and half marathon.

The start is in downtown near Daikin Park, and finish is at the George R. Brown Convention Center,

so choosing accommodation based on access to both locations is convenient.

During race weekend, the expo and Packet Pickup follow separate schedules.

Secure time for Packet Pickup first, and plan your travel accordingly, bearing in mind that the start and finish locations are different.

As half marathon and the marathon take place together, allow plenty of time to reach the event area on race day.

Times are local to Houston. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotel Icon Autograph Collection By Marriott

Hotel · 366m · 5-minute walk

8.9/10(437)

View on Booking.com

Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern Meditation Session

Meditation session in an underground reservoir · $21

Aramco Houston Half Marathon

About Aramco Houston Half Marathon — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run