Houston Marathon

If you think Houston is hot, 2025 race gives you a reason to think again. Starting temperature for 2025 Houston marathon was 32 degrees and finished at 40. It was cold. It was also cold the previous weekend. Aside from chilly day, which made the race fairly well tolerable, Chevron Houston Marathon went on smoothly. The Expos was easy in picking up and enough vendors for running necessities. Pre race wait in GRB was well planned, with lots of portapotty and plenty of drinks. Race felt safe with lots of hard working police and sheriffs as well as lots of first aide station and more than enough hydration station and Gu stations. Post race festivities including warm breakfast, ice cream, chocolate milk and coffee and hot cocoa. I love how accurate miles markers are. This is a well planned and executed events. Planning to be back again.

This was a beautiful day for marathon, and what is better than a well organized race on a sunny 40-50 degree slightly breezy day. Unlike hot weather last year, this race is similar to 2006 when everyone I knew PR. Houston Marathon is a very well organized event and the largest annual sporting event in Houston. Have ran many other marathons, I think Houston organization is the best, starting from registration to regular update to Expos to the race day. Expos this year is very well organized, from BIB pickup to getting your goody bag that has a large race logo towel to vendor that include Chevron printing shirts and Amaco handing out much needed gloves and bells. It also coincide Saturday morning with the 5K race, so runner can get a medal for 5K and 2 more for finishing either 13.1 or 26.2 next day. Pre-race events in GRB Convention center include more than enough portent as well as efficiently laid out bag drop off, church service, and snack for purchase. Corral system work great, 10 minutes on the dot and very precise. My favorite part of waiting? There is a set of outdoor men's urinal near the starting line, so we can take care of business quickly, 4 guys at a time. Sorry, ladies. Course run through various part of central and west Houston, good sceneries and lots of water station, 2 Gu stations, and a beer station, not mention the much appreciated crowds come and cheer you on and handing out snacks. The only complaint I have is at mile 21, while going though Memorial Park runner, someone with 3 speakers system seems to turned it up too loud. Not for my taste or ear buds after running all that time and having run another couple of minutes to get out of tunnel. Finishing line is great, they hand you, in the order, Bananas, Water, Chocolate Milk, then medal. Good priority! Post race including picking up the finishers shirt and the mug as well as snack from beloved local grocer HEB - but they ran out of ice cream! Warm food line include egg, biscuit and gravy, sausage, and pancake, and they are Texas size portion, complement with soda, more chocolate mild, coffee, or hot chocolate. Love Houston marathon. This is my number 23. 2 more and I get a free marathon. Not too bad for loyalty reward. I highly recommend this race, both for beginners and also season veterans who want nice fairly flat race

I ran this race because I had heard the course was flat and fast. There is a tiny climb up an overpass around mile 12 and some very small rolling hills around mile 20-23, but otherwise, it's a great PR course. The race starts and finishes about a block from the convention center which is where you can hang out before and after the race. This is also where you pick up your packet so it's very convenient. There are plenty of hotels very close to the finish line as well. The previous years, it was perfect marathon weather. This year unfortunately it was very humid and it really slowed the times down. The race shirt was just ok. I was hoping for some rockets or something fun. I hate shirts that say finisher on it as well. The finisher medal was just ok. Pros- You don't get your race shirt until you finish so you actually have to earn it. Flat fast course Easy packet pickup close to the race hotels Breakfast and ice cream with good snacks after the race. You also get a nice mug with your finisher shirt Cons- Some pot holes on the course and other than some nice neighborhoods here and there, Houston is not a very scenic town. The hotels and race start and finish are all close to each other, but the area of town is junky. The race breakfast wasn't very good. It was nice to have food, but it was not good