You start on Congress Avenue at Fannin early on a January Sunday, the first corrals going off at 6:55 a.m., and you are back downtown at the George R. Brown Convention Center a single loop later. In between, this is as flat as a big-city marathon gets: less than 60 feet separate the course's high and low points, and the only real rises are underpasses and overpasses. The route takes you through the Heights, past Hermann Park and Rice University, out to Uptown, and back along Memorial Park and Allen Parkway. More than 9,000 people finished the marathon in 2026 and about one in seven ran a Boston qualifier, so if you are chasing a time, this is the place. The catch is getting in: the 2027 race sold out on a first-come basis, so plan for 2028 or a charity entry. The limit is six hours on chip time.
Fast, very flat single loop with fewer than 60 feet between its high and low points, starting on Congress Avenue at Fannin and finishing at Lamar and Crawford beside the George R. Brown Convention Center; the half shares the course through mile 7.6. Course map ↗
Entries are sold in five first-come price tiers, not a lottery. As of 2026-10-13 the official site reads 'Sold Out for 2027!' and all marathon and half-marathon tiers show SOLD OUT. Guaranteed entry remains available through the Run for a Reason charity program. Minimum age 12 for the marathon. Register ↗
- The marathon has a 6-hour chip time limit (13:45 per mile minimum pace); the half marathon has 4 hours. Both races share a single start with six corrals, the first starting at 6:55 a.m. ↗
- The start line is on Congress Avenue at Fannin and the finish is at Lamar and Crawford, one block from the George R. Brown Convention Center. ↗
- findmymarathon.com describes 'a fast, flat, single-loop course' with 225 feet of gain; 9,257 runners finished in 2026 and 14.4% of them ran a Boston qualifying time. ↗
- The first Houston Marathon was run on December 30, 1972 with 113 runners; the route passes the Heights, Hermann Park, Rice University, Uptown, Memorial Park and Allen Parkway. ↗
- The 2027 marathon and half marathon are sold out; charity entries via Run for a Reason are the remaining route in. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.