A city road marathon with a shared start and a course split at mile 7.6. The later Allen Parkway hills make holding effort more useful than expecting perfectly level running to the finish.
01 Know what you are taking on
What is the race like?
The course, section by section
Open a section for the terrain and a practical pacing cue.
Shared openingCongress & Fannin · Course split at mile 7.6
The two distances share the early course.
Late effort checkAllen Parkway · Downtown finish
The spectator guide highlights hills late in both distances.
Official maps & course details
02 Choose your approach
Find your race strategy.
Choose your goal. These are our pacing suggestions, based on the published course, rather than organiser instructions.
My first finish
Arrive for your allocated corral and let the pulsed start do its job.
Know which direction your distance takes at the mile 7.6 split.
Keep enough reserve for Allen Parkway and stay aware of the rolling course limits.
A PB or time goal
Avoid forcing an instant target pace while the starting field is still settling.
Use the course split as a progress check rather than an invitation to surge.
Keep effort steady on the late hills, then reassess before building the final finish.
03 Know what is on the course
Drinks, fuel & toilets.
- Drinks
- Water and Gatorade from mile 2, then about every 1.5 miles; Gatorade tables come first.
- Toilets
- About every 1.5 miles, after the refuelling stations.
Turn the station list into your plan
Mark the stops you expect to use and the fuel you will carry. If you use a gel that needs water, pair it with a published water point. Practise the products and cup or bottle format before race day; you do not have to try every item offered.
04 Before the start
Your race morning.
Times are local to the event. Work back from your own wave, allowing for the walk, toilets and bag drop.
Race number
Race-pack collection
George R. Brown Convention Center: 15 January 2027, 10:00–18:00, or 16 January, 08:30–17:00. No marathon or half-marathon race-morning collection.
2027 scheduleThe start
First open-field start
06:55, followed by pulsed corrals. Follow your own allocation.
Finish window
Time limit
6 hours chip time; intermediate cut-offs and rolling road reopenings apply.
Your allocated wave, event emails and final runner instructions take priority. Read the guide for your distance before travelling.
05 Make the day work together
Supporters & getting around.
Plan your support
Pick a published cheer zone, then use the road-closure map to plan any move. Allen Parkway is a useful late-race option; avoid promising several sightings without a workable crossing plan.
The places below are viewing ideas from the linked route or spectator guide. Use your edition’s access map for barriers, permitted crossings and any crew restrictions.
Allen Parkway
The organiser suggests this for late-race support; about miles 23–24 of the marathon or 11–12 of the half.
Bissonnet & Greenbriar
The published mile-seven cheer point, before the distances split.
Published course and 2027 schedule
Official spectator or route informationMake the cheer easy to find
Agree a named point, the side of the road and your likely arrival window. Share your bib number for official tracking. Pick a separate reunion beyond the finish exit and a backup if the phone signal is poor.
06 Before you book
Entry, fees & time limits.
General entry is sold out. The official Run for a Reason charity route is listed separately; check its remaining places and fundraising conditions.
Check official entry optionsWhat you need to enter
Check the organiser’s current age, eligibility and documentation rules before booking. These requirements have not yet been confirmed for this edition.
Read the entry rulesCan you finish inside the time limit?
- Time limit
- 6 hours chip time; intermediate cut-offs and rolling road reopenings apply.
Stay in the loop
Email me event updates.
Spend more time training and less time checking. Get the key updates for your race, straight to your inbox.
07 Make your training relevant
Practise for this course.
One thing to rehearse
Practise a steady run with a moderate rise late on. Rehearse taking a cup after identifying the drink you intend to use.
08 Put your plan together
Useful before race day.
Plan your pre-run fuel
Explore meals and snacks around the time you have before running.
Explore the fuel plannerMake race fuel feel familiar
Understand how to practise taking carbohydrate during longer runs.
Read the guideArrive ready, not worn out
Understand what changes in the final weeks before a marathon.
Read the guideA plan that fits your life.
Running, strength or both, with feedback and adjustments as your training develops.
Official race information
Use the organiser’s information for current entry terms, the published route and your final runner instructions. Course resources show their edition where it is known. Pacing and training suggestions are The Runner’s Journal’s guidance and should fit your experience, health and conditions.